Investors can take a wide variety of forms. Some are dominant, wealthy individuals who desire control over a company. Other projects offer ownership stakes to the general public, often making for a progressive and democratic business or providing benefits to those who take an early interest. But the most influential investors can sometimes be those with something non-financial to offer to the company, whether expertise, experience, or name value. Today, Travis Chappell named some noteworthy individuals who have invested in his company, Guestio.

Chappell’s business is a guest booking marketplace for podcast creators, so it naturally lends itself to high-profile stakeholders. But the entrepreneur had an existing foot in the door with his targeted communities due to hosting his shows, Build Your Network and Figuring It Out.

The likes of Shaquille O’Neal have been interviewed on Chappell's business and lifestyle-based podcasts. A direct parallel can be drawn with one of Guestio’s announced investors, Matt Barnes, who won an NBA Championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.

“We are pleased to announce that Matt Barnes, the former NBA champion, has invested in Guestio,” Chappell stated. “He’s now a top podcaster with iHeartRadio and a news anchor on SportsCenter. His contribution promises to bring more external clout to our company outside the business space.”

Guestio’s proposition may seem niche, but an increasing number of entrepreneurs in all business sectors are hosting podcasts to build their brands. It is thought that Chappell’s creator reimbursement program will prosper from and cultivate the latest generation of entrepreneurial podcasters.

Representing creators in Chappell’s lengthy investor list is John Lee Dumas. As one of the more significant people to put their name to Guestio, he could signify the variety of spaces that investors are emerging from.

“One of our bigger investors is John Lee Dumas, a top podcaster,” Chappell said. “His podcast (Entrepreneurs on Fire) gets around two million downloads a month and has over 100 million in total. He is one of the more well-known business podcasters, so we are fortunate to have him as an investor and minority partner in the company.”

Dumas and Barnes are two of the most recognizable names announced today as Guestio investors. So far, in 2022, the marketplace has paid over $300,000 to podcast creators. If the stakeholder list grows and additional name value draws attention, that number will likely increase to cater to a wider pool of creators.