How Cracky Brown is Leveraging Community to Build the Next Generation of Billionaires
You see, for me, I have always lived by one rule: the understanding that the hardest choices require the strongest will
“I won’t lie to you, my schedule is tight, but what about this weekend, 5 PM on Sunday?” Cracky Brown said over a short phone call when Groth reached out to discuss his availability. Cracky Brown is the CEO of Stylocity, Cloudde, and Ideation360. In today’s digital world, building a successful brand goes beyond just having a great idea it requires people.
Cracky Brown understands this deeply. Over the past five years, he has built ecosystems around his ventures, including Stylocity, a clothing line; Ideation360, a consultancy for turning ideas into reality; and Cloudde, an open-source platform for learning and networking.
At the core of his success is a simple philosophy: community comes first. By fostering collaboration, creating value, and leveraging systems, Cracky is building more than just businesses he’s shaping the future of digital conglomerates.
The Cracky Philosophy
Around 5 PM on Sunday, Cracky reached out, “How are you? I’ve freed up my schedule for this evening,” he smiled. “To tell my story? I love telling my story,” he began.
“You see, for me, I have always lived by one rule: the understanding that the hardest choices require the strongest will. I wake up every day willing to be misunderstood, willing to be unloved, willing to delay gratification, and willing to be criticized. I’m not a sociopath; I’m not weird, brother I am just being real and honest.
I understand how hard it is to build a brand, the sacrifices that go into creating things from scratch, even on days when you don’t feel like it. I understand that life will always be unfair, and it is my responsibility to find my unfair advantage and leverage it. But you see, everything you see today? I busted my ass for it. Big ups to my team too, but it’s still day 1.
I studied Information Technology at FUTA. I am an individual who loves to be a part of growth and development. I build minds for innovation through my three brands; Stylocity a clothing line, Ideation360 a vertical that guides clients through every step, from ideation to final execution, Cloudde an open-source ecosystem for digital learning and social networking, where anyone can learn, connect, and thrive.
I despise unconventionality and mediocrity. I love to challenge the status quo. Nah, I don’t carry placards asking for regime change; I prefer more effective ways. I challenge the status quo by creating value because, I mean, information is not as monopolistic as it used to be since the emergence of the internet. But there’s still some information that is not found JUST anywhere, and I like to create that information!
Lastly, I am the biggest fan of the compound effect of doing things better every day, one step at a time.”
The Journey to Building
“I started OPHcrack in 2020. I had come to the realization that life doesn’t stop, and being in school doesn’t mean you can’t explore or do stuff. So, I decided to build something online. Let me tell you one truth today, my bro I didn’t have all this in mind back then. Cloudde? Stylocity? Nah, I didn’t even dream of it. Back then, what mattered most was taking that first step.
I know loads of people must have told you this same thing: ‘Just start,’ blah blah. But I’m not just telling you to start. Look at me, look at Cracky! He took that first step with OPHcrack. So what’s holding you back? You!”
The Power of Consistency
“I didn’t just end up expanding Stylocity or scaling Cloudde to over 2,000 users. I built websites, started teaching people about electronics and gadgets, and held sessions every Thursday, consistently giving value. Shortly after, things got slightly better. But it didn’t just happen—it took consistency.
What if I told you consistency is relative? Someone else’s consistency isn’t yours, and you shouldn’t take another person’s consistency for your own. I know it’s a big fight against poverty, and the work isn’t small. But working doesn’t guarantee results. You have to be diligent and smart about your work.
Think of brushing your teeth daily—that’s consistency. But washing your bedsheet daily? That’s counterproductive. Washing it weekly is consistency. So, you have to understand consistency and how it fits into your routine, your plan. Believe me, man, it’s hard—very hard. You are imagining what you are yet to experience. My friend, that’s where discipline comes in.
You know, life doesn’t get easier; you have to get stronger. In this whole journey of value creation and dispensation, it’s not easy but you have to do it. Not just do it, but do it extremely well.
It’s not easy to be on your phone all day running commentary on what everyone is doing and how they can do it better. It’s also not easy to sell out a paid conference. It’s left to you to choose your ‘not easy.’”
Building on Community and Systems
“I know you might be a bit tired, but don’t be—we ain’t even there yet. At first, I wasn’t that sure. Then I got the hang of it. What really changed things for me, aside from being consistent, is community.
Everything I have built so far, I built around community and systems. I am a hands-on person, but systems are more important than founders. Systems magnify strengths and limit weaknesses. It’s not like everything came into being in a day, man! Everything you see is the result of five years of unchanging commitment to growth.
I have always lived by an ethos: amateurs call it genius; masters call it practice. Over time, the communities I built now feed themselves.”
“I am Cracky. This is my story and let me tell you, I haven’t even started yet!”