Shopify Masters – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Why Celebrities Are Getting Into Business (And What Most Get Wrong)
Date: March 31, 2026
Host: Adam Lavinter
Guest: Kimberly Kruseberger, Founder of Pivot Projects, former Chief Revenue Officer at goop

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Adam Lavinter interviews Kimberly Kruseberger, a veteran brand builder for celebrities like Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Chrissy Teigen, and more. They dive into the evolving relationship between celebrity, influencer marketing, and business success. Kim shares hard-won lessons from scaling goop to $100M+ in revenue and building her own firm, Pivot Projects, now supporting 30+ brands. The conversation is both tactical and philosophical—covering why follower count is overrated, the true art of storytelling, why most celebrity-led brands flop, and actionable frameworks for new founders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth of Follower Count

• Follower Count Doesn’t Drive Conversion (00:36–02:13)
  • “Follower count means almost nothing when it comes to actual conversion.” (A, 00:36)
  • Great storytelling and trust are more important than celebrity status. Platforms like Shop My often reveal that micro-influencers outperform celebrities in real sales impact.
  • “It’s truly like who is telling the how, the why, the when, how often are they doing that with trust and authority? Those are the storytellers that are... becoming really important to brand.” (A, 01:51)

2. Micro-Influencers’ Rise

• Comfort and Consistency Outperform Fame (02:13–03:53)
  • Micro-influencers developed comfort talking to their audiences directly, akin to FaceTime.
  • Celebrities often lack the willingness for the frequent, authentic contact micro-influencers deliver.
  • “Micro-influencers... had under 50,000 followers. But they were incredible storytellers and I would watch them convert...” (A, 03:14)
  • Influence is about trust within a social circle, not scale.

3. Brand-Building Patterns: Quality Over Quantity

• A Shift from Mass to Thoughtful Engagement (04:14–06:10)
  • Pivot Projects has moved from casting big celebrities to curating diverse groups of creators based on brand fit.
  • “There is like an art and a science with really doing an audit of these users... it’s not the right fit for the brand.” (A, 05:03)
  • Fewer, better assets outperform high-volume, low-quality influencer activations.

4. The Mechanics of Whitelisting

• How Paid Social is Evolving (06:10–07:09)
  • Whitelisting allows ads to come from the influencer’s handle, enhancing authenticity and conversion.
  • “You have a very short window to capture attention... It tends to be way more effective in paid and it comes at a premium.” (A, 06:44)

5. Business Model Advice for Founders

• Finance Comes First (07:27–08:58)
  • “...don’t put your own money in or raise capital unless you have an amazing CFO or finance lead.”
  • Prioritize operational and financial discipline; don’t get distracted by just the marketing/brand side.
  • Choose your cap table partners carefully, looking for experience, strategic value, and successful exits.

6. Scaling goop – Lessons Learned

• Building Through Iterative Learning and Teamwork (09:10–11:18)

  • Success came from a strong, collaborative leadership team and a relentless test-and-learn mindset.
  • “It was all the mistakes we made in a good way... just a game of test and learn.” (A, 09:41)
  • Big swings and risk-taking are necessary for breakout startup growth.

• On Key Hires From Big Orgs: (11:24–12:17)

  • “We wasted a lot of time waiting for some of those key hires...it always came back to like, okay, now it’s back to us having to do the work.” (A, 11:28)
  • Grit and resourcefulness trump pedigree from big corporations when it comes to startups.

7. Celebrity Involvement: Why Most Get It Wrong

• Celebrity Alone ≠ Success (14:32–15:41)
  • Market overvalues a celebrity’s name; true scalable businesses require deep operational talent and continuous brand-building.
  • “What feels obvious is that celebrity has audience. So technically, like the new commercial...But what I have found with any business, you need incredible operators to build and scale.” (A, 15:36)
  • Over-reliance on any single celebrity is a brand risk; diversifying with ambassadors expands reach and mitigates risk.

8. Building Lifetime Value and Engagement

• Creating Habits, Not Just Hype (17:40–19:29)
  • “Lifetime value is hard. I think there’s a loyalty piece that right now is very, very difficult...I’m willing to try things at modest price points.” (A, 18:17)
  • Only products that deliver visible or felt results become irreplaceable and command enduring loyalty.

