Martin Ekechukwu

Founder · Strategist · Builder

Martin
Ekechukwu

Brand strategist, founder, and cultural architect operating at the intersection of AI, media, and human connection.

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About

Two continents.
One trajectory.

Born between Nigeria and the Czech Republic, Martin Ekechukwu built a career at the intersection of culture, commerce, and conviction. From a high jump track at the University of Arkansas to shaping brand strategy at the highest levels of CPG, entertainment, and tech — the path has always moved forward.

After an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business and formative years at Toyota, Bacardi, and Pernod Ricard, Martin pivoted to building. Village Tea Company. WHTWRKS. A-Frame Brands. FullScale Holdings. Each venture a distinct expression of the same instinct: find where culture and commerce collide, then build something durable there.

Media runs deep. WHTWRKS was born inside ViacomCBS — shaped by the infrastructure, the relationships, and the creative muscle of one of the most powerful media companies on the planet. That foundation informed everything: how Martin thinks about distribution, audience, and the machinery behind culture. A technical founder who moves between boardrooms and build cycles.

Today he's focused on FullScale — an AI-powered media infrastructure company for the creator economy — while continuing to mentor, speak, and co-host The Quiet Truth Podcast with author Enitan Bereola.

20+
Years in Brand Strategy
$30M
Capital Raised Across Ventures
14
Brands Launched & Scaled
∞
Raised in Media. Built for What's Next.
Martin Ekechukwu
On reflection
Martin Ekechukwu
In the details
Hot 97
Hot 97
Martin at Black Ambition
Black Ambition
Brand Like a Boss: Storytelling Secrets — McDermott Concert Hall
After dark
Community
Community

Selected collaborations & partnerships

Nike· Meta· Pepsi· Moët Hennessy· Def Jam· Janet Jackson· Nas· Naomi Osaka· Gabrielle Union· Dwyane Wade· John Legend· Bacardi· Pernod Ricard· Nike· Meta· Pepsi· Moët Hennessy· Def Jam· Janet Jackson· Nas· Naomi Osaka· Gabrielle Union· Dwyane Wade· John Legend· Bacardi· Pernod Ricard·
Ventures

Built from
conviction.

01
FullScale Holdings
AI-powered media infrastructure for the creator economy. Martin's current primary venture sits at the convergence of artificial intelligence, advertising technology, and the next generation of content monetization.
Current · AI & Media
02
WHTWRKS
Co-founded with music industry veteran Jeffrey Burroughs and global brand leader, music veteran and consultant Tamara Spinner. A marketing agency and cultural consultancy connecting brands to diverse audiences through music and entertainment — including a debut Hennessy × Nas collaboration that ran for seven consecutive years.
2011 – Present
03
A-Frame Brands
As Chief Strategy Officer, led brand, creative, corporate, sales, and partnership strategy across a portfolio of talent-led personal care brands — Kinlò (Naomi Osaka), Proudly (Gabrielle Union & Dwyane Wade), and Loved01 (John Legend). Raised $11.2M from Forerunner Ventures and Initialized Capital.
CSO · $11.2M Raised
04
Village Tea Company
A personal story turned CPG venture — growing from $69K in year-one revenue to $750K by 2012, and landing shelf space at Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe, and Amazon. Sparked by a grandmother's loose-leaf ritual in the Czech Republic. Successfully exited to Affinity Brands Group.
2009 · Exited to Affinity Brands
Black Ambition Prize Winners with Pharrell Williams
Recognition

Black Ambition
Prize Winner

Pharrell Williams' entrepreneurship competition honoring founders reshaping the future. Martin was selected alongside a cohort of the country's most compelling Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs.

Press
Inc. Magazine — Martin Ekechukwu
Inc. Magazine — May / June 2023

"You love our culture.
You love our music.
Do you really love us?"

A feature on Martin and WHTWRKS — and the pivotal moment when PepsiCo called during the summer of 2020 asking for help telling the real story. A candid, magazine-length examination of what it actually means for brands to show up for the communities they profit from.

Adweek
CSO Martin Ekechukwu & Founders of Color at A-Frame Brands
Featured for scaling talent-led personal care brands for underserved markets, building equity for founders of color through the A-Frame portfolio.
Campaign US
Close-Up: WHTWRKS CEO Martin Ekechukwu
A profile on building a cultural consultancy connecting brands to diverse audiences through music, entertainment, and authentic storytelling.
Black Enterprise
Marketing Strategist Sees Purpose in Helping Others
Two features spanning the Village Tea retail journey and a philosophy of purposeful brand-building — using business as a vehicle for community impact.
Shoppe Black
A-Frame Brands Secures $11M from Forerunner & Initialized
Coverage of the landmark raise for talent-led personal care brands serving underrepresented consumers.
Inc. Magazine — May/June 2023
Five Questions with Entrepreneur Martin Ekechukwu
A conversation about his path from academic scholarship athlete to global brand strategist — listed on the University of Arkansas Notable Alumni page.
Brand Innovators @ SXSW
Marketing Leadership Summit — 2023
Featured speaker at Brand Innovators' flagship summit during SXSW, alongside Advertising Week NY and the FounderMade Innovation Show.
On Air

The Quiet
Truth.

Co-hosted with author and speaker Enitan Bereola, The Quiet Truth is an honest conversation about business, culture, and identity — the things people think but rarely say out loud. Available on iHeart Radio and Spotify.

Official Site Spotify iHeart
The Quiet Truth
Watch an Episode
Listen on Spotify
On Stage

The conversation
continues here.

From SXSW to Advertising Week, Martin speaks on brand-building, the creator economy, AI infrastructure, and what it means to build with purpose. He also mentors young Black men annually at Duke's Fuqua School of Business.

SXSW 2026 Upcoming
Austin · Mar 12–18
AI Builders Day Upcoming
New York · Mar 19
Hustle Fund Upcoming
Apr 7
Cannes Lions 2026 Upcoming
Cannes · Jun 22–26
Brand Innovators @ SXSW
Austin · 2023
Advertising Week New York
New York · 2022
FounderMade Innovation Show
New York
The Quiet Truth Podcast
iHeart · Spotify · Co-host
Blackxecutive Podcast
iHeart · Guest
Silver Lining Series
Podcast · Guest
What's Next

Still
building.

The work in progress. Three fronts, one through-line: building things that last at the intersection of culture, technology, and commerce.

AI · Media · Infrastructure
FullScale Holdings — Seed Round ↗
FullScale is actively raising its seed round to build the AI-powered media infrastructure layer for the creator economy — connecting content monetization, programmatic advertising, and creator tools in one unified platform. Think of it as the missing infrastructure layer between talent and revenue.
Fundraising Active
Culture · Consulting · Brand
WHTWRKS — New Engagements
WHTWRKS continues to connect the world's most iconic brands to culture. After 15+ years building the playbook for authentic brand-community relationships, the consultancy is taking on new partnerships at the intersection of music, entertainment, and emerging media — with a sharper focus on the brands willing to do more than just show up.
Accepting Partnerships
Podcast · iHeart · Spotify
The Quiet Truth — Season Ongoing
The Quiet Truth Podcast with Enitan Bereola keeps going deeper — honest conversations about business, identity, and the things people think but rarely say out loud. New episodes drop regularly on iHeart Radio and Spotify. If you've been building something in the dark, this one's for you.
New Episodes Dropping

Let's
build
together.

Whether you're an investor, a founder, a brand, or someone with a compelling idea — Martin's approach starts with a conversation.

LinkedIn → The Quiet Truth Podcast → WHTWRKS → FullScale Holdings →