The Creator Spotlight Podcast

Macy Gilliam is a video producer and content creator at Morning Brew and the creator of Out There, a documentary series where she spends a day learning the world's most interesting jobs. In this episode, we walk through her production process, how she ...

Tyler Bainbridge is the founder of Perfectly Imperfect, a social magazine and app with 400,000+ users built to help people discover culture outside of algorithms. In this episode, we get into how he grew the platform from a free newsletter to a busines...

Matt Kiser is the creator and editor WTF Just Happened Today, a political news newsletter with over 200,000 subscribers built entirely on a pay-what-you-want membership model. In this episode Matt breaks down how he grew from zero to 100,000 subscribers in six months, the editorial philosophy behind curating the news every day for nine years, and the biggest mistakes he made along the way. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Matt Kiser Newsletter LinkedIn Bluesky GitHub __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Matt Kiser 01:18 Zero to 100k in six months 11:06 Building the skill of aggregation and curation 17:41 The death of objectivity 18:37 From 100k to 200k subscribers 20:36 Don’t hate the media, become the media 29:18 Transparency with the revenue model 35:40 The AI podcast controversy 46:46 Biggest mistakes and learning moments 50:23 A deeper connection with the audience

Vin Matano is a B2B influencer marketing agency owner and part-time creator who made $200K as a creator and $2.5M through his agency Creator Buzz in 2025. In this episode, we get into how he lands and keeps long-term brand deals, his LinkedIn content strategy, and how he built Creatorbuzz from zero to $2.5M in its first full year. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/p/vin-matano __ Get started with Taplio for free Use code: CREATOR1X1 __ Vin Matano LinkedIn YouTube Twitter/X Instagram Creatorbuzz __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Vin Matano 01:30 From $94k to $200k in one year 05:32 Getting brand deals and overdelivering 13:48 How many followers do you need for brand deals? 20:10 Partnering brands with creators 25:53 Making $2.5M in a year 28:50 The challenges of being a new founder 31:34 Getting leads with social media 37:24 The three types of LinkedIn posts to go viral 44:38 Debunking LinkedIn myths 49:25 The third generation of B2B marketing 54:12 Changing how success is measured

Rachel Meade Smith is the founder of Words of Mouth, a weekly newsletter focused on finding meaningful work. In this episode, we discuss how she built and monetised a values-driven newsletter to 72,000 subscribers over 10 years without ever running a single ad. Preorder Search Work now: https://orbooks.com/catalog/search-work/ __ Rachel Meade Smith Words of Mouth Website LinkedIn Instagram Book __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Rachel Meade Smith and Words of Mouth 01:38 10 years of values based curation 07:17 Growing to 70k subscribers organically 13:03 72% open rate, 22% clickthrough rate 14:07 Monestizing while maintaining strong ethics 20:07 4 ways the newsletter is monetized 37:29 Developing beyond purely aggregation 43:21 The art of aggregation, curation, and editing 46:13 The process and expense of writing a book

Caper is a new media company covering the people, money, ambition, power and chaos that fuels the food world. In this episode we speak to Max Tcheyan, the co-founder and CEO, as well as three of the founding journalists. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Get 10,000 free monthly credits at Eleven Labs: https://elevenlabs.io/ __ Caper Newsletter Caper LinkedIn In this episode Max Emma Annie Chris __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Caper Media 01:00 The gap in the market 03:45 Who is the audience? 07:29 How equity changes journalism 15:46 Food journalism that makes a difference 23:46 Building a team of founders 26:30 The $2.5M bet 29:28 Doing something that matters

Daniel Berk is beehiiv’s first sales hire-turned-strategist, cofounder of a local newsletter Palmetto Parents, and cohost of the Two Dads in Tech podcast. In this episode we discuss his journey from chaotic notebooks to 25,000 LinkedIn followers, how he helps creators and enterprise media businesses grow and monetize, and how to run a profitable newsletter and podcast. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Get started with Taplio for free at https://taplio.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=nl_creatorspotlight_0126_011526 Use code: CREATOR1X1 __ Daniel Berk LinkedIn Twitter/X Threads Podcast __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Daniel Berk 01:34 13 years of writing newsletters 05:25 The problem every creator and business has 11:13 Adapting to the AI driven web 14:24 Best and worst social media platforms 21:58 Why a big LinkedIn platform is so important 29:16 Making $60k with a podcast side-project 38:33 Building a community driven local newsletter 46:38 Outcome vs output driven creators 50:26 The value of writing every day

