Written in Partnership with Amir Bakian
Colin Wayne served our country for years, and even almost lost his life in Afghanistan, but after surviving a rocket attack that almost took his legs/life, Colin Wayne rehabbed himself back to shape, and transitioned from the military into a life as a fitness star here in Los Angeles, before transitioning once more into creating a multi-million dollar business back in his hometown of Alabama called Redline Steel.
But even though he now runs a successful home decor steel company and tech start-up (DropHook) in Alabama, Wayne has not forgotten about his friends and the people in Hollywood or across the United States.
Before COVID-19 and even during the pandemic, Wayne has used his resources, connections and friendship with countless A-list stars to raise millions of dollars in products to give back to nurses, teachers, truckers, non-profit organizations, the homeless and more across the nation. His values from serving our country in the military have not gone away, and his motto of “People Over Profit” is one that has helped Wayne, his staff and whom he partners with become more than just a catch-phase, it has actually served a purpose and created a change.
It is with this in mind that hundreds of celebrities have made Colin Wayne their go-to partner for product lines, charity initiatives or just as a mentor when trying to cross into business/tech beyond the Hollywood screens.
Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Amber Heard, Leland Chapman, Marisol Nichols, Lance Bass, Ian Chen, Charley Koontz, John Otto, Cassie Scerbo, Tina Knowles Lawson, Tori Spelling, Holly Robinson Peete, Jeff Ross, Tim Tebow, Krystin Goodwin, Breegan Jane, Alex Rose Wiesel, Kelly Clarkson, Steve Stanulis, Walter E. Jones, Glynn Turman and Richard Lawson are just some of the high profile names that have supported and/or partnered with Wayne before.
“I was approached [by Colin Wayne and Redline Steel] to join the give-back [for Memorial Day] and immediately decided to do it. To be able to help veterans and their families is important to me,” said actor Dolph Lundgren just prior to raising over $500,000 worth of free products for Veteran families during a Wayne-lead Memorial Day activation.
During Habitat For Humanities’ big anniversary in Los Angeles, their President & CEO for Greater Los Angeles, Erin Rank, commented on selecting Redline and Wayne to partner stating, “Habitat LA is thrilled to partner with Redline Steel and Colin for our special Habitat Hammer sales promotion. As we celebrate our 30th Anniversary year during this crucial time in America, the need for affordable housing is greater than ever.”
From helping Veterans to helping those who need housing, there is no charity Wayne hasn’t helped or been able to link with the proper celebrities to bring attention to these great causes.
But as Wayne is more than happy to help and give back, he is selective too about who in Hollywood he works with. It has to be organic and a right fit, not just for attention. And when a right fit comes along, Wayne gives his all. A recent two-year long charity give-back he did with Megan Fox shows just this, as the two raised over $6 million in free products and landed them both on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
Wayne explained about selecting Fox to work with for his idea: “I saw that she went to South Korea to visit the troops…I heard that she voluntarily spent hours taking photos and signing autographs for the troops stationed at that base. This type of selfless act really resonated with me. I respected her that much more, which ultimately led to reaching out to her about our giveback.”
And that proper fit was felt on both sides, as Megan said, “What Colin went through overseas to then create his company now to be able to do this type of give-back is extraordinary. It was a no-brainer to be a part of this his promotion and give back to those who knew and are related to ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”
And as to why Wayne knows there is so much power in Hollywood and the stars living here, he told us in an exclusive comment, “With social media so prevalent in today’s society, having other celebrities post and endorse your brand’s mission is extremely powerful. Celebrities have quite a large following online and are able to reach millions of diverse people that likely would not have known about our philanthropic endeavors otherwise.”
With the power of Hollywood, social media and Wayne’s access to a manufacturing plant and technology, the sky is not the limit for what all these powers can achieve when coming together for the greater good. And as the pandemic winds down and more people, nonprofits and small businesses seek some help, alongside our military who continue to fight each day, we need more people with the ‘People Over Profit’ mindset to help make Los Angeles and the rest of our country a place our children and children’s children can be proud to live in.
Actress Marisol Nichols summed it up best during her recent collaboration with Wayne: “My partnership [with Colin Wayne] was specifically formed to help make a difference and to mobilize people to stand together to put an end to child trafficking. The biggest problem is that most people don’t even know it occurs. Good people don’t know about it. And if good people don’t know about it, we can’t do anything.”
Times are changing, and although we have nice beaches and wonderful weather, the time to come together is now. A happy ending just like a Hollywood motion picture!
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