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The Fame Game

The only newsletter breaking down how celebrities and creators build billion dollar brands

Written by Scott van den Berg, founder of HotStart and an active investor in celebrity- and creator-founded brands.

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2,000+ celebrities, founders, investors, and operators already reading.

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Venture Capital

+7

Why We Invested in The Absorption Company by Ian Somerhalder & Nikki Reed

Mar 26, 2026

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11 min read

Why We Invested in The Absorption Company by Ian Somerhalder & Nikki Reed

The supplement brand solving the problem the industry has ignored for decades

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+6

The Five Fatal Flaws That Kill Celebrity Brands

Mar 19, 2026

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14 min read

The Five Fatal Flaws That Kill Celebrity Brands

Why MrBeast, Kevin Hart, and Kristen Bell's Ventures Failed

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

George Clooney vs. Tom Holland: The Battle for Non-Alcoholic Beer

Mar 12, 2026

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16 min read

George Clooney vs. Tom Holland: The Battle for Non-Alcoholic Beer

Clooney, Holland, Sheen, Mulaney, they're all launching NA beer brands. But who's actually going to win?

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

Why Celebrities Don't Need Millions of Followers to Build Billion-Dollar Brands

Mar 5, 2026

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12 min read

Why Celebrities Don't Need Millions of Followers to Build Billion-Dollar Brands

How 140K Engaged Followers Beat 60M Random Ones

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

The Billion-Dollar Celebrity Brands Nobody Knows Are Celebrity Brands

Feb 26, 2026

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14 min read

The Billion-Dollar Celebrity Brands Nobody Knows Are Celebrity Brands

The Ultimate Compliment: When Product Quality Eclipses Fame

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

Why Mature Companies Are Making Celebrities Co-Owners

Feb 19, 2026

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11 min read

Why Mature Companies Are Making Celebrities Co-Owners

The Strategic Math Behind Late-Stage Equity Deals That's Killing Traditional Endorsements

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

The Billion-Dollar Language Barrier

Feb 12, 2026

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12 min read

The Billion-Dollar Language Barrier

Why MrBeast can sell chocolate in Tokyo but Anuel AA can't sell anything in Times Square

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

The Celebrity Focus Crisis

Feb 5, 2026

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17 min read

The Celebrity Focus Crisis

Why launching multiple brands destroys billion-dollar opportunities

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg

Venture Capital

+7

The Celebrity Co-Founder Model Needs a Reset

Jan 29, 2026

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17 min read

The Celebrity Co-Founder Model Needs a Reset

Why the Success of Casamigos, Skims, and Fenty Is Destroying the Industry

Scott Van den Berg
Scott Van den Berg