Grant Beene is a short-form video creator known for crafting wild, story-driven skits that have generated hundreds of millions of views across TikTok and Instagram. In this episode, we break down how he writes and produces viral short films, structures brand deals without compromising creative integrity, and why he believes short-form is the training ground for becoming a world-class director. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/p/grant-beene __ Get 10,000 free monthly credits at Eleven Labs: https://elevenlabs.io/ __ Grant Beene TikTok Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00:00 Introducing Grant Beene 00:02:34 The process behind a 120M view video 00:07:32 Limitations creating uniqueness 00:10:47 Early TikTok growth 00:22:41 Pushing short form content to the extreme 00:26:22 Difficulties monetizing as a short form creator 00:34:45 The value of collaborating in the creative process 00:41:03 From short form creator to artist 00:48:11 The role of faith in drive and discipline 00:52:47 How the creative process changes with long form 00:59:10 Unlocking the creativity 01:05:45 Inspirations in art and film 01:12:29 Make art and it will take you to your goal

Lucie Fink is a creator and entrepreneur who’s built a successful personal media company across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, podcasts, and newsletters. In this episode, we break down how she actually makes money as a creator, dealing with and confronting online trolls, and pivoting from lifestyle influencer to artist. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Lucie Fink — All my Income Sources Revealed __ Lucie Fink YouTube Instagram TikTok Website Podcast Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Lucie Fink 01:10 Confronting an online troll 08:57 I’m an artist, not an influencer 12:59 Building a personal brand while at Refinery29 17:02 First year challenges going solo 20:58 Making over $100k as a creator 32:30 Learning from previous course mistakes 39:52 Making $50k from one video 45:46 Adapting content to a shifting audience 48:20 Maternal burst of creative energy 51:53 Aspirations of a Netflix show

Marissa Lovell is the founder and operator of From Boise, a local newsletter business generating over $100k in annual revenue. In this episode, she breaks down how she built it, what nearly made her quit, and the decisions that finally made it work. __ Get 10,000 free monthly credits at Eleven Labs: https://elevenlabs.io/ __ Marissa Lovell LinkedIn Twitter/X From Boise Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Marissa from Boise 01:00 From nearly quitting to $100k+ revenue 06:18 The once-a-month growth strategy 09:34 Early stage experimentation 12:15 Accidentally growing a “personal brand” 17:56 Zero to 10k subscribers in one year 23:20 How big can a local newsletter be? 24:18 How to monetize a local newsletter 30:37 Investing in a website that feels right 33:27 Why a discount card for the community didn’t work 38:14 Connecting a community with dinner clubs 42:15 Building in public and empowering female entrepreneurs 46:58 Creating in way that suits you 52:35 Becoming a six-figure solopreneur 55:09 Doubling revenue for 2026

Fernando Hurtado is a former NBC Telemundo journalist who walked away from a six-figure media career to build on YouTube from scratch. In this episode, Fernando breaks down how he got monetized in days, landed (and lost) brand deals early, priced himself wrong, and rebuilt with a repeatable system for publishing high-quality videos without burning out. We talk risk, leverage, time-boxing creative work, and what journalists actually need to know before betting on themselves. __ Watch Fernando’s AAPI Latino’s video __ Fernando Hurtado YouTube Twitter/X Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Fernando Hurtado 01:06 The hardest part of full-time YouTube 04:40 How to land (and lose) brand deals 09:30 Transitioning from NBC to YouTube 16:02 Four reasons to become a YouTuber 21:00 Learning the business side of journalism 28:59 Diversify your revenue streams 30:41 Building a sustainable upload schedule — without burnout 35:09 Creating videos for the algorithm and the culture 40:48 Showing the journalistic process 43:27 Creating a video that inspires discussion 45:50 Successes from one year as a YouTuber 51:36 Advice for going all in on YouTube

Jack Appleby is a marketing strategist and creator with over 15 years in the industry. In this episode, we break down why most brand content fails, why trends don’t matter, and how creators can build audiences people actually root for. __ Get started for free at https://taplio.com Use code: CREATOR1X1 __ Jack Appleby Newsletter LinkedIn Twitter/X Instagram How to Hoop Forever YouTube Instagram TikTok Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamp 00:00 Introducing Jack Appleby 01:05 Social media is not marketing 05:30 Making $9,500 in a month on TikTok 09:36 Investing in a series that loses money 13:13 You don’t need production quality, you need story 15:31 Revenue streams as a marketer 18:16 The need for strong opinions online 26:21 Creating a story through short form video 30:49 Building a newsletter to 80k subscribers 36:05 Hiring a manager 44:42 How to make a $50k course 51:40 The need for better content in 2026

