I Launched A Viral Water Brand In 8 Weeks - My First Million Recap

Podcast: My First Million

Published: 2025-08-15

Duration: 1 hr 22 min

Guests: Dan Porter

Summary

Dan Porter shares how a TikTok meme and a high school basketball player's viral moment turned into 6'7 Water, a brand built in eight weeks that has amassed over 150,000 followers and cultural momentum, all while redefining how NIL and youth branding can intersect.

What Happened

Dan Porter, co-founder of Overtime, details the unexpected creation of 6'7 Water, a brand born from a viral TikTok trend featuring 17-year-old basketball prodigy Taylor 'TK' Kinney. TK's offhand comment, paired with a TikTok meme, exploded online, inspiring Porter and his team to channel the buzz into a product that could be manufactured quickly: water in gold-colored cans, designed for cultural resonance rather than complexity.

Porter explains how NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) legislation allowed TK to leverage his personal brand. Top college athletes can now earn millions, and 6'7 Water became TK's entrepreneurial vehicle, blending his personality with a product that resonated with Gen Z fans. The product launched on June 7th (6/7) and immediately captured attention, with 150,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok in just two months.

Instead of focusing on immediate sales, the team opted for a grassroots distribution strategy. TK handed out cans at basketball tournaments and generated buzz through organic content. Fans even started creating their own commercials and stunts with the water. The scarcity model (a waitlist for purchases) amplified the brand's desirability.

A critical insight Porter shared is the power of cultural listening. He highlighted his approach of observing trends, understanding youth culture, and finding opportunities in unexpected places. This mirrors his broader strategy at Overtime, where he built a Gen Z-focused sports media empire by listening to what younger audiences wanted, from content to branding.

Porter also discussed the importance of positioning. He compared 6'7 Water's early success to how brands like Liquid Death captured niche markets with simple yet culturally resonant ideas. By being 'of the culture,' 6'7 Water became more than a product—it became a movement that kids wanted to associate with.

The episode delves into the broader implications for NIL and youth entrepreneurship. Porter suggests that 6'7 Water could redefine college recruiting, with universities potentially supporting athletes' brands as part of their pitch. It's a radical idea that could reshape how we think about student-athlete branding.

Finally, Porter shares his philosophy on adaptability and experimentation. He emphasizes the importance of starting with a vision but being willing to adapt based on what the market reveals. His approach to business—whether with Overtime or 6'7 Water—centers on building strong grassroots connections and creating virality from authentic cultural moments.

Key Insights

• Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) laws let college athletes like 17-year-old Taylor 'TK' Kinney monetize their personal brands, creating a pathway to earn millions before going pro. TK turned a viral TikTok moment into 6'7 Water, a brand that reflects his personality and resonates with Gen Z.
• 6'7 Water skipped traditional sales at launch and built buzz by giving cans away at basketball tournaments. Fans started creating their own commercials and stunts for the brand, proving that scarcity and cultural relevance can drive demand without a massive ad budget.
• Liquid Death's success inspired the design of 6'7 Water: a simple product (water) in bold packaging (gold cans) built to resonate culturally rather than compete on features. Kids didn’t just buy it—they wanted to associate with its story and energy.
• Dan Porter believes universities could soon pitch athlete branding support as a recruiting tool. If a school helps athletes like TK grow their personal brands, it could reshape college sports, making brand-building as critical as athletic performance.

Key Questions Answered

How did Dan Porter launch 6'7 Water in just eight weeks?

Dan Porter leveraged a viral TikTok meme involving basketball player Taylor 'TK' Kinney to create 6'7 Water, a simple canned water product designed to resonate with Gen Z. The team focused on cultural relevance, launched the product on June 7th (6/7), and built buzz through organic content and grassroots distribution instead of immediate sales.

What role did NIL play in the success of 6'7 Water?

NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) legislation allowed Taylor Kinney to monetize his personal brand while still in high school. This enabled him to create and promote 6'7 Water as an extension of his viral fame, setting an example of how young athletes can build entrepreneurial ventures under NIL rules.

What marketing strategies made 6'7 Water go viral?

6'7 Water prioritized cultural resonance and grassroots engagement. TK distributed the product at basketball tournaments, engaged with fans directly, and leaned into the scarcity model with a waitlist for purchases. Fans contributed by creating their own content, amplifying the brand’s organic growth on TikTok and Instagram.