What's up! You made it.

I'm James. Grab a seat, and kick your shoes off, I'll tell you what I've been up to.

P.S. There's a prize at the bottom of this page if you make it that far.

Can-Am off-road in a Moab canyon
James Ort drifting a Can-Am off-road in a Moab canyon
Sea-Doo towing a wakeboarder past sandstone canyon walls at Lake Powell

What I do

13+ years leading marketing teams for Red Bull, BRP, and OluKai. Now I bring that same playbook to brands and talent directly. Tap any service to learn more.

Community & Influencer/Talent

I build ecosystems of value for people, brands, and communities. At BRP, I scaled a global partner program from 5 to 250+ creators. At OluKai, I grew the contracted ambassador team from 2 to 24 and seeded product to 1,000+ influencers, both in a matter of months, not years. Each team is built differently, but the pattern is the same everywhere: understand the culture, find the right people, build a system that keeps them close, and make the relationship pay off mutually for the brand and the partners. Then monitor, adjust, and grow an ecosystem where the community is genuinely shaping the culture it exists to serve.

OluKai and Hawaiian Lifeguard Association poster featuring portraits of Hawaii lifeguards

Events & Experiential

I build live moments that have to work: immovable timelines, real budgets, and a public audience watching. That's meant producing a first-ever floating obstacle course on Lake Michigan for Red Bull, leading OluKai's on-site execution of the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, and managing a 600-student race across Europe for Red Bull's Can You Make It? I run the full lifecycle: concept, feasibility, team, budget, delivery, and recap.

Packed theater at the Red Bull BC One National Finals

Content, Social, & Storytelling

I've built in-house content engines that outperform agencies at a fraction of the cost. I helped launch BRP Mediahouse, an in-house content operation that cut production spend by roughly $5M a year while scaling output from under 10 shoots annually to 100+. At OluKai, I helped grow Instagram from 231K to 305K followers in six months and increased monthly follower acquisition tenfold.

Film crew with a Ronin camera rig shooting a Sea-Doo on set

Partnerships & Brand Strategy

I find the partnerships worth doing, and negotiate the ones that actually move the needle. A $5K activation with the Tampa Bay Lightning generated 3B+ media impressions. Deals with Mr. Beast and Daniel Ricciardo each drove 500M+ impressions on their own. I've built go-to-market and brand alliance strategy across 20+ partner brands and three continents.

Signed photo of Daniel Ricciardo in a Sea-Doo race suit

Athlete & Talent Representation

For over a decade I sat on the brand side of the table, personally negotiating 300+ deals with talent like Mr. Beast, DJ Khaled, Kai Lenny, and Rob Gronkowski. Backed by Harvard Business School's Mastery of Negotiation certificate, I'm now building out the other side: representing athletes and creators directly, from single-deal negotiation to ongoing representation. It's early days, with real conversations already underway, and the goal is simple: help the people I represent progress in both their passions and their impact.

James Ort with Kai Lenny in his board and Sea-Doo garage

Career Coaching & Resume Reviews

Over 13 years I've built teams from the ground up, reviewed over 2,500 resumes, hired over 160 people, and coached staff who went on to get promoted or land bigger roles elsewhere. Whether you're pivoting careers, prepping for interviews, or just want honest feedback on a resume before it goes out, I offer career coaching and resume reviews. No specific background required. If you think I can help, reach out.

Team huddle with hands stacked in the middle, shot from below
Brands I've built programs for
BRPSea-DooSki-DooCan-AmOluKaiOakley
Young James in Florida holding a small alligator beside a swamp

A feral reptile emerged from the swamp.

I grew up in Florida, where you learn early that most wildlife is friendly if you hold it correctly. Then I found the ocean, and my mom stopped expecting me home for dinner.

James and friends in blazers and boardshorts running barefoot out of the Florida Gators stadium tunnel

At the University of Florida, it was strictly business.

8 majors later, I put the Ort in Sports Management. The real education came from the UF Surf and Wakeboard Clubs and from turning our house into a music venue.

James launching high off a wakeboard kicker

Still healing my spine from this photo.

With a collegiate wakeboarding national championship under my belt, I was officially ready to avoid the real world.

James's view from the top of a sailboat mast over turquoise water

Corporate ladder? I climbed the mast instead.

