David Lee – Wild Business Growth Podcast #357: Nex Playground, Active Video Games for Your Living Room

Make it possible. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, David Lee. David is the Co-Founder & CEO of Nex and Nex Playground. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast platforms, and watch on YouTube.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth podcast Summary

Episode 357: David Lee – Nex Playground, Active Video Games for Your Living Room

David Lee, the Co-Founder & CEO of Nex and Nex Playground, joins the show to share his journey from selling a company to Apple to creating the smart little cube with active video games that transforms your living room. Hear how to break down a complicated problem, how David & team put all this cool technology in a small box, how to build a subscription model, how Steve Jobs gave feedback, and David’s history with former NBA player David Lee. This episode covers everything from HomeCourt to StarCraft II. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Why did Apple buy EditGrid
• How did David develop the HomeCourt app
• When did he realize this technology could work for active video games
• How big is the Nex Playground
• Why is there beauty in constraints

Connect with David at NexPlayground.com, PlayThatMovesYou.com, on social media @NexPlayground, and on LinkedIn.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Getting Acquired by Apple
  • [0:22] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:36] Connect with David at NexPlayground.com, PlayThatMovesYou.com, on social media @NexPlayground, and on LinkedIn
  • [2:30] What did David learn from his company being acquired by Apple
  • [5:50] Why did Apple buy EditGrid

• The Nex Playground Story
  • [10:45] How did David develop the HomeCourt app
  • [13:23] How do you break down a complicated problem
  • [14:16] What was the “aha” moment for AI tracking technology
  • [14:54] Which basketball coaches did David work with on HomeCourt
  • [17:02] When did David realize this technology could work for active video games
  • [20:44] How big is the Nex Playground
  • [21:31] How did David & team put all this cool technology in a small box
  • [25:13] Shoutout, Ken Krasnow!
  • [25:35] Why is there beauty in constraints
  • [27:52] How does David decide which games are on Nex Playground
  • [31:44] How do you build a subscription model
  • [33:19] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like David every Friday
  • [33:21] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • [33:22] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23

• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [33:42] JJ Redick
  • [35:20] What was the hardest class at The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
  • [36:00] How did Steve Jobs give feedback
  • [37:28] Which video game character would David love to have dinner with
  • [38:52] What’s a funny story about former NBA player David Lee
  • [39:37] Connect with David at NexPlayground.com, PlayThatMovesYou.com, on social media @NexPlayground, and on LinkedIn
  • [40:21] What are David’s Final Thoughts
  • [41:06] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [41:12] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like David
  • [41:14] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [41:15] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [41:17] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [41:19] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding and professional-looking podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to David Lee on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And play some Nex Playground with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!