Creator Economy Entrepreneur Sam Bird Acquires Fanblast in Global Takeover

LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 /Love Island star, Sam Bird, one of the most prominent leaders of the creator economy, has stepped down as Co-Director of global talent agency Surge to take the helm as the CEO of Fanblast.

In a landmark strategic move, Bird will be spearheading Fanblast 's massive expansion across three of the world 's most commercially active creator economies - the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.

Bird 's transition reflects a broader maturation within the subscription-led creator sector. Over the past four years, Sam, alongside his wife and business partner Kailah Casillas built Surge into a globally operating talent studio specialising in branding, growth strategy and premium production for online creators. Having expanded Surge across Miami, Los Angeles, London and Sydney, Bird is now redirecting that operational expertise into his newly acquired asset.

Fanblast is positioned not as a competitor to subscription platforms such as OnlyFans, but as a complementary monetisation layer. The tool enables creators to offer premium, direct fan access via iMessage and WhatsApp, unlocking incremental revenue without requiring audience migration or reliance on new platform adoption.

At a time when artificial intelligence and automation tools are rapidly entering the creator economy, Fanblast - under Bird 's ownership - is taking a deliberate no-AI approach, centering its model on direct, creator-led communication.

"Having worked closely with subscription creators at scale, I 've seen both the strengths and the structural gaps in existing platforms, " said Bird. "By taking ownership of Fanblast, I can ensure we provide the infrastructure that strengthens what creators are already building. It adds an additional revenue layer without forcing them to shift audiences or dilute brand control. The opportunity lies in infrastructure that enhances, not replaces. "

Patrick Stasek, who co-founded Fanblast, confirmed he will step down as CEO following the sale to Sam Bird. Stasek said he is proud of the platform the team has built and is confident the company will continue to grow under its new ownership, adding that he is happy to leave Fanblast "in safe hands " and wishes Sam the very best moving forward.

The timing of Sam 's purchase couldn 't be better, with new reports suggesting that OnlyFans creators are now among the highest earners in the United States, while tech bosses dominate in China and surgeons and specialist doctors top the lists in countries like Germany, Japan and Italy.

And the scale of the creator economy is massive - Americans alone spent about $2.6-$2.64 billion on OnlyFans in 2025, roughly $7.9 million every single day.

Meanwhile, AI engineers and even political leaders are reportedly among the highest-paid in India and France, with investment bankers leading in the UK, software engineers in Canada, and surgeons + senior political figures in Brazil.

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AboutSam Bird
Sam Bird is a UK entrepreneur and television personality best known for Love Island UK. He co-founded Surge, a globally operating Creator agency, and now serves as VP of Fanblast Worldwide, leading expansion across the USA, UK and Australia.

AboutSurge
Surge is a female-focused talent studio specialising in branding, growth strategy and long-form production for subscription-led adult creators. Operating internationally for four years, Surge has built scalable brand infrastructure for creators across key global markets.

AboutFanblast
Fanblast is a creator monetization add-on tool designed to generate incremental revenue without requiring audience migration. By integrating with iMessage and WhatsApp and maintaining a no AI communication model, Fanblast enables authentic, high-value fan engagement while strengthening existing subscription platforms.

Links:
Sam Bird: https://www.instagram.com/samrobertbird
Surge: https://letssurge.co
Fanblast: https://fanblast.com

For media inquiries, interviews or additional information, please contact:
Lucy Banks
Million Billion Media
lucy@millionbillionmedia.com
+61 423 011 696

SOURCE:Fanblast - Sam Bird

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