Creator Culture: Recent Episodes
Danny Desatnik
Join Danny Desatnik as he sits down one on one with fascinating creators. But, not just any creators. We're talking about captivating storytellers, masterful videographers and generational writers.
Each conversation explores the impact creators have on the people around them. What you’ll find is not only astonishing but inspiring.
Today's guests could be seen as the coolest librarians in the world. They are incredible at helping you answer life's biggest questions in a personal, humorous and intellectual way. Most of them were creating videos before they came together three years ago to create what's now their main project. What I love about them is how unique they each are and how they each compliment each other so well. It's not enough to have a great idea. You really need to trust the people you build with to find sustainable success and these three are an incredible example.
Enjoy today's conversation with Sabrina, Melissa and Taha from Answer In Progress!
Answer In Progress Links:
https://www.youtube.com/@answerinprogress
https://answerinprogress.substack.com/
https://www.patreon.com/answerinprogress
Creator Culture Links:
https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=a9b3511d21b94ffc
Today's guest is impressive for a couple of reasons:
- She cares about uplifting the Canadian creative ecosystem
- She has very clear goals and wants to get better every single day
- Her approach to working with brands is very unique — she creates a commercial and stars in it to showcase her acting ability
This creator grew up dreaming of playing Volleyball professionally. She was on the path to do exactly that. Her life took a turn and found herself searching for a new career pursuit. It's hard to believe she wasn't trying to become an actress from the beginning because of her skill, drive and passion. Loved learning from her and I'm excited for all of you too, as well!
Today's guest is Paige Evans!
Paige's Links:
www.tiktok.com/@paigemevans
https://www.instagram.com/paigemadisonevans/
Creator Culture Links:
https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=a9b3511d21b94ffc
Welcome to Creator Culture's first ever live recording in front of a crowd. This one was special. We spoke to six incredible Canadian creators: Spencer Barbosa, Sahar Dahi, Brianna Renee, Mallory Rowan and the Jumpers Jump guys (Carlos Juico and Gavin Ruta).
We covered what it means to achieve your dreams, why school is important, what it's like to go to an influencer event and many more topics.
Today's guest is a mentor to many and a storyteller whose perspective is comforting to parents. Being a creator is his most recent creative endeavor amongst a long list — musician, podcaster, writer, and copywriter. Many creators document their day or share tips on a specific part of the parenthood journey. Today's guest does something many can't — captivate us with his stories. He's a companion to his audience. Every video is meant to make you conscious of your feelings and act as a grounding moment. Enjoy our conversation with the inspiring Blake Kasemeier (@blakeoftoday)
Blake's links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blakeoftoday/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blakeoftoday?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Substack: https://blakeoftoday.substack.com/p/coming-soon?r=26mg3
paid links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hashtagpaid/
Website: https://hashtagpaid.com/
Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=e428e7ae31fa4d79 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF1-KffxBWN6lbrfYGipfJA
Today's guest is one of a kind. She's 62, tells compelling life stories on social media and knows how to put together an outfit. It's fascinating to read her comment section — many young people share how they can't wait to get older and they hope to be like her. Today's guest has worked in the entertainment industry for most of her career and has always wanted to create with a purpose. It started with writing scripts about causes or people that weren't represented in Hollywood. Beyond scripts, today's guest has written a book that shares over 300 stories from her life.
Enjoy our conversation with the inspiring Heidi Clements (@welcometoheidi)
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@welcometoheidi?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welcometoheidi/
paid socials
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hashtagpaid/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=5f0153bd8ef24f58
Today’s guest has achieved so much in such a short amount of time. His skills as a stop-motion and claymation animator are mind blowing. Starting from a young age today’s guest knew he had a passion for making videos and telling stories. Today along with his own content, he helps the world’s biggest companies communicate their story in a very unique way. There’s so much this creator wants to conquer that the next ten years of his career are going to be fun to watch!
Enjoy this conversation with Ben Treat aka @franticframes
Ben's socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franticframes/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@franticframes?lang=en
paid links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hashtagpaid/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
Website: https://hashtagpaid.com/creators-new
Today’s guest is the queen of recognizing patterns and identifying talent. She started her career at Famous Birthday’s where, fun fact, she found Charlie D’Amelio at 50k followers on TikTok. Today’s guest thrives on observing culture and predicting what will happen next. She’s a history nut that wholeheartedly believes that the past is a window into the future or as she says “As life changes nothing changes”.
Enjoy the conversation with Coco Mocoe!
Coco Mocoe's links
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cocomocoe?lang=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CocoMocoe
Her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WMVk1vVWPwjTDuvCR45KJ?si=89ef25feb9e648f4
paid links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hashtagpaid/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
Website: https://hashtagpaid.com/creators-new
Today’s guest belongs on SNL. He’s a comedian, creator and writer. What I love most about his work is how he bridges business news with comedy that helps the average person understand the state of the world. Today’s guest is most well know for his role in Morning Brew’s short form videos — I bet you’ve received a good belly laugh after watching one of his videos on your FYP. Recently, he started working on a long form video project called good work, which is doing numbers! This creator is very underrated.
Enjoy today's conversation with Dan Toomey
Dan's socials
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhtoomey/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbpkJKmpyJw&ab_channel=GoodWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhtoomey
Creator Culture's links
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=b989d3d63afb499f
Today’s guest is the king of storytelling on YouTube. Some might say he’s the best director on YouTube. Watching his videos makes me think that we’ll be seeing him receive many of the critically acclaimed film awards in the not too distant future. Over the past 5 months he’s made films on Donald Glover, Nardwuar, Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld and most recently Adam Sandler. Watch his videos and you’ll agree that he’s the best kept secret on YouTube.
