Or how the famed NBA superstar Stephen Curry is a budding entrepreneur. He successfully helms Thirty Ink, a fast-growing house-of-brands conglomerate. Last year they only had 8% of the market and generated a $173.5 million revenue in profit last year, proving their profitability across all lines of business. Thirty Ink encompasses several ventures, including Unanimous Media, Gentleman’s Cut bourbon, and Underrated Golf and Basketball, which collectively contribute to Curry’s mission to “elevate the under.”
Curry’s goals for Thirty Ink go beyond profit alone. Further under his leadership the company entered into a strategic partnership with Under Armour. This collaboration now represents the largest portion of its revenue stream. As president of the Curry Brand—Under Armour’s basketball and golf footwear and apparel line—Curry’s influence continues to expand within the sports industry.
In 2023, Stephen Curry was given a nice bump. He was awarded 8.8 million common shares in Under Armour, which were worth approximately $75 million at the time of grant. This agreement not only guaranteed his financial future but showed his dedication to the brands he partnered with.
Thirty Ink also has an overall, first-look deal with Comcast’s NBCUniversal. Including the addition of the Peacock streaming service, their new partnership moves them to a far more influential position in the media landscape. Yet with about 40 projects under development, it’s a testament to the company’s aggressive growth path.
Erick Peyton, a senior executive at Thirty Ink, noted that Curry’s willingness to get involved was an example of leadership.
“He knows every single project on our slate, which is probably around 40 right now.” – Erick Peyton
Curry certainly has done something pretty remarkable and cool with Gentleman’s Cut. He created this bourbon brand with the help of his friend John Schwartz, owner of Amuse Bouche Winery in Napa Valley. This partnership strikes at the heart of Curry’s vision to combine beautiful products with meaningful and accessible experiences.
Currys’s Underrated Golf initiative provides access to the game for Black and brown kids. It addresses the biggest lack of representation in golf — the lack of representation within the golf industry itself — point blank. He is a passionate advocate for developing pipelines that empower marginalized young people to succeed.
“Everything that we do and what I can control is about true equity. If you look at all of our businesses — our DEI writers for Unanimous, or even looking at something like the Underrated brand — it’s about creating true representation and opportunity from a grassroots level.” – Stephen Curry
Yet all his success did not insulate Curry from complications while negotiating to sell a minority stake in Gentlemen’s Cut. The anonymous potential buyer just wanted to highlight a Black-owned business. After much negotiation, talks broke down following political shifts in the wake of the Trump administration that severely affected diversity and inclusion efforts.
Suresh Singh, who serves as Thirty Ink’s secretary-chairman, played a vital role in transitioning Curry’s previous venture SC30 into the more expansive Thirty Ink. Singh assured us that every single business under this umbrella turns a profit, a testament to their disciplined, laser-focused strategy.
“All that stuff is important to me. I want to actually walk the walk and live it. And hopefully that’s an example for how our country should.” – Stephen Curry
Curry’s dedication to social equity rings true in every aspect of his enterprises. He pushes back against national narratives that try to discredit the very programs that create these equitable opportunities.
“Obviously, from a national perspective, a lot of the narrative is trying to peel back programs and opportunities that are programs and resources that are allowing people to have just a fair shot and a fair chance.” – Stephen Curry
Thirty Ink’s eclectic oeuvre, today, includes a new distillery for bourbon, a new line of sports drinks, and a new branding consultancy aimed at producing brand identities for athletes. This vision of expansion exemplifies Curry’s desire to develop a dynamic business model fueled by creativity that elevates others.