Through turbulent times, leadership capacities like that of Kyle Kane’s are essential for business survival and growth. An award-winning entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, creator, and producer, Kyle knows what it takes to build an empire that survives the ebb and flow of market fluctuations, and even that of a global pandemic.
Kyle Kane is the CEO and founding principle of 180 South Group, a premier creative management agency that began as a vehicle to guide celebrities and luxury brands in the areas of strategic planning, content production, and brand development. Most recently, however, Kyle and his team have forged a strategic partnership with Beyond Pacific, a company based in Puerto Rico with strong presence in Malaysia and South Korea, to solve some of the world’s most daunting challenges. The firm specializes in multimodal marketing and production, creating opportunities for strong partnerships between artists and brands in original content, product development, and unique service offerings relating to global issues such as climate change, clean water sourcing, and the manufacturing of ultra-efficient and affordable personal protective equipment (PPE) such as nano face masks and nitrile gloves.
As a leader in marketing and business, Kyle has extensive experience in coordinating and executing strategic campaigns which have helped his clients and friends establish their brands. He’s worked with companies like Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, MetLife Stadium, Samsung, Piaget, LVMH, and Brown-Forman, to name a few.
Kyle’s executive roots began in the music industry, where he built for himself a solid reputation of hard work and innovative ideation that brought massive results for the people and companies he worked with. Helping to craft the taste and tone of many pop icons from the mid to late 2000’s, Kyle learned that much of the original content by which he was most intrigued happened to be fueled by brands. He quickly pivoted as a matchmaker for talent and brand ambassadors to collaborate on new and innovative ways to reach consumers with products and services. After seeing most of his clients and chief marketing executives reduce spending on traditional advertising mediums to focus more on experiential forms of engagement, Kyle ventured out on his own to cash in the relationships he spent years sowing into, producing ten 2-hour broadcasts which aired live on the CBS Network, as well as major pop culture events surrounding the Grammy’s and the Super Bowl, including The Mothers Ball, an annual celebration of every woman’s capacity to advocate for herself, her family, and her community.
Fast forward to today, Kyle has built a powerful presence for 180 South in the music, branded content, marketing, and live events verticals, sending shockwaves across international business spheres. The last eighteen months have been crucial for the agency, as most of their focus has been placed on developing consumer experiences that will innovate the way people experience live and virtual events in a post-pandemic world.
When asked about building an audience in a post-pandemic society, Kyle’s thoughts provide a glimpse into the mind of an entrepreneurial genius. “Consider growing your audience like the building of a muscle in your body. Yes, repetition and consistency is key, so your audience feels like they can depend on you for a steady dose of content. However, the “diet” you’re feeding your audience is just as important. Feed your audience crap, and you won’t have the right proteins and minerals to build and sustain your “muscle”; feed your audience rich, meaningful content that they can engage with, and your audience will organically respond to your repetitions. Once you have that down, it’s time to look at the growth of your audience as a business, and associate every piece of engagement with a boost in your brand equity. You are the toll booth operator between your audience and the content they experience. Don’t violate their trust even once, or you’ll have to start over.”
Since building audiences for some of the worlds premier artists and brands, Kyle has invested much of his time and energy on building partnerships in South Korea, creating original content focused on fostering sound financial literacy, and advocating for social justice reform. Lately, he’s been lending his expertise to curate content for PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which Kyle notes has been one of the most pleasant working relationships he’s experienced through his entrepreneurial journey.
Apart from his accomplishments in entertainment and business strategy, Kyle also operates a global branding and technology company responsible for building unique solutions for some of the world’s most challenging issues, including the distribution of a revolutionary product called Nanophite®, a next-generation innovation of the carbon nanotube, with applications ranging from raw materials and electrical conductivity to energy storage and heat dissipation.
The strategist’s work in marketing and production has accumulated sales of over 30 million units, resulting in roughly $400 million in gross sales, and $1B in market value for his clients. His expertise has resulted in the development of multi-million dollar production facilities in Fairfield and Princeton, New Jersey, resulting in an Emmy Award, multiple corporate culture awards, and partnerships with dozens of advertising agencies, production houses, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms to develop and distribute original content.
For Kyle, remaining competent and relevant in today’s highly competitive atmosphere entails grit and perseverance. “To compete in today’s modern business climate, you have to stay lean and mean,” shares Kyle. He maintains the importance of keeping a strong competency, and focusing on one’s emotional intelligence (EQ), versus any other measurement of development.
Looking to the future, Kyle only has higher plans and ambitions for himself and his companies. He looks to continue to grow and scale Beyond Pacific Holdings, creating a ripple effect through strategic organizations which serve as the springboard for his success, including 180 South Group, Live & United, Bravias Financial, Areu Bros. Studios, Bequest Management, Ethical Traders, Copper Universal, and Intrepid Consulting, all while producing engaging content he hopes will resonate for generations to come.
Kyle currently operates out of Princeton, NJ and New York City. To learn more about Kyle Kane and his work, visit his LinkedIn Account and his personal instagram account (@kylexkane), or send an email to: [email protected]