""It occurred to me that we could build a database where PRs could find blogs like ours and others. We would charge them a license to use this database. And then we noticed that YouTube was on the rise and it wasn't just bloggers, but YouTubers. And it's not just YouTubers, it's also Instagrammers. And it was becoming clear to us that this new economy was being created,""
"But in his spare time, he wrote a blog. Over time, he had PR's messaging him: "Hey, can we put a sponsored mention of one of our clients?" they'd ask. Instead of seeing this as a golden opportunity to build his slice of the internet into a mini-media business, East realized that if brands were reaching out to him, they'd be doing the same to others."
"Over that time, Billion Dollar Boy has become one of the fastest-growing influencer marketing agencies. In the US alone, over the past 12 months, its workforce has increased by 30%, revenue has climbed, and it has delivered a 99% increase in regional Ebitda. Globally, over the last four years, it has grown at an average annual rate of 40%. And this has not gone unnoticed in the market."
Ed East transitioned from running social media at Exclusive Media to writing a blog and spotting PR interest in sponsored mentions. He conceived a licensed database to connect PRs with blogs and creators and expanded focus as YouTube and Instagram creators rose. East built and sold a YouTube content management business to Vintage House and reinvested proceeds into Billion Dollar Boy. The agency grew rapidly, increasing US workforce by 30% in 12 months, delivering a 99% regional EBITDA rise, and averaging 40% annual global growth over four years while remaining free of institutional funding.
Read at The Drum
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