For decades, the formula for celebrity income was clear: make movies, sign endorsement deals, and maybe launch a fragrance. The star lends their face. The brand gets a sales bump. Everyone wins—sort of.

However, a new generation of celebrities and influencers is rewriting that formula. Instead of settling for a check, they’re chasing a cap table. Instead of endorsing someone else’s product, they’re building or buying companies they own.

Welcome to the era of celebrity equity.

From Check to Ownership

Let’s start with a few now-iconic success stories:

• George Clooney didn’t just promote Casamigos Tequila—he co-founded it in 2013 with Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman. What began as a passion project sold to Diageo for up to $1 billion in 2017. Clooney’s name, influence, and lifestyle gave the brand instant credibility, but he also held equity—and cashed out accordingly.
• Rihanna, once the face of various fashion brands, flipped the script with Fenty Beauty in 2017. Partnering with LVMH, she owned a 50% stake in a brand that generated over $550 million in its first year. As of 2021, her stake helped propel her net worth past $1.4 billion.
• Ryan Reynolds parlayed his Deadpool swagger into a minority stake in Aviation Gin, later sold to Diageo in a deal worth $610 million.
• MrBeast, the YouTube juggernaut, is using his audience to drive sales for his company Feastables—a snack brand that reportedly hit $10 million in revenue within months of launching in 2022.

These aren’t flukes—they’re signals of a tectonic shift in how value is created and captured in the entertainment and creator economy.

Why the Shift?

So what’s driving the move from endorsements to equity? Here are the three biggest factors:

1. Control & Creative Freedom

When talent owns the brand, they control the narrative. No approvals needed. No awkward brand partnerships that dilute their image. Ownership means the freedom to build something authentic, which consumers increasingly demand.

According to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer, 63% of consumers trust brands more when they see them aligned with a real person or creator they follow. However, that trust evaporates if the endorsement feels forced or inauthentic.

Ownership = Authenticity.
Authenticity = Consumer Trust.
Trust = Sales.

2. Revenue Upside

A traditional endorsement might pay $250,000–$2 million up front. But that money is capped—and taxed as ordinary income.

Equity, on the other hand, can grow exponentially. When a celebrity holds even a minority stake in a fast-growing consumer brand, the upside can be game-changing. The sale of Casamigos alone netted Clooney over $200 million after taxes.

And don’t forget: Equity also opens the door to dividends, liquidity events, and even future acquisitions of other brands using their wealth as leverage.

3. Long-Term Wealth

The real wealth in the entertainment industry is often not made on screen—but in the boardroom.

While acting gigs and sponsorships are transactional, equity is compounding. It creates legacy value, not just headline checks. As streaming reshapes traditional income streams for artists and actors, smart talent is securing ownership as a hedge against a volatile media landscape.

Look no further than Jay-Z, whose stakes in D’Ussé, Tidal, and Armand de Brignac champagne reflect his now-famous motto:

“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.”

The Rise of the Creator-Focused Business Model

This trend isn’t limited to celebrities. The same shift is happening in the influencer economy.

According to Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2024 Creator Economy Report, over 45% of creators earning six figures or more have launched their own products or companies. Many now seek partners, investors, and infrastructure to help them build—not just promote.

But the road from creator to CEO isn’t always easy. That’s where new platforms and models are stepping in.

How Angelocity Fits Into This Movement

At Angelocity, we’re building a venture platform that gives creators and celebrities the ownership they deserve—without expecting them to become solo founders overnight.

Our model is simple but powerful:

1. We acquire small to medium size, established businesses with real cash flow and growth potential.
2. We partner with influential talent who become co-owners and creative leads.
3. We scale the brand using smart marketing, operational support, and the creator’s built-in audience.

The result? Talent earns equity, investors gain access to high-growth ventures, and brands become culture-first and consumer-loved.

We’re not here to make a quick buck on a drop.
We’re here to build legacy businesses—and turn influence into long-term wealth.

What’s Next for Talent-Backed Equity?

Expect to see more M&A activity led by creator-founded companies. Expect investors to seek out startups with cultural leverage, not just tech leverage. And expect celebrity founders to become increasingly sophisticated in how they launch, fund, and scale companies.

As ownership becomes the new endorsement, those who act early will shape the future.

At Angelocity, we’re already helping make that happen.

Ready to Flip the Script?

If you’re a creator who’s tired of making someone else’s brand go viral—or an investor ready to tap into the next wave of consumer growth—let’s talk.

We’re building a new kind of equity platform.
One built for people who influence culture.
And want to own a piece of it too.