Josh Horowitz Knows When to Walk Away

In this episode of (FAIL) UP, host Alanna Lynch sits down with builder, creative leader, and founder of PRESENT, Josh Horowitz.

Josh Horowitz has never loved the word entrepreneur. Even after building the experiential agency Fake Love and selling it to The New York Times, he has always seen himself less as a businessman and more as a builder of artful experiences that bring people together.

So when he walked away from the company he had spent more than a decade building, it wasn’t just a professional pivot — it was a reset of his creative vision and personal identity.

In today’s episode, we dive into:

• Why he rejects the label “entrepreneur” and prefers to see himself as a builder

• The evolution of experiential from short-term brand activations to long-term cultural installations, and how this clarified and deepened his sense of purpose

• His new partnership with Ventureland, with Kerstin Emhoff joining as an investor, and what this means for how agencies and production companies collaborate across formats like film x experiential

• Why he believes art and experience design are universal languages — and what that means for the future of human connection.

• Leaving Fake Love behind after its NYT acquisition and finding the courage to start over

• Why he sees self-awareness as his greatest strength, helping him spot the right opportunities that align with his creative mission

• His perspective on failure as an everyday practice, not a fatal outcome

• Why community, creativity, and persistence matter more now than ever

A candid and energizing conversation about self-awareness, entrepreneurship, and the unexpected detours that shape a creative life.

Stay Connected with Alanna & Josh

• Alanna Lynch Instagram: @meliorfuturi
• Alanna Lynch Linkedin: alannalynch
• (FAIL)UP Instagram : @failupbymeliorfuturi
• Josh Horowitz Linkedin: joshhorowitz
• Visit PRESENT: www.nowpresent.com

If this conversation left you wanting to think bigger, feel braver, and influence change in your own organization, head to melior-futuri.com to explore our executive and leadership coaching programs, available internationally.

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