Enjoy today's conversation with Daniel McMahon aka @dodford
Find Daniel on:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DodfordYT
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@dodford?lang=en
Twitter - https://twitter.com/dannymcmahon
Find Creator Culture on:
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=4921a7ba95ee44f2
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@hashtagpaid.
Today’s guest is the founder of a creator management company you might not know by name. Before starting his own thing, today’s guest went through the traditional entertainment route having worked as an agent at WME. Today our guest and his team focus on comedy, commentary and animation creators — an interesting mix that you don’t see often. What I really respect about this guest is his first principles thinking. You’ll hear him explain that even though creators are a new form of entertainment, the idea of grooming talent for the spotlight has been around for years.
Enjoy today's enlightening conversation with odd projects founder, Nate Ruff
odd projects on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oddprojects/?hl=en
Today’s guests are the co-founders of a creator management company called Up North management that is home to some of the most interesting commentary, gaming and sports creators. They’re roots start in the music but soon after transition to the creator space — it was a bet that paid off handsomely. These two have complementary skillsets which make their trajectory fun to watch.
Enjoy today's conversation with Cole and Cody Hock!
Find them online:
Their website — https://www.upnorthmgmt.co/
Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/upnorthmg/
Today’s guest has been telling stories about the music industry on YouTube for over 5 years and is well known in the rap and hiphop community. What drew me to this person was their drive to master their craft. When I met this person, they had over 250k on YouTube yet it wasn’t their numbers which were impressive. It was the level of dedication to their craft as a storyteller. Since we met, it’s been inspiring to watch this person grow and become a master of their craft.
This is only the beginning for helloyassine. Enjoy the conversation!
Yassine's socials
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/helloyassine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helloyassine/
Today’s guest is Airrack’s Day to Day manager at One Day Entertainment. Compared to all the other managers who have come on the show, this person is primarily focused on one client. The problems he tackles and the businesses he works on are incredibly unique. It's rare to find someone so locked in on the career of one creator.
Enjoy today's conversation with Benji Sudmann!
Benji's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjisudmann/?hl=en
Today’s guest is the first creator turned manager on Creator Culture. She’s someone that has tons of experience in the advertising world while starting a blog that cultivated an unbelievable community. That experience showed her a different side of advertising and was the beginning of her journey as a creator. Once she had both the experience from the creator and the industry, the natural next step was to help other creators level up their game. Today she runs Kensington Grey, a creator management company driven by diverse talent.
Enjoy this conversation with the founder of Kensington Grey, Shannae Ingleton Smith!
Follow Shannae on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torontoshay/?hl=en
Her website: https://torontoshay.com/about/
Kensington Grey: https://www.kensingtongrey.co/
Today’s guest is the founder of Undercurrent Entertainment. He started out managing in the music industry and a couple of years ago added creators to his roster. This is someone who sees the creator industry with a lot of clarity — you’ll love the way he thinks about building creator businesses. Fun fact: I cold emailed this person back in 2019 when I was managing in the music industry — my cold email game needed work.
Enjoy today's conversation with Eric Bogard
This is a #paid production.
Today’s guest wears many hats — Creator, founder, advisor and comedian. This person is very impressive. She’s someone that has one foot in the creator world and one foot in the corporate world. It’s super unique to see at her level of success. Creators often shy away from the corporate world because of bureaucracy. This creator is changing that narrative and using it to her advantage. What’s more impressive is that her following on Instagram and on TikTok are basically the same. That’s not something you see very often.
Enjoy this light-hearted and inspiring conversation with Corporate Natalie!
Find her on Instagram and TikTok.
This is a #paid production
Today’s guest is the founder of Made By All, a management company to some of the most dynamic creators and celebrities out there. This person came from the music industry having done brand partnerships for Interscope records but one day decided to make the leap into the creator space. It was on that day that she started to build her legacy. Fun fact: She stumbled upon The Weeknd through fashion bloggers back in 2013!
Enjoy our conversation with Leanne Perice!
Today’s guest is the founder of AMP studios where he develops talent and helps that talent produce amazing content. Think of it as Disney Channel meets a new aged media company incubating IP. He started out in the creator industry working with Brent Rivera, who now has an audience of over 96 million. Fun fact: he’s a force on the pickle ball courts
Enjoy our conversation with AMP Studios founder, Max Levine.
Today’s guest is the president of The Digital Renegades where she manages talent like Jen Selter, Dana Torres and Alex Meija. She started out representing athletes and soon after started building her roster of creators. Fun fact: she’s the only manager we interviewed that also posts on TikTok. We'd recommend following her :)
Sit back and enjoy this interesting conversation with Christina Brennan
This week's guest has vlogged on TikTok for 518 days straight. He cares about consistency as much as character development and unique storylines. This is someone who has put in his 10,000hrs but is as hungry as ever to get better each day. He's a creator to learn from and get inspired by. This guest is grossly underrated. Meet Jack Cook
Jack's TikToK: https://www.tiktok.com/@.jackcook
Jack's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_hjcook/?hl=en
What's Creator Culture? It's #paid's podcast filled with conversations with underrated creators
Listen to more episodes here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nNlfbLHiSlHh6jk3p44aJ?si=632738197fa14a82
Learn more about #paid here: https://hashtagpaid.com/creators-new
We're back with another season. This time the focus is on those representing the underrated creators!
