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Could Ryan Reynolds be the Steve Jobs of our time? A viral X (formerly Twitter) thread by @KenBerenger has sparked that very conversation, why “everyone called him a Hollywood dreamer”, breaking down how the Hollywood actor has reinvented himself as one of the sharpest minds in business today.
During 2016, the public associated Reynolds mainly with his smashing Deadpool movie, which earned $780 million at the box office. His box office success enabled him to work quietly on building the foundation for business mogulship while many others focused on their own achievement.
What’s next for Reynolds after Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, and Wrexham AFC?
Unlike most celebrities who stick to endorsements, Reynolds took a different route. Back in 2018, he invested in Aviation Gin, not just as a silent partner, but as owner and creative director. He infused the brand with his signature wit and marketing genius. When Peloton released a controversial ad, Reynolds pounced. Within 36 hours, he released a cheeky Aviation Gin ad featuring the same actress “drowning her sorrows.”
“The ad went viral. Free publicity worth millions. Pure genius,” Berenger noted.
Just in 2020, Reynolds’ savvy paid off when Aviation Gin was sold to Diageo for a reported $610 million. But he wasn’t done. He had already invested in Mint Mobile in 2019. And voila! In 2023, Mint Mobile was sold to T-Mobile for a jaw-dropping $1.35 billion.
Berengers notes how we can forget about Wrexham AFC. In 2020, Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney bought the fifth-tier Welsh football club for $2.5 million.
Seemed like a vanity project to you? But, “They were buying a community’s heart,” Berenger wrote. “Wrexham AFC, founded in 1864, is the 3rd oldest professional football club in the world. The town lives and breathes its team. Instead of staying distant owners, they dove in headfirst.”
The pair launched Welcome to Wrexham, a documentary series, and invested millions in club infrastructure. The payoff? Wrexham won the National League in 2023, returning to the English Football League after 15 years.
Visitor spending in the small English town surged, merchandise sales exploded, and the club’s value multiplied.
“He showed that building real connections with communities creates more value than traditional corporate approaches,” Berenger concluded.
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