Entrepreneurs
EXCLUSIVE: This Entrepreneur Built A 15M Follower Instagram Empire. Here’s How He Did It
What’s up, WealthGANG… so we all know the importance of social media in today’s media and business landscape.
In a world where follows and likes are currency, the ones who know how to win on social media, win big.
(Just ask The Rock. He charges studios $1M just to tweet about the movie he’s in…)
In this WealthLAB exclusive, we sat down with NuMedia CEO Brandon Harris, who’s built a modern media powerhouse by acquiring popular Instagram handles and growing these accounts to seven figures in annual revenue.
Across the board, Brandon has over 15M followers and gets more than 1B views a year. Here’s how he did it…
WealthLAB: What’s good, Brandon?!
Harris: What’s up.
Let’s get right to it. What is NuMedia?
NuMedia’s a hybrid media-company-slash-influencer-marketing-agency with almost 15 million followers. We generate over 1B views per year. And, we help brands reach and engage with Millennials at scale.
How did it come about?
I’ve been in the sports industry since I was 19 and I identified a huge opportunity. I was on the buying side of a large basketball apparel brand, and I was seeing 12, 14, 15-year old kids make over $50,000 per year off us because of these enormous Instagram channels they built.
No way.
Yeah. And, the crazy part was, even with the high prices they were charging, it was insanely profitable on our end, too.
I knew Instagram influencer marketing was a rare win-win niche. I decided I wanted to be the biggest sports network on Instagram.
And, outside of Bleacher Report, ESPN and other huge corporations, there are pretty much no other companies with our level of reach in the extremely passionate sports media industry, available at prices that small businesses can afford.
You’ve gotten crazy follower numbers on IG. How did you do it?
Many people are social media gurus/experts. I’m not. I’m an entrepreneur. And, that’s probably my greatest advantage in this industry.
Do tell…
I am super passionate about finding growth hacks. I constantly look to find scalable methods of growth. And, the biggest driver in this case is basic understanding of unit economics.
For example, this person has this many followers, they get this much engagement per post, their prices are x, their daily sales volume is y. What levers can I pull to squeeze more dollars, more followers from this channel?
We always look to invest in consultation and staying with a finger on the pulse of the latest social growth techniques. First it was share for share, then giveaways, then private/DM technique, and now it’s essentially impossible to gain followers organically.
Who do you work with and how do you decide to go about it?
We hire under-appreciated young content creators. I hire operations people so I can focus on sales and business development. It’s a daily grind of looking at ways to improve the people and processes. We strive to get better every day.
It’s been a lot of growth hacks—social growth and sales growth—a lot of reinvesting, and a lot of strategic acquisitions to help us get to where we are now with the business.
I gotta ask you this. How the hell did you get those popular handle names?
I would love to say I have the secret sauce. To be honest, it’s mostly relationships.
The same person who helped me land the username @sports, helped me acquire @peace. @Acknowledge was someone who I spent over $100,000 on shoutouts with. @Legal was someone who wanted to work for me.
So acquisitions mainly?
Yeah. And I made sure that everyone who was doing major things in the industry knew who we were. And, I got in very early and collaborated with the biggest influencers in the game. They knew they could trust me, given my history of making many of them very wealthy when I was solely on the buying side. So there wasn’t very much I had to do other than respond to incoming inquiries.
Lots of channels sell shoutouts. You have a different monetization strategy. Why is that — and how does it work for you?
I think the biggest difference is, like I touched on earlier, I’m much more of a general business person than a social media expert.
While others were focused on content and social growth, I was focused on scalable content systems, sales processes, other services, branding and so on.
Our monetization model is super balanced. We sell shoutouts like the others, but we’ve also built such a large network that we can offer guaranteed growth at a firm cost per follower.
We sell seven figures in apparel, we drive traffic to media content for a fixed CPC [cost-per-click], we create viral branded content and we help popularize hip hop artists, among other revenue sources. We’re always looking for new ways to profit without damaging our network.
Lots of entrepreneurs—budding entrepreneurs—are reading this. What’s your number one advice for someone who wants to start a business but still is on the fence?
I’m a big believer in taking risks and jumping at opportunities. Learn as much as you can, be great at what you’re doing, and understand that failure, at its worst, is temporary.
I got internships to learn SEO, I bought courses on social media, I’ve spent six figures on conferences and masterminds. There’s nothing more powerful than investing in knowledge and experience. Then, all it comes down to, is moving quickly and jumping at opportunities.
You can follow Brandon and NuMedia on Instagram here and here.
A recession can be a challenging time, but it can also present opportunities for investors to make smart investment decisions.
During a recession, certain industries tend to perform better than others, and identifying these opportunities can be the key to success.
Here are the top 10 investment opportunities to capitalize on during a recession:
1. Defensive Stocks
Defensive stocks are those that tend to perform well EVEN during economic downturns.
These include companies that provide essential goods and services, such as healthcare, utilities, and consumer staples.
