I attended the 72nd Golden Globes Awards with one of my investors. I feel very fortunate to have experienced this very exclusive Hollywood event. The event takes place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel ballroom with a capacity of about 1,300 guests. Tickets can’t be purchased and even top Hollywood stars and executives can’t attend if they weren’t nominated. The exclusivity makes ita very intimate event.
The security at the event was off the charts. I never expected that there would be FBI checking for car bombs, snipers on rooftops, and multiple police checkpoints before pulling up to the red carpet. Prior to walking on the red carpet there are several metal detectors where we were asked to show our tickets and IDs. There was definitely more security than any airport I’ve ever seen.
The glitz and glamour was intoxicating and the media attention was absurd. I felt like I was under a microscope walking the red carpet where every little thing mattered. It seems very strange that society is obsessed with celebrity, but as an entrepreneur I can appreciate how this exposure could help launch brands and businesses. On the red carpet I had this wacky thought that I could make my startup known to millions of people by doing some crazy stunt. Of course I didn’t have the balls to follow through but as an entrepreneur I’m always looking for an edge!
I’m obviously not the only one that sees the value of Hollywood. Facebook had a booth on the red carpet where it gave fans the opportunity to ask their favorite celebrities questions. This is part of Facebook’s initiative to loosen Twitter’s lock on Hollywood, so that studios and entertainers will want to put their content on Facebook first. Facebook is positioning itself to be a natural home for the kinds of long-lead publicity plans that build awareness and motivate theatergoers, particularly because it’s a more visual-friendly environment.
Celebrities are more than ever leveraging their notoriety to launch businesses through investments and partnerships. Jessica Alba helped The Honest Company become a billion dollar company by leveraging her celebrity PR machine. Kim Kardashian has a licensing agreement with GluMobile creators of “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” one of the top selling games on iTunes. Celebrities like actor Ashton Kutcher, rapper Nas, and NBA player Carmelo Anthony are partners in venture capital firms. The collaboration between celebrities and entrepreneurs can create significant traction if it’s authentic and meaningful. The partnership is even more powerful if it’s mutually beneficial and celebrities have skin in the game.
The extravagant after parties were probably the most fun part of the night. I attended the HBO party where I met some of the cast of the hit series Silicon Valley. I had a chance to tell them about my startup Dropprice and that I was living what they were portraying on their show. We laughed about some of the Silicon Valley stereotypes over some drinks and amazing food. The popularity of this series shows how the startup movement has become mainstream. The startup culture acceptance in the mainstream helps founders raise money, hire talent, and be taken more seriously.
Attending the Golden Globes reminded me of how much power celebrities and media hold in our country. Like it or not, it’s important that startups embrace this reality and figure out creative ways to tap into this energy. There is no doubt that startups can accelerate growth by leveraging relationships with celebrities and media. I was very grateful to have had this wonderful experience and will be actively looking for synergy with celebrities, social influencers, and media outlets to help grow our brand.