Krept: From Rapper To Building A £17.5 Million Baby Business!
Rapper and entrepreneur Crep shares his journey from a challenging upbringing to launching the successful Nala's Baby skincare line. He discusses critical decisions, overcoming grief, financial literacy, and the power of over-delivering and challenging societal labels.
Deep Dive Analysis
18 Topic Outline
Early Life in Croydon: Gangs, Violence, and Personal Ambition
Family Background and Mother's Influence on Motivation
Conan's Family Tragedy and the Pivotal Music Decision
Viral Success of 'Otis' and First Tour with Skepta
Mental Health Stigma Among Black Men and Loss of Nash
The Genesis and Challenges of Launching Crepes and Cones
Navigating Grief and Business Operations After Nash's Suicide
Lessons Learned from Business Adversity: Trust and Diligence
The Power of Over-delivering on Small Opportunities
Financial Literacy, Credit, and Hidden Business Incentives
Advice on Managing Money and Avoiding Lifestyle Inflation
Hip Hop Culture's Influence on Spending and Role Models
The Inspiration and Development of Nala's Baby Skincare
Nala's Baby Launch Success and Future Expansion
Lessons from Building Nala's Baby: Patience and Expert Collaboration
Krept's Backstage Attack and the Loss of Cousin Cadet
Coping with Multiple Losses and the Importance of Family
Reflecting on Life-Changing Decisions and Avoiding Regret
5 Key Concepts
Grief as a Distraction
Krept describes using constant work and activity as a coping mechanism to avoid processing deep grief and loss. He acknowledges this approach might be a 'recipe for disaster' but finds it difficult to stop and fully confront his emotions.
Business Callus
Adversity and negative experiences in business, such as being 'burnt' by unreliable contractors or inflated costs, can build a protective 'callus.' This makes an entrepreneur more diligent, questioning, and self-defensive in future dealings, leading to a more rigorous approach to vetting and decision-making.
Over-delivering on Opportunities
This is a strategy where one goes above and beyond what is expected in a given opportunity, no matter how small. Krept explains that consistently putting in extra effort, even without immediate additional compensation, can lead to a cascade of much larger and unexpected opportunities.
Lifestyle Inflation
The tendency for people to immediately upgrade their living standards as their income increases. Krept warns that this can be a 'silent killer' of wealth due to the accumulating long-term costs of maintaining an expensive lifestyle, such as recurring bills and luxury expenses.
Growth Room
A mental model suggesting that individuals should seek environments and surround themselves with people where they feel uncomfortable or 'the dumbest person in the room.' This discomfort is identified as the optimal condition for personal and professional growth.
11 Questions Answered
After Conan's stepdad was killed and his mother shot, Krept and Conan were faced with the choice to retaliate or focus entirely on music to escape their environment, choosing the latter path.
Krept explains that there's a cultural complex or conditioning where black men feel they must be 'all right' and not cry, making them feel 'less of a man' if they express vulnerability or seek help.
Krept tweeted in 2014 about opening a restaurant with that name, and later, his friend Nash, looking for a career change, suggested they pursue the idea, leading to its development.
Nash, who was set to manage the restaurant, committed suicide the week before its launch, forcing Krept and Conan to grieve while simultaneously taking over all operational responsibilities for the grand opening.
The experience taught him to be extremely diligent, question everything, and not trust easily, leading him to double-check every aspect of business dealings after being 'burnt' by inflated costs and unreliable contractors.
They consistently over-delivered on opportunities, such as turning a six-episode Apple radio show into 36 episodes by bringing on guests and creating engaging content, which led to them being recommended for 'The Rap Game' TV show.
He advises against immediately upgrading one's lifestyle when money starts coming in, as the long-term costs of maintaining an expensive lifestyle can be a 'silent killer' of wealth.
Krept's partner, Sasha, used an app (Think Dirty) to check baby product ingredients and found no zero-rated (cleanest) natural ranges available in the UK, sparking the idea to create one.
Krept emphasized not rushing the process, taking two years to perfect the formula to be 99% naturally derived, zero-rated on the Think Dirty app, and affordable, even if it meant sacrificing margins.
He learned to let experts be experts, trusting their knowledge in areas he was unfamiliar with, and being ambitious in aligning with top talent to fill blind spots.
They sorted out their differences and became close again, a decision Krept reflects on as crucial, teaching him to resolve conflicts with loved ones immediately to avoid future regret.
15 Actionable Insights
1. Over-deliver on Opportunities
Consistently go above and beyond what is expected in every opportunity, no matter how small, as this dedication can unlock a cascading series of future, larger opportunities.