This week we’re joined by Kallaway, a creator and operator building a profitable media business by treating content like a system. In this episode, we break down how he thinks about distribution, YouTube packaging, short-form frameworks, and turning attention into a scalable, $1M-per-month business. __ Kallaway Sandcastles YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Website __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Kallaway 01:05 The $1M/month content machine 10:01 Bringing a consultant mindset to content creation 15:09 Treating content like a science 20:29 Long form video production process 26:22 Replicating your past successes 34:02 How rapping helps you be a better YouTube 38:05 Short form video production process 41:24 De-risking your failure in short form video 47:43 Creating content without being a creator

This week on Creator Spotlight we’re joined by Brittany Ratelle, a lawyer specializing in helping creators, creatives and online entrepreneurs cut through the overwhelm of getting their business legally legit. In this episode she breaks down the most common legal mistakes creators make, from brand deals and contracts, to hiring and platform risk. __ Brittany Ratelle Website LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Brittany Ratelle 01:26 Biggest red flags in brand deal contracts 10:15 Avoid these contract mistakes 16:06 When should creators become a business 20:17 When is reaction content and remixing IP theft? 26:12 The only way to actually own your audience 33:44 How to write a contract as a creator 37:45 Hiring as a creator 42:37 Most common mistakes creators make, legally 45:10 What’s changing for creators in 2026

This week, Francis is joined by the rest of the Creator Spotlight team — Assistant Editor Natalia and Podcast Producer Tom — to reflect on the biggest creator economy themes from a year of interviews and share their predictions for 2026 __ Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X Natalia Pérez-Gonzalez LinkedIn Twitter Tom McCloud LinkedIn Twitter __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Tom and Natalia 01:30 How to use serialized content in 2026 10:10 Changing our perspective of the creator economy 11:50 Our best piece of 2025 Our 2026 Predictions 15:13 Francis: In-person is the future 20:28 Tom: Podcasts are dying 27:30 Natalia: Short-term creator partnerships Themes of 2025 29:10 Building strong parasocial connections

This week on Creator Spotlight we’re joined by the team from News Creator Corps. We break down what creators can learn from journalism — from fact-checking and sourcing to handling mistakes publicly. A conversation about fixing trust, misinformation, and credibility in the creator economy. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense __ News Creator Corps Apply for the Spring 2026 Fellowship: https://newscreatorcorps.org/apply/ Rachel Lobdell Katie Grossbard Danielle Desir Corbett __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing News Creator Corps and the guests 07:40 The type of creator that’s NCC focus 13:31 Transferring conservative journalistic value to content creation 16:20 The eight lessons journalists can teach creators 23:42 The values of a diverse cohort 29:05 Finding your own guild 33:55 Trust and monetization in the creator economy 35:36 Teaching instantly applicable lessons 43:05 Building a recognised trusted reputation 46:38 Misconceptions of news creators 51:00 Fighting against the slop and misinformation 01:00:22 How NCC is helping creators

Brett Dashevsky is the founder of Creator Economy NYC, where he’s built a six-figure business by consistently creating content, growing a newsletter, and hosting events for creators. In this episode, Brett breaks down how newsletters and in-person events compound together to build audience, trust, and a sustainable creator business. __ Brett Dashevsky Newsletter Creator Economy NYC LinkedIn Twitter/X Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Brett Dashevsky 01:16 Biggest challenges growing a newsletter from scratch 07:00 Scaling multiple newsletters to the masses 12:44 A community built out of passion 20:00 Why consistency always wins 26:21 Building something bigger than himself 29:33 The best advice for creators 33:56 Revenue breakdown 36:19 How hosting events makes money 42:41 Securing long term deals with brands 48:33 Defining the digital economy 50:52 Event cost and attendance 56:36 Building tools for creators

This week on Creator Spotlight we’re joined by Tomo Chien, the founder and editor of ‘Morning, Trojan’, a newsletter aimed at engaging USC students with local news. He highlights the competitive landscape of student publications, the importance of original reporting, and the strategies used to grow the audience. Read the newsletter __ Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense __ Tomo Chien Morning, Trojan LinkedIn Twitter/X Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Tomo Chien 01:08 Disrupting the local media scene 05:10 The freedom to be controversial 08:57 The one change that brought 10k subscribers 14:30 Finding the stories people want to read 20:02 How long does aggregating content take? 25:02 Tomo’s high school news project 28:55 Why he’s shutting down the newsletter 32:22 Future plans after the newsletter 37:28 Defining creator journalism

