What was announced
In February 2024, Ridge announced that Marques Brownlee, the creator behind MKBHD, was joining the company in three roles at once. He became an executive board member, an equity investor and Ridge's Chief Creative Partner.
According to the announcement, the move furthered a relationship that began in 2020. Brownlee would help shape the brand's direction and design limited-edition wallet and accessory collections, with the first one set for April 2024. He described it as a chance to go beyond a one-time product collaboration.
The announcement didn't disclose the size of the investment or his stake. We don't know the private terms, so this breakdown sticks to what was made public.
Five lessons for creators
1. Partnerships compound
This didn't start as an equity deal. It started with a working relationship in 2020 and grew from there. The strongest partnerships often look like this, a first project that goes well and earns the right to a bigger one.
2. Fit beats fame
A creator known for thoughtful tech and gear reviews partnering with an everyday-carry company makes immediate sense to his audience. Nobody has to wonder why he's involved. That kind of fit is what lets a partnership feel like a recommendation instead of an ad.
3. Your value goes beyond content
The announced roles go well past posting. Brand direction and product design are about taste, judgment and audience insight. Most creators have more to offer a partner than deliverables, and the ones who say so out loud get invited into bigger conversations.
Most creators have more to offer a partner than deliverables.
4. Equity is a structure, not a shortcut
Ownership can be a powerful way to share in the upside you help create. It also comes with real decisions about investment, risk, timelines and control that need proper legal and financial advice. Equity isn't the right goal for every creator or every partner, and that's fine. The lesson is to know it's one of the options on the table.
5. The audience comes first
A product a creator genuinely uses and helps shape is easier for an audience to trust than a rotating set of sponsors. Protecting that trust is what keeps a partnership valuable for both sides over the long run.
How to apply it
- Look at the brands you already use and talk about without being paid. That's your shortlist.
- Treat your next collaboration as a first chapter, and deliver in a way that makes a second one easy.
- When you pitch, include what you can contribute beyond content, like product feedback, audience insight or creative direction.