The Creator Spotlight Podcast
Every week we spend an hour in conversation with a notable creator, discussing their approach to audience growth, monetization, and content production. Hosted by Francis Zierer (Twitter and LinkedIn). New episodes every Tuesday. This podcast is part of our newsletter, Creator Spotlight.
Episodes
How to get brand deals in 2026 ft. AJ Eckstein
AJ Eckstein is the founder of Creator Match, an agency building creator programs for the world's biggest tech brands and matching brands with B2B creators. In this episode he lays out the full process of a creator brand campaign, how to get a brand dea...
A newsletter writer's brutally honest growth advice ft. Evan Armstrong
Evan Armstrong is the founder and writer behind The Leverage, an independent newsletter covering the tech industry for an audience of investors, founders, and operators. In this episode he breaks down the business behind indie media, pricing, audience ...
He's losing subscribers, and that's a good thing ft. Jerome Aceti
Jerome Aceti, also known as JeromeASF, is a content creator with over five million YouTube subscribers who has since become an investor, founder, and partner across a range of creator-adjacent businesses. In this episode he tells us why he's stepped ba...
How he makes educational content go viral ft. Kobi Brown
Kobi Brown, also known as Astro Kobi, is a science and space-focussed video-first creator with millions of subscribers and followers across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. In this episode he tells us about his rapid growth, transition intro long form co...
How he makes $140k+ writing about video games ft. Stephen Totilo
Stephen Totilo has spent 20 years reporting in the video game industry, working at MTV, Kotaku and Axios. Francis and Stephen discuss his recent transition to independent journalism and how he's built a stable and successful newsletter product, support...
They have 2M+ followers, but they’re starting again ft. Martinez and Mu
Rob Martinez and Julian Mu are independent food creators with a combined 2.1 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and co-hosts of the YouTube channel 'Martinez and Mu'. They discuss how they built their channels, how they make money...
He only makes 5 videos a year ft. Max Z Zavidow
Max Z Zavidow is a content creator who makes narrative "really short films" for TikTok and Instagram, including the Webby-winning video "Long Time." In this episode, he discusses his evolution from investment banking to stand-up comedy and vertical vid...
The Facebook creator with 8 revenue streams ft. Todd Anderson
Todd Anderson, the Turnip Vegan, is a food creator with over 3 million followers across platforms. In this episode we cover his journey from hobbyist to professional, how he monetizes with up to 8 revenue streams, and why Facebook is still his number o...
How LinkedIn Groups and Newsletters Power an Online Education Business
Natalie Peters is the founder and CEO of Sky Society, a community and career accelerator for women breaking into marketing. In this episode, Natalie breaks down how she grew Sky Society from two students to a waitlisted accelerator with over 100 studen...
The creator economy doesn't exist ft. Nathan Graber-Lipperman
Nathan Graber-Lipperman is the founder of Powder Blue, a Chicago-based creative studio behind a print magazine, newsletter, and community events. We talk about building and monetising indie media, what makes brand partnerships work, and why he retired ...
Inside the business of ghostwriting ft. Maxie McCoy
Maxie McCoy is an author, ghostwriter, and speech writer whose clients have landed Wall Street Journal bestsellers. In this episode, Maxie breaks down the business of ghostwriting, from how to get started and price your work, to building a newsletter a...
Sending a newsletter for 1,000 days straight ft. Mindstream
Matt Village and Maria Gharib are the editorial team behind Mindstream ( https://www.mindstream.news/ ), a daily AI-focussed newsletter with over 230,000 subscribers. In this episode they break down the editorial systems, consistency habits, and audien...
Becoming one of Morning Brew’s biggest creators ft. Macy Gilliam
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 ...
Building a platform to save the internet ft. Tyler Bainbridge of Perfectly Imperfect
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...
