Mae Karwowski: Obviously Founder on Pricing What Others Miss, Great Partners, and Timing the Exit.
On Season 2, Episode 1 of NEXT, host Michael Sonnenfeldt sits down with influencer economy entrepreneur Mae Karwowski, the Founder and CEO of Obviously—one of the world’s most respected influencer marketing agencies and technology platforms. Since launching Obviously in 2014, Mae has turned a single idea into the industry standard for influencer marketing, guiding global brands like Amazon, Google, Lyft, Hasbro, Ulta Beauty, and Coca-Cola through thousands of data-driven campaigns that span millions of creators worldwide.
In 2023, Obviously was acquired by WPP—the world’s largest advertising and communications group—allowing the agency to retain its entrepreneurial culture while gaining the global scale and resources to accelerate innovation and expansion.
In this episode, Mae and Michael explore what it truly takes to build something category-defining: recognizing value before others do, pricing with intention, and knowing when to take chips off the table without losing strategic upside. They also discuss how to raise kids with grit, the importance of choosing great partners, and the upside of liberal arts majors. Listeners will hear candid insights on leadership, scaling teams and tech, the evolution of influencer marketing, and how Mae’s perspective on value and timing continues to influence her approach to business and life beyond the startup phase.
Whether you’re building a new category, navigating an acquisition, or thinking about what comes next, this episode offers rare wisdom from someone who helped shape an entire industry.
Topics:
(00:31) Introduction to Mae Karwowski and Obviously
(01:00) Building an influencer marketing company before the category existed
(02:27) What influencer marketing really is—and why it matters
(03:13) Industry rankings, scale, and market evolution
(03:30) Early life, entrepreneurship, and risk-taking
(04:28) Lessons from childhood sports and being the underdog
(05:30) Choosing yourself and building grit as a daily practice
(07:00) Raising children to challenge convention
(08:00) The “nausea test” for personal and professional growth
(09:30) Delayed gratification and surviving near-quitting moments
(11:30) Family influence: lessons from Mae’s parents
(13:30) Opportunity, timing, and seeing what others miss
(15:30) Rare books, pricing power, and creating value from nothing
(18:00) Liberal arts, philosophy, and the future of human intelligence
(20:30) Avoiding comparison and building community
(23:00) Mentorship—both receiving and giving it back
(25:30) Advising women preparing to sell their companies
(26:22) Giving moment with Understood.org
(28:22) Building trust and choosing the right business partner
(30:35) Advice for someone considering a partnership with a co-founder
(34:00) Leadership, motherhood, and building real support systems
(35:55) Marriage, entrepreneurship, and intentional communication
(42:15) From startup CEO to WPP leadership
(46:00) Letting go after selling: the bank account moment
(50:00) Influencer marketing, politics, and the first TikTok election
(52:45) Why influencer marketing is fundamentally different
(54:18) The moment Mae knew it was time to sell
(55:57) What she wishes she’d known at the beginning
(56:40) Advice she hopes her children will take
(57:45) Tip Jar and having hobbies outside of work
Giving Moment:
Join this season's philanthropic giving moment where every donation made in Q1 2026 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $100 per gift ($10,000 per organization). Donate at www.muus.com/giving.
Mentioned:
TIGER 21 is the premier peer membership organization for ultra-successful entrepreneurs, investors, and executives. Through confidential forums and shared experience, members gain perspective on wealth, leadership, and life beyond success.
Mae’s book recommendation — The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Mae's favorite perfume — 1969 by Histoire de Parfums and Issara by Dusita
Follow and Connect:
Mae Karwowski | Website
Michael Sonnenfeldt | LinkedIn | michael@muus.com
NEXT with Michael Sonnenfeldt Podcast | YouTube | Apple | Spotify