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My First MillionThe Viral Marketing Strategy Behind Andrew Tate’s Rise To Fame (#463)
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Mob marketing: provoking outrage to drive attention (Nick Huber example)
Shaan describes how Nick Huber promoted a webinar to thousands of signups by posting polarizing takes that “anger the mob.” He and Sam discuss how this tactic generates both fans and intense backlash, and why it’s less common in business circles than in politics and media.
- •Shaan recounts a workshop that got 5,000 signups and credits Nick Huber’s marketing style for much of the reach.
- •Nick Huber’s posts are described as intentionally polarizing, generating hate, blowback, and even threats.
- •Examples include provocative generalizations and hiring/outsourcing statements that trigger online arguments.
- •They compare this approach to figures in politics and media who thrive on polarization.
Defining the “Total Man” lifestyle and why it attracts followers
Shaan lays out a framework he calls the “Total Man” lifestyle and names public figures he thinks embody it. He argues it’s becoming a lifestyle identity that can support new influencer-led brands and products.
- •Shaan lists traits: wealth/fitness focus, being unapologetic, living by a code, avoiding “BS drama,” and building strong hobbies and charisma.
- •He says people are attracted to a code-driven personality because many feel they lack a code themselves.
- •Sam pushes back jokingly on whether he belongs in the “Total Man” category.
- •They discuss how lifestyle branding has long existed and can be monetized through products and media.
Pendulum theory: counterculture trends and why “hard” personas are rising
Shaan argues big trends often emerge as a counter-response to the current status quo, like a pendulum swing. He frames the “Total Man” vibe as a reaction to a culture that feels “too soft,” and uses social-product examples to explain how opposite forces become popular.
- •Shaan contrasts current cultural emphasis on empathy/therapy with an undercurrent craving toughness and masculinity.
- •He reframes “Total Man” as a response to masculinity being labeled “toxic,” leading some to double down.
- •He uses Snapchat as an example of a product that succeeded by being the opposite of public/permanent social media.
- •He suggests anticipating trends by looking at what feels dominant now and predicting the opposite later.
Tech counter-movements: Light Phone, privacy search, and leaving the “bubble”
Sam agrees with the pendulum idea and cites products that reflect a backlash against always-on tech. He also argues that Shaan’s view may be influenced by a California-centric lens, while similar attitudes have existed elsewhere for a while.
- •Sam describes the Light Phone as a minimalist device designed to reduce app-driven behavior.
- •Sam mentions DuckDuckGo’s growth as a sign of rising privacy preferences.
- •Shaan compares trend cycles to fashion shifts like changing jeans styles.
- •Sam argues the “toughness” trend may feel newer in coastal tech circles than in places like Missouri.
Andrew Tate’s appeal, controversy, and the BBC interview clash
They discuss Andrew Tate as an example of the “Total Man” figure whose message blends widely appealing self-improvement with statements that cross lines for many people. Shaan retells moments from a BBC interview where Tate disputes accusations and challenges the interviewer’s framing.
- •Sam says a portion of Tate’s messaging sounds positive to him, while another portion feels disqualifying.
- •Shaan recounts Tate defending himself by emphasizing discipline themes and disputing “out of context” clips.
- •They describe an argument over who controls questioning in the interview and Tate insisting it’s a conversation between equals.
- •Shaan notes visible tension and intervention from both sides’ teams during breaks in the unedited version.
Corporate “woke” dynamics at scale: Twitch language policies and landmines
Shaan tells stories from working inside a large organization after an acquisition, describing how language guidelines and social norms created friction and confusion. Sam adds that many leaders privately disagree with public-facing messaging but follow it to “play the game.”
- •Sam describes seeing executives say “woke-coded” things publicly while privately admitting they’re doing it to win in hiring or operations.
- •Shaan recounts joining a meeting about updated copywriting norms (pronouns and a spelling of “women” he didn’t understand).
- •He describes the risk of asking clarifying questions and feeling immediate social heat for doing so.
- •Shaan tells a story where a public-facing language choice backfired after backlash from the very community it aimed to include.
Navigating internal politics: “Don’t give yourself brain damage”
Shaan shares advice he says he learned from Daniel Gross about surviving post-acquisition life: don’t spend energy trying to fix everything in a large organization. He explains how even raising questions about boundaries can trigger internal alarm and how leaders may handle controversies indirectly.
- •Shaan recounts proposing the company discuss where it draws lines, and describes receiving DMs urging him to stop.
- •He tells a story of being told not to use the word “woke,” and reacting to how norms get enforced informally.
- •Shaan quotes Daniel Gross’s guidance to avoid “brain damage” by not taking on unwinnable internal battles.
