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Is the Influencer-Investor Backed Brand the New Celebrity Brand?
Why the smartest startups are putting creators on cap tables instead of in campaigns - and what it means for the next wave of consumer growth.
Maggie Sellers & Katie Sellers
29 May
The celebrity-founded brand isn’t dead, but it’s being redefined. We’re no longer living in the era of slapping a name on a bottle and hoping it sells. This is the age of strategic influencer capital, where creators are taking equity stakes instead of licensing deals, and startups are leveraging followings for financial fuel instead of superficial flash.
It’s not just that celebrity founders are shifting. It’s that investor creators are showing up. Quietly. Powerfully. And very intentionally.
The Rise of the Celebrity Investor
We’ve seen a wave of creators step in, not as co-founders or figureheads, but as real investors. Take Kris Jenner. She invested in Phia, a female-founded wellness brand, and casually appeared on their podcast to support it. No splashy launch. No founder title. Just leverage.
Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman, known for Monday Swimwear,
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