Today is an incredibly exciting day for me, my teammates and my family. My company, Visuals by Impulse has been acquired by Corsair (Nasdaq: $CRSR) & will operate as a product line within the Elgato business unit! While this deal has been inked/closed for a little over a week now, I'm super excited to share with the world & to fill you in on the specifics.

For the past few years, we've entertained a number of offers and pursued fundraising. The entire process was eye opening and ultimately forces you to peel back the curtains of every nook and cranny of your business. You quickly learn who has your best interest, who is interested in making a quick buck and ultimately you latch on to those who believe in your vision.

A few years ago, the Elgato team reached out to us, with curiosity to explore what it would look like if they hired VBI for creating Stream Deck icons. We obliged. It was a great opportunity to explore design + hardware integration and to ideate on what makes this workflow even easier for creators. Fast forward to Twitchcon 2019, we had the chance to meet many of the Elgato folks in person, who were incredibly helpful throughout our first booth at a convention.

Following the momentum of Twitchcon, we continued to work closely on creating new products compatible within Stream Deck. Even partnering up on bringing unique experiences to the 100 Thieves team using Elgato + VBI designs. They extended their team to us and opened new doors for our business. Both of our teams value quality over everything else. If it's not the best it can possibly be, then why even do it?

Around October 2020, we began talks of what it would look like to plant our flag underneath the Corsair brand. We had a monster year of sales in 2020 and the year before that, so finances weren't the issue here. Making our mark on the industry by integrating our designs and tech into the world's leading hardware provider - now that.. That's what has us bursting at the seams with new ideas and excitement.

February 2021, a new adventure begins.

They’re one of the most recognizable gaming brands on earth, creating high-performance gear and technology to give you an edge. From award-winning PC components and peripherals to premium streaming equipment and smart ambient lighting, Corsair is an industry legend. They’re also home to some of the most beloved names in gaming, including ORIGIN PC, SCUF Gaming and Elgato. For more than 25 years Corsair have been helping gamers play at their best.

They're the team that brought you your favorite capture cards, green screens, microphones, key lights and stream decks. Many of you are already familiar with the brand.

For those that aren’t, Elgato specializes in gearing up content creators. In fact, they’re the leading provider of hardware and software for broadcasters. Over the years, they’ve built a reputation as one of the most beloved brands in streaming. Right now across the world, millions of creators are using Elgato studio equipment  — on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Gaming and beyond.

VBI has always been bootstrapped from the jump. Since 2015, I've easily invested over $100K of my own funds into this dream. I won't sugar coat it, there were some tough days in the beginning. But, I always held on to the notion that most people don't experience success, because they don't have the patience to see an idea through long enough. If it isn't instant, they move on.

Over the years I've been fortunate enough to have great paying jobs within cyber security. Jobs that allowed me to learn about management, coding and navigating my way through incredibly large companies.

In 2018, I set a sales goal in my head. "If VBI can consistently sustain this level of revenue, I'm dropping everything. I'm going for it." While this didn't happen in 2018, it surpassingly happened in 2019. So, I was faced with the decision: do you take the once in a lifetime chance to pursue this or stick to what's safe? Safe didn't interest me. I created a plan, saved every penny I had and made daily progress towards "the leap."

That October, I said goodbye to my colleagues and friends at Nike in Portland, Oregon. Kelsey and I sold off belongings and packed what was left in a pod to be shipped. I drove straight to San Diego for VBI's first ever booth at Twitchcon and Kelsey drove straight to our new destination, Denver.

That drive to San Diego with John Martin was one of the most liberating feelings I've ever experienced. On my way to chasing my dreams. Jobless. Enough cash in the bank for a safety net. Uncertain what's next. Those memories will stick with me the rest of my life.

Some said I threw away my career. I walked away from a job and profession that most people would kill for. I was reminded of that daily. So to be in this position I'm in today, the best possible outcome of the situation.. gets me a bit emotional. I'm still processing everything. But, it brings a smile to my face knowing those naysayers are eating their heart out right now. Failure never was and will never be an option, so long as you work hard - life is your oyster.

I owe a lot to Nike, I learned a lot. Nike taught me these ten principles that I would then implement into my company's maxims and practice daily.

You're the man, Phil.

Our business model has always revolved around leveraging our Studio team & projects to help inform/productize our Marketplace of the newest trends and improvements we can bring to creators.

Julian Fest most accurately described it as a parallel to Formula 1 Racing and the never ending pursuit of perfection and innovation.

Our Studio is an integral part of the Visuals by Impulse team, whose mission is to expedite product innovation for creators across the world. The Studio fuels design innovation specifically through knowledge and insight gained from the largest influencers and brands. The research encompasses fundamental questions to unlock innovation, and builds on a knowledge base by tapping into insights from the world’s best streamers. Over the years, the Studio team have tested countless ideas in pursuit of improving audience engagement, reducing distractions on screen and achieving our client's main performance objectives.

As a global leader in broadcast design, the Studio has established partnerships with major brands and influencers across the globe. The quest to be better than yesterday continues.

Here's a sneak peak at some new additions on the horizon:

Not everything is changing. Here are a few things that will stay the same:

Our success is not based on any one particular person's actions. Myself included. The conglomeration of talented individuals all over the world - that's the magic of VBI.

There's so many crucial roles that help shape our company. Our creatives tend to get the spotlight for their amazing work, but there's so many more pivotal folks behind the scenes:

I'm so thankful for each and every one of you. Your faith in me and our team is incomprehensible. 💚

As for me, I'm not going anywhere. I'm incredibly excited to work closely with the Elgato and Corsair family. My role as GM for VBI is a long term play for me. I have so many big plans to continue growing the team and elevating our teammates. Just getting started here.

I'm looking forward to celebrating with my family and certainly seeing them more often. I'm also interested in new investing opportunities.

I'm also excited to travel the world once COVID is under control and it's safe to do so. Kelsey and I have not taken a vacation together in our 14+ years of knowing each other. It's time to change that.

For now, we're in the process of moving into our new home and getting acclimated to the new area. It feels good to get back to focusing on our business and sharing my thoughts along the way on Twitter.

in no particular order (aside from Mom 😘)

While I haven't listed an all inclusive list here, there's hundreds of people who have helped me along this journey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To the nearly half a million creators & brands who’ve used VBI, thank you for all the feedback you’ve given both with messages and with your wallets. Six years ago, I never imagined this side hustle would end up impacting so many lives in such a positive way across the globe.

To my VBI crew, it’s humbling that you chose to spend any amount of your working hours helping me build this idea. You could have worked anywhere and you chose VBI. That means the world to me as a founder.

To the creatives reading this, I hope it inspires you to build your legacy. Hang in there. The journey can be long & even exhausting at times, but all great things in life take time & an unstoppable work ethic.

I'm even more hungry & motivated than I've ever been in my life. I'm humbled by this whole experience. Above all else, it's the most fulfilling feeling of elevating all of my teammates & opening this new chapter in our lives together.

To the next chapter,