The Investor Operator Playbook: From Face to Founder, How mCaffeine Combined Authenticity with Execution
Celebrity branding has undergone a fundamental shift from transactional endorsements to identity-driven entrepreneurship, where stars act as founders and ‘thoughtful leaders’ rather than just the faces of a campaign. From an investor’s lens, the ‘merchant-entertainer’ model offers asymmetric upside but also carries a high mortality rate. The transition from a personality-driven launch to a durable, cash-generating franchise is fraught with operational and reputational risks.
We hosted Tarun Sharma, Co-founder of mCaffeine and now the force behind Hypen, which partnered with Kriti Sanon (Co-founder & Chief Customer Officer), to decode one of the more candid turnaround journeys in India’s consumer landscape.