That said, there will be a couple of creators sprinkled in throughout the season. As a matter of fact, we're starting off with a creator for the first episode. He's vlogged for 516 days straight on TikTok...know who I'm talking about? You'll find out soon enough
First episode drops on Thursday March 9
Today’s guest is Spencer Barbosa. She’s a ball of energy. Watch her videos and you’ll notice that she puts every ounce of effort into her career. Many young girls look to Spencer as a source of inspiration around body positivity and confidence. In just over two years she’s grown a following on TikTok to 8.3M and has her own clothing line. It’s amazing to see someone making an immense impact with content so early on in their career.
Before we get to the episode here are three things about Spencer you should know:
- She used to be on a Disney Channel show and has been acting since she was 9 years old
- She’s posted 3 times a day ever since joining TikTok — that’s the definition of commitment
- She decided to pursue content creation instead of go to university
Find Spencer on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Don't forget to check out her clothing brands, Something Bigger
Today’s guest is Donovan Beck. It’s hard to put him in a creative box — he does it all. On social media he’s best known for spoken word poetry. Donovan’s built an audience of over 430k followers on TikTok. Reading the comment section is the best part. His videos inspire and comfort his followers. Donovan is a creator that wants to leave a legacy of helping others live their best life and making sure they see the light at the end of the tunnel. There’’s a lot of meaning in the content he puts out and the world is better because of it.
Before we get to the episode here are three things about Donovan you should know:
- He’s a film director and has pursued creativity far beyond social media
- He’s a published author and has a second book on the way
- He started posting on TikTok after losing a bet to a friend
Make sure to follow Donovan on TikTok, Instagram and grab a coffee of his latest book, A Fool's Guide To The Universe
Today’s guest is Annabelle Kline. She is a better version of your Discovery Weekly playlist on Spotify — Annabelle is a creator but more specifically she’s a music curator and the founder of That Good Sh*t. It’s all directed at a mission of giving smaller and upcoming artists a platform. Her content includes music recommendations, artist breakdowns and unique playlists. Not only do people rely on her for music recommendations but she is intentional about creating a community through her videos on TikTok.
Before we get to the episode, here are three things about Annabelle you should know:
- The hip-hop duo Earthgang brought Annabelle on their most recent tour to capture content and amplify the tour experience on TikTok
- She’s built a brand beyond social media and throws curated concerts with artists around the country
- Annabelle runs a podcast where she interviews upcoming artists on Spotify Live
Make sure to follow Annabelle on TikTok, Instagram and on Spotify!
Today’s guest is Gohar Khan. Gohar is making it easier for students to write essays, stay productive and study more effectively. He’s got a signature video style — you notice papers and drawings moving in and out of the frame on top of his table while he narrates the story. His style, content value and quality of each video has helped him reach 2.3M followers on TikTok. What’s more impressive is how he uses TikTok to find new customers for his college admissions business called Next Admit.
Before we get to the episode, here are three things about Gohar you should know:
- He was an entrepreneur out of the womb and his parents encouraged his inquisitiveness
- Gohar started creating content at an early age — he’s been building this muscle for a while
- He’s someone that is very talented as a creative and an operator. It’s amazing that he’s figured out how to be successful in both spaces
Follow Gohar on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram!
Today’s guest is Noah Jennings. His content transports viewers into an alternate reality where the brands we know and love take on different identities. Think of Gucci as a premium gas station or McDonalds as a video game. Noah’s success as a creator display the 10,000 hours he’s put into graphic design and storytelling. Take a glance at his TikTok profile and you’ll notice the 1.1M followers. What’s below the surface is the most exciting part — here’s a creator with a drive to make an impact and build a business far beyond social media.
Before we get to the episode, here are three things about Noah you should know:
- The world of eSports acted as Noah’s training ground to become the graphic designer he is today
- Noah’s talented in the digital and physical arts space. He used to paint and work on other fine art projects
- He’s working on a business that could take the creator industry by storm
Make sure to follow Noah on TikTok and Instagram!
Today’s guest is Elliott Walker. I remember coming across his content on TikTok and being excited to binge the rest of his videos. What caught my attention was his episodic strategy — each video is part of a larger body of work. It’s rare to see someone post on TikTok in that way. Elliott is a multi-talented artist who is an incredible storyteller, director and musician. I’m excited to see how he impacts film and TV in the next 15 years.
Before we get to the episode, here are three things about Elliott you should know:
- He writes, edits, directs and casts his videos all on his own
- Each video will take over 50hrs to finish — he pours everything he has into these videos
- He nearly went on tour with Miley Cyrus when he was 4 years old after he went viral for rapping songs over his dad’s beats on MySpace
Make sure to follow him on TikTok and Instagram!
Today’s guest is Peder Cho or as you might know him, utopia.us. Cho is a fashion designer who upcycles clothes and is starting to design his own line. He’s a magician with a sewing machine and has a personality people love. It’s inspiring to see how he turned a hobby into a career and we haven't seen the best yet!
Before we get to the episode, here are three things about Cho that you should know,
- He used to be an accountant — watch his content and you’ll never know…
- He had one goal when he started: be the best cut & sew designer
- Cho recently was asked to be a judge on Upcycle Nation — he’s already made the leap from social media to national television
Stay up to date with Cho on TikTok and Instagram.
Today’s guest is Dulma Altan. She’s a great example of a creator who has quickly found content-market fit. I find it interesting how her influence far exceeds her follower count. Currently, she has 95k on TikTok, which is nothing to scoff at, but through her content, she’s got to meet her heroes, take on unique consulting opportunities and had the chance to work with brands she loves. Having previously run a start-up, Dulma has a founder mentality and is on a mission to help people understand the world of brands and branding.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Dulma that you should know:
- Sometimes she does 2-3 weeks of research for one video — this is someone who cares!