This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we’re joined by digital writer, author, and serial writing entrepreneur Nicolas Cole. Nicolas is the co-founder of a $600K+ per month online writing education business. He shares the principles, systems, and mindset shifts that turned simple online writing into a scalable company. __ Nicolas Cole Website LinkedIn Twitter/X Instagram YouTube Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Nicolas Cole 05:23 Scaling to $600k+/month 12:00 Growing an educational product 17:15 The demand for ghostwriting in 2025 28:04 The hardest part of scaling a business 35:05 How to never run out of content 40:05 Rejecting the ‘artist vs entrepreneur’ dichotomy 50:00 How to earn more as a creator 55:27 Education with accountability 57:15 New rules for writing online in 2026

Lia Haberman is a social media strategist, creator economy expert and writer behind one of the industries leading newsletters, ICYMI (In Case You Missed It.) Lia breaks down why most creators only last 3–4 years, how to spot real platform trends, where creators should focus in 2026, and how to build a business that survives algorithm shifts. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Lia Haberman ICYMI LinkedIn Twitter/X Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Lia Haberman 01:20 The 3 year shelf life of a creator 08:45 Knowing which platforms to invest in 16:21 7 signs of a good platform feature 25:52 The most valuable platforms for creators 34:35 Defining the 7 formats of content 39:24 Why are marketers spending on Instagram? 41:25 Keeping content free vs paid 47:03 Social media trends of 2025 54:27 How to grow online in 2026

This week on Creator Spotlight we’re joined by the co-founder and CEO of beehiiv, Tyler Denk. Following beehiiv’s highly anticipated winter release event, Tyler and Francis discuss the company’s approach to becoming the operating system of the “content economy”. __ Catch up on beehiiv’s Winter Release Event Full event video Event in 90 seconds __ Tyler Denk Twitter/X LinkedIn Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter __ Timestamps 00:00:00 Introducing Tyler Denk 00:01:45 The next step in the content economy 00:07:20 Scaling past the education gap 00:12:40 Becoming the tool, not the brand 00:16:52 Lowering the barrier to entry for creators 00:21:25 What is the “content economy?” 00:26:29 Building a world class ad network 00:33:48 Growing a newsletter to 120k subscribers 00:46:46 Finding the gap in the content economy infrastructure 00:57:29 Building features for every type of user 01:01:53 Knowing your customer

Nastja Mohren is a content creator, designer, and sewing educator who’s built a community of more than half a million followers across platforms — all around her love of making things by hand. In this episode, she talks with Francis about turning creativity into a business, balancing authenticity with brand deals, and how she built a sustainable creator by diversifying her revenue into seven different streams. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense __ Follow Nastja YouTube Blog Instagram TikTok Facebook Pinterest Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timstamps 00:00:00 Introducing Nastja Mohren 00:01:37 Going full-time on YouTube 00:06:08 The 7 revenue streams 00:12:14 The art of integrating brand deals 00:22:49 Which platform is most valuable? 00:24:30 The value of a blog in 2025 00:32:27 Why choose Google AdSense? 00:37:31 Building packages for advertisers 00:40:57 Crafting a specific audience 00:52:00 The 80/20 principle of video production 01:00:08 Collaborating with the creator community

This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined by former ESPN journalist Joon Lee. Joon shares how he turned a layoff into a creator career, breaking down his 22-month YouTube study, and how he is building an independent sports media brand that puts storytelling and trust first. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Follow Joon YouTube Twitter/X Instagram TikTok Website Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Joon Lee 01:15 From tech YouTuber to sports journalist 06:49 Preparing to be a YouTuber 13:02 Indie creator bootcamp 17:05 What should new creators focus on? 22:58 The process of making high-quality YouTube videos 33:19 Making revenue and maintaining ethics 40:56 The most valuable asset as a creator is trust 44:55 Building relationships in the creator economy 50:30 The hardest part of YouTube

This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined by Ken Yarmosh, founder of The Remote Solopreneur. Ken is a creator who’s been building online businesses long before the creator economy had a name. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense __ Ken Yarmosh YouTube Website LinkedIn Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Ken Yarmosh 01:16 Becoming The Remote Solopreneur 04:29 Redefining 'creator' 08:20 The creator to entrepreneur spectrum 12:15 How Ken runs a solo business 16:51 The importance of community in business 22:13 The 4 C's of the creator economy 29:42 Are all creators solopreneurs? 34:50 DTA: The framework for all entrepreneurs 41:58 Is the LinkedIn gold rush over? 47:15 The best time to be a creator is now 50:11 Advice for newsletter creators 53:20 Creating a personal brand in 2025

