Stephen George is CEO of Surkus, based in West Hollywood.
And he took an unusual path. Starting as an investor in Surkus, he then joined full-time as Chief Operating Officer once he saw the magnitude of the opportunity. He was later named CEO.
Previously, Stephen served as head of operations at Groupon.
Surkus is a 2-sided marketplace for events & experiences on a local basis. It connects its clients (major brands) & consumers.
The platform curates a targeted group of tastemakers for client events – such as nightlife, comedy shows, classes, product launches, etc. In turn, Surkus members are invited to explore & discover these new experiences, with invitations tailored just for them. 
In this 20-minute conversation, Stephen reveals how he’s building the team at Surkus, now backed by $20M in venture capital.