How Splash Grew to €7M Revenue in 13 Months – with Co-Founder Jeremy Okoth

Jeremy Okoth and his co-founder Hannes have demonstrated what's possible when creator power meets entrepreneurial thinking. Hundreds of millions of views, 20 million downloads, and €7 million in revenue in just 13 months – all bootstrapped while still in their early twenties. Their party game app Splash reached one million downloads in just 28 days and now operates at around 50% profit margins.

From Social Media Creators to Million-Euro Entrepreneurs

Jeremy and Hannes' journey began with their social media account "Hannes und Jeremy," through which they built a reach that would make many media companies envious. Today they generate 400 million views per month and achieve six-figure monthly revenues. But Jeremy emphasizes: reach alone isn't enough.

"The highest form of monetization is using reach to push an independent company," he explains. While merch and affiliate links represent just the entry level, they've proven with Splash that creators are the next generation of company founders.

A crucial success factor: as a founder, you need a face that customers can connect with – whether B2C or B2B. This personal connection makes the difference between interchangeable products and brands that stick in people's minds.

Splash: From Idea to Million-Euro Revenue in Record Time

Splash's development was a textbook example of agile entrepreneurship. In just two weeks, the app went from initial idea to the App Store. The freemium model with premium categories works: Splash is more profitable than many VC-funded startups and operates at around 50% profit margins.

Their international expansion is particularly impressive: using micro-influencers for €50 per video and total costs under €20,000, they generated millions of downloads in Latin America. They booked over 1,000 influencers for under €500 per market – proof that creative marketing strategies can beat capital.

Content Strategy: Frequency Beats Perfection

A central pillar of their success is their content strategy. "60 videos a day isn't an exaggeration," Jeremy emphasizes. Frequency beats everything – better to fire 100 shots than plan 3 perfect ones.

For beginners, he recommends focusing on proven formats rather than complex stories. Storytelling might be the highest form of social media, but without a solid foundation in content production, even the best story falls flat.

The community functions as a supercomputer for product decisions. Direct feedback from millions of followers provides insights that other companies spend expensive market research to obtain.

Bootstrap Instead of VC: Why They Turned Down Millions

Despite their success, Jeremy and Hannes took an unconventional path: they rejected a term sheet for €2 million at a €25 million valuation – two days before the planned signing.

"Bootstrapping is the better choice when it's not a winner-takes-all market," Jeremy explains. Conversations with VC-funded founders taught them that external financing isn't always the royal road. With 50% profit margins and stable cash flow, they can grow self-determinedly.

For their new app, they're now specifically seeking €200-300k from angel investors – but not from traditional VCs. The difference: angels often bring operational experience, while VCs primarily focus on scaling and exits.

Brand as the Future Success Factor

A recurring theme in the conversation: brand accounts for 80-90% of success. In a world where product features can be quickly copied, the emotional connection to the brand determines long-term success.

Creator-led companies have a natural advantage here. They build a personal relationship with their target audience from the start that goes beyond mere product usage. This authentic connection cannot be easily replicated.

Momentum vs. Substance: The Creator Advantage

What distinguishes creator companies from traditional startups is the balance between momentum and substance. While traditional startups often spend years refining product development, creators can quickly test, iterate, and scale through their reach.

Jeremy's conclusion: "Fear of failure is the biggest obstacle." Better to act quickly and learn from mistakes than get stuck in the planning phase. This mentality, combined with the power of an established creator brand, makes the difference between success and stagnation.

The story of Splash shows: with the right combination of reach, product focus, and entrepreneurial courage, even young creators can build impressive companies in the shortest time.