Peter Corbett: Double-Edged Sword of Viral Success & Rapid Growth

In this video, you’ll learn: 

• A Decade Ahead of the Curve: Peter’s Background as a Viral Marketing Agency
• Viral Marketing Principles: 2000s vs. Today
• The Hidden Side of Fast Growth: Common Struggles CEOs Face Behind the Scenes
• Rapid Fire-Round: Peter’s Go-To Podcast, Top Career Moment and More!

A Decade Ahead of the Curve: Peter’s Background in Viral Marketing

Peter’s marketing agency, iStrategyLabs, was groundbreaking – they may have invented sustainable viral marketing, but I'll let him speak to that. Peter, tell us about your background.

Peter Corbett [00:25-02:18]: Thanks Tim, great to see you. While we didn't invent viral marketing, I believe we perfected it. Let me give you the quick overview: I founded iStrategyLabs from my apartment and grew it to 100 full-time employees plus 150 contractors. We sold it to a public company, and along the way worked with 35 of the Fortune 500. We became known for creating campaigns – both content and experiential marketing – that got tens of millions of people talking. We developed a specific formula for this that we can discuss. I sold the business six years ago and initially retired, but friends kept asking for help – both billion-dollar companies and smaller ones, including agencies. So now I work as an executive coach, and I'm happy to share what I've learned with everyone today.

Two questions: First, what was the coolest viral promotion you guys did in your opinion and second, how did you go about figuring out the formula for viral marketing?

Peter Corbett [02:19-04:56]: Let me share my favorite project. The CMO of Nickelodeon reached out about promoting SpongeBob's anniversary globally. During the pitch call, when they asked for the idea, I initially said 'I don't know' – then had a sudden inspiration. I remembered the skill crane game from Episode 23, and suggested building a physical version that people could control over the internet via livestream to grab golden SpongeBob prizes that we'd ship worldwide. The response was incredible – hundreds of thousands of people tried to control the claw, and we ended up shipping SpongeBobs globally. I love this story not just for its success, but for the theatrical moment of coming up with the idea live during the pitch, and watching it become such a hit.

The key was understanding what the internet wanted – in this case, golden SpongeBobs – and delivering it in a way that would naturally go viral. The technology and campaign structure made sharing inherent to the experience. We achieved massive reach with minimal paid promotion – only about $50,000 in paid media. My philosophy was simple: figure out what the internet wants, then give it to them.

Viral Marketing Principles: 2000s vs. Today

You were pioneering viral marketing over 10 years ago at this point. Do you think the principles that you and the team developed are still applicable today?

Peter Corbett [04:57-05:45]: Absolutely. The main difference today would be integrating influencers into the campaign from the start. Someone like Mr. Beast would be the one promoting it on Twitter – that's just how things work now since influencers have become the media. We had some of that back then, but nothing like the scale we see today.

Speaking of authenticity— take Mr. Beast. He's a brand now, but he started just as a regular person doing cool stuff. Do you think authenticity is essential? And does this affect how brands need to approach viral marketing now - do they have to play by different rules?

Peter Corbett [05:46-06:58]: You know, authenticity was never our explicit focus. What mattered was making campaigns absolutely ridiculous – things that would make people laugh, cry, or scream. I think brands actually get into trouble when they try too hard to be authentic while obviously just trying to sell you something.

Do you still come up with random ideas for companies? And what do you miss about it?

Peter Corbett [06:59-07:51]: Yeah, and while I'll never start another viral marketing agency again – my sympathies to all the owners out there – I do miss having a way to execute all these crazy ideas I still come up with. Now I just give them away. For example, I recently told a friend who owns one of the largest sporting goods stores in New York my idea: sponsor every intramural team in the metro region. Give out something simple like sweatbands and you'll get 100,000 extra people in the store. He was amazed they hadn't thought of it. So yeah, I just give the ideas away now.

The Hidden Side of Fast Growth: Common Struggles CEOs Face Behind the Scenes

Let’s switch gears a little. You now work as an executive coach to CEOs. Why did you make that shift?

Peter Corbett [07:52-09:20]: I tried not to work again after selling the company at 36 – I had enough money to retire. But when a friend with a $4 billion company asked me to be his coach to help sell to a public company, I initially refused. I had this limiting belief that being a coach was somehow lesser than being a CEO or entrepreneur. He convinced me to try it, and I loved it immediately. Now I work with 5-6 coaching clients at a time – not trying to build an empire, just helping agency CEOs and co-founders by combining my operational experience with personal development insights. I do free intake calls but keep my client list small. It's been a wonderful way to give back.

