Over the past few years, Culture Kicks has exploded from a niche reselling page into a global brand with millions of fans, a sneaker line, and viral moments across the world. We sat down with one of the key players behind the brand to unpack the secret sauce, from the power of community to why authenticity always wins.
Culture Kicks has seen huge growth recently. What do you think has driven that rise?
Honestly, consistency is everything. We’re putting out content every single day, pushing ourselves to stay present and relevant. But more than that, it’s about respecting culture. When we connect with a new community, whether it’s in Australia, Hungary, or the Philippines, we show genuine appreciation, learn about their sneaker scene, and give back through special deals or giveaways. That approach has helped us grow globally. Now, we’re also branching out into new areas like livestreaming, gaming, and collabs with other creators, which keeps things fresh.
With 2M+ followers and 200M monthly engagements, how do you keep such a wide audience connected?
You’ve got to stay authentic. People followed us because they liked what we were doing early on, so we don’t switch up the formula too much. We also build deeper layers of community, on Twitch, TikTok subs, and especially our private Discord. In those spaces, we give back: Travis Scott raffles, daily giveaways, cash prizes, exclusive drops… We want people to feel like they’re part of a family, not just followers. Even with our sneaker line, we give away shoes and merch every day to fans.
Let’s talk collabs. You’ve had some big ones, how do you choose who to work with?
We always ask: Can this person open us up to a new audience? If they already do what we do, it can feel redundant. But when someone brings in a fresh crowd, that’s growth. We want to get out of our algorithm bubble and into new spaces. That’s what makes a good collab: unlocking new communities.
Chase is the face of the brand and has such a strong connection with your audience. Why do you think people relate to him?
He’s just real. No filters, no sugarcoating. If someone brings in fakes or tries to pull a fast one, he calls it out. People see themselves in him, they’d say the same thing in that moment. That honesty builds trust, and that trust becomes loyalty.
You’ve had some wild viral moments, Chipotle bowl bets, crazy queues in Australia, even a Hungary incident. How important are those?
Those moments are fun, but what matters most is consistency. We don’t chase virality, we just keep making fun, honest content. If something goes viral, great. But we’d be doing it anyway. We like experimenting too, flipping for pizza, fake water tests on shoes, random dares. Not everything hits, but when it does, it takes off.
Have there been any fan interaction that really stuck with you?
One of the most memorable was this girl from the Philippines, we met her in Australia. She handmade a Travis Scott purse and sold it to Chase for $30. The next day, her video went crazy, millions of views. She sold out, her TikTok blew up 20x, and she had so many orders her room was packed with packages. She told us it changed her life. That was a special moment.
You’ve also had some run-ins with scammers. Anything intense ever go down
Definitely. One guy, Kicks With Frank, tried to scam us with a fake mystery box at an event and then ran off.
Security had to step in and recover the shoes and the cash. It was wild, and the whole thing went viral.
You’ve now released your own sneaker. Why move from reselling to creating?
Reselling is great, but once you stop, the income stops. With your own brand, one sale can turn into repeat customers, loyalty, and community. You’re not just moving productyou’re building a legacy. That’s how you live forever in the sneaker world.
You guys have done something really smart, pivoting from content to launching your own brand and product. Was that part of the plan? Or did it come with challenges?
Anyone thinking about going down this road, just know, you’re not going to get much sleep. A bit, yeah. But the scale is different. When you’re producing your own sneaker or merch, you’re ordering thousands of units, like 2,000 at a time. That’s a six-figure investment, and there’s always the risk that no one buys it.
As a globally known brand now, what’s the focus for the next few years? Are you leaning more into content, or doubling down on product?
We’re becoming a media company. Right now, we’re probably 70% focused on media, 30% on product. All those videos of Chase buying sneakers? We don’t even keep those shoes. We wholesale them right there at the event, usually to the biggest buyer in the room. Our real focus is the content. That content brings value to the brands we partner with, whether it’s our energy drink sponsor, our online casino sponsor, reshoevenator (the top sneaker cleaner in the world), or apps like Cash App. We’re also expanding, building new social channels, launching spin-off accounts, and onboarding new personalities under the Culture Kicks umbrella. We’re aiming for something like the FaZe Clan model, where multiple creators operate as part of one brand across different niches and platforms. That’s the plan. Replicate the energy, the honesty, and the fun with new talent and different communities.
Your whole brand is very community-focused. Do you have plans to take that into real life with your own events?
Yes. We’re planning something called a Sellathon, kind of like what Kai Cenat does. Chase will go live on Twitch for a full week, or maybe even an entire month. People will literally be watching him sleep. It’s the biggest kind of community event you can do online right now. Yeah, it’s wild, but it’s where things are heading.
With all the innovation coming from Culture Kicks, are there any ideas or industries you want to branch into beyond sneakers and culture?
For now, we’re focused. I’m not trying to start trading crypto or anything like that. As the CEO, my job is to scale what’s working and stay locked in on our vision. Like Jalen Hurts said: “Keep the main thing, the main thing.” That’s our north star. Whether through sneakers, entertainment, or building personalities—we want Culture Kicks to become a global household name. And when new opportunities come, we’ll be ready.
