Grownkid, “worldwide social club”, is monetizing the philosophy of play.
They are one example of a wave of young business owners selling ideas at the forefront of their ventures, instead of resources. In a globalized, post-industrial phase where capitalism has penetrated previously untouched, intangible spheres, social change itself becomes the product.
For decades, large corporations have used social impact as a marketing tool, designed to scale trust. But a newer generation of entrepreneurs is reversing that logic: using business to create social change, rather than vice versa. Within an oversaturated media space, a start-up may be one of the only places left that gives structure to a social mission– a place for an ideology to live and spread globally with controlled, concentrated, original intent.
Companies are moving away from mass reach to micro-trust. Because of the democratization of media and short-form content, audiences doubt performative voices and champion singular trusted voices– like founders. Even large corporations are opting to find niche creators in corners of the internet and collaborating with them instead of investing in large-scale campaigns.
Spreading your beliefs is no longer a choice. To stand out in a saturated media, products needs to have more than fans, they need believers– members of a community who maintain and nourish the culture behind their business.
In a media space where authenticity performs better than polish, there is no better marketing than a founder directly speaking to their audience.
Theo Baloyi is an example of a thought leader with an authentic, yet impactful social media presence. 2021 winner of GQ’s business leader of the year and Forbes 30 under 30, Baloyi was born in Hammanskraal, Gauteng, and moved to Dubai to work in PwC Middle East before founding ‘Bathu’ in Alexandra, saying “I decided to quit my job and be of service.” Bathu, township slang for “shoe”, is a footwear company that focuses on crafting premium, durable sneakers aimed at reigniting hope and creating employment, now operating numerous stores nationwide.
Though he has half a million followers on instagram, his focus remains to connect to his community. In this interview with The Inside Show, he discusses about how is background continues to drive him to be of service:
Bathu operates under the philosophy, “Walk Your Journey”, inspired by challenges they encountered during concept phase, when factories rejected their flagship design 16 times before approving it. The company has committed to donating one-million pairs of school shoes to underprivileged kids over the next 10 years and provide employment to family members and the Alexandra community. Quitting the job that provided for him and his family, Baloyi began to provide for hundreds of families. Every shoe he sells and every video he posts online is economically and culturally impactful.
Creators of the award-winning podcast Teenager Therapy, a show that grew to over 1 million followers and 18 million plays and featured guests like Prince Harry & Meghan Markle, Gael Aitor and Kayla Suarez moved on to found Grownkid, a podcast, online community, and in person events platform with the simple goal of helping young people live more connected and meaningful lives. They currently have a community of over 130,000 18-24 year olds.
One of the first things you see on their website is their social manifesto: “This is a response to a crisis, one the U.S. Surgeon General formally declared in 2023: America is living through a loneliness epidemic. And young people feel it deeply. We create the spaces Gen Z is missing, spaces where you can show up alone and leave feeling connected, where play brings down defenses, where courage and softness are normal, where community is a practice.”
Unlike Baloyi’s ‘Bathu’ which directly impacts communities in need, Gael and Kayla bring a quieter issue to light– loneliness. The universal emotion is often shoved under the rug but by creating a creating spaces that combat loneliness, they shine a light on the issue, and youth struggling are not only acknowledged, but supported with a physical solution.
This is the wonder of a small business born out of a cause, instead of a business that integrates a cause in its mission post-launch: it generates both social awareness and actual change.
Every time somebody buys their product they directly contribute to a social cause, as well as market its visibility at the same time. This new generation of entrepreneurs bridges the gap between influencers and innovative problem-solvers, introducing a new business model where ideology and product consumption compound each other.
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