Building a newsletter to fight the algorithm ft. Matt Kiser
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 th
The creator earning $200k+ posting on LinkedIn ft. Vin Matano
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
Building a 70k+ subscriber newsletter by word of mouth ft. Rachel Meade Smith
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 __
A $2.5M bet on quality food journalism ft. Caper
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
How to build and sell to audiences online ft. Daniel Berk
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:/
How he perfected short form content ft. Grant Beene
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. Rea
“I’m not an influencer. I’m an artist.” ft. Lucie Fink
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 — Al
How a local newsletter became a $100k+ business ft. Marissa Lovell
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 Twit
He quit NBC to make YouTube videos ft. Fernando Hurtado
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
15 years of social media strategy advice in one hour ft. Jack Appleby
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 Tik
He’s building a $10M+ creator business ft. Kallaway
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 K
Creator economy lawyer reveals every creators’ biggest mistakes ft. Brittany Ratelle
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 YouT
Three predictions for the creator economy in 2026 ft. Creator Spotlight Team
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
Fixing the Biggest Problem in the Creator Economy… Trust ft. News Creator Corps
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/e
Newsletters + Events = 6-figure creator business ft. Brett Dashevsky
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 Twitte
How to build a local newsletter people actually read ft. Tomo Chien
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 __ To
He’ll teach you how to make $100k+ writing online ft. Nicolas Cole
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
Most creators will not make it 3+ years ft. Lia Haberman
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/pr
Why beehiiv is betting big on the "content economy" ft. Tyler Denk
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 Zie
DIY YouTuber reveals her seven income streams ft. Nastja Mohren
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 diffe
He left ESPN to make YouTube videos ft. Joon Lee
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 Webs
The systems that made him a millionaire solopreneur ft. Ken Yarmosh
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 __
Building a $500k+ local newsletter business ft. Geoff Sharpe
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
How a YouTuber's study group grew into a profitable business ft. Kaelyn Grace Apple
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. Sh
He had 15M followers, then he quit — here's why ft. Caspar Lee
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 Tw
How to make $100k+ editing YouTube videos ft. Rachel Kisela
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. __ Rac
She left the BBC to build AI for journalists ft. Sophia Smith Galer
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
The 3 moves I’d bet my next 10 years on as a creator ft. Jordan DiPietro
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.creatorspot
Investing $60m in creators (what to look for) ft. Billy Parks
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
The creator making $100,000+ a year selling paper — here's how ft. Quynh Nguyen
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 Intro
The truth about building a media business in 2025 ft. Stefan von Imhof
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 brea
Grow your audience like a $23B company ft. Jonathan Hunt
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 pilla
Inside the inbox of 40,000 engineering leaders ft. Suraj Kapoor
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
She's cracked the creator community code ft. Milly Tamati
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 b
How to make a $100k newsletter business with no budget ft. Landon Huslig
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
How to build a 6-figure newsletter business ft. Nathan May
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
The future of creator journalism ft. Liz Kelly Nelson
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 Twitte
From 10k to 100k in 12 months — without growth hacks ft. Sydney Graham
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 Introduci
From side hustle to 500K+ followers and a global business ft. Tom Fishburne
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-e
The strategy behind building a 80,000+ impact-driven community ft. Tiffany Yu
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 newsl
The creator earning $250k+ posting on LinkedIn ft. Jayde Powell
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
He can 10x views in any YouTube niche ft. Kevin Jon
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
She lost her job. Then built a community of 10,000+ ft. Melanie Ehrenkranz
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 su
Ex-YouTube employee reveals the secrets behind viral videos ft. Hayley Rose
