“Influencer”
a person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media.
By that definition…
You can include anyone with an audience (and the scale of it will depend on their total reach, relationship with the audience, PMF, and operating team behind it).
We’ve seen some big wins by so-called influencers:
- Kylie Jenner’s $600M Coty deal
- Kobe Bryant’s $400m BodyArmor
- 50 Cent’s $100M from Vitamin Water
- George Clooney’s $1B Casamigos sale
- Ryan Reynolds $300 million MintMobile
- Jessica Alba’s $130M Honest Company IPO
And these are no longer just one-off influencer paydays.
But a masterclass packed with lessons for founders and operators on how an influencer (or using influencers) can create business success.
Let’s Dive In 👇
The 4-Step Framework
When studying this space, it became clear relatively early that no one has played the “influencer card” better than Ryan Reynolds.
And even better for us…he’s executed it in sports/media, giving us some tangible examples to learn from.
The 4-Step Framework is crucial to understand:
1. Build the Audience
Reynolds spent 20+ years in Hollywood building global reach (and millions of followers through social media).
Deadpool (2016) was the tipping point that helped him earn massive fandom, a distinct voice, and creative credibility.
*This can be pulled off much quicker in today’s time thanks to short-form videos. And making a significant impact in the market doesn’t require millions of followers.
2. Create the Vehicle
He launched Maximum Effort, a production and marketing company, to own IP and control distribution.
This is key: it turns influence into a platform without selling out.
*Remember this: Ownership > Endorsement.
3. Fast-Follow the Market
Reynolds rarely pioneers, but he’s lightning-fast to copy smart plays:
- Aviation Gin (2018) after Clooney’s tequila sale. Sold to Diageo for $610M in 2020.
- Mint Mobile (2019) targeting prepaid wireless at scale. Sold for $1.35B in 2023.
- Wrexham AFC (2021) riding the Drive to Survive & European Soccer club wave. Purchased for £2m, it is now worth £100m+.
*Success comes down to spotting trends, moving fast, and creating leverage using your unique distribution.
4. Cross-Promote Everything
Ryenold’s marketing company creates the ads in which he stars. This keeps costs low and upside high.
It’s about creating a perpetual flywheel of value.
*One of the most innovative founders in sports told me that he took on PE money to acquire more youth clubs…that also all need new apparel (guess who owns the apparel company).
Some Recent Sports Examples
Ryan Reynolds has done a fantastic job building his own brand and then leveraging it into new opportunities.
Building from scratch in sports, some of the best examples I’ve seen are:
- Good Good Golf – influencer golfers who are now branching into leagues, TV shows, and much more, following their $45m equity raise
- Dude Perfect – after raising $100m, the YouTube trick shot specialists have extended into many different verticals
- Jomboy Media – baseball media personalities who have expanded into multiple categories and recently received an investment from the MLB
Fast-Follower Strategy examples I’ve seen from athletes:
- The typicals we hear about all the time: Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Serena Williams, Lionel Messi, and the Kelce brothers
- Under the radar ones: Kelvin Beachum, Mario Gotze, Larry Fitzgerald
- Emerging leagues are now building off the back of athletes: Unrivaled Basketball, SailGP, Baller League, The Big 3, and Grass League
And the beauty is…you don’t have to have the same production quality or reach the scale these groups did to achieve success.
Depending on what you’re building, you might not want to either. All you should care about is distribution.
Looking Ahead
The creator economy formula isn’t easy (but it’s simple):
- Grow a following.
- Form a company to own and market IP.
- Make a fast and calculated bet in a trending sector.
- Cross-promote relentlessly.
I know what you’re thinking…
Building an audience comes with A LOT of hours of work, extreme discipline, and definitely some luck.
First off, that right there is a part of the opportunity (doing what others won’t).
However, it ultimately comes back to the fact that you don’t have to be the one with the huge audience (you just need to partner with those who do).
I would encourage all of you to think about this question today:
“What influencer(s) are perfectly aligned with my business and would drastically help push forward the value of it?”
Then figure out how to get them involved. Keep building!
And remember…DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION.