Defensive stocks may not offer the highest returns, but they can provide stability and protection during a recession.
Defensive stocks include Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and Walmart, among others. (You can buy them all inside the NYCE app.)
2. Gold
Gold is often seen as a safe haven during times of economic uncertainty.
As a tangible asset, it can provide a hedge against inflation and currency fluctuations. During a recession, the price of gold may rise as investors seek a safe haven for their money.
READ: 3 Ways To Invest In Gold (In 3 Minutes Or Less)
3. Real Estate
Real estate can be a good investment opportunity during a recession. Especially if you are looking for a long-term investment. (Hence why NYCE exists.)
While property values may dip during a recession, they tend to recover over time. In addition, rental properties can provide a steady stream of income, even during a recession.
After all: Real estate has created more millionaires than any other asset class.
4. High-Quality Bonds
High-quality bonds, such as U.S. Treasury bonds, can be a safe investment during a recession.
These bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, which makes them less risky than other types of bonds. (Though this has become less safe today than in the past.)
They may not offer the highest returns, but they can provide stability and protection during a recession.
5. Consumer Discretionary Stocks
Consumer discretionary stocks are those that are tied to consumer spending, such as retail, travel, and entertainment companies.
During a recession, these stocks may suffer as consumers cut back on non-essential spending.
However, if you believe that the economy will recover, investing in consumer discretionary stocks can be a good bet.
6. Healthcare Stocks
Healthcare stocks tend to perform well even during economic downturns, as people still need healthcare services regardless of the state of the economy.
In addition, the aging population in many countries is driving demand for healthcare services, which can provide long-term growth opportunities for investors.
7. Technology Stocks
Technology stocks can be a good investment opportunity during a recession, as many companies in this sector have strong balance sheets and cash reserves.
In addition, the shift towards remote work and online shopping during the pandemic has increased demand for technology products and services.
8. Emerging Markets
Emerging markets can be a good investment opportunity during a recession, as these countries may be less affected by the economic downturn than developed countries.
In addition, emerging markets often have higher growth rates than developed countries, which can provide long-term growth opportunities for investors.
9. Dividend Stocks
Dividend stocks can be a good investment opportunity during a recession, as they provide a steady stream of income even during tough economic times.
Look for companies with a history of paying dividends and a strong balance sheet.
10. Cash
Finally, cash can be a good investment during a recession, as it provides flexibility and liquidity. Having cash on hand can allow you to take advantage of investment opportunities as they arise.
In conclusion, while a recession can be a challenging time for investors, it can also present opportunities for smart investment decisions.
By identifying the top investment opportunities during a recession, you can position yourself for long-term success.
Entrepreneurs
From Zero to Millionaire: How 9-5 Marketing Guy Made A Fortune Selling Pet Rocks As A Joke (1)
No BS—this is actually a real story.
The pet rock—a seemingly ridiculous idea—became a sensation and made its creator, Gary Dahl, a millionaire in the 1970s.
Dahl, a marketing executive, came up with the idea as a joke during a conversation with friends.
He packaged rocks in a cardboard box with holes and called them “pet rocks,” complete with an instruction manual on how to care for them.
There was virtually no upfront investment, as the rocks themselves were free, and the packaging was inexpensive.
“It was a joke,” Dahl told ABC News years later. “It was a satire. It was fun. And it became an overnight success.”
The pet rocks became an instant hit, with Dahl selling over a million of them in six months.
LEARN: How to build a $100K side hustle in 1 hour.
He appeared on popular TV shows and even wrote a book about his success. The pet rock craze died down after a year, but Dahl had already made his fortune.
After the pet rock craze died down, Gary Dahl continued to work in marketing and advertising.
He also tried to launch other novelty products, such as “sand-breeding kits” and “mood rings,” but none of them achieved the same level of success as the pet rock.
“I think that’s one of the things that is wrong with business today. People are so serious, they forget to have fun,” Gary Dahl said.
The success of the pet rock shows that sometimes the most unconventional ideas can lead to great success.
Case Study: How A $49 Investment Could Make You $100K+ In 6 Months
Why Gary’s story matters to you…
The story of Gary Dahl and his pet rock is a testament to the power of thinking outside the box. Sometimes, it’s the seemingly ridiculous ideas that can lead to the biggest successes.
Dahl’s story is not only inspiring, but it’s also a reminder to keep a sense of humor and not take ourselves too seriously.
In business, it’s easy to get bogged down in strategy and analysis, but we should never forget the importance of creativity and fun.
The success of the pet rock is also a lesson in the power of marketing.
Dahl’s packaging and instruction manual turned a simple rock into a desirable product. It’s a reminder that sometimes it’s not the product itself that’s important, but how it’s presented to the world.
So if you’re feeling stuck in your business or just need a little inspiration, take a cue from Gary Dahl and his pet rock.
Keep an open mind, don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.
Who knows…you might just come up with the next big thing.
About author:
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