Somewhere along the way I got my captain's license, mostly so I could legally be in charge of the bad decisions.

James crouching in front of a Red Bull team at a Pride event

The "real" world finally caught me.

So I took a job that never felt like a job, at the brand I'd admired my whole life: Red Bull. It's where I learned that the best marketing doesn't feel like marketing.

A Can-Am side-by-side kicking up dust through red rock canyons

Turns out, adulting doesn't have to suck.

I helped launch BRP's ambassador and content department across Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo, and Can-Am. Someone had to test the products.

A long line of surfers wearing lei beside upright surfboards on a Hawaii beach

Then Hawaii taught me what aloha actually means.

As Director of Community, Content, and Events at OluKai, I saw firsthand that in Hawaii, community isn't a marketing strategy. It's the whole point.

James with an event production crew on top of a stage structure

All those detours turned out to be training.

Now I freelance across influencer programs, brand strategy, content, and events. You need it, I got you. If it involves people, a brand, and a good story, let's talk.

James in a fringe suede jacket and wide-brim hat wearing a megalodon tooth bolo tie

Every story needs a plot twist: I'm in the fossil business now.

I also run Marelic, a creative outlet where I turn fossilized megalodon teeth into bolo ties. Prehistoric ORThodontist wasn't on the career quiz, but here we are.

From Orlando to Oahu to 22 countries across Europe, I've produced partnerships, events, and content on most continents.

The numbers behind the work

Career totals across Red Bull, BRP, OluKai, and my independent projects.
400+
talent & partner deals negotiated
1,200+
athlete & influencer collabs
$39M+
in budgets managed

9:1

total BRP career partnerships ROI

*tracked by Hookit

50+

Major content projects as executive producer

260+

Branded events produced

500+

3rd Party events sponsored

160+

Full Time Employees led, plus 400+ PTE & contractors

20+

Brand partners signed in five years at BRP

23

Product launch campaigns at BRP and OluKai

100%

Client satisfaction

19

Industry awards for content

Recent case studies

All case studies

Don't just take my word for it.

From brand partners, collaborators, and the people I've led.

Worked with me? Leave a review
Alex Shulze

“It has been awesome working with James. He really understands brand and marketing, has always gone above and beyond, and he's a great person to partner with.”

Alex Shulze

CEO, 4ocean

Jason Hines

“James is one of our Executive Producers for brand events. I always know our clients are in good hands when James is leading a project.”

Jason Hines

Founder & CEO, Black & Tan Collective

Tuika Tufaga

“James genuinely loves his team and his work. His passion for life and people is contagious, and that makes everyone around him work better, and harder.”

Tuika Tufaga

Events & Community Manager, OluKai

Kai Lenny

"James is a legend. It was always smooth sailing when he was at Sea-Doo, and I hope we get to work together again soon!"

Kai Lenny

Professional Athlete

Melissa Ziegler

“Marketing in footwear is incredibly challenging because every month, every season, every holiday is a new campaign, and that requires a unified effort from social, content, influencers, and events. James led several major initiatives gracefully.”

Melissa Ziegler

VP Marketing, OluKai

Nils Granger

“James is one of those rare people who can see the big picture and still make sure the details get done. He played an integral role in building BRP’s Sports Marketing & Partnerships department into one of the most recognizable teams within the broader marketing organization, which eventually evolved into BRP Media House. From managing athletes and ambassadors to overseeing content, events, and partnerships, James was constantly balancing a lot of moving pieces. He has a unique ability to connect the dots, bring ideas to life, and get things done. Not an easy juggling act, but he crushed it.”

Nils Granger

Director of Sports Marketing & Partnerships, BRP

Ryan Page

“As University of Florida Surf Club Hall of Fame inductees, James and I have worked together since we were students, and now we work to mentor and inspire the next generation, while helping ensure the club’s annual events run smoothly. A lot of people have great ideas, but James stands out because he not only has the vision, he has the drive and skillset to turn that vision into reality. As a strong leader and hard worker he finds a way to make everything he touches a success.”

Ryan Page

CEO, Intercoastal Bank

Kimi Werner

"I absolutely love working with James. He makes me feel confident, comfortable, creative, and safe. I always know he will communicate, and I know I can be real with him, and I know he will always be real with me."

Kimi Werner

Sustainable Chef, Author, Creator, Diver, Hunter

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