Brandon Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of GRIN, has always been a thrill seeker, an asset that has been crucial in his success. Growing up in the Sacramento area of California, Brandon grew up outside doing every sort of extreme sport! When asked if he had a need for speed, he said it was less a need for speed but more of a flirtation with the limit, whether it be in business or sports.
Brandon believes he does better when he is taking a risk. He says the most powerful moments in his life, whether personal or professional, come from when he pushes himself to the limit — not going beyond his limit, but right up against the edge.
Brandon started his professional career as a student brand manager while attending Chico State. During that time, he learned a vital business lesson crucial in founding GRIN: The most critical branding is branding through word-of-mouth in communities that matter. To gain publicity and marketing, making connections in the communities that matter to you and supporting them in the most authentic way — gaining connections while also giving back to the community.
This is the essential nature of GRIN. Instead of focusing on hyper-transactional marketing forms, GRIN wants to be the platform allowing content creators to work with brands they already care about and love.
Brandon is no stranger to flirting with the risk in his professional life as well. When Brandon co-founded GRIN, the brand’s initial focus was to work with content creators. However, he and his co-founder realized that the original plan required a pivot. He acknowledges that this was a dark time in his life. However, their focus changed to creating relationships with brands.
You cannot buy confidence, you can only inspire confidence through brand-building or relationship-building. This way, GRIN focuses on helping brands create long-lasting relationships between brands and influencers.