9. Storytelling and Community Frameworks

• Rigorous Briefing and Partnership (20:28–22:20)
  • Brands need to get “maniacal” about briefing influencers: specify lighting, format, tone, and ensure a balance of authenticity and brand message.
  • “I think the best influencers push back when it’s too scripted...because ultimately we want it to work for their audience.” (A, 21:19)
  • Leverage what’s working on the influencer’s own feed for higher resonance.

10. What Makes a Good Creative Partner?

• Beyond Casting—Creative Collaboration (22:20–23:01)
  • “Less casting and more creative director. That blend is really like where the world should be going.” (A, 22:25)
  • Empowering talent to drive creative direction ensures more authentic and effective content.

11. Why Are Celebrities Starting Brands?

• Motivations and Models (23:01–25:11)
  • Motivated by ownership, upside (e.g., billion-dollar exits), curiosity, and building something beyond their on-screen persona.
  • Top celebrities are often perfectionists and exhibit deep hunger for building and learning.

12. Investing in Brands: Team Over Everything

• Bet on the People (25:11–26:34)
  • Kim invests based on trust in the operator (CEO/CMO) and her confidence in the product.
  • “Most of the checks I’m writing because I really believe in that CEO, CMO, the combination of the operating team...” (A, 26:29)

13. Biggest Personal Takeaways

• Betting on Yourself Earlier (26:49–28:09)
  • “I think it took me a lot longer to bet on myself... I would have bet on myself a little earlier.” (A, 26:49)
  • Encourages founders, especially women, to trust their instincts and not wait for “permission” or perfect timing.

14. Early Success Patterns in Fast Growth Brands

• Test Early, Learn Fast, Iterate Hard (28:31–29:58)
  • MIDI Health example: start with micro-influencers, learn what works, then confidently scale up campaigns.
  • Tightening the feedback loop and creative briefs leads to higher success rates with larger names.

15. Keeping Up With Tech and Platforms

• Lean In To New Tools (30:01–31:00)
  • Shop My and similar platforms empower better measurement and integration with agency work.
  • Embrace AI and tech platforms as enhancements, not threats.

16. Staying Motivated & Bringing Family Into the Mix

• Scarcity Mindset & Finding Meaning (31:19–32:54)
  • Kim credits her relentless motivation largely to “scarcity mindset” and wanting to create opportunity for her family.
  • Involving her kids in the business keeps her grounded, motivated, and helps forecast trends.

Notable Quotes & Standout Moments

• “Follower count means almost nothing when it comes to actual conversion.”
  — Kimberly Kruseberger (00:36)

• “The best storyteller wins.”
  — Kimberly Kruseberger (01:07)

• “I think people get excited about marketing, which is sexy…but you have to know your numbers better than…your CFO.”
  — Kimberly Kruseberger (07:55)

• “Lifetime value is hard…you have to see something visible or feel something for the product to be irreplaceable.”
  — Kimberly Kruseberger (19:29)

• “Less casting and more creative director. That blend is really like where the world should be going.”
  — Kimberly Kruseberger (22:25)

• “I think it took me a lot longer to bet on myself. I started my own business at 40…I would have bet on myself a little earlier.”
  — Kimberly Kruseberger (26:49)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:36 – Follower count vs. actual conversion
• 01:51 – What makes a true storyteller
• 03:14 – Origin of micro-influencer focus
• 05:03 – The quality over quantity shift
• 06:10 – Whitelisting and paid social explained
• 07:27 – Key operational advice: Finance matters
• 09:41 – Test-and-learn in scaling goop
• 11:28 – The flawed search for “big brand” hires
• 15:36 – Celebrity risk vs. ambassador diversity
• 18:17 – Challenge of generating lifetime value
• 20:28 – Briefing frameworks for influencers
• 22:25 – Creative partners: Not just casting, but collaborating
• 26:49 – Reflecting on self-trust and founder psychology
• 28:47 – Early wins: MIDI Health case study
• 30:09 – Tech adoption in influencer measurement
• 31:19 – Founder motivation and involving family

Final Insights

• Storytelling, not scale, is the true driver of influence.
• Brands need to prioritize operational excellence and meticulous partner selection as much as they do marketing.
• Success hinges on building the right founding team, testing quickly, and iterating based on real-world learnings.
• Empower your creative partners to have agency and input—real collaboration trumps mere endorsement.
• Stay open to technology and let data guide your influencer and celebrity marketing strategies.
• Fight self-doubt. Bet on yourself earlier and trust the instincts that got you started.

For founders and marketers: If you’re seeking overnight success with a big name, think again—steady, story-driven engagement powered by real operators and authentic creators is what wins.