This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined by Geoff Sharpe, founder of Lookout Media — a network of local newsletters collectively generating almost $500K a year. Geoff shares how he built a profitable, subscription-first media business, why trust and real journalism still win, and the systems he’s using to scale local news across Canada. Read the newsletter __ Tired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your coworkers? It’s time to let AI do the explaining for you. The Guidde extension is completely free. Go check it out at Guidde.com __ Geoff Sharpe Lookout Media LinkedIn Twitter/X Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Geoff Sharpe 01:40 Making $500k+ with paid subscriptions 07:16 Don't listen to your audience 12:00 The merging of editorial and business 16:20 Running a media company sustainably 21:01 Building trust through food 27:06 How to get people to pay for your content 37:43 What do people not pay for? 40:44 Don't scale too quickly 43:41 The difficulties of local newsletter ad sales 49:11 How to grow a local newsletter 52:40 A bullish and bearish take on local media 57:50 Best advice for entrepreneurs

This week on the Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Kaelyn Grace Apple. Kaelyn is the founder and co-owner of Accepted Society, an international online community of students, educators, and independent researchers dedicated to learning, research, and creating networks of support. In this episode Kaelyn shares how she cracked the formula for building a profitable, niche, online community. She breaks down the business plan behind her 500+ member collective, lessons from working with Ali Abdaal, and the strategies every creator can use to turn research into results. Read the newsletter __ Earn with Google AdSense __ Kaelyn Grace Apple Accepted Society Website YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Kaelyn Grace Apple 01:28 From eight members to over 500 08:02 Why you should not scale too quickly 12:03 The course model vs. community model 14:03 Using YouTube to build a community 18:42 Pricing a community 22:01 Scaling a business up, and scaling it down 30:46 The evolution of Kaelyn's YouTube content 37:24 Revenue breakdown 42:44 Why Kaelyn left the Ali Abdaal team 47:34 Lessons learnt working with Ali Abdaal 53:47 Kaelyn's 30 year plan

This week on the Creator Spotlight Podcast, we’re joined by Caspar Lee — one of YouTube’s early stars turned entrepreneur and investor. Caspar talks about why he walked away from 15 million followers, how he built four companies after YouTube, and what every creator should know about building a business that lasts. __ Caspar Lee YouTube Website LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Caspar Lee 01:17 How to exit, as a creator 07:11 It's hard to do YouTube and business 12:49 How influencer marketing has evolved 16:02 The hardest part of influencer marketing 20:33 Investing in the creator economy 25:18 What is the perfect investment? 30:14 Equity vs cash in brand deals 33:14 The vulnerability of the creator economy 38:43 If Caspar Lee started YouTube in 2025 43:28 Caspar Lee's five year plan

This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast, we’re joined by Rachel Kisela — a six-figure YouTube editor who has worked with top creators, including MrBeast. Rachel recently founded EditHers, a community for women in editing. In this episode Rachel shares her philosophy on editing, how she built her business, what she learnt editing for Mr Beast, and how to make over $100k as a video editor. __ Rachel Kisela Website EditHers LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Rachel Kisela 01:25 The core philosophies of video editing 06:05 The process of editing a YouTube video 09:45 How to make six-figures as a YouTube editor 17:47 Leaving Mr Beast 20:42 The real responsibility of an editor 23:43 Building a much needed community 32:46 The unknown challenges of video editing 35:40 Getting paid as a video editor 39:35 What journalism school doesn’t teach you 46:07 The relationship between editor and creator 52:51 What Rachel learnt working for Mr Beast 56:47 Future dreams for EditHers 01:00:15 Where to find video editors 01:02:42 How much do video editors get paid? 01:05:17 Rachel’s favorite video

Sophia Smith Galer is an award-winning journalist, author, and creator with nearly a million followers across TikTok and Instagram. After roles at the BBC and VICE, she went independent to pioneer new ways of telling stories through short-form video. In this episode, she shares why traditional media is struggling to adapt, and what creators and journalists need to know about the future of vertical video. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Sophia Smith Galer TikTok Instagram LinkedIn Twitter/X Viralect Sophiana (App Store) __ Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Sophia Smith Galer 01:50 How to present on short form video 07:15 Defining ‘journalism’ in the age of the creator 13:26 Traditional media’s problem with short form content 18:25 The one thing most short form creators get wrong 24:38 The best platform for short form content 31:02 Short form bootcamps 34:25 Sophiana: Your short form assistant 41:34 Why everyone should be making content 44:05 The hardest part of building an app 49:47 US vs. UK creator economy difficulties 52:46 Revenue breakdown 57:58 Sophia’s future plans and goals

