Leading the shift

In this moment in time when the stock industry is evolving, AI is exploding, and the entire creative landscape is shifting the ground beneath our feet, instead of riding the waves we sought out a leader who will shake sh*t up! 

We’re excited that Steven Russell has joined our team as our new Head of Content.  pocstock is at a pivotal moment in our growth trajectory.  With his extensive experience in the stock content industry at companies like Shutterstock and BBC, Steven brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to pocstock at a pivotal moment in the company’s growth. As pocstock continues to expand its global footprint, Steven will lead the content team, work closely with photographers and videographers around the world to ensure pocstock has millions of new assets available for its growing customer base, and that our contributors have a place in this new AI content economy.   

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Steven Russell to the pocstock team,” said Derrick Larane, Chief Operating Officer of pocstock. “His deep industry experience, combined with his passion for inclusive content, makes him the perfect fit to help lead us through this critical phase of expansion. As pocstock continues to grow, Steven’s leadership will be invaluable in ensuring we meet the demand for high-quality, diverse content that is truly representative of all people.”  

Photo by Derrick Larane for pocstock

pocstock is at an inflection point as it has become one of the leading providers of inclusive datasets for training generative AI platforms, focusing on creating diverse and representative datasets to help build more equitable AI systems.   

“The opportunity for growth in the AI dataset market is massive, and pocstock is well-positioned to be a driving force in that space,” said DeSean Brown, Chief Relationship Officer of pocstock. “With the addition of Steven Russell, we are aligning our content strategy with our long-term vision of becoming the go-to source for AI datasets that are diverse, inclusive, and ethical”.  

Steven’s expertise will be instrumental as we continue to scale our global efforts and support the growing needs of AI companies looking for better, more inclusive data.”   

We sat down with Steven to talk about where he’s been, what he sees coming, and how we’re shaping the future together.

Let’s get into it. 

Photo by Derrick Larane for pocstock

Q&A Interview with Steven Russell, Head of Content at pocstock

Q: Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got started in the content industry? 

Steven Russell: I was born in Brooklyn and raised in Long Island. I went to Brooklyn College, where I studied television production, and that really set the foundation for my career. I started out working at a radio station, then got into video production, shooting music videos and expanding into corporate events, pretty much anything I could get my hands on. That experience helped me develop my scriptwriting skills and work on short films. 

After freelancing for several years, I decided to look for a full-time role and landed at Shutterstock. Before that, I was doing quality control work for companies, screening movies and checking assets for consistency. That experience in QC helped me transition into the world of commercial and stock content, where I learned the ins and outs of the industry. 

Q: What drew you to pocstock, and how does your experience align with its mission? 

Steven Russell: During my 10 years at Shutterstock, I worked with strategic partners to ensure content was searchable and optimized. While doing that, I started noticing major content gaps, certain communities were not represented widely enough in stock libraries. I wanted to change that, so I worked on building a pipeline to bring more diverse creators onto the platform. 

One thing I realized is that jumping into this industry is not intuitive. There was no clear entry point, and without guidance, many underrepresented artists were being left out. I worked directly with creators from around the world, onboarding them and helping push their content to market. 

That is why pocstock feels like a perfect fit. It is a company that already understands the importance of representation in imagery, and it needed someone with years of experience in this space, someone passionate about working with creatives. This is exactly what I have been doing on my own, and now I get to do it at a company that is fully aligned with that mission. 

Q: How do you see AI creating new opportunities for stock content contributors? 

Steven Russell: AI is opening up a whole new market within stock content, and this is a huge opportunity for our contributors. Stock content has always been about merging art with utility—it has to be visually compelling but also fit specific use cases. As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, people are still relying on stock content, just in new ways. In fact, many are now willing to pay more for high-quality, AI-ready content. 

One of my goals is to help our contributors understand how they can capitalize on this shift. By providing insights into what customers are looking for, we can help them pivot into this evolving marketplace, ensuring they are not left behind but instead positioned to thrive. 

Q: What will be your focus in helping contributors succeed in this changing industry? 

Steven Russell: Quality and representation remain at the core of what we do. One of my key priorities is to develop more comprehensive learning resources and insights to guide contributors in creating content that fills critical gaps in the market. I also want to establish clear guardrails that make it easier for them to create functional content while still allowing them the freedom to be artists. The goal is to ensure they are not just creating for the sake of it but actually making money. 

Beyond that, my background gives me a unique perspective on content strategy. I have taken on multiple roles over the years, from being a footage reviewer—where I spent hours sorting metadata—to selling and publishing stock content at scale. This experience has given me valuable insights that I am excited to bring to pocstock. 

Q: You have a background in film, how does that influence your approach to stock content? 

Steven Russell: My experience in film, especially as an award-winning short filmmaker, has given me a deep understanding of visual storytelling. Whether it is film or stock imagery, content needs to resonate with an audience and serve a purpose. I plan to bring that perspective to pocstock, helping contributors develop content that not only meets market demands but also tells compelling, authentic stories. 

We’re excited to have Mr. Russell at the helm of our content operation and are excited at the journey ahead.