- Dulma’s only been creating for a year, and her impact on the direct-to-consumer industry is massive
- She’s created her own podcast where she breaks down the brands and founders she highlights in her TikTok videos
If you want to learn more about Dulma, I recommend listening to her episode on The Danny Miranda Podcast --> https://youtu.be/IcrVaSWD7io
Make sure to follow Dulma on TikTok, Instagram and check out her podcast, too!
Today’s guest is Sarah Renae Clark. Unlike many creators, Sarah started off as an entrepreneur and turned to video content to grow her art business. Today she has over 175k subscribers on YouTube and is just getting started. She continuously looks for ways to get better as a creator. It could be learning new editing skills, flying to creator events worldwide to meet other creators or building a strong team around her. This year she created a new product called the Color Cube, which sold over 10,000 units. This is the beginning of a very successful creator career!
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Sarah that you should know:
- Sarah started creating coloring books while on maternity leave as a way to keep herself and other mothers busy
- Her husband is her operations, finance and editing manager — they're a dynamic duo
- She’s born, raised and still lives in Melbourne, Australia — being a creator really is a global business
Here's Sarah's most viewed video: https://youtu.be/YeI6Wqn4I78
Find Sarah on YouTube, Instagram and check out her coloring products!
Today’s guest is Taylor Bell. Taylor’s unlike any creator I’ve interviewed before — she’s willingly going back into management consulting while keeping up the same ambitions of a full-time YouTuber with over 200k subs. Her content is a journey through personal finance, her life as a management consulting and NYC vlogs. Below the surface, she’s got major ambitions and is someone many look up to as a role model.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Taylor that you should know:
- Taylor’s always in growth mode — it could be learning a new skill, hobby or perfecting what has already been started
- She has a perspective many others don’t from travelling all 7 continents and 50 US states
- She’s accomplished a lot so far in life — been a successful athlete, got her pilots license and has close to 200k YouTube subscribers
Make sure to follow Taylor on YouTube and Instagram!
Today’s guest is Nathan Kennedy aka newmoneynate. He’s a personal finance creator that never stops working on his craft and always looks for ways to innovate. His drive, which may be his superpower, gives him the endurance to stay relevant for a long time. Nathan will teach you about money and negotiations in an entertaining way. It’s almost, dare I say it…fun to learn about finance when he pops up on your for you page.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Nathan that you should know:
- He started creating content after listening to a finance podcast and wishing the information would be easier to understand
- Nathan cares about helping others — it’s a mission that can be felt throughout everything he does
- Nathan started with the podcasting format before getting into short-form content
Find Nathan Kennedy on TikTok, Instagram and Spotify
Today’s guest is Jordan Studdard. It was a friend of mine, Rohan Kumar, who sent me his profile. After watching the first video, I was in awe. The storytelling, set design, and editing were fantastic. Jordan is a world-builder. He takes a common question and turns it into a masterful video on the internet. He's respected by the OGs in the space and the up-and-comers. This is someone you should know.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Jordan that you should know
- Jordan went to school for animation — once you watch his videos, you won’t be surprised
- His studio is based out of 368, the creator collective started by Casey Neistat
- He reads more fiction than anyone I know — it’s no surprise that he’s an incredible storyteller
Check out Jordan on TikTok and Instagram!
Today’s guest is Max Reisinger. He’s wise beyond his years, and as a creator, he’s experienced more than most. There’s the YouTube audience of 500k subs he’s built or Perspectopia, the clothing brand he started or Creator Camp, the creator collective company he runs with other creators. It feels like Max is part of a wave of young creators trailblazing a new path on YouTube.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Max that you should know
- Max started creating content after moving with his family to France around 4yrs ago
- He took a gap year after high school and travelled the world with his friend Ryan Ng
- He just started university, where he’s studying Psychology to become a better storyteller
Get to know Max on YouTube, Instagram and learn what he's up to with Creator Camp.
Today’s guest is Danny Miranda. He’s the host and creator of The Danny Miranda Podcast, a top 1% podcast in the world. It's energizing to learn how big his vision is for the podcast and how much work he puts into becoming the best. There's a story about how Lebron invests millions back into his body. Danny is on the same wavelength. He's focused on getting 1% better every day. I’ll say it now: Danny will be the biggest podcaster in a couple of years.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Danny that you should know
- Danny has recorded over 250 episodes with massive personalities like Gary Vaynerchuck, Rory Sutherland etc.
- In the past month, his podcast clips have received over 5M views on social media
- Danny’s been creating for years in different formats. In 2013 he ran a successful New York Knicks blog
You can find Danny on Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and of course Spotify
Today’s guest is Neema Nazeri, or as you might know him on socials, NeemaNaz. He’s a Canadian comedian with the spirit of a creator and has the vision of a founder. If you spend a few minutes on his TikTok or YouTube, you’ll find a mix of impersonations (Like GaryVee and Gordon Ramsey), skits and a late-night show. It might seem like he’s blown up, but according to Neema, this is only the first act.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Neema that you should know
- Neema keeps a tight circle with the help of his manager, who’s also his brother
- Beyond comedy, he loves dancing, singing and acting. You might’ve seen him in Amazon Prime's show, The Boys
- Neema’s focused on building a media empire, not just a following on social media
Enjoy the conversation with Neema Nazeri and check him out on all socials:
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and don't forget his live comedy tour!
