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A New Strategy for Cultural Impact
For decades, the standard path for a successful actor or athlete was relatively simple. You reached a certain level of fame, and then you signed a contract to be the “face” of a brand. You showed up for a photo shoot, recorded a thirty-second commercial, and collected a paycheck. This was the traditional endorsement model. It worked well for a long time, but it had a major flaw: the celebrity was just a temporary inhabitant of the brand’s world. They didn’t own the creative process, and they didn’t share in the long-term growth of the company they were helping to build. Michael B. Jordan has decided to play a completely different game.
By co-founding Obsidianworks alongside Chad Easterling, Jordan shifted his focus from being a hired hand to being the person who owns the tools. Obsidianworks isn’t just a management company; it is a full-scale creative agency that handles massive projects for global names like Nike, Instagram, and Spanx. In 2025, the agency took a massive step forward by buying out its minority partner, 160over90, and becoming fully independent. This move highlights a massive change in the entertainment industry. It is no longer enough to just be popular. The goal now is to own the infrastructure that produces and manages that popularity.
This shift matters a great deal for a place like Phoenix. Our city has seen a massive influx of creative talent and tech entrepreneurs over the last few years. As the Valley continues to grow, local leaders and creators are looking for ways to build sustainable businesses that aren’t dependent on a single contract or a temporary trend. The “Jordan Model” provides a blueprint for how to turn influence into a scalable, lasting machine. It is about moving away from trading time for money and toward building systems that generate value even when you aren’t in front of the camera.
Breaking the Cycle of Fame for Fees
Most people in the public eye are still operating under the old rules. They see their fame as a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. While this can lead to a very high income, it doesn’t build wealth in the long term. When the contract ends, the income stops. Jordan’s approach with Obsidianworks is different because it creates a business that exists independently of his next movie role. The agency has its own staff, its own clients, and its own reputation. It is a “brand machine” that operates in the background, building equity and influence that will last for decades.
The agency’s work for the Nike x NBA All-Star Weekend or Instagram’s Met Gala activations shows that they are playing at the highest level of the industry. These aren’t just vanity projects. They are high-stakes marketing campaigns that require deep strategic thinking and cultural awareness. By successfully executing these projects, Obsidianworks has proven that it can compete with the traditional giant agencies in New York or Los Angeles. This success gives Jordan a seat at the table that a simple actor could never have. He is now a peer to the CEOs and marketing directors of the world’s biggest companies.
In the Phoenix business landscape, we see a lot of “solopreneurs” and influencers who are starting to realize the limitations of their current path. Whether you are a professional athlete playing for the Suns or a local content creator with a growing following, the temptation is always to take the quick check. However, the real growth happens when you start thinking about the backend. Ownership means having a say in the creative direction and, more importantly, having a stake in the outcome. It’s the difference between being a tenant and being the landlord.
The Operational Shift Toward Independence
The decision to go fully independent in 2025 was a calculated move. For several years, Obsidianworks operated with a minority partner, which provided a level of safety and shared resources. But true independence allows for a level of creative freedom that isn’t possible when you have to answer to a larger corporate entity. By buying out 160over90, Jordan and Easterling signaled that they have the confidence and the capital to stand on their own. This is a bold statement in an industry that is often dominated by a handful of massive conglomerates.
This independence is what allows the agency to be truly “culture-powered.” Traditional agencies often struggle to keep up with the fast-moving world of social media and cultural trends because they are weighed down by layers of bureaucracy. Obsidianworks is lean, fast, and deeply connected to the communities it serves. They don’t just guess what is cool; they are part of the groups that define what is cool. This makes their work feel authentic rather than manufactured, which is exactly what modern consumers are looking for.
For business owners in Arizona, the lesson here is about the value of specialization. You don’t have to be everything to everyone. Obsidianworks found its niche at the intersection of culture and creative strategy and doubled down on it. By focusing on what they did better than anyone else, they made themselves indispensable to their clients. This is a strategy that works just as well for a boutique design firm in Scottsdale as it does for a Hollywood agency. Success comes from owning your specific corner of the market and refusing to compromise on your vision.
