We spent the day with TikTok megastar Josh Richards, as he works to expand into VC, Hollywood projects, and energy drinks

TikTok celebrity Josh Richards has accrued forty million followers in view that first rising to fame at age 14.

Richards is diversifying via investing in startups, running a content studio, and launching products.

He gave Insider a infrequent glimpse right into a busy day of meetings and podcasting at his Encino, California home. 

For Josh Richards, one in all TikTok's biggest stars, there is not any standard day, although he is constantly booked strong with hours of conferences, capturing content material for social media, and networking over dinner.  

The 19-year-ancient Canadian influencer, who rose to repute at 14 and now has virtually 40 million followers throughout TikTok and different structures, turned into a member of Sway house, the LA content material crib once occupied through six social media stars who grew to become called an awful lot for their partying lifestyle as for his or her prolific posts.

however considering leaving Sway house in February, Richards has concentrated on increasing his attain via partnerships with agencies like Logitech, getting his way of life beverage Ani energy on more keep cabinets, and constructing out CrossCheck Studios, a Gen Z-concentrated content material studio he established in partnership with Mark Wahlberg. His crew, in the meantime, is getting into new places of work in Burbank. 

Richards and fellow Sway condo alums Griffin Johnson and Noah Beck in April also cofounded the $15 million VC fund Animal Capital, pouring cash into more than 24 startups, including rewards app Lolli, a cookie dough mission called Deux foods, and WonderFi, a trading platform.

Richards' concerted push to diversify is about shoring up his future. Even with 40 million followers clocking his each circulation on their smartphones (25.5 million on TikTok, plus tens of millions on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Triller),  reputation may also be all too fleeting, he acknowledges.

"I feel it's wise to just preserve an eye fixed in your social media numbers, your development, and the place they're going," Richards pointed out. "however what we're doing on the entrepreneurial aspect is set environment me up in a longevity play, and it basically does put off loads of the stressors."  

Insider spent most of Tuesday with Richards — starting vibrant and early and scheduled to shadow him except round 2 p.m. — at his Encino, California home, a sprawling two-flooring Tuscan modern property in a gated group, the place he offered a glimpse into one in every of his busier days.

He changed into up before 6 a.m. to assist mark WonderFi's trading debut

however he constantly rises around 8:00 a.m., Richards changed into up early to ring the outlet bell at NEO, the Canadian inventory trade the place WonderFi changed into making its public buying and selling debut. as a result of COVID-19 concerns, Richards did the honor by means of Zoom , parked in an AKRacing gamer's chair from the comfort of his bedroom den, the place he conducts most virtual meetings and statistics his "BFFs" podcast. 

"[WonderFi] is set in reality having these more youthful people suppose like they're empowered to be in a position to go and make their own selections, invest safely, and have the access to study it — and nothing's being hidden from them," Richards pointed out. "they're now not going to get screwed in five years as a result of they put money into some shady cryptocurrency it really is called, like, 'Titcoin.'"

Richards ringing the outlet bell at NEO JP Mangalindan/Insider

WonderFi's inventory spiked eighty five% inside moments its debut.

"We just made $500,000 in 30 seconds!" stated Richards' supervisor, Michael Gruen.

He did a live tv segment about WonderFi at 7:30

Richards seemed on trader tv to discuss WonderFi's big day. He constantly receives talking aspects from his group before a media appearance to help him put together, however that wasn't the case this time.

"here's where things get wonderful," Richards pointed out. "Gotta wing it, child!"

He riffed for a couple of minutes, reiterating lots of the points he made in his opening remarks for the NEO alternate. The appearance went smoothly.  

At eight:30, he recorded a podcast with his Siberian Husky, friend, at his side

Richards modified outfits, donning a light pink "BFFs"-branded hoodie, sweats, and sneakers, and completing off the look with two silver chains.

"here is the place things get loopy!" he spoke of.

Richards recording an episode of the BFFs podcast JP Mangalindan/Insider

Richards changed into establishing his bedroom den to tape the latest episode of the "BFFs" podcast, which he began recording in October 2020 with Barstool sports founder Dave Portnoy. The podcast has been billed as freewheeling commentary on "every little thing from dominating TikTok in L.A. to working a media empire in NYC." 

This go-round, Richards' in-adult visitor changed into to be his fellow TikTok big name and chum Bryce corridor. corridor overslept, however, and chimed in via Zoom in its place (as did Portnoy).

Richards became pissed off with corridor's laziness however rolled with it, slowly petting his blue-eyed Siberian Husky, friend, who climbed into the empty chair next to him. 

