Our Ethos

Our Ethos

What is *ante?

We wanted a name that clearly communicated what we’re aiming to help our clients do: put their ideas on line and then risk it all on a calculated gamble.

Every time you choose to show up creatively in a form or space where people can evaluate your contribution, you open yourself up to scrutiny. 

Scrutiny is OK. In fact, we prefer it. It means people are paying attention. While we can’t guarantee success, we can tell you that we’ve seen nuance win over being generic. We’ve seen hard work beat privilege.

We understand the underdog story because we’re part of the same pack.

We talk about being on the verge of a level up. In essence it means, are you ready to give it your all? If so, then so are we. 

Our manifesto

*ante is the moment where you put up or shut up. It’s taking a chance on yourself; betting that you’re worth the investment. 

It’s the precipice before the dive. The silence before the first note. The seconds before the starting gun. It’s the blinking cursor before the first word. 

*ante necessitates risk. All the best things in life do. It’s putting your X factor on the line and seeing how it stacks up against the status quo. 

Have you yielded enough out of your purposes and summoned your nerve and sinew to take that chance? The 1% of you that’s unsure is the 100% that’s ready for building a paradigm shift. 

If you’re on the precipice of a level up. If you’re ready to *ante up…

Then you’ve come to the right place. 

What’s the *asterisk about?

We’ve all been there. We’ve sent that text or DM or instant message and realized we made a mistake.

We want that second chance to clarify our real idea.

Think of the asterisk as your partner in taking your ideas and making them even better.

Our values

It’s important to know who you’re working with. *ante was born out of a desire to rewrite the playbook for how marketing and branding can be done on an individual level. 

  • We’re here to drown out grifters by elevating the credibility of experts and helping them reap the impact of battle tested philosophies and messaging.

  • We aren’t afraid to champion new ideas. Think of us as investors in your perspective with the ability to bring other people along for the ride.

  • Brand is identity.

    Brand knows what it does best.

    Brand feels like a part of the human experience.

    Brand is consistent with its message.

    Brand is in dialogue with its audience and its stakeholders.

    Brands spent smartly to create multiple streams of revenue.

  • Have something to say and be brave enough to stand behind it.

  • And provide inherent value to global narratives and positive change.

  • (Thanks, Brian Chesky) Let’s do an exercise together – take a moment and close your eyes. Think of your ultimate goal, the inspiration behind your platform, your why.

    Now…add a zero. We’re not here to put limitations on your dreams and goals; we mean to blow them out of the water.

How we operate

We champion some of today’s most tested thinkers. We seek experts with integrity, credibility, and an intense belief in self.

  • We work with you to understand the foundation (idea, profession, product) you have built and why it has worked (or hasn’t). In order to know where we are going, we must identify where we started.

  • We build a strategy that ensures your unique perspective and voice are at the forefront of your messaging, but we will never encourage you to focus on the smallest audience possible. We understand that your brand is beyond psychographics and demographics, and work to maintain its authenticity across a wide-ranging audience.

  • We encourage disagreement that comes prepared with reason and kindness. We commit to arguing with heart so that you get the best out of your brand, business, team, and us.

  • What’s the end goal and how long is the timeline between then and now. We’ll work with you to figure that out and create the right milestones to work toward.

  • Identify what you're best at and then look for ancillary opportunities to widen your brand.

  • We develop a plan and then execute against it. Not everything needs to feel 100% right.

Who is *ante?

  • Co-founder, Head of Strategy

    Mandy is the co-founder and head of strategy for *ante. She’s a proud Puerto Rican and accomplished musician. Mandy has spent the last decade building brands from “zero to one” for subject matter experts (SMEs), most recently creating scale and success through IP for 143 Studios (Mel Robbins) from 2013 to 2021.

    Mandy’s expertise is understanding what parts of your ideas and credibility will resonate at the highest frequencies for your audience. Unlike 99% of people who claim to generate influence, Mandy actually has at the highest levels as she innately understands how to partner with SMEs so they can remain idea makers while *ante becomes the business creator and revenue generator.

    Mandy is a producer by trade and has worked with Audible, Sony Pictures Television, Netflix, Starbucks, JP Morgan Chase, and more to create original content for brands in partnership with SMEs.

    Her passions in life are playing guitar, the Boston Celtics, lifting heavy weights, and making space for family, friends, and giving back to the island that raised her.

  • Co-founder, Creative Director

    Paris is the other half of *ante, and the other half of this island duo (Kauai anyone?). Paris has spent the last 15 years working with brands and experts, helping them find the confluence between their IP and modern-day digital best practices.

    Paris’ experience covers the gamut – from running a global war room for Ubisoft during E3 to establishing the social teams at Hulu and Niantic to successfully building a digital practice at one of LA’s leading global creative agencies, overseeing clients like Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Seinfeld, and PBS. Paris is a firm believer in esprit de corps – a meant-to-impress-you way of saying: we’re best when we come together.

    His other passions include tennis, live music (27 shows in 2023 thankyouverymuch), and cooking.

    With the latter, he earned his culinary arts degree from The New School of Cooking in 2015. But he promises, no “yes, chef” is required when engaging.