Strategic Advisories and the Scaling of Influence
The next phase of this evolution is already underway. Chad Easterling has launched a strategic advisory to help other high-profile individuals make this same transition. The goal is to help talent move from being a “face” to building a “platform.” This involves creating media companies, setting up investment vehicles, and looking for equity-driven ventures. This is a sophisticated way of managing a career that goes far beyond what a traditional talent agent does. It requires a deep understanding of finance, operations, and long-term brand building.
This advisory work is particularly important because it addresses the “talent gap.” Most actors and athletes are incredibly talented in their specific field, but they haven’t been trained in how to run a business. They need a team that can help them navigate the complexities of contracts, hiring, and strategic growth. By providing this infrastructure, Easterling is helping a new generation of creators take control of their financial futures. They are learning that their biggest asset isn’t their talent—it’s the platform they build around that talent.
This concept of a “platform” is something we are seeing more of in the Phoenix tech scene. Founders here are increasingly looking for ways to build ecosystems rather than just standalone products. They want to create businesses that have multiple revenue streams and that can adapt to changing market conditions. The shift from endorsement to ownership is essentially a move toward building a more resilient and versatile business. It’s about ensuring that your success isn’t tied to a single point of failure.
Real Numbers and the Diversity Advantage
One of the driving forces behind the success of an agency like Obsidianworks is the recognition of the economic power of diverse audiences. For a long time, many marketing campaigns ignored or oversimplified the preferences of minority groups. However, the data shows that this is a massive mistake. In the United States, the collective buying power of African American, Hispanic, and Asian American consumers is currently estimated to be over $5 trillion. In a state like Arizona, where the Hispanic population makes up about 32% of the total residents, understanding these nuances isn’t just a social goal—it’s a business necessity.
By leading with a team that actually reflects these demographics, Obsidianworks can speak to these audiences with a level of precision that traditional agencies often miss. They understand the cultural references, the language nuances, and the values that drive purchasing decisions. This isn’t about “diversity for the sake of diversity”; it is about market intelligence. Brands like Nike and Spanx work with them because they know that Obsidianworks can deliver results that lead to actual sales and long-term brand loyalty among these high-growth demographics.
This focus on cultural power is something that Phoenix businesses can learn from. Our local market is incredibly diverse, and the businesses that succeed are the ones that take the time to truly engage with the different communities that make up the Valley. Whether it’s through targeted marketing or community-focused events, showing that you understand and value your customers’ backgrounds is the best way to build a loyal following. Obsidianworks has shown that when you combine cultural insight with high-level professional execution, the results are powerful.
Building the System Behind the Brand
The most important part of Jordan’s “machine” isn’t the name on the door; it is the system that keeps everything running. A creative agency needs a constant flow of new ideas, a reliable way to manage projects, and a deep network of connections. Building this takes time and a significant amount of discipline. You have to hire the right people, set up the right processes, and consistently deliver high-quality work. This is the “infrastructure” that the old model of celebrity business completely ignored.
When you own the system, you also own the data and the relationships. In the old endorsement model, the brand kept all the information about the customers. They knew who was buying the product and why. The celebrity was kept in the dark. With the Obsidianworks model, the agency is the one collecting the insights and building the relationships with the clients. This makes the agency more valuable over time because they are accumulating knowledge that can be applied to future projects. They aren’t just starting from scratch every time a new campaign comes along.
For a startup in Phoenix, this emphasizes the importance of building your own “pipes.” It’s great to use third-party platforms for marketing or sales, but you eventually want to own as much of your customer relationship as possible. Whether that’s through an email list, a proprietary app, or a direct-to-consumer model, owning the infrastructure gives you a level of security that you can’t get any other way. It allows you to weather the storms of changing algorithms and shifting market trends because you have a direct line to your audience.