You're likely dealing with CEOs facing rapid growth challenges. While fast growth looks great from the outside, what are the common struggles you see leaders dealing with behind the scenes?

Peter Corbett [09:21-11:28]: Let me share an example. One client grew from $3 million to $20 million in revenue over three years. When she feels overwhelmed by scaling, she'll list many issues at once. But when we examine each one individually, none are actually that stressful alone - it's bundling everything together that creates overwhelm. For any scaling leader, the key is untangling that feeling. Take a breath and look at each challenge separately. When I grew to 250 people, I stayed calm by doing this - when things got tough, I'd stop dwelling and just execute. Some might call that bypassing; I call it effective leadership.

Do you work with agency CEOs? Do you see any issues specific to agencies that our listeners might relate to?

Peter Corbett [11:29-14:39]: Here's a counterintuitive approach from stoic tradition: visualize losing your biggest client or best talent. Really imagine it— your star executive leaves, your biggest client fires you. What next? This negative visualization might sound odd, but it builds resilience. If you can calmly think through 'We lose everything... So what?' you're prepared. Though if this causes anxiety, you might need guidance with it. My biggest fear was losing everything after selling my company, since I didn't grow up wealthy. But when I really examined it, I realized I wouldn't be back at square one - I had decades of experience and a massive network. I could start something new tomorrow. The real fear wasn't about money, it was about feeling incapable. Once I recognized that, I could work on building capability in those areas that concerned me.

Is there anything else you’d like to share? 

Peter Corbett [14:40-17:37]: I've taught thousands of agency owners, and here's something crucial I've learned: before selling your agency or moving on, remember that you're not just running a company— you have a capability to bring ideas to life in both digital and physical worlds. That's invaluable, beyond just monthly revenue. You have a blank canvas with an agency, which is incredible. I miss that the most. I bring this up because agency owners often lose energy dealing with daily struggles— proposals, client issues, employee turnover. Since most people in this world are creative, they need to maintain their energy. My advice? Think about what you actually want to create, then make it. Whether it's a bobsled company or a whiskey brand— I almost made one while running iStrategyLabs. I should have.

Rapid Fire-Round: Peter’s Go-To Podcast, Top Career Moment and More!

What’s your go-to podcast?

Peter Corbett [17:38-18:00]: Right now, probably the Huberman Lab. I've gotten really into biohacking and health. I've lost 14 pounds in two months through workouts and diet changes - I'm a total nerd for all that right now.

One thing that people who don’t know you well would be surprised to learn about you? 

Peter Corbett [18:01-18:49]: People might be surprised to learn I'm an intense Zen practitioner. For me, it's less about Buddhism and more about mind training— learning not to get carried away with negative, unprofitable thinking. Instead, it helps you focus on what's wonderful about the world, while still acknowledging what isn't so you can be helpful.

What’s the most memorable moment for you in your professional career so far?

Peter Corbett [18:50-19:52]: When we hit day 90 of due diligence in the company sale, I told them: 'I'm flying to Jamaica on Monday to get married. When I land, either there's a wire transfer and you've bought the company, or there isn't and I'm selling to your competitor after my honeymoon.' Landing in Montego Bay, I checked my account, showed my fiancée... and three days later we got married.

About Peter Corbett, Founder, CEO, and Executive Coach at Still Rush

Peter Corbett, agency owner turned executive coach, is currently the Founder and CEO of Still Rush. Peter is the retired/exited founder and CEO of iStrategyLabs,  a digital agency that develops solutions to clients’ challenges and brings them to life in the online and offline world. In 2016, Peter sold ISL to WPP and retired from the agency world, and currently serves as an executive coach. Additionally, he is a Venture Partner at Up.Partners.

Interviewed by: Tim Condon, Chief Revenue Officer at Clutch

About the Author

Tim Condon Chief Revenue Officer at Clutch

Tim Condon is the Chief Revenue Officer at Clutch, the leading global marketplace of B2B service providers. Prior to Clutch, Tim served as the Chief Revenue Officer at Homesnap, the top-rated real estate app built for agents, which CoStar Group acquired in 2020. During his tenure, Homesnap grew its paying user base from 0 to over 80,000 clients. In addition, he previously served as the Director of New Ventures at The Washington Post. In this role, he built several new businesses, including The Capitol Deal, which became the third largest deal site in the DC metro area and was known for giving away 100,000 pizzas

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