Ari S. Goldberg: How to Rethink Private Equity With a Digital Marketing Stack

In this conversation, Ari S. Goldberg, founder and managing partner of RNMKR, shares how his early experience in New York City nightlife, digital media, sports, and entertainment shaped his approach to entrepreneurship and investing. He explains how relationship building, brand positioning, and disciplined execution helped him move from promoting celebrity events to working with major business and cultural figures, including the team behind LeBron James. Ari also breaks down RNMKR’s private equity studio model, which combines ownership capital with a full digital media and marketing team. The discussion explores his focus on profitable lower middle market companies, the value of repeatable operating systems, the limits of traditional venture capital, and why investors and operators should align around long-term equity growth rather than fees alone.TakeawaysAri grew up in a family of small business owners and developed an interest in entrepreneurship at an early age.His first major business began in college, where he built a profitable celebrity events and nightlife promotions company.New York nightlife taught him how to build relationships, manage high-profile clients, and create cultural relevance.Ari describes his core skill as making products, companies, and experiences feel desirable, valuable, and culturally relevant.His work with Maverick Carter and the team around LeBron James gave him early exposure to athlete-led business building and brand ownership.Ari believes innovation matters, but execution determines whether a business succeeds.RNMKR operates as a private equity firm supported by the infrastructure of a digital media and marketing company.The firm looks for profitable businesses that have strong operations but lack digital marketing, branding, content, and growth expertise.Ari uses repeatable systems, templates, and specialist teams to improve companies instead of rebuilding each strategy from scratch.He prefers aligned ownership models where investors and operators create value together, rather than models driven mainly by management fees.Today's guest, Ari S. Goldberg, can be found at:Website: https://rnmkr.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arisgoldberg/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arisgoldberg/?hl=enYour host, Scott Turman, can be found online at:Website: https://scottturman.com/, https://brightray.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottturman/IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14602682/KeywordsEntrepreneurship, private equity, digital media, marketing, business growth, brand strategy, execution, investing, lower middle market, media companies, consumer lifestyle, technology, athlete branding, sports business, entertainment, venture capital, business systems, acquisitions, capital raising, family offices, investor relations, equity ownership, content strategy, social media, email marketing, influencer marketing, public relations, business operations, portfolio companies, deal flow