Today's guest is Andrew Murnane. If I were to sum up who he is as a creator, it would be a thing explainer for the book The Power of Now by Eckart Tole. Andrew has a gift for helping us understand identity's role in our lives and how to live in the present. Over one million people follow him on TikTok, and he has a podcast called, Dualistic Unity, with thousands of listeners.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Andrew that you should know
- Andrew started creating content because he felt that he would regret it if he didn't try
- He works a full-time job in digital advertising while creating videos and his own podcast on the side
- Andrew might be the world's greatest walker — there's a good chance you'll run into him if you're wandering around lower Manhattan
Check out all of Andrew's stuff:
TikTok, Instagram, Patreon and his Podcast
There's magic in creators interviewing each other — there's a level of respect, a sense of connection and a feeling of comfort. This time around, we wanted to share the perspective of incredible queer creators. Pride month might have ended, but queer creators aren't finished making an impact.
In this episode, Kain Nathaniel interviews Emily and Karbon, the founders of Queer Collective based in Toronto.
They talk through:
- how to approach being a creator
- helping brands understand the power of the queer creator community
- their experience working with brands
- how they uplift the queer community as a whole through their work
Check out what Queer Collective is doing!
Website: https://www.queercollectiveto.com/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/QueerCollective
IG: https://instagram.com/queer.collective?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Today’s guest is Fanjoy's CEO and founder, Chris Vaccarino. Chris and his team power the merch operations of many incredible creators. Fanjoy makes it super easy to create quality merch as a creator of any size. Fanjoy recently released Sykkuno's merch line which was a massive hit with fans. It’s wild to see how Chris has evolved Fanjoy from a VIP merch company for artists to one of the biggest creator merch operations in the world.
As always, before we get to the episode, here are three things about Chris that you should know
1) Chris was a theatre growing up and it makes sense when you hear how passionate he is for the creator side of things
2) He's starting to work with people outside of the creator space which is an exciting step for the company to take
3) Chris wants to leave a legacy alongside the creators he works with
And with that, let’s get to the good stuff! Here’s my conversation with Chris Vaccarino.
Today’s guest is Timm Chiusano. Get ready to be inspired.
It’s hard to describe what Timm does but if I were to explain it to you in Starbucks terms it would be: A hot vlog style storytelling macchiato with a double shot of inspiration and a dash of culture. I wouldn’t be surprised if people used Timm’s TikTok videos to pick them up when they’re down or to stoke the flame when they’re on a roll. He does it all while managing a family and a full-time job as an ad exec.
Here are three things about Timm that you should know
1) Timm creates as a creative outlet, not to make money. His mindset is very different from someone looking to content creation as a form of income
2) He wakes up at 4:02 every morning — at this point, it’s out of habit but the routine gives him the time he needs to create and tend to the other necessities of life
3) Timm’s created a community in the comment section so much so that he takes questions from followers and creates longer-form content on YouTube to share his perspective
Check out Timm on TikTok, YouTube and make sure to grab something from his thoughtful merch line!
Today’s guest is Grace Wells, whose tagline could be ‘award-winning commercials from my room”. You know the people that you meet once and right away you’re their biggest fan? Well, if not, that was me with Grace. You’ve definitely come across her ‘table top commercials’ where she produces high-quality product commercials in her room. She does it all from filming to visual effects. So excited for you to hear the episode.
Three things about Grace that you should know
- She’s 100% self-taught. Everything she’s wanted and needed to learn has come from YouTube. She jokes that she graduated from YouTube University
- She does everything herself. Grace scripts, films, edits, creates visual FX, chooses the music etc. She’s a one-person production company
- She’s signed as a Director to Tools of North America—a production company that helps brands realize the potential of working with unbelievable creators for high-quality productions. Recently she got the opportunity to work with SHAQ
Check out Grace on TikTok!
Today’s guest is Tom Curtis. He’s an inspiring human. There’s a good chance you’ve seen his work. You just might not have known it was him. Tom is the creator behind Things I Have Drawn, an Instagram account sharing what life would look like if it were up to kids.
It all started when he wanted to get his kids to draw more often. To do this, Tom told his kids that he would turn their drawings into real characters. The rest is history and Tom is closing in on a million followers on Instagram. He's worked with many world-renowned brands like Gucci, Mastercard and Shopify.
Here are three things about Tom that you should know
- He’s an executive creative director at MediaCom, one of the biggest media agencies in the world. It’s not often you find someone who loves their job and their side hustle
- Tom is out to make an impact by encouraging kids to keep creating and helping adults realize that maybe kids have the right ideas
- Even after using photoshop for 10yrs+, Tom still thinks he’s at an intermediate level. It’s a great reminder to always be a student of the game
Let's get to the good stuff, enjoy my chat with Tom Curtis!
The first time I came across one of Madelaine's videos I was blown away. The storytelling, the editing and the choice of music was something out of a film festival. From that day on I was hooked.
Madelaine Turner is a creator, writer and director that's well known for her highly produced, short films on TikTok. Some are commissioned by brands others are commissioned by her curiosity.
Last year she signed with UTA and is now is getting the opportunity to direct commercials and even write her first feature film. TikTok might birth the next generational director...
Three things about Madelaine that you should know before listening to the episode
- She is a one person show; She writes, directs, acts, edits and adds the visual FX for all her TikTok videos
- She’s been compared to Wes Anderson based on her editing style
- She’s fully self taught. Madelaine didn’t go to university or college but instead, YouTube was her teacher
Find Madelaine on TikTok and Instagram!
Today’s guest is Josh Glodoveza. You might also know him as Caru. He’s the VP Talent at Fanjoy and works with some of the biggest Twitch streamers such as Sykkuno and Hannah Rose, to name a few.
Caru's journey into the creator space starts in his early teen years. It started with creating Minecraft thumbnails for gamers and slowly evolved into managing incredible talent.