The Evolution of the Creative Professional
The story of Michael B. Jordan and Obsidianworks is a sign of a broader change in how we think about creative work. In the past, there was a sharp divide between the “talent” and the “businesspeople.” The talent did the art, and the businesspeople handled the money. This divide often led to the talent being exploited or undervalued. Today, that wall is coming down. The most successful creative professionals are the ones who are also savvy business owners.
This doesn’t mean that every actor needs to start an advertising agency. But it does mean that every professional needs to think about how they can protect their interests and grow their value over time. It means understanding the terms of your contracts, looking for opportunities to take equity, and building a brand that stands for something more than just a paycheck. It’s about taking responsibility for your own career rather than waiting for someone else to tell you what to do.
In the Phoenix creative community, this is leading to a new wave of collaboration. We are seeing photographers, designers, and writers coming together to form collectives and small agencies. They are realizing that by pooling their resources and their talent, they can take on larger projects and build more sustainable businesses. They are moving away from the “starving artist” mentality and toward a model of creative entrepreneurship. This is a healthy and necessary evolution that will make our local economy stronger and more vibrant.
Practical Steps for Taking Ownership
If you are looking to move toward this ownership model, the first step is to change how you view your value. You aren’t just providing a service; you are providing a solution. Think about the “machine” you can build around your skills. If you are a consultant, can you turn your knowledge into a digital product or a training program? If you are a designer, can you start a subscription service or a boutique agency? The goal is to create something that has value beyond your own physical labor.
- Audit your current income streams and identify which ones are dependent on your time and which ones are scalable assets.
- Look for opportunities to negotiate for equity or a percentage of sales rather than just a flat fee for your work.
- Start building a team, even if it’s just a part-time assistant or a freelancer, to help you manage the operational side of your business.
- Focus on building a direct relationship with your audience or clients so that you aren’t dependent on a single platform or middleman.
- Invest in your own education, particularly in areas like finance and management, so that you can make informed decisions about your business.
These are the same principles that Jordan and Easterling used to build Obsidianworks. It started with a vision and a few key projects, and it grew into a fully independent agency that handles some of the biggest brands in the world. It didn’t happen overnight, and it required a significant amount of hard work and strategic thinking. But by staying focused on the goal of ownership, they were able to build something that is truly their own.
Looking Toward a Sustainable Future
The shift from endorsement to ownership is more than just a business trend; it is a movement toward a more equitable and sustainable future for creators. When talent owns the infrastructure, they have more control over the stories they tell and the brands they support. They can use their influence to drive positive change and to create opportunities for others. This is exactly what Jordan is doing with Obsidianworks by creating a space for diverse voices to lead the way in the marketing industry.
For Phoenix, this movement provides a roadmap for how we can continue to grow as a hub for creativity and innovation. By encouraging our local talent to think like owners, we can build a more resilient and diverse economy. We can move away from being a “branch office” city and toward being a place where the next global brands are born and managed. The talent is already here; we just need to provide the support and the inspiration for them to take that next step.
The age of the passive celebrity is over. We are entering the age of the creative mogul. It is an exciting time to be in business, and the lessons from Michael B. Jordan’s “brand machine” are applicable to anyone who wants to build something that lasts. By focusing on ownership, independence, and cultural power, you can create a business that doesn’t just participate in the culture but actually helps to shape it. The future belongs to those who own the system, and it is time for the creators of the Valley to start building their own.
The journey of Obsidianworks shows that the greatest value isn’t found in being the face that everyone recognizes, but in being the mind that everyone respects. It is about the quiet work that happens behind the scenes—the strategic planning, the team building, and the operational excellence. That is where the real “magic” of the brand machine happens. As more people embrace this mindset, the traditional boundaries of fame and business will continue to dissolve, creating a more dynamic and inclusive economy for everyone.
We see this happening in our own neighborhoods, from the coworking spaces in Tempe to the redevelopment projects in the West Valley. People are taking charge of their destinies and building things that matter. Michael B. Jordan may be a global superstar, but his strategy is accessible to anyone with the drive to pursue it. The blueprint is available, the tools are at our fingertips, and the market is ready for a new generation of owners to take the lead. It is time to stop being just the face and start building the machine.