2. Seek Growth Environments
Actively place yourself in rooms or around people where you feel like the least knowledgeable person, as these “growth rooms” are where you will learn the most and accelerate your development.
3. Thoroughly Vet All Decisions
Before making significant business decisions or accepting prices, consult multiple sources and ask numerous questions to ensure you are getting the best value and to avoid being taken advantage of.
4. Prioritize Long-Term Goals
When faced with immediate emotional reactions or temptations for retaliation, choose to focus on and invest in your long-term goals and aspirations to avoid permanent negative outcomes.
5. Maintain Lifestyle with Income
When your income increases, resist the urge to immediately upgrade your lifestyle; instead, try to maintain your current living costs to avoid the “silent killer” of escalating bills and expenses.
6. Challenge Societal Labels
Do not be confined by societal expectations or labels; pursue unexpected ventures and industries that align with your vision, as this demonstrates limitless potential and inspires others.
7. Resolve Conflicts Immediately
Address and resolve arguments or issues with close family and friends promptly, even if it involves intense discussion, to avoid living with regret over unresolved conflicts.
8. Prioritize Family Time
Focus your time and energy on family and loved ones, as these are the people who will always be there for you and provide the most meaningful support in life’s most challenging moments.
9. Embrace Emotional Processing
Challenge the cultural complex of suppressing emotions, especially for men; instead, embrace talking about your feelings and consider therapy to process grief and mental health challenges.
10. Prioritize Product Perfection
In business, do not rush the development process; take the necessary time to ensure every aspect of your product is perfect and meets high standards, even if it means delays.
11. Target Mass Market Value
When developing a product, consider aiming for a mass market with a high-quality yet affordable offering, as this can lead to significantly higher sales volume and impact compared to a niche, expensive market.
12. Balance Branding with Investment
For artists and public figures, balance spending on branding and status symbols with long-term financial planning and investments, making discretionary purchases in stages rather than all at once.
13. Lead by Example
Understand that actions and personal examples are far more powerful than words in influencing others, especially when trying to encourage different financial or life choices.
14. Recognize Numbing as Coping
Be aware of the tendency to numb emotions or become cold and distant as a self-protective coping mechanism against hurt, as this can negatively impact relationships and personal well-being.
15. Advocate for Financial Education
Recognize the systemic lack of financial literacy education and advocate for its inclusion in schools to equip young people with essential knowledge about credit, investments, and managing money.
8 Key Quotes
I always thought, I don't want to end up going to jail and I don't want to end up dying because that's what I saw.
Krept
We can either go and retaliate, or we take this music thing seriously. Actually try to make it out of where we're coming from.
Krept
We've got this complex. Like, I'm not meant to cry. Like, it makes you feel like less of a man or something.
Krept
I hated it. I put my back up and it was like, okay, I don't, I don't, I know stepping into this world, I'm not going to trust anyone now.
Krept
If you over deliver and show what you actually can do in any situation, what can come from that is going to be a lot more.
Krept
You should always feel uncomfortable, almost like you shouldn't be here. And that's the growth room, man. You can't be afraid of that.
Krept
Just know that I love you for real, for real. And I've got your Gucci socks for your birthday.
Cadet (recounted by Krept)
A decision you can make can make a permanent outcome.
Krept
3 Protocols
Over-delivering on Opportunities
Krept- Identify an opportunity, even if it seems small or has standard expectations (e.g., a radio show).
- Go above and beyond what is expected by putting in extra effort (e.g., bringing on extra guests, creating engaging content, making it entertaining).
- Consistently perform at an exceptional level, even without immediate additional compensation.
- Allow this exceptional performance to create a cascading effect, leading to larger and unexpected opportunities (e.g., moving from radio to TV).
Developing a High-Quality, Mass-Market Product (Nala's Baby)
Krept- Identify a significant market gap for a superior product (e.g., natural baby skincare with zero harmful ingredients).
- Prioritize product quality and safety above all else, setting ambitious targets (e.g., zero rating on ingredient apps, high natural derivation).
- Be patient and do not rush the development process, even if it means pushing back launch dates to achieve perfection.
- Set an ambitious, affordable price point to reach a mass market, even if it requires sacrificing initial profit margins.
- Align with and trust experts in areas outside your core competence, leveraging their knowledge to fill blind spots and ensure quality.
Resolving Conflict with Loved Ones
Krept- When issues or arguments arise with close family or friends, address them immediately.
- Engage in open and honest communication, even if it involves intense discussion or disagreement.
- Prioritize reconciliation and ensure the relationship is mended after the conflict.
- Avoid letting conflicts drag out to prevent future regret over unsaid words or unresolved issues, recognizing life's preciousness.