Married to the Startup
Married to the Startup is a modern podcast where power couple, George and Alicia McKenzie, navigate the thrilling intersection of marriage, family, and entrepreneurship. With over a 15 years of partnership, this CEO and entrepreneurial coach duo share candid insights on building businesses while fostering a strong family unit.
Married to the Startup
Buying a Nepo Baby's Brand | What are you really getting?
Overview
Alicia and George break down Coty's $600M acquisition of Kylie Cosmetics and debate the real value of influencer marketing.
Key Points
The Deal:
- Coty paid $600M for 51% at $1.2B valuation (2019)
- Bought Kylie's name, image, and all future beauty ventures—forever
- Forbes called her "self-made billionaire," then retracted it
- Real value: $340M, not $900M
What We Discuss:
- Did Coty buy a business or just an influencer?
- Why the "evergreen deal" was genius for Coty
- Founder lessons: tax structure, the control illusion, valuation reality
- Is influencer marketing dying or evolving?
- Why tracking conversions is broken
George's Hot Take: Influencers are just commercial actors. The platforms make billions while most creators get scraps.
Why It Worked: Coty needed Gen Z relevance. They got a replicable model and rights to every beauty product Kylie ever creates.
Episode Sponsor: Relive Health - Modern wellness clinic in Gaithersburg
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