From Influence to Impact: What Brands Can Learn from Celebrity-Led Startups

Today’s consumers can follow, like, and engage with just about anyone — from actors and athletes to influencers and, yes, even people who became famous because their dad represented OJ Simpson. Fame comes in many forms, but the real power lies in what people do with it.

We’ve seen Kim Kardashian, KSI, Jake Paul, and now Hailey Bieber take that fame and turn it into real commercial success. Case in point: Hailey Bieber just sold her skincare brand, Rhode, to e.l.f. Beauty for a reported $1 billion — just three years after launching.

That kind of growth isn’t just impressive — it’s a masterclass in what reach and loyalty can achieve.

While most brands grow by gradually increasing media spend to build awareness and nudge conversions, celebrity-founded brands flip the model. They are the media channel. They don’t need months of testing or A/B optimisation to create buzz — a single Instagram story can drive a sell-out.

Now, most of us don’t have millions of followers or global name recognition. But there’s still a valuable lesson here:

Social proof is more powerful than ad spend.

If more brands focused on building audience, community, and credibility and less on the ROAS driven on a particular keyword, they might find more sustainable traction. But that takes time. It requires a clear brand message, a consistent voice, and authenticity that earns trust.

I heard an analogy from Alex H. Smith recently that stuck with me:

“Your business should be like selling water to people dying of first in the desert”

The demand is obvious. The need is urgent. And if you’re the only one offering the solution — they come to you.

That’s the challenge for most brands: create something people feel they need, and deliver it in a way that no one else can.