Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
At 27, Jake Paul has 26.6 million followers on Instagram, 17.8 million followers on TikTok, and nearly 20.7 million subscribers on YouTube. He started creating content when monetization was in its infancy and managed to garner nearly two billion views with comedy videos on Vine (RIP) starting around 2013.
A decade later, Paul's consistent work ethic has catapulted him from influencer to entrepreneur and finally to professional boxer. On Saturday, he will face former UFC fighter and bare-knuckle boxing champion Mike Perry in his eighth professional fight, and on November 15, he will face Boxing Hall of Fame member Mike Tyson. The fight will stream on Netflix.
For Paul, it seems, it's no longer just about comedy and pranks.
“It's just very surreal and it feels like all my hard work is paying off,” Paul tells Entrepreneur in a video call. “I'm very honored to be in the ring with Mike Tyson. After 12 to 15 years of breaking down the door of opportunity, I was able to open that door. It just goes to show you have to start step by step and grow into things like this that you can't even believe you're doing.”
Jake Paul is seen at Michael Rubin's annual Independence Day party on July 4, 2024 in East Hamptons, NY. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
When the fight against Tyson was announced, Paul was considered the favorite. But his reaction was not that of an untouchable heavyweight – he is just happy to be here. And yes, he says he is scared to fight Tyson.
“The fear is always going to be there, you're always going to be afraid,” Paul said. “I'm afraid to fight Mike Tyson. I'm afraid to fight Mike Perry. It's about being brave enough to have the courage to do it when the fear never goes away. You have to embrace it and let it drive you, rather than let it stop you from making perhaps the best decision of your life.”
Nevertheless, there was also controversy against him. Business Insider reports allegations of online fraud, abusive behavior and vandalism.
His videos of protests during the pandemic in 2020 led to the FBI raiding his home in 2021 in connection with a looting incident at an Arizona mall. Paul was charged with trespassing and unlawful assembly.
After an investigation, the U.S. Attorney's Office decided not to bring charges against him in federal court.
Around the same time, tensions arose between Paul and the mayor of Calabasas, California, when the mayor hosted a large party despite social distancing restrictions during the pandemic.
Despite these setbacks, Paul did not retreat from the spotlight and considered this a lesson. Paul's net worth is currently estimated at $34.3 million.
Jake Paul, Brand Developer
Paul owns four companies — sports betting app Betr, venture capital fund Antifund, sports promotions firm Most Valuable Promotions — and now his latest, a men's grooming line called W, which has been sold direct-to-consumer at Walmart since June.
“At the beginning, I didn't really know what I wanted. I just learned a little bit every day, accumulated knowledge, applied everything I learned and worked harder than my colleagues,” said Paul.
Paul compares W products to “a new, better version of Axe for millennials.”
“These old heritage brands that we're competing against are companies owned by huge conglomerates. We're coming with a new game plan and a new way of marketing,” Paul added. “There's so much room here for growth and change and innovation on a product that appeals to a younger male audience, which is my audience.”
Related topics: VIP tickets for the Tyson-Paul wrestling match sold for millions
Paul's marketing techniques aren't for everyone (he was nearly attacked by a shark and filmed a lie detector test on Instagram), but they seem authentic given his personality and his already highly connected social media presence.
“I think people should be themselves. Authenticity is what wins. Show your failures, show your mistakes, tell your story,” Paul said. “The struggle is what people can relate to, and I think that's what a lot of entrepreneurs lack.”
Paul says that when he was a teenager making videos on Vine a decade ago, he had a hunch about how big the influencer economy could one day be. And he was right: A recent report from Emarketer predicts that U.S. marketers' spending on sponsored social media content could grow 16% this year, to $8.14 billion.
“[Back then]the numbers spoke for themselves,” he said. “We were Viners who were getting millions of views on our Vines and getting paid about $2,000 for a video, but a commercial on TV might get 500,000 views and they'd get $100,000 or $200,000.”
Paul said he knew that at some point, numbers would “be the most important thing” and that influencers and creators would be more valued. “And that's coming true,” he added.
Paul says his first paycheck was for $300, and he spent the money on holiday edition LeBron James sneakers and a Diesel watch.
“You have to embrace it and let it drive you, rather than letting it stop you from making perhaps the best decision of your life.”
The transition into the business world was not without its fair share of haters.
“I [was] Scared to bring W into the world and see how people will receive it,” he said.
Paul says he heard a quote years ago that entrepreneurs are best at sweeping their mistakes under the rug, learning from them and moving on. He tries to remember that when the going gets tough.
“It hasn’t been easy at all, it’s still difficult every single day,” Paul said.
Related: Jake Paul reportedly earned a sky-high amount for the fight
And maybe he will have to fight against his old reputation for a while yet: After all, he knows that the Internet is made to last forever.
“I want people to see me as an example of the American dream. I have pursued my dreams relentlessly for over a decade, never stopped when I fell on my face, and persevered through all of those moments,” he said.
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
