At just 23, Kieran O'Brien had already built and sold a tech startup in under a year - a feat that most entrepreneurs spend a lifetime chasing. His company, Mediakits.com, attracted over 10,000 users within just a few months, and a viral TikTok video brought in 7,000 sign-ups in just 24 hours.

Here's the story of how he built, and sold his company.

A High School Hustler's Lightbulb Moment

In 2017, Kieran was running a small marketing agency while still a senior in high school. His agency was primarily focused on helping large e-commerce brands with Facebook and Google ads, but a serendipitous dive into influencer marketing came when he began managing campaigns for top automotive influencers. One day, a prominent influencer, Jeffrey Jarrett, reached out with a problem: a brand wanted a media kit, but he didn’t have one. Kieran stepped in, creating a media kit manually in Photoshop. But when Jeffrey returned a few weeks later asking for an update to the kit, Kieran had his lightbulb moment.

The Birth of Mediakits.com

Why, Kieran wondered, wasn’t there an easier way for influencers to generate media kits that automatically updated with real-time data? This simple question laid the foundation for what would later become Mediakits.com, a platform that would revolutionize the way influencers manage and present their social media analytics.

Despite the brilliance of the idea, 2017 wasn’t the right time for Kieran to launch. With no funds, no tech experience, and no connections, he decided to shelve the idea and instead focus on growing his marketing agency, which soon reached seven figures. His future co-founder, Casey Adams, also took a different path, focusing on his podcast, which became one of the most popular in the world.

Revisiting the Idea in the Midst of a Pandemic

Fast forward to 2020, and the world was in lockdown. Kieran and Casey, now roommates in Scottsdale, Arizona, revisited the idea of Mediakits. This time, with a bit more experience, a few connections, and some money in the bank, they decided to take the plunge. The timing was perfect—TikTok was booming, and the creator economy was exploding. They built Mediakits.com with TikTok influencers in mind, creating a platform where users could generate sleek, up-to-date media kits with just a few clicks.

The Challenges of Building a Startup

Building the startup wasn’t without its challenges. Kieran and Casey bootstrapped the company, pouring in nearly $100,000 of their own money before deciding to seek external funding. Despite their initial fears, they managed to raise capital, but not without a fight—over 350 investors turned them down before they secured the funds they needed.

The Turning Point: Going Viral on TikTok

The turning point for Mediakits came in October 2021 when a TikTok video showcasing their platform went viral. The resulting traffic and user sign-ups validated their product, and by the end of 2021, they had over 10,000 users. The organic growth of their user base, fueled by the viral nature of the media kits themselves, attracted significant attention.

The Big Decision: Raise More Capital or Sell?

By early 2022, Kieran and Casey faced a pivotal decision: continue raising capital or entertain acquisition offers. Ultimately, they chose the latter. In July 2022, Mediakits was acquired by Viral Nation, a major player in the influencer marketing space. The acquisition marked the culmination of a whirlwind 11-month journey from product launch to successful exit.

Sale Price

The exact financial details of the acquisition of Mediakits.com by Viral Nation have not been publicly disclosed.

Here's a video of him telling his story: