The Ridge X Marques Brownlee Partnership: A Deep Dive

In this episode, the Operators discuss Ridge's recent announcement that they've partnered with Marques Brownlee, the number one tech YouTuber. The decision to bring in Marques as an investor, advisor, and board member is driven by the belief that creator-led brands are the future. Sean explains that the skills that made Ridge successful in the past, such as digital marketing, are no longer as relevant due to changes in the digital advertising landscape. The partnership with Marques aims to leverage his expertise in content creation and storytelling to elevate Ridge's brand. 01:11 Ridge's Partnership with Marques 05:46 The Importance of Standing Out 08:32 Impact on Marques' Relationships with Competitors 10:27 The Decision to Bring in an Equity Partner 11:38 Considering the Future of Creator-led Brands 15:37 The Marriage of Creators and Successful Brands 22:26 Involvement of Creators in Product Development 23:29 Learning from Hexclad's Partnership with Gordon Ramsay 24:16 Inspiration and Goals for Ridge 24:57 Choosing Influencers: Reach vs. Brand Alignment 27:04 Being Patient and Making the Right Move 28:27 Finding a Person with a Track Record of Relevance 29:09 Tiered Approach to Brand Partnerships 30:37 The Value of Organic Content and Authentic Partnerships 33:06 Building Relationships with Influencers 36:32 The Future of Organic Content for Brands 37:08 Product Roadmap and Influencer Partnerships 38:13 The Power Law of Organic Content 39:01 The Importance of Getting Good at Organic Social 40:21 Expanding into Different Communities and Markets 41:36 Summary and Appreciation Operators Exclusive Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/9operators/s... Powered By: Fulfil.io. https://bit.ly/3pAp2vu The Only Cloud ERP Designed to Efficiently Scale 8 and 9-Figure Brands. Northbeam. https://www.northbeam.io/ Sendlane. https://learn.sendlane.com/operators Visit Our Website: https://www.9operators.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/9operators/message