20VC: Turning Canned Water into a $700M Media and Health Company, What Makes Truly Great Brands, How Founders Can Build Their Brand From Day 1 Today & How to Create Viral Content with Little to No Budget with Mike Cessario, Founder and CEO @ Liquid Death

Mike Cessario is the Founder and CEO @ Liquid Death, the man hacking the healthy beverage market with the first hilarious water brand. It is working, Liquid Death’s latest valuation was over a staggering $700M and Mike has raised over $200M since founding the company from the likes of Science Inc. Away’s Jen Rubio, Dollar Shave Club’s Michael Dubin, Swedish House Mafia, and Tony Hawk to name a few. Prior to founding Liquid Death, Mike was in the advertising industry at a number of direct firms including VaynerMedia.

In Today’s Episode with Mike Cessario We Discuss:

1.) From Canned Water to $700M Business:

• How did rockstars’ hydration problems lead to the founding of Liquid Death?

• How did growing up with guns and heroine needles around him at school, impact how Mike sees the world today? What is he running from? What is he running towards?

• Everyone said, “canned water, that is a stupid idea”. What does Mike tell to all entrepreneurs who are told their idea is stupid? How does Mike advise on picking your idea?

2.) How to Build a Truly Great Brand:

• What does the term “brand” mean to Mike?

• What does he mean when he says, “truly great brand transcends functional value”?

• What are the single biggest mistakes Mike sees founders make today on branding?

• Why does Mike believe people will always hate your brand if it is good?

• What are the biggest brand mistakes Mike has made with Liquid Death?

• What brand does Mike most respect and admire? Why that brand?

3.) Marketing: The Secret to Reaching Millions of People with Little Budget:

• How does the Liquid Death team come up with the ideas they have for content? Why does Mike believe the label “storytelling” is kinda BS?

• Why does Mike believe people will always hate your marketing? What was Mike’s biggest lesson from their Superbowl commercial with kids drinking Liquid Death, looking like beer?

• How does Mike decide which channel to prioritize? How has the rise of TikTok and short-form video changed their approach to content?

• How does Mike approach resource allocation for new pieces of content? Do they spend big on a few bits of content or spend little on many and see what works?