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast, Francis is joined by Hayley Rose, a former Google and YouTube employee turned YouTube growth strategist. Hayely has worked with some of the biggest channels on YouTube, growing them from zero views to hundreds of millions. In this podcast Hayley breaks down the five steps that every creator should follow to get more views, grow on YouTube and build a sus
How his $40K side hustle became a full-time career ft. Colin Rocker
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast, Francis is joined by Colin Rocker, a creator focused on career and corporate content. Colin shares his journey from skepticism about TikTok to becoming a successful content creator with a mission to educate 'first-generation professionals'. -- Follow Colin LinkedIn Instagram TikTok YouTube -- Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Colin Rocker 01:11 The many faile
Why Brazil’s Biggest Podcaster Is Going Viral in the U.S. ft. Chico Felitti
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast, Francis is joined by award-winning journalist and podcaster Chico Felitti. Chico has found much of his success creating content for the Portuguese speaking audience, topping the podcast charts of Brazil multiple times with his shows Além do Meme, De Saída and O Síndico. Relaunching his hit podcast 'A Coach' for the English speaking audience, 'Don't Cross
She Listens to the Internet for a Living — Here’s What She’s Hearing ft. Jazmin Griffith
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined my Jazmin Griffith, social media expert and founder of social listening agency Que Lo Que. Jazmin has over a decade of professional social media experience, working with some of the biggest brands such as Sony, Google, Microsoft and PepsiCo. __ Jazmine: Que Lo Que LinkedIn Instagram TikTok __ Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing Jazmin 01:06 What is
Zero to Acquired: Building a $30K/Month Newsletter in 1 Year ft. Adam Biddlecombe
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we are joined by Adam Biddlecombe, co-founder of Mindstream, a successful AI-focused newsletter which was recently acquired by HubSpot only 17 months after its inception. Adam shares his journey from being a musician to an entrepreneur, the ability to identify and seize an opportunity, and how to prep for acquisition. __ Adam LinkedIn X/Twitter __ Links &
Why creators make the best entrepreneurs ft. Jesse Feister
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we are joined by Jesse Feister, the Executive Director of the Webby Media Group. In the lead up to the 29th annual Webby Awards ceremony, Francis and Jesse reflect on the evolution of the Webby Awards and the creator economy, exploring the creator to business pipeline and three skills necessary to succeed as a creator. __ Links and References Check out th
She built a 150K-member, $1M/year community ft. Grace Ling
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we are joined by Grace Ling, founder of the thriving Design Buddies community, which turns five years old this month, has over 150,000 members, and generates $1 million in annual recurring revenue. She is also a talented content creator and has found particular success on LinkedIn where she has nearly 50,000 followers. She is also the cohost of the How Cr
How to Make a Living as a Creator — from a podcasting expert ft. Amanda McLoughlin
This week Francis is joined by podcasting Amanda McLoughlin, CEO of Multitude and co-host of the podcasts Spirits, Attach Your Resume, and Join the Party. Amanda began her journey as a creator vlogging on YouTube and has since spent over a decade in the podcast space. Amanda's Podcasts: Attach Your Resume Join the Party Spirits All Multitude shows Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introducing Amanda McLoughlin
125 days to make $10k/month ft. Thomas Yeum
This week Francis is joined by Thomas Yeum, an ambitious video-first creator specializing in YouTube and Instagram. Thomas is well known for his Instagram series '125 days to make 10k/month'. Thomas shares his journey from software engineering to content creation, discussing the challenges and opportunities within the creator economy. Follow Thomas: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasyeum/
How creators unlock the future of American soccer ft. Kyle Sheldon
This week Francis is joined by Kyle Sheldon, founder and CEO of Name and Number, a soccer specific marketing and creative agency. Kyle has worked within the US soccer world for two decades and held marketing roles at multiple MLS clubs. Kyle is also the founder and editor of Pathway, a newsletter aimed at helping individuals break into the soccer industry. Kyle: https://x.com/kylesheldon Name and
1 year and 190k subscribers later: An all-in bet on indie media ft. Phil Rosen
This week Francis is joined by award winning financial reporter, Phil Rosen. Last year Phil left his role as Senior Markets Reporter at Business Insider to pursue his independent newsletter-first media company, Opening Bell Daily. His flagship newsletter Opening Bell Daily, now has over 190k subscribers within its first year of operation. Opening Bell Daily: https://www.openingbelldailynews.com Ph
The best time to be a writer is NOW ft. Leigh Stein