Here are three things that stood out to me during our conversation:
- Caru values the human side as much as someone's skill, which makes him a great manager
- As VP Talent at Fanjoy, he’s helping creators build their brand beyond social media
- He’s only 18 and already has so much experience. Imagine where he’ll go in the future
Find Caru on Twitter and Instagram
Think back to when you were in school. So many courses and classes were forgotten right after the final exam was complete. Why? I believe it's because we didn't have a strong connection with our teachers. Without that connection it's hard to see the beauty in the subjects you're learning. Hot take, maybe? But creators are fixing this and now with the platforms available to create your own courses, they are changing education for the better.
Do you agree? Think I'm completely off-base? Let me know. Would love to hear your take.
Apple Crider is a name you might not be familiar with. At 24, he is the co-founder of Creators Agency, a company that handles brand partnerships for the worlds biggest finance creators. The exciting thing is he's just getting started.
Before starting the agency, Apple was a personal finance creator. He has a very successful podcast (Young Smart Money), YouTube channel and TikTok account. One day it dawned on him that his passion isn't video creation, it's wealth creation for other creators. That's when the wheels for Creators Agency started to turn. He found the right people, came up with a name and the rest is history.
Apple cares deeply for the space, is incredibly resourceful and is itching to help more creators building sustainable businesses in the future. We might have to do a part II in a couple of years once he's taken over the creator world.
Where you can find Apple:
Creators Agency
YouTube
Today's episode is different. It's the first solo episode I've recorded. Over the past four weeks I've participated in Creator Now, a creator cohort to help jumpstart my own YouTube journey. It's been fantastic and has forced me to reflect on what's important as a new creator.
Creator Now was co-founded by Airrack, a creator that went from 0 to one million subscribers in 2020. What he's building is special. This episode isn't sponsored. Rather, it's a reflection on my time there and what I've come to learn about finding a creative 'tribe'.
Hopefully it inspires you or sparks interest to think about your tribe as a creator. Maybe, it encourages you to sign up for the next cohort of Creator Now.
In this episode Danny talks to a brand deal wizard, Justin Moore. Justin is a creator, entrepreneur and teacher whose mission in life is to help creators secure 1M brand deals by 2032. Powerful!
It all started when he and his wife stumbled upon the power of creating videos. They've done it all together—daily vlogged, built large followings across all social media platforms and set up weekly live shopping streams. This experience gave Justin a look into the creator industry that many don't get to see.
Recently, he built two courses: 1) Brand Deal Wizard and 2) Gifted to Paid. Each serves a different purpose for creators. At the end of the day, these courses help creators realize how to maximize their potential. Funny enough, being a successful creator requires strong negotiation and sales skills. Justin is the man that brings clarity to a blurry reality. Want to learn more? Sign up for his newsletter!
It's safe to say Justin is a creator, not an influencer. He cares for his audience and takes the craft of storytelling very seriously.
Check out Justin on all socials—YouTube, Instagram and Twitter
Welcome to week 29. Creators occupy all corners of the internet. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and others will make you think. But, regardless of the output, each one has one thing in common. They are storytellers. So what does it looks like when the creator helps tell others stories.
This week I'm chatting with Rob Lawless, aka Robs10kfriends. After leaving the corporate world in 2016, Rob set a goal of meeting 10,000 people. It's a journey to uncover the unknown and broaden his perspective. So far, he's met 4,674 people. Each conversation is an hour long. That means he has spent 280,440 hours learning about others and building genuine friendships. His mission is inspiring. There are countless stories of others embarking on a similar journey because of what he's doing. Imagine the impact he'll make by conversation 10,000.
So, let's get to the good stuff. Here's my conversation with Rob Lawless
Welcome to week 28. If it’s true that creators are the new brands, then they need to be supported like them. When starting a traditional business you have access to a suite of tools that help you analyze the data, take out loans, and effectively scale. The same can’t be said for creators which is why…
This week I’m chatting with Sima Gandhi. A year ago Sima teamed up with Night Media president Ezra Cooperstein to build Creative Juice, a platform offering financial tools to support creators as they grow. The idea is simple - become the financial network for creators of all sizes. Before taking on the CEO role at Creative Juice, Sima was leading business development teams at Plaid and AmEx. She is the perfect person to be leading the charge. Talking to Sima was so refreshing. Not only does she have the right skills and experience, but she cares deeply about how creators will change the world for the better. I had a lot of fun with this one.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Sima Gandhi.
Welcome to week 27. When starting a business, you need to come up with the product and then find an audience. Here's why creators have a leg up—they already have the audience. For them, it’s an exercise in deciding what product to sell. It’s not all smooth sailing, though. Their challenge is figuring out a plan to build the brand beyond their audience, which is why…
This week I’m talking to Bryan Spunt. Bryan is the CEO of Seek Discomfort, the clothing brand started by well-known creators, YES Theory. One thing is clear. Bryan found his perfect role. His background is in eCommerce (Popsockets and Elwood); he’s passionate about fashion and believes in the Seek Discomfort mantra. There aren’t many brands like Seek Discomfort—their clothing embodies a way of life. It’s truly one-of-a-kind. Bryan wants to build the world’s biggest family alongside YES Theory, and believe me, you want to be a part of it.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Bryan Spunt.
Welcome to week 26. There’s something magical about leaning into what you’re passionate about. We all know the narrative of the entrepreneurial student who drops out of school to start their own business. But, what about the creative storyteller who defers their degree to build a content empire on social media?
