Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a popular name in wrestling and movies, has built an empire that extends far beyond the wrestling ring and movie sets. His entrepreneurial journey is a testament to his relentless spirit and business acumen. Here, we delve into five of his successful business ventures and explore his wealth.
1. Seven Bucks Productions
Seven Bucks Productions was co-founded in 2012 by Johnson and his ex-wife, Dany Garcias, as a multiplatform production company. The company creates original releases for television, film, emerging technologies, and digital networks.
The company was given the name “Seven Bucks Productions” as a reference to when Johnson only had $7 in his pocket after he was released from the Canadian Football League in 1995, before eventually signing with the World Wrestling Federation. This name signifies resilience and determination, values that Johnson embodies and have been key to his success.
The company has produced various projects, many of which are directly related to Johnson’s film slate, and have grossed $4.6 billion at the box office. Some very popular productions from Seven Bucks Productions include “Red Notice,” “Young Rock,” “Jungle Cruise,” “Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle,” and “Black Adam”.
2. XFL Football League
XFL Football League is a professional football league co-owned by Johnson in partnership with Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital. The XFL was acquired by Johnson in 2020 after Vince McMahon’s second attempt at the world of professional football was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The XFL was initially founded in 2001 as a more extreme, less politically correct competitor to the NFL, emphasizing rougher play, fan access to players, and entertainment value. However, it encountered several bottlenecks and was shut down after a single season. In 2018, McMahon announced he was bringing back the XFL without the gimmicks and cheerleaders, launching the new XFL in February 2020 with solid talent and sponsorships from Gatorade and Anheuser-Busch.
The XFL then merged with the USFL to create the United Football League (UFL). The new league is set to kick off on March 30, 2024, with games set to air on Fox, ABC, ESPN, and FS1. Through this acquisition, Johnson has secured access to option live entertainment intellectual property for further expansion across sports, live events, and original entertainment programming. Investing in the XFL is rooted in his passion for the game and shows his commitment to keep giving opportunities to young football players and building a successful league.
3. Teremana Tequila
In 2020, Johnson along with Dany Garcia, Ken Austin, and Jenna Fagnan launched Teremana Tequila, selling two tequila products: Blanco and Reposado. Within two years, the company became the highest-selling spirits drink and is valued at a whopping $3.5 billion.
The name “Teremana” is a combination of two words, ‘Terra’, meaning earth, and ‘Mana’, a Polynesian word that represents a sacred spirit.
Teremana Tequila has been massively successful since it launched and sold over 300,000 nine-liter cases in its first year. By April 2023, three years after its launch, Teremana surpassed one million 9-liter-case sales annually, making Teremana one of the fastest-growing tequila brands in history.
The company started by working with a family-owned distillery in Mexico to produce the tequila. To meet growing consumer demand while maintaining the small-batch process used to make its Tequila, Teremana has invested in the construction of an expanded distillery, which will begin production towards the end of 2023. The expanded area has been designed in partnership with environmental experts to meet the criteria of the LEED certification.
4. Acorns
Acorns is a micro-investing platform that Johnson has invested in, which encourages users to invest small amounts of money.
In 2020, Johnson and his business partner Dany Garcia became strategic investors in Acorns’ new program called “It Begins With Seven Bucks”, which aims to help families save and invest for the future.
Johnson has also partnered with Acorns to promote the Mighty Oak Debit Card. This new debit card is based on the company’s existing investment and banking products but branches out with better rates on interest-bearing accounts. With the Mighty Oak Debit Card, users can earn annual percentage yields (APYs) of 3.00% APY on Acorns Checking and 5.00% APY on Emergency Fund savings. The card itself, introduced on November 14, 2023, is a limited-edition tungsten metal card engraved with the account holder’s signature.
He is also the director of the company’s Acorns Labs affiliate program. Through his entertainment production company Seven Bucks Productions, he gets paid to promote Acorns.
5. Project Rock
Project Rock is a successful athletic wear line that Johnson launched in partnership with Under Armour. The line sells a variety of products including clothing, shoes, and headphones.
This is an ongoing partnership between Under Armour and Johnson and Under Armour releases workout apparel like sneakers and sweaters using The Rock’s likeness and trademarks.
Under Project Rock, Johnson has also released over-ear headphones in partnership with JBL, a popular headphone brand.
Beyond lending his image and name to the brand, Johnson is also actively involved in the design and development process, to ensure that the products align with his brand and resonate with his fan base.
Johnson’s net worth is estimated to be around $250 million according to Forbes, which recorded him as one of the Highest Paid Entertainers in the World. This estimation of his net worth, however, does not include his 30-40% stake in Teremana Tequila, which has a current estimated valuation of $3.5 billion. Beyond his movie projects, Johnson also earns from small-screen programs, including the NBC competition show “The Titan Games” and the series “Young Rock”.