This week Francis is joined by six-time author, cultural critic and book publishing coach, Leigh Stein. Leigh is also the creator of the newsletter Attention Economy. Attention Economy: https://leighstein.substack.com/ Leigh's Website: https://www.leighstein.com/ 00:00 Leigh's prolific content output 01:43 Is now the best time to be a writer? 04:38 Defining 'writing vs creating' 08:47 The art is t
How to Make a Living as a Podcaster in 2025 ft. Eric Silver
This week Francis is joined by Eric Silver, a podcaster, podcast producer and head of development at Multitude, a podcast studio and production company. Multitude: https://multitude.productions 00:00 Introducing Eric Silver 03:14 Crafting your interview style 06:04 The details of teaching podcasting 11:56 Podcasting does not mean video 19:41 The future of audio-only podcasts 25:39 The intention be
Making the internet a better place ft. Matt Brown
This week Francis is joined by Matt Brown of Extra Points. With a laser focus on writing high quality content, Matt is an independent sports journalist covering the world of college sports in America. Extra Points: https://www.extrapointsmb.com 00:00:00 Introducing Matt Brown and Extra Points 00:01:47 The focus on producing quality content 00:05:26 The unique story of acquisition and reacquisition
"I'm not a creator, I'm a writer" ft. Alicia Kennedy
This week Francis is joined by essayist and culture critic, Alicia Kennedy. Alicia is primarily a food writer, however also has many refined takes on writing, the algorithm, and the attention economy. Alicia's Newsletter: https://www.aliciakennedy.news/ 00:00:00 Introducing Alicia Kennedy 00:01:38 Rejecting the idea of the creator 00:07:06 Declining media literacy in the digital age 00:12:36 The f
He's a social media Swiss Army Knife ft. Kofie Yeboah
This week Francis is joined by Kofie Yeboah a versatile creator in the sports media landscape. Kofie does it all, social media, long-form, short-form, podcasts, research and writing. He's here to tell us how he does it all. Kofie's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KofieWhy 00:00 Introducing Kofie Yeboah 01:25 Kofie's early introduction to sports 05:35 The evolution from long-form to short-form 10
She broke YouTube’s algorithm with a 9-minute lie ft. Jenna Stoeber
This week Francis is joined by Jenna Stoeber, a video essayist and content creator known for her deep dives into video game and media culture. Jenna's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_jenna/ Jenna's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thejenna.bsky.social 00:00:00 Laying the content creator foundation 00:07:00 The art of constructing informative videos 00:09:20 If I create, am I a creator? 00:1
Meet the activist who tripled his revenue in 1 year
This week, Francis is joined by Henry Winslow, founder and writer of Tricycle Day, a newsletter focused on psychedelics research, policy, and business. Francis interviewed Henry exactly one year ago, and this conversation is centred around Henry's growth over the past year. Tricycle Day Newsletter: https://www.tricycleday.com Tricycle Day Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tricycleday 00:00 Sust
The blueprint for growing your business online ft. Matt McGarry
This week Francis is joined by Matt McGarry, also known as the Newsletter Guy. They discuss his agency Growletter, the nuances of newsletter-only businesses, the challenges of monetization, and the evolving role of creators in the media landscape. Newsletter Marketing Summit: https://newslettermarketingsummit.com FOR $200 OFF, USE CODE: CS200 Newsletter Operator: https://www.newsletteroperator.com
How a journalist becomes an entrepreneur ft. Lindsey Stanberry
This week Francis Zierer speaks with Lindsey Stanberry, creator of The Purse, a newsletter focused on money, motherhood, work, and relationships. Lindsay shares her journey from working in corporate media to becoming an independent creator/entrepreneur. The Purse: https://thepurse.substack.com/ 00:00 Introducing Lindsey and The Purse 01:25 Transitioning from Corporate to Independent Creation 06:16
How to build a media company: Use streetwear brand tactics
In this episode of Creator Spotlight Francis is joined by Daisy Alioto, CEO, editor and writer of Dirt Media. They explore the evolution of Dirt Media, its unique approach to content and community, and the challenges faced in the current media landscape. Daisy: https://x.com/daisandconfused Dirt: https://dirt.fyi Tasteland: https://www.tasteland.fyi 00:00 Introducing Daisy Alioto and Dirt Media 04
How to make $100k+ as a local news creator ft. Michael Kauffman
This week Francis is joined by Michael Kauffman to discusses his journey building a local newsletter business, Catskill Crew. He shares insights on audience engagement, growth strategies, and the importance of branding in the creator economy. Catskill Crew: https://catskillcrew.com Newsletter Club: https://thenewsletter.club 00:00 Building a Community-Led Newsletter 05:57 Local Relationships are C
He's helped creators earn $200M — here's how ft. John Hu
This week Francis is joined by content creator and entrepreneur John Hu, also known as Jayhoovy. John is the founder of Stan, an all-in-one monetization tool for creators. He shares insights on the challenges creators face in the business landscape and how his platform, Stan, aims to empower them. Check out Stan: https://www.stan.store/ John's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhoovy 00:00 Intro
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