This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined byJordan DiPietro — former Motley Fool exec, CEO of Hampton, and writer of the Signal//Noise newsletter. Jordan shares the three big bets he’d make on the future of creators, why community now matters more than audience, and the lessons he’s carried from two decades in media, newsletters, and leadership. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Follow Jordan Newsletter LinkedIn X/Twitter __ Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Jordan DiPietro 01:08 The 3 moves to bet your career on 08:16 These creator economy trends are dying 17:20 Communities are the next search engine 19:42 The non-negotiables of a successful community 29:00 Audience vs community, the key differences 32:25 What you need to last in the creator economy 37:53 It's marketing all the way down 41:49 Signal//Noise 45:46 When to quit your job as a creator 50:36 The value of relationships in business

This week on Creator Spotlight we talk to Billy Parks, Partner at Slow Ventures and co-lead of the $65M Slow Creator Fund. Billy invests directly in creators, backing entrepreneurial creators who turn their expertise and communities into scalable businesses. Read the newsletter __ Billy LinkedIn Slow Ventures Jonathan Katz-Moses __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Billy Parks and Slow Ventures 01:30 What makes an investable creator? 05:35 The two types of creator businesses 13:44 Creators are just founders 17:24 Which creators need investment the most? 23:30 The difficulties of valuing a creator business 32:13 It's all marketing 34:29 The biggest risk in creator investments 38:12 Business is the future of the creator economy 42:54 How to be niche in the creator economy

This week we talk to Quynh Nguyen. She is a paper flower artist who has built her passion into a six-figure business. We cover her journey from hobbyist to entrepreneur, her pricing and growth strategies, and how she’s helping other creators turn their passions into profits. __ Quynh Nguyen Website Instagram LinkedIn Paper Talk Podcast __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Quynh Nguyen 02:53 The most important marketing principles online 06:52 How to get paid to teach your passion 12:01 The secret to nurturing a valuable community 18:34 Moving from a physical to a digital business 24:32 A podcast that builds trust and loyalty 31:07 The creator-entrepreneur spectrum 36:02 Expanding audience for future events 40:40 Breaking down the revenue of a thriving online business 45:45 From 6-week course to 6-month mastermind 50:17 The one thing Quynh is most proud of

This week on the Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Stefan von Imhof, co-founder of alts.co, an alternative investment newsletter, community, fund, and platform. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Alts Website Instagram YouTube Stefan LinkedIn Substack __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Stefan 02:05 An alternative revenue breakdown 06:54 The biggest challenges of community building 15:02 How a side project becomes a business 22:44 Demonstrating the value of your content 27:33 Leveraging audience segmentation 31:21 Decentralised due-diligence 33:56 The art of buying and selling newsletters 37:10 A bearish perspective on the newsletter economy 40:54 The power of events as a community business 47:17 The playbook for newsletter acquisition 49:39 Newsletter remix concept 53:16 A love for physical media 56:55 Where is the creator/business owner tipping point

This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Jonathan Hunt, the VP of HubSpot Media. Jonathan has been working in media for two decades for brands such as Nat Geo, Complex, Vice, Vox, and more. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Jonathan LinkedIn HubSpot Mindstream __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ 00:00 Introducing Jonathan Hunt 01:20 The 3 pillars of audience development 04:16 For the independent creator 07:32 Marketing through content creation 14:10 The most sustainable monetization models 18:18 Building a brand voice 21:00 The need for diversification 23:41 The ever evolving definition of 'creator' 26:50 The most shocking recent changes in media 28:27 When to sell your business as a solo creator

This week we're joined by Suraj Kapoor, the creator of Pointer, a 10 year old 40,000 subscriber newsletter curating articles for engineering leaders. __ Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Follow Suraj Pointer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Suraj and Pointer 01:33 The art of curation 06:53 10 years and 40k subs later, what's changed? 08:44 Avoiding becoming a personal brand 13:35 The AI threat to curation 18:38 From side hustle to six figure business 24:25 Attracting premium advertisers 31:09 Building a high-value audience 35:29 reinvestment and experimentation 40:30 The 20 hour work week 42:39 Mastering your analytics 48:00 Identifying the most popular content 51:15 The biggest threat to aggregation content

