Ryan Coyne: The Daring Diversification of a Digital Media Titan

Ryan Coyne: The Daring Diversification of a Digital Media Titan

Diversification and audacity are two fundamental necessities in the ever-evolving business world. With a portfolio that spans digital media, winemaking, and now a pioneering free speech platform, Ryan Coyne — CEO of Starboard — embodies these principles. His success in these varied fields highlights the importance of embracing diverse business ventures and the willingness to take chances in unexplored markets.

In his early life, Ryan Coyne demonstrated a flair for innovation and a propensity for entrepreneurial thinking. Born in 1987, Coyne grew up in an era of rapid technological advancements, undoubtedly influencing his career path. His journey to entrepreneurship was not linear but a blend of experiences that culminated in his founding of Starboard.

This drive wasn’t limited to the realm of business. Coyne was a three-time national champion rower and a United States Junior National Team member during high school and college, a sport known for its rigor and team-building ethos.

“When I was on the junior national team, I was a starboard rower,” he explains when asked where the company name came from. “And there is no continued growth or expansion without trusting the leadership team because they keep everybody rowing in the right direction.”

As the architect of Starboard, formerly Olympic Media, Coyne has been instrumental in the company’s impressive trajectory within the digital media space. Under his leadership, Starboard quickly became a leading light in the sector, marked by its rapid ascent to the 13th spot on the INC 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in the nation.

Their standing as the fastest-growing entity in advertising and media in 2021 is a testament to Coyne’s vision and the vigor of his team. Starboard’s successful ventures range from digital advertising and fundraising to publishing and consumer brands, underlining Coyne’s ability to navigate diverse domains while maintaining a consistent ethos of quality and value.

Stepping beyond the digital frontier, Ryan Coyne ventured into the captivating world of viticulture, establishing a foothold in the wine industry. In an ambitious move reflecting Coyne’s entrepreneurial spirit, he partnered with the esteemed vintners Don Sebastiani and Sons to develop a wine brand called We The People which is now available in over 1,000 locations.

The brand, rooted in a deep belief in American Exceptionalism, created a distinct brand bridging the gap between patriotism and premium quality.

“We only bottled about 1000 cases just to test our marketing strategy and see if we would get anybody to buy it on a direct-to-consumer basis,” Coyne recalls. “My fear was that I was going to have to drink it all myself. Thankfully, that did not happen.”

We the People Wine has grown exponentially, having bottled 30,000 cases recently in Napa Valley, California, with Don Sebastiani and Sons. Their reach extends across the United States, with their wines available in over 1,000 locations and more than 35 states through partnerships with the largest wine distributors in the country.

The brand’s inclusion in over 130 Total Wine locations is a testament to Coyne’s wine venture’s impressive growth and broad appeal. These achievements mark not just a successful foray into the wine industry for Coyne but also underscore the diverse entrepreneurial proficiency he has cultivated at Starboard.

Coyne also found a way to use his entrepreneurial spirit to help those in need. When severe hurricanes devastated Florida, Coyne partnered with the First Lady of Florida, who runs the hurricane relief fund. In a display of social responsibility, Coyne committed a portion of the profits from every bottle of their wine sold in Florida to the hurricane relief fund.

Moreover, We the People Wine’s distributor, RNDC, matched their donations, effectively doubling the financial assistance provided to the hurricane relief efforts. And the humanitarian streak stretches beyond disaster relief.

“A portion of the profits from the sales across the country go into the Working Warrior Foundation,” Coyne explains. “The Foundation assists veterans returning and reestablishing themselves in new careers, and just in society in general.”

The most publicized part of Coyne’s entrepreneurial journey was the acquisition of Parler, the free speech platform renowned for its non-censorship policy. The vision for Parler under Starboard’s umbrella was to expand beyond the constraints of being a mere “Twitter clone for conservatives.”

However, acquiring and reorienting Parler comes with its challenges. The first hurdle was temporarily pulling down the Parler app for a strategic assessment. Although potentially unsettling to some users, this move is a necessary step towards realizing Coyne’s vision of reinventing Parler.

The path forward for Starboard and Parler is uncharted territory, but with Ryan Coyne at the helm, the prospect of successful navigation seems inevitable. His track record of transforming diverse business ventures into resounding successes is a testament to his audacity and innovation. As Coyne pens the following chapters of his entrepreneurial journey, his story serves as an inspiring reminder of the limitless possibilities that arise when brass meets diversification.