Serial entrepreneur Jesse Itzler revealed how a bold move involving Matt Damon and a viral coconut-tree video helped him secure Coca-Cola’s acquisition of Zico Coconut Water.
Spotting The Coconut Water Opportunity
While training for a 100-mile race, Itzler experimented with various hydration products and discovered coconut water.
Recognizing its potential in the U.S., where few brands existed, he launched a company called Coco+, which eventually merged with Zico Coconut Water, partnering with entrepreneur Mark Rampolla.
By 2012, Zico was ready to pitch to Coca-Cola, but the meetings were initially underwhelming.
The Matt Damon Pitch That Changed Everything
Itzler’s breakthrough came from a casual visit to actor Damon’s Miami home.
Damon, who had a coconut tree in his backyard, expressed enthusiasm for Itzler’s venture.
“If anything happens with this company, keep me updated. This is something I may want to get involved with,” Damon told him, which Itzler recalled in 2024.
When the Coca-Cola pitch stalled, Itzler decided to name-drop Damon.
“Well, my partner Matt Damon and I…” he began. The Coke executive immediately perked up. “What? Matt Damon is your partner? My daughter and I are the biggest Matt Damon fan.”
Seizing the moment, Itzler recalled calling Damon for a favor, asking him to climb his backyard coconut tree, harvest a coconut with a machete and film the process from start to finish.
Damon was instructed to walk the coconut to his house, slice it open, and put a straw in it, all while giving a playful message to Coca-Cola’s CEO, who at the time was Muhtar Kent.
“Checkmate,” Itzler said while re-sharing the account in a YouTube Short earlier this month. This short was part of Itzler’s performance during the 10X Growth Conference 2021.
The creative pitch worked. Coca-Cola was sold on the idea and Zico was acquired.
From Meat Trucks To Multi-Billion-Dollar Ventures
Before becoming a household name in entrepreneurship, Itzler hustled through low-paying jobs, including cleaning meat trucks for $7 an hour and even tried his hand at rapping.
His first breakthrough in the entrepreneurial world came in 2001 with Marquis Jet, a fractional private jet company he co-founded at age 27.
By selling blocks of flight time rather than entire jets, the company quickly grew, eventually hitting $5 billion in sales and catching the attention of Warren Buffett’s NetJets, which acquired it in 2010.
Jesse Itzler Net Worth Hits $1 Billion
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Itzler currently has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Till now, Itzler has founded and successfully exited five companies, with acquisitions by Buffett–backed firms, Coca-Cola, SFX and iFit.
He is also a bestselling author whose two books chronicle his experiences training with a Navy SEAL and living among monks in a monastery. Itzler also managed RUN-DMC, won a Grammy as a rapper in the 1990s and once had 50 Cent working as his intern.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Tinseltown on Shutterstock.com
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