This week we're joined by Milly Tamati, the creator of Generalist World, a community and learning platform. She is also a writer, illustrator, speaker, and consultant. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Follow Milly Generalist World Website LinkedIn TikTok __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00:00 Introducing Milly 00:01:45 Necessity of a personal brand 00:06:22 Becoming director of miscellaneous 00:14:14 Building cult-like loyalty on social media 00:18:58 How a quiz can drive subscribers 00:27:26 The playbook for building a community 00:36:41 Keeping a community active 00:46:24 Brand deals done differently 00:53:15 Digital tool workshops 00:58:57 A podcast for the community, about the community 01:05:22 Not knowing what's next is fine

This week we’re joined by Landon Huslig, the creator of Wichita Life, a local media brand covering life in Wichita through a newsletter, podcast, and Instagram. He built it as a side hustle while working full-time as an engineer. It now has a combined 50,000 followers and generates $120k+ annually. Wichita Life: https://wichitalifeict.com __ Follow Landon LinkedIn Twitter/X Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamp 00:00:00 Introducing Landon 00:01:16 The art of hand to hand combat 00:10:54 Starting a local media 00:18:43 The growth to $120k 00:25:06 How big can a local newsletter be? 00:34:27 The value of a likeminded community 00:40:39 The creator to entrepreneur spectrum 00:46:06 The difficult relationship with traditional local media 00:57:22 Building local businesses in addition to newsletter 01:01:48 The responsibility to your audience 01:04:03 Side hustle vs full time business 01:09:24 Starting a local newsletter in 2025

This week on Creator Spotlight we're joined by Nathan May, founder of The Feed Media, a company that helps newsletters grow with paid ads and help convert readers into revenue. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Join the waitlist: https://creatormasterminds.co __ Follow Nathan LinkedIn Twitter/X The Feed Media __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Nathan May 01:21 The core principles of newsletter growth 06:33 It’s about niching down 12:31 Growing a newsletter for acquisition 18:23 Your subscriber count does not matter 23:58 Is it harder than ever to get subscribers? 31:38 The one thing AI can’t replace 37:10 Give your knowledge away for free 43:58 Podcasting is hard — why do it? 50:11 Best lessons from podcast guests 52:18 Rapid fire advice for creators

The week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Liz Kelly Nelson. Liz is the founder of Project C, a newsletter and pre-funding collective helping mission-driven journalism creators develop sustainable business models. __ Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ RSVP to the Creator Business Summit __ Follow Liz Project C LinkedIn __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Redefining influencer 04:46 Journalists want to be creators 10:17 What to expect if you become a creator 16:51 The role of community in creator journalism 21:20 Is the solo creator a myth? 27:00 Culture shock at the newsletter conference 31:52 Your responsibility as a creator 36:10 Maintaining ethical standards as a solo journalist 38:16 The creator journalist world 5 years from now 40:57 Revenue breakdown 43:10 Don't make these mistakes as a creator journalist

This week Francis and Natalia are joined by sewing creator Sydney Graham (@HiSydGraham). Sydney has gained over 100k subscribers on YouTube this year and has over 600k followers across platforms. Read the newsletter __ RSVP to the Creator Business Summit __ Follow Sydney YouTube TikTok Instagram __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Follow Natalia LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Sydney Graham 01:01 How to gain 100k subscribers in a year 10:46 Early days of the creator economy 15:05 The biggest creators in the sewing space 17:40 Balancing community and individuality 21:17 The best video platforms for creators right now 25:19 Why you shouldn't chase trends 31:48 Sewing content is growing - here's why 33:45 Revenue breakdown 36:51 Content creation and sewing similarities 41:12 How to build a friendly community online 45:53 Choosing the right brand partnerships 49:38 Defining your goals as a creator

This week Francis is joined by Tom Fishburne, also known as The Marketoonist. Tom is a cartoonist and marketer who turned his satirical drawings about corporate life into a sustainable business that has brought him over 500,000+ followers across platforms. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/p/tom-fishburne __ RSVP to the Creator Business Summit: https://www.beehiiv.com/virtual-events/creator-business-summit __ Follow Tom LinkedIn Website Newsletter Instagram __ Links & References The Do Lecture __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Tom Fishburne, The Marketoonist 01:05 How to price your work online 08:49 Humor as a leadership skill 11:45 The world of content creation in the early 2000’s 15:05 It’s not the ink, it’s the think 21:05 The importance of mimicry in creative work 23:26 How to create a recognizable style 26:36 You must be an entrepreneur in the creator economy 30:41 Email, the most valuable platform 33:16 The best platform for audience engagement 38:32 Red flags for clients 43:17 Why you shouldn’t scale your business 44:37 How to nail speaking engagements 52:25 Structuring your day for optimal creativity 57:39 Focussing on sustainability, not growth

