With more than nine million followers, Chris Olsen is a TikTok sensation. While he’s shared snippets of so many different parts of his life — from moments with Meghan Trainor to climbing poles in Croc high heels — one theme truly stuck and not only grew his following, but also kept his current followers coming back for more: coffee.
Olsen’s viral video concept involved delivering coffee to celebrities around the world, from Austin Butler at the Elvis premiere in France to Drew Barrymore on the set of her show in LA. The series exploded so much, he had the opportunity to deliver coffee to Vice President Kamala Harris. He took the combined power of these viral moments and turned them into something brilliant — a coffee company called Flight Fuel.
So why should you care?
Olsen’s new venture is an excellent blueprint for creators who are interested in launching their own brands. He tapped into the concept from his series that consistently went viral and decided to make a business out of it.
Every detail is considered. The brand, which includes concentrates and ground coffee, offers five blends, and each one is named after a notable airport – DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport), LHR (Heathrow Airport), SFO (San Francisco International Airport), LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) and JFK (John F. Kennedy International Airport).
But why airports? Because flying to take the coffee to celebrities in different cities was the backbone of the series. Brilliant branding.
Chris’ team thought about sustainability, too. The company makes a donation to Ecologi, a climate solutions organization, to plant a tree every time a sale is made.
Also, if you subscribe to Flight Fuel, you receive a complimentary travel mug, an incentive to avoid purchasing single-use coffee cups in the future. The company also claims that all of its shipping partners are “100 percent carbon neutral fulfillment” companies.
What’s next?
While this is just the beginning of Olsen’s chapter as a founder and business owner, this venture sets the stage for other creators. It shows them not only what’s possible, but what’s creative and fulfilling when it comes to launching a brand that aligns with your followers and their interests.
Interested in building your creator brand or working for one? Reach out to us to start the conversation.
Alexis Benveniste is a New York-based writer and editor whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, and other outlets.
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