The Internet's Boyfriend

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Hey honeys and hustlers,

Imagine this: your face looks the same your entire life, and then, one day, people en mass believe it’s the most handsome/beautiful thing they’ve ever seen. Thanks to social media, we are witnessing a peculiar phenomenon emerge: the "Internet's boyfriend." This term (albeit a term I made up for the purposes of this article) describes individuals who suddenly capture the collective attention and adoration of the online world, often seemingly overnight. Pedro Pascal. Aaron Pierre. Michael B. Jordan. Glenn Powell. Add your fave in the comments if you’re not shy. While this digital acclaim can appear random, the concept of becoming the "Internet's boyfriend" is fascinating because it challenges our traditional understanding of fame and success. One day, you're living your normal life, and the next, millions of people are sharing, discussing, and swooning over your existence. This isn't limited to conventional attractiveness - it's about capturing a moment in the zeitgeist that resonates with mass appeal.

For entrepreneurs and creators, this phenomenon offers valuable lessons about virality, timing, and the unpredictable nature of online success. While you can't necessarily plan to become the Internet's next obsession, you can prepare to capitalize on such opportunities when they arise.

P.S. Before I jump into today’s article, I do want to let you guys know that I’ll be travelling to Birmingham for Sloss.Tech. My response time may be a little slow this week. If you’re in the area and want to say hello, let me know! I’m going to try to make a video of my experience, along with a write up, so let me know if there’s anything you want to know about Birmingham (where my creative business journey began) or this conference (because why in the world am I going to a tech conference???) and I’ll try to answer it.

The Business of Being Beloved

When sudden fame strikes, the window for capitalization is often narrow. Here's some advice on how to approach it strategically:

• Authenticity as Currency: The Internet has a remarkable ability to detect insincerity. The most successful "Internet boyfriends" maintain their authentic selves while scaling their presence (podcast interviews, red carpet appearances, press runs, etc).

• Community Building: Transform temporary attention into lasting engagement by creating meaningful connections with your audience. Call out comments, nicknames, and tweets from your admirers.

• Strategic Partnerships: When everyone wants to work with you, choose collaborations that align with your long-term goals rather than quick payoffs.

Being known for your appearance or, in our case, personal brand isn't superficial - it's a legitimate business asset in today's digital economy. A business can’t convert viewers into customers without attention. When the internet collectively decides you’re trustworthy (even if it's initially based on appearance/brand presence), they are more likely to buy from you. When your personal brand resonates with people, it can multiply the impact of your business initiatives. Everything you launch or promote benefits from the goodwill and attention you've accumulated.

15 minutes of fame → 15 years of business

So many people optimize their online presence for attention, not for conversion. So let’s talk about the razzle dazzle of the boring business foundations that get sexy when stress tested (because a higher amount of eyes can be stressful at times):

• Build Infrastructure Early: Have your website, social media presence, and basic business operations ready before you need them. When opportunity strikes, you want to be prepared.

• Focus on Customer Experience: When people interact with you, what experience are they having? Is it consistent? Is it helpful? Is it timely?

• Develop a sales process: Know what you want to get paid for, and learn how to talk about money with clients. You should have a process for qualifying clients (i.e. can they pay for your services?) and booking clients. Once you’ve determined that their budget matches the pricing for the scope of work or product, what does onboarding them as a customer look like? Is there a deposit? If you’re a service-based creator/freelancer, the answer to this should always be yes btw.

I have some posts in August that go deeper into the finance and business side of running a creative business in honor of Black Business Month. Drop me a question or topic if there’s anything you’d like me to talk about specifically!

How can you maintain authenticity while scaling your presence? What systems need to be in place to handle increased attention and opportunities? The phenomenon of becoming the "Internet's boyfriend" represents more than just digital popularity - it's a case study in modern opportunity recognition and management. You don’t necessarily need to be seeking this type of attention, but you should be prepared to leverage it effectively when it comes. Because if you’re consistently putting out high-quality content, it will come. Being known for how you show up online isn't a limitation - it's often the opening door to deeper, more meaningful business opportunities.

There’s a lot going on in the headlines this month. I thought we all deserved a little eye candy to start the week.