This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Tiffany Yu, the founder and CEO of Diversability, an entirely disabled-run and disabled-led social enterprise to elevate disability pride. Tiffany is also the author of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, in which she highlights the myriad ways our society discriminates against people with disabilities - and what we can do about it. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Get your free ticket to The Creator Summit at https://live.mightynetworks.com __ Tiffany The Anti-Ableist Manifesto LinkedIn Website Instagram TikTok __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X Follow Natalia LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Tiffany Yu 01:01 The three levels to building a community 04:41 What is Diversability? 06:17 The breakdown of a 80k community 13:09 Key elements of a strong community 18:43 The reach of virtual communities over in-person 24:42 Influencers vs. creators 31:48 The four pillars of monetization 36:25 How the creator economy has helped the disability community 49:02 Best platforms for virality and business growth 53:57 The tenets of The Anti-Ableist Manifesto

This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Jayde Powell, a creator, social strategist and entrepreneur. Jayde has worked in the industry for over a decade and is an expert in social strategy, previously working with brands like Apple TV, LinkedIn and Delta Airlines. As a creator, she's built a thriving, sustainable business, and currently has 28,000 followers on LinkedIn. __ Jayde LinkedIn The Em Dash Co Website Instagram Twitter/X TikTok __ References Jayde's interview with Buffer Natalia's essay on authenticity __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X Follow Natalia LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Jayde 01:24 Making $50k+ in 3 months 06:39 What they don't tell you about speaking engagements 09:15 Creator Tea Talk 13:22 3 parts of approaching brand partnerships 14:49 Authenticity in the creator economy 19:15 Establishing a personal brand in 2025 24:19 The journey to 100k LinkedIn followers 30:27 The journey to $250k of revenue 34:42 All creators are entrepreneurs 42:04 How to build the self-promotion muscle 44:24 Creating unique content to stand out on LinkedIn 48:03 Building a sustainable future in the creator economy 52:56 The importance of community amongst creators 55:24 The #1 piece of advice for creators

This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Kevin Jon. Kevin is a YouTube strategist, creator, and founder of multiple media businesses. He started as a solo YouTuber, grew and sold his own channels, and now helps brands and broadcasters build profitable content on YouTube. In this episode, we dive into his playbook for growth, monetization, and turning channels into real businesses. __ Get your free ticket to The Creator Summit at live.mightynetworks.com __ Kevin LinkedIn Twitter/X Megalomedia Channel Craft __ 00:00:00 Who is Kevin Jon? 00:00:58 Grow your channel with The YouTube Masterplan 00:07:07 How to identify opportunities on YouTube 00:09:13 What it takes to get 1M views on YouTube 00:19:34 The difficulties of building a media empire 00:25:15 What can be learnt from traditional media 00:30:01 The most important metrics to track on YouTube 00:32:29 Building the biggest YouTube agency in the world 00:36:40 Selling a YouTube channel for $100K 00:39:20 The value of pre-production 00:41:45 Translating traditional media content to YouTube 00:44:45 From teenage YouTuber to media entrepreneur 00:50:08 Lessons from working in China: Be scrappier 00:56:43 Bullish and bearish YouTube predictions

In this episode of The Creator Spotlight Podcast, Francis speaks with Melanie Ehrenkranz, the creator of the Laid Off newsletter and Discord community. They discuss the origins of Laid Off, building a community where people feel supported and engaged, and the concept of the laid off to creator/entrepreneur pipeline. __ Follow Melanie Laid Off Newsletter LinkedIn __ References Melanie's Laid Off survey Never Post podcast episode with Melanie Interview with The Sidebar Interview with The New York Times __ 00:00 Introducing Melanie 01:44 How 'Laid Off' began 06:32 Building an engaged, valuable community 10:12 Trend reports and insights from the laid off experience 13:20 Monetization that gives back to the community 22:47 LinkedIn culture and the need for personal brand 30:36 Potential future services for Laid Off 35:48 Permeable definitions of the creator 39:56 The creativity of the newsletter format 42:28 The laid off to creator pipeline 49:01 How to gain your first 10K subscribers 51:26 One year of Laid Off