- •He describes his impression that a CEO in that environment would often respond with questions and wear down weak arguments.
How OnlyFans actually makes money: “girlfriend experience” and chat farms
Shaan shares what he learned from conversations with people running OnlyFans-adjacent businesses, emphasizing that the core revenue isn’t just content. He describes an operational ecosystem of agencies and outsourced chat teams selling personalized attention and upsells.
- •Shaan says some creators sell or partially sell accounts, with operators running monetization while creators supply content.
- •He claims the main money driver is paid one-on-one chatting rather than the photos/videos themselves.
- •He describes “farms of chatters,” often offshore, roleplaying as the creator to flirt, tease, and upsell.
- •He gives examples of premium offerings, including extended roleplay relationships and paid feedback/rating interactions.
The OnlyFans growth machine and mixed feelings about participating indirectly
They discuss how creators and agencies acquire customers through social distribution, and Sam asks how Shaan feels about exploring the space. Shaan differentiates between operating such a business and potentially investing or providing resources to people already doing it.
- •Sam describes repeatedly encountering creator funnels via Instagram reels and link-in-bio pages.
- •Shaan says one growth tactic is paying meme accounts for nighttime posts that can be deleted later.
- •Shaan calls the ecosystem amusing because many roles are filled by men even though the product is marketed around female creators.
- •They discuss perceived hypocrisy and Shaan says his wife prefers not to hear details but is fine if it makes money.
Pinkertons: a private-security company that survived from the 1800s to today
Sam shares research sparked by a book he’s reading, explaining how the Pinkertons began as private detectives and grew into a powerful organization. He connects the history to modern corporate security and surveillance use cases.
- •Sam outlines the origin story: Allan Pinkerton investigating counterfeiting and building a detective business.
- •He says the Pinkertons protected Abraham Lincoln before the Secret Service existed, and later became notorious in labor conflicts.
- •They discuss the company’s scale and branding, including an “open eye” identity and a “don’t sleep” motto.
- •Sam says major companies still hire Pinkerton-style services to monitor sensitive situations and internal chatter.
Modern private security startups: Deep Sentinel, Bannerman, and industry consolidation
From Pinkertons, they move into present-day security services and “Uber-for-security” style products. Sam describes companies he’s used or invested in and notes how large security firms grow by acquiring many smaller operators.
- •Sam describes Deep Sentinel as monitored cameras that speak to visitors and can call police.
- •He explains Bannerman as on-demand security staffing with clear hourly pricing tiers.
- •Shaan and Sam react to how accessible private security can be when packaged like a marketplace.
- •Sam describes the security industry as dominated by a few large consolidators plus many small businesses.
NBA Finals human-interest stories: Jimmy Butler’s path and “Big Face Coffee”
Shaan shifts to sports narratives and shares Jimmy Butler’s background, emphasizing instability early in life and the support of a family who took him in. He also tells the story of Butler exploiting bubble-era supply and demand by selling premium coffee to other players.
- •Shaan describes Butler being kicked out young and relying on friends’ couches before being taken in by a family.
- •He contrasts Butler’s non-obvious early prospects with more stereotypical “can’t-miss” stories.
- •Shaan recounts Butler selling coffee during the NBA bubble for high prices because players couldn’t leave.
- •He says the coffee hustle became a storyline and led to a real brand effort afterward.
Nikola Jokic’s unlikely rise and the fragility of opportunity
Shaan tells Jokic’s story as a sequence of near-misses and low expectations, from being out of shape to being drafted without fanfare. He connects it to the idea that talent is widespread while opportunity is not, and that success can hinge on small breaks.
- •Shaan describes Jokic’s early focus on horses, limited early basketball prominence, and being discovered by a team seeking undervalued prospects.
- •He recounts Jokic’s conditioning issues, including heavy soda consumption, and how he transformed after changing habits.
- •Shaan notes Jokic was drafted in the second round with minimal attention, described as a ticker during a commercial.
- •He ties the story to a quote he attributes to a VC: talent is widely distributed but opportunity isn’t.
FloSports and a debate over greatness: would you trade success for Olympic gold?
Sam describes FloSports’ business building broadcasts around under-televised sports and shares what it felt like meeting Olympic gold medalists. The conversation ends with a playful argument about whether elite athletic achievement is worth the tradeoffs versus building a strong non-elite but comfortable life.
- •Sam explains FloSports’ origin filming niche competitions and says it grew into a large subscription business.
- •He shares conversations with former Olympians, including how some don’t want to keep doing their sport after retiring.
- •Sam marvels at athletes’ physical capabilities and tells anecdotes about their “freakish” feats.
- •Sam says he’d trade his current success to be a gold medalist; Shaan rejects that and calls the Olympics a bad deal for most athletes.
