233. Bran Flakezz: From $8.65/hr at Forever 21 to over 6 figures in content creation, Brandon Edelman’s wild BTS of building a platform by being authentically himself, staying frugal, and prioritizing mental health
Trading Secrets
Audioboom Studios
5 • 5.5K Ratings
🗓️ 5 May 2025
⏱️ 84 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Bran gained recognition after being cast on Barstool Sports inaugural reality TV show, Project Verified, after having initial success with his TikTok content. Since being a runner up on the show, Bran has continued to grow his brand on social media, add the title podcast host to his resume, and increase his gross annual income by almost 20x from when he was primarily working in retail.
In this episode, Bran opens up about his journey navigating imposter syndrome and staying authentic in the digital space. He reflects on pivotal moments that shaped his life—from high school struggles with popularity to finding his true self in college. Bran breaks down his approach to content creation, including how he uses TikTok analytics, the power of a strong “hook,” and applying an MLA-style formula to videos. He also shares what it felt like to hit 1 million followers and the deeper motivation behind his content: supporting local businesses. The conversation spans his background in retail, platform-by-platform differences, and why he champions salary transparency and acknowledges privilege. Bran also dives into staying frugal, the value of genuine apologies, what meaningful collaborations look like to him, why convenience should never be underestimated, and protecting your mental health.
Bran reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can’t afford to miss!
Host: Jason Tartick
Co-Host: David Arduin
Audio: John Gurney
Guest: Bran Flakezz
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome back to another episode of Trading Secrets. Today we are joined by content creator, podcast host, and Philadelphia favorite |
| 0:22.1 | influencer Brandon Edelman, aka Brand Flakes. Brand gained recognition after being cast on Barstool Sports |
| 0:31.2 | inaugural reality TV show, Project Verified after having initial success with his TikTok content. |
| 0:36.8 | Since being a runner up on the show, Brand has continued to grow his brand on social media. |
| 0:41.4 | Add the title, podcast host to his resume, and increase his gross annual income by almost |
| 0:46.8 | 20 times from when he primarily worked in retail. |
| 0:50.8 | Today we are going to discuss his life working in retail, how he transitioned to a |
| 0:55.1 | full-time content creation, and how he successfully manages expenses after a drastic increase |
| 1:01.7 | in personal income. We have so much more to cover. But, Brand, thank you so much for being on |
| 1:05.3 | sharing secrets. Thank you for having me, King Jason. What an honor, my man. No, the honor is all mine. |
| 1:11.5 | It was so funny how we met. |
| 1:12.7 | We were at Grant's premiere. |
| 1:14.1 | And Brand comes over. |
| 1:15.6 | Dude, your energy is just any room you're in. |
| 1:18.2 | It just lights up. |
| 1:19.6 | And you come over. |
| 1:20.6 | I'm like, who is this bright light? |
| 1:22.1 | And you're like, let's do this TikTok. |
| 1:23.7 | So it's so funny. I'd actually seen you for the first time at Rock and New Year's Eve, |
| 1:29.4 | 2023. We did that like brunch. It was Joey's thing. And I was right. I was so, I used to be |
| 1:35.9 | like really like imposter syndrome and I didn't like to like say hi to people. And I wanted to say |
| 1:40.9 | hi to you so bad because one of the first episodes that I watched of your |
... |
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