What you are about to read is a newsletter from Jon Davids. It is a classic example of a StoryMail used in the Internet Marketing niche.
It begins with an attention grabbing headline (movie star’s name + ‘Secret’), tells an entertaining story and ends with a simple PS to advertise his services.
How successful has the StoryMails formula been for Jon?
Here’s an excerpt from his About Jon page (About Jon) “Today I reach an audience of 2 million people through my podcast, newsletter, and social media.”
Subj: Ryan Reynolds’ Secret Playbook (it works)
Happy Saturday — JD here.
Ryan Reynolds flipped an acting career into a brand factory. And he’s made $350M along the way.
But he’s not following a standard path. He’s writing his own playbook and using it over and over. With ridiculous success.
Here’s how it happened.
1/ Early days
Ryan starts acting in the 90’s, building a name for himself in TV and movies. He’s doing sitcoms, romcoms, and the occasional action flick.
In 2016, he levels up to Marvel stardom in Deadpool. In a savvy move, Ryan agrees to a measly $2M fee to star in the film. But he also negotiates a chunky backend if it performs well.
It does. That backend brings in $22M. Ryan’s biggest payday so far.
And the paydays are about to get much bigger.
2/ Alcohol
Fast forward to 2018. Ryan’s at a bar and he orders a Negroni. It’s really good. So he orders a few more. He asks the bartender why this drink is so tasty.
It’s the gin. Aviation Gin to be exact.
Ryan smells a big opportunity. And he’s gotta have it.
He buys a stake in Aviation Gin, reformulates the drink, and throws his weight behind the brand. Growth explodes.
In 2020, Diageo scoops up the company for a cool $610M.
Score one for Ryan. Onto the next.
3/ Telecom
In 2019, Ryan buys into a little phone company called Mint Mobile. It’s a low cost carrier, with plans ranging from $15 to $30 a month.
Ryan pulls a rinse-and-repeat. He throws in some cash, reinvigorates the marketing, and hires himself as the front man.
In 2023, T-Mobile buys the little telecom brand for $1.35B.
It’s been a busy few years. But our boy’s not done.
4/ Sports
In 2020, Ryan buys a Welsh soccer club called Wrexham. Kind of a head scratcher. And then it all makes sense.
He announces a show on FX that will document his experience as the owner of a sports team. Whatever happens next isn’t just business, it’s a made-for-TV drama.
Alongside co-owner Rob McElhenney, Ryan has reportedly plowed a lot more cash into the team. But at the same, the paper value of Wrexham is ballooning.
Either way, it’s good TV. And I’m sure Ryan will do just fine.
5/ My take
At the core, Ryan is using a super simple playbook. He’s a value-add investor. Which is the most effective type of investing. And anyone can do it. You just need to find your unique value.
Ryan spots assets, figures out how he can help, and buys into the action. Then he uses creativity and star power to drive up the value.
Kinda like that Deadpool deal he did back in 2016. When things go well, he gets an absurd upside.
Ryan bets on companies. But he’s really betting on himself.
And it’s still paying off.
Want more Ryan Reynolds? I go deeper on YouTube into Ryan’s story, growth strategies, scaling secrets, and more. Tune in here.
And if you like my YouTube videos, subscribe, subscribe, subscribe! Seriously, hit the button.
The more subscribers I have on YouTube, the better the content I can bring to you. I’m targeting 5,000 subs this year. Y’all need to help me get there 🙂
Enjoy the weekend,
Jon
P.S. When you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
1. Want a 1:1: strategy session with me? Tell me about yourself here.
2. Grab my workshop Marketing That Sells. People are loving this one. Available until the end of March.
3. My team at Influicity works with brands across their entire marketing plan. Want to work together? Learn more.
If you’d like to see how StoryMails can help your Email Marketing go to StoryMails.