"you are going to just need to be my guest nowadays, huh?" Richards pointed out.

With Richards on headphones, Insider might hear best his facet of the conversation, however the subject matters blanketed TikTok big name Addison Rae's contemporary appearing debut in Netflix 's "he is All That" and TikTok movies during which a lady stole Richards' hat at an experience. 

"it's like a Grade 2 flirt: You punch the girl within the arm-classification shit or gum in the hair," said Richards. 

He took a huge Hollywood assembly at eleven a.m.

Richards become specially excited concerning the morning's assembly with Legendary amusement. For the closing two months, he and his camp had made it their mission to meet with Hollywood executives, directors, and casting directors for knowledge appearing and production opportunities. Richards has also been taking appearing classes and auditioning up to 4 times per week for different roles.

"it's essential to me — the response of 'Holy shit, become that simply Josh Richards that performed that function?'" Richards spoke of. "I need to be in a position to go into something like a Mad Max-class function that is just out of this world — it be nothing such as you've seen me doing just on a every day foundation." 

Richards taking a meeting with Legendary amusement JP Mangalindan/Insider At eleven:30 it changed into time for a team assembly to set the agenda for the weeks ahead

Richards assembled with Gruen and a couple of other individuals of his team across the dining desk to go over scheduling for the next a couple of weeks. Gruen, who hardly misses a meeting, now has to delegate meetings to others on the crew. Richards' supervisor had severely injured his hand a number of days in the past punching a wall and will require surgery. (He declined to specify what set him off.) This ability Gruen could be mostly out of commission as he recovers. 

Gruen pulled Richards away at 12:45 for some one-on-one time, and they decamped to the primary-ground look at for a dialog that went on for roughly half an hour.

a little after 1 p.m., Richards peaced out

as soon as their confab wrapped, Richards exited, dashing up the steps to the 2nd floor, and Gruen disappeared. Neither had been seen for the rest of the afternoon, and Gruen, i was instructed, was "unavailable." 

Richards' next two meetings had been postponed, and a member of his camp indicated that his agenda became now away from meetings for the rest of the afternoon, with him set to leave the house for 2 pursuits later in the day. 

inside Richards' sprawling new Encino, California domestic JP Mangalindan/Insider

Puzzled, I requested no matter if I should live or go, as i was scheduled for yet another hour with the TikTok big name. 

Had Richards and his manager just pulled the Gen Z equal of the "Irish Goodbye"? 

An assistant informed me I may do as I comfortable. Scratching my head, I took off. 

At 2:30 he become set to have a meeting about a personal documentary venture

Richards had spent a while previous in the day mapping out his afternoon and evening plans for me. He and Gruen have been scheduled to pressure out to a meeting about perhaps setting up a private documentary sequence assignment. The theme, Richards told me, would surprise his enthusiasts. 

"We're going after the kinds of objectives, like legendary americans, that no one would are expecting," he said.   

At 2:38 p.m. he graciously apologized for his early exit

As I recorded my impressions from the morning, a observe landed in my inbox from Richards, thanking me for joining him for the day and apologizing for our time being cut brief. 

"With Michael's hand damage, subsequent calendar adjustments for these days, and focus on the new [Burbank] workplace space, our time table was a bit of more in flux than anticipated," Richards wrote. Gruen also sent a private apology.

Dinner at 7 p.m. with a sizzling younger director

Richards turned into to dine with director Angel Manuel Soto ("allure metropolis Kings") at Craig's, a traditional showbiz power eating spot in West Hollywood this is also prevalent with creators like Charli and Dixie D'Amelio, JoJo Siwa, and Chase Hudson (aka "LilHuddy"). There became no formal agenda for the meal with Soto, whose subsequent task is a movie adaptation of DC Comics' "Blue Beetle."

"We don't know what may come out of it," Richards advised me. "when you include no request, you get to know them and then they decide in the event that they need to work with you." 

with the aid of 9:30, Richards could be chilling at home with a demonstrate like 'The Simpsons' or 'family unit man'

Monday through Thursday evenings for Richards are pretty mellow, he said. Some Mondays, he goes out to play hockey. (An avid hockey fan, the TikTok big name also serves as special guide for the NHL and has a framed jersey of Wayne Gretzky's hanging on a wall downstairs.) 

but he anticipated this Tuesday nighttime to play out like lots of his weeknights — winding down gazing episodes of "The Simpsons," "family unit guy," or playing video video games. 

"'family unit man' has simply been that reveal I've watched the ultimate three years, pretty much on daily basis — i like that exhibit," Richards pointed out. "or not it's a gorgeous sit back issue."