This week I’m chatting with Tejas Hullur. A year ago, Tejas decided to take a year off university to pursue his passion: telling stories and building businesses. It’s fair to say that he made the right decision. In just over a year, he has grown a TikTok audience of over 400k followers, built a Snapchat show and started a podcast. Tejas’ videos cover anything from the careers of creators to key takeaways from the business world and sometimes, his own life lessons. To complement his content creation, he’s now advising creators like Dylan Lamay on how to build their own businesses. Oh, and one more thing. He’s a creator in residence at Stir, a company building tools for creators.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Tejas Hullur.
Welcome to week 25. One of my favourite things about the rise of TikTok is the fact that there’s a community for anyone. Booktok, Wicktok, Runtok. It creates a massive opportunity for brands to partner with creators to run their accounts. I wanted to learn more about what that would look like which is why...
This week I’m talking to Jessie Jacobson aka @growithjessie. In under 18 months, Jessie has grown her TikTok account to over 900k followers by showing people how to germinate fruits and vegetables. It’s the perfect balance of education and entertainment. After seeing some success, she realized there was a bigger opportunity. Jessie started running TikTok accounts for really exciting consumer brands like Homesick and RunGum. Recently, she has turned her expertise into a consulting business helping other consumer brands build a sustainable presence on TikTok. Oh and one last thing, she just launched a course with the help of Maven.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Jessie Jacobson.
Welcome to week 24. Every day we’re influenced by someone or something. It might be by our friends, a creator online or even the weather. No matter the environment or industry, creators are all around us. But, they don’t all look like the typical YouTube or TikTok creator. I wanted to learn more about how B2B brands work with creators which is why...
This week I’m talking to Sonya Latreille Jeans. Sonya is the director of digital and influencer marketing for Schwarzkopf Professional, a Henkel professional haircare brand. In 2017, she built the influencer strategy for the brand and never looked back. It’s not unrealistic to say that the hairstylists Sonya built relationships with helped to rejuvenate Schwarzkopf in the years that followed. What I enjoyed most about this chat was learning how Sonya and her team look to support creators beyond the contractual agreement.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Sonya Latreille Jeans.
Welcome to week 23. The term influencer or creator might be new but the act of creating goes back to the beginning of mankind. What’s beautiful is that no two creators are the same yet there’s a common desire for self-expression. As a form of self-expression, I’ve always been fascinated by fashion which is why...
This week I’m talking to Adrianne Betz. Adrianne is the founder & CEO of a children’s clothing brand called Little Adi & Co. Her journey as a creator started with the birth of her first son. As her business grew, so did her family. Soon enough, her customers and fellow entrepreneurs wanted to learn more about how she managed to be a mom, founder and creator. Since there was a demand for her personal life, Adrianne started a blog and devoted her Instagram account, @little_adi_co, to highlighting her family. I’m blown away by how she manages it all.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Adrianne Betz.
Welcome to week 22. If you’re a sports fan, you’ve experienced the power of storytelling. The rags to riches narrative. The comeback kid. It’s these stories that draw us closer to our favourite players and teams. But, how they’re told makes all the difference
This week I’m talking to Frank Smith aka Frank Michael Smith. He’s a creator with 1.2m followers on TikTok and 600K on YouTube telling stories about sports in one minute or less. Frank’s videos are addictive. You watch one and the next thing you know you’re 30 videos deep. His style is unique; it’s a concoction of great storytelling and engaging animations with a hint of education. Fun fact: Frank just bought his dad’s home and is turning the basement into his own studio. Imagine where he’ll be 12 months from now.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Frank Smith.
Welcome to week 21. One of the reasons we follow the same creators is because of their journey. Seeing them grow up, celebrate milestones and facing challenges. They’re all parts of life that we can relate to. But, sometimes, we are more interested in their pets which is why…
This week I’m chatting with Maddie Johnson. Maddie is a mission-driven creator who runs the Instagram account livingwithpickles where she documents what it’s like to care for and live with a house full of animals. To Maddie, her Farmily, as she calls it, has become her job. To her community, the account has become a place of hope and happiness. Look beyond social media and you’ll find that she’s published a children’s book, set up an Airbnb experience at her home, built a community of animal lovers on Patreon and helps foster animals find the right homes. Her story is far from over. I wouldn’t be surprised if Maddie got her own TV show one of these days.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Maddie Johnson.
Welcome to week 20. With time on your hands, there’s nothing better than going down a rabbit hole and learning something new. Recently, I’ve found myself mesmerized with sleight of hand magicians. Their finesse blows me away. I wanted to learn more. That’s why…
This week I’m speaking with Bao Hoang or as you might know him, Bao Magic. He is a creator on the rise who puts out educational and light-hearted magic content. Over the past three years, he has built an audience of 100K on YouTube and 170K on TikTok. Those numbers are more impressive when you learn that he works a day job as a creative director. But, it doesn’t end there. Bao has already built a brand beyond his likeness with his Instant Noodle playing cards and Boba playing cards. Fun fact: the Boba playing cards got funded on Kickstarter in 36min...
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Bao Hoang.
Welcome to week 19. TikTok is a breeding ground for talent. It’s a megaphone for good content which can change someone’s life instantly. As someone who spends way too much time on the app each day I wanted to learn more about the rise of a TikTok creator which is why this week…
I’m chatting with Simba. You might know him from his 'Fax, no printer' TikToks or his 'You Laugh, You Drink' series. He is an energetic creator with a really big vision. Simba was about to enter the army when he started posting TikToks back in 2019. The rest is history from there. He now has 8.6M followers and started his own podcasting network called The BroCode Network. One of the things I respect about Simba is how much he cares for his larger crew. He wants to see everyone around him succeed. Keep an eye out, this is only the beginning.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Simba.
