dpGood Good’s CEO and president are out on Wednesday in the latest twist at the beleaguered YouTube golf collective, according to a memo seen by Business Insider.
Nahid Giga, one of the company’s founders and an early investor, will step in as interim CEO, according to a memo shared with staffers by Alex Puchala, who leads finance and operations at Good Good.
Outgoing CEO Matt Kendrick, also one of Good Good’s founders, had publicly blasted Callaway after the golf company ended its partnership with the YouTuber group over a controversial ad it made in a partnership with Callaway.
In the memo, Puchala called it a difficult day for Good Good. “Matt helped build something extraordinary that exceeded all expectations and continues to bring countless new fans to the sport.”
The president, Joe Flannery, a sports industry vet, had been appointed to take over most of the business operations and had been on the job only a few days when the ad broke.
A Good Good spokesperson said that, even with the recent controversy, the company has seen growth in retail sales and in the number of followers on social media. It’s also maintained investor confidence, the spokesperson said. It also sees an opportunity to engage retailers again.
The ad behind the firestorm
The ad that caused the firestorm showed one of Good Good’s cofounders, Garrett Clark, running toward a female member of the group, Alexis Miestowski, and pushing her to the ground. Standing over her, he said, “Do not touch my new driver,” before picking it up himself and hitting a shot.
The fallout was fast and severe. Retailers pulled Good Good products from shelves, and the golf group stepped away as the title sponsor of a fall PGA Tour event.
Kendrick told Front Office Sports that he didn’t view the ad before it ran and that the marketing team oversaw it. Good Good’s marketing head, Jeff Lefkovits, and a second marketing team employee were let go. Callaway’s content head departed, according to reports. Good Good previously apologized for the ad’s content.
It’s been a striking turn of events for what had been considered a creator economy success story. The company, whose bread and butter is high-energy golf videos, had built a string of retail partnerships and raised $45 million last year.
The diversified business that had made Good Good a creator success story also exposed it to partners who didn’t have the stomach for bad news.
Good Good had a brand-friendly image and had rolled out a campaign, “There’s More to Golf,” earlier this year to promote inclusivity and reach new audiences.
Creator economy watchers have said Good Good could come back if it doubles down on its core audience and leans on humor — in a self-deprecating way — to steady the ship.
Here’s the memo from Puchala:
Good Good Team — I wanted you to hear this news directly from me. Effective today, Matt has decided to step down as CEO of Good Good and Joe has chosen to part ways as well. This is a difficult day for the entire Good Good family. Matt helped build something extraordinary that exceeded all expectations and continues to bring countless new fans to the sport. What began as a small group of friends playing golf is now a growing global community. To ensure stability through this transition, Nahid Giga, Good Good co-founder and one of our first investors, will step in as interim CEO, effective immediately. Garrett and the creator team will keep doing what they do best, making great content and engaging our fans who are eager to see and hear from us. I will remain COO and CFO, and will continue to oversee day-to-day operations. We’re encouraged by the continued support of the Good Good community, and we remain focused on moving forward and building the next chapter of the company. My door is always open if you have any questions, or simply need to talk. Onward, Alex