Check out Simba on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and make sure to listen to his podcast!
Welcome to week 18. To me, the best influencer marketing programs look to elevate the creator beyond the contractual agreement. When brands grow alongside creators, something magical happens. I wanted to learn more about what this looks like which is why...
I’m talking to Adam Hadi. Adam is the VP of Marketing at Current which is a modern bank built to meet the needs of a younger demographic who live paycheck to paycheck. When it comes to influencer marketing, no one is doing it better than Adam. There's a good chance his team at Current is already working with your favourite creators.
Adam has shown the value of building deep relationships with creators. Spoiler alert: it doesn't happen overnight. Look no further than Current’s one-of-a-kind partnership with Mr.Beast. Fun fact: Adam gave Mr.Beast his first brand deal back in 2017 while working at Quidd.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Adam Hadi.
This week I’m talking to Dan Gregory - Dan is a barber out of London, England who has become the face of Regal Gentleman’s YouTube channel. Their growth has been phenomenal over the past two years. People find comfort in watching Dan - a world-class barber - cut a stranger's hair as he explains his thought process. It’s a true art. Beyond YouTube, Dan is involved in many ventures. He sells his own hair products, hosts a podcast and, is building a platform to educate aspiring barbers. I don’t know how he gets it all done. His work ethic is inspiring.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s my conversation with Dan Gregory.
Check out Dan on YouTube and Instagram!
Welcome to week 16. Hosting this podcast has lead to many great surprises. Learning the origin stories of each creator definitely takes the cake. Every story is so unique, especially for those who started creating out of hardship.
This week I’m talking to Jo Beckwith aka Footless Jo - Jo is a creator, author and public speaker who has been creating on Youtube for the past four years. In 2017 she launched Trauma Talk - a channel for exploring and discussing life in the aftermath of trauma. A couple of years later Jo endured an extremely traumatic situation when part of her right leg was amputated. She documented her journey by uploading videos on her 2nd YouTube channel, Footless Jo. It marked a turning point in her career. Today she is an inspiration for many and a building light for those dealing with disabilities.
So, let’s get to the good stuff. Enjoy the conversation with Jo Beckwith.
Find Jo on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok!
Welcome to week 15. I’ve always wondered how you decide what social platforms to build on. There’s a lot to consider, especially how to engage with your audience. If you're looking to cultivate a community, there is no better platform than on Twitch.
This week I’m talking to Tre Peterson - Tre runs Medium Rare Bread on Twitch where he reviews, previews and critiques his audience’s music. His channel is relatively new yet his impact has been enormous. Many artists and producers have submitted music to his streams that are now popular songs. On top of the daily streams, Tre is starting a business that allows streamers to use high-quality, royalty-free music for their channels. This is only the beginning for Tre and Medium Rare Bread.
Catch his Twitch streams Mon-Thurs from 5-8pm EST.
Welcome to week 14! For a lot of us learning what we love to do takes time. One experience leads to the next. Each stop on the journey teaches us something we didn’t know before. Until one day you find exactly what it was you’ve been looking for.
This week I’m talking to Tom Boyd - Today Tom is a creator who educates other creators on mindset, process and maximizing creative output. He does this through his podcast called Creators are Brands and has an Instagram account called Bonus Footage. Rewind 10yrs and Tom was working with Asher Roth, who was Scooter Braun’s first management client, and other artists in the music industry. He’s a captivating storyteller, a wordsmith and a creator’s biggest advocate.
Check out Tom's podcast, Creators Are Brands and his Instagram account!
Kevin takes us through why developing your own merch as a Creator is an unbelievable marketing tool.
In this interview, Hugo and I discuss why creators are rebels working to destroy outdated, old media institutions.
In this interview, Shardul shares his thoughts on Knowledge and the three main things Public.com is looking for when it comes to Creators. Are they interested in building a community and an audience that matches their own, is there an overall vibe that meshes well, and do they align with the company mission?
We dive deep into how Nick launched his own YouTube channel after founding his DTC company, Ollie Nickel.
Kate Ward is building creator businesses as Director of Operations at One Day Entertainment, a talent management and business development company based in California.
In her series, Tiffany researches and discusses an abundance of current happenings relevant to social issues and media, some of which we spoke about together.
Our conversation included Tiffany’s thoughts on money, brand sponsorships, growing a ... (Read more).
The path toward being a full-time content creator started merely as a passion for Danie. The passion sparked from living in unique, quirky homes that required unique ... (Read more).
Phil’s path in the creator space began when he started working as a comedian through college. He then gained operator experience in full-screen during the beginning of his career.
Recently, Phil was the Head of Creators at Mobcrush, followed by the Head of Gaming Creators at Facebook. Now, Phil uses what he’s learned throughout his career ... (Read more).
Trapital is a media company that is home to all things related to the business of hip hop. Dan has a newsletter; he writes essays on his site and runs his own podcast. Among his loyal readers, you'll find music executives, media moguls, VCs, and even pro athletes.
This is an especially fun episode, so lets' get to the good stuff...(Read more)
I recently sat down with Aysha Harun, a beauty and lifestyle blogger who’s worked with some of the biggest brands in the industry, such as Maybelline and L’Oreal.
Her primary content creation channel is YouTube, where she now has over 400,000 subscribers. She creates skincare videos, styling inspirations, tutorials, and lifestyle vlogs and talks about social issues like colorism and mental health.
We discussed her journey of starting a YouTube channel at the age of 16, representing Black Muslim women, and establishing a presence in the... (Read more)