Are brands making a massive mistake by overlooking YouTube?

In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with creator Larray and CAA talent agent Andrew Graham to unpack why Fortune 500 brands have shifted budgets to TikTok and Instagram and what they’re losing by ignoring the long-form power of YouTube.

They break down the post-pandemic budget shift, the rise of UGC and paid media, and the growing disconnect between what marketers think drives culture and where real community and real revenue are actually built.

If you're a CMO, brand marketer, creator, or operator in the creator economy, this is a must-listen conversation.

Topics Discussed:
- Why brand dollars moved from YouTube to short-form platforms
- The difference between paid media strategy and creator strategy
- How YouTube builds deeper, more loyal communities
- Why long-form content drives stronger purchase intent
- The connected TV opportunity most brands are ignoring

Key Takeaways:
- Why YouTube audiences create “superfans” who buy products, tickets, and merch
- How long-form content builds emotional connection that short-form can’t replicate
- The strategic mistake brands make when they treat YouTube like just another ad platform
- Why creators with strong YouTube businesses build real enterprise value
- How brands can integrate into “hero” content instead of relying solely on paid media

As Andrew puts it: if you want transactions, go short-form. If you want to build an empire, build on YouTube.

Watch to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business — and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

What if the creators promoting your brand didn’t just get paid, but actually owned a piece of it?

In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Jeff Frommer, founder of OWM, to break down why the future of the creator economy isn’t more #ads — it’s ownership.

Jeff explains how founders can use equity as a growth engine, why creators should start asking “What do I own?”, and how influence-for-equity partnerships are reshaping distribution, incentives, and long-term value creation.

Topics Discussed:
- Why equity is a founder’s most valuable currency
- The shift from one-off sponsorships to long-term ownership partnerships
- How to value a creator in an equity deal
- The advisor vs ambassador vs co-founder framework
- How OWM structures and brokers influence-for-equity deals
- Why trust and distribution are the last true moats in an AI-driven world

Key Takeaways:
- How to structure influence-for-equity deals without overcomplicating legal or valuation
- A practical framework for deciding whether a creator should be an advisor, ambassador, or co-founder
- Why equity fundamentally changes how creators show up for a brand
- How founders can reduce CAC by aligning incentives instead of renting attention
- What creators should be asking brands if they want long-term upside
- Why AI will create millions of entrepreneurs, but attention and trust will be scarce

If you’re a founder trying to scale distribution or a creator thinking beyond brand deals, this conversation will change how you think about value.

Listen to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

Smosh didn’t just survive two decades on YouTube, it rebuilt itself into a premium comedy company, and this episode breaks down exactly how they did it. In this episode of The Business of Creators, host Ian Shepherd sits down with Alessandra Catanese, CEO of Smosh, to break down how one of YouTube’s most iconic comedy brands is evolving into a premium, future-proof media company.

Alessandra shares how Smosh is balancing creative freedom with sustainable business growth, why YouTube remains central to their strategy, and what it really takes to build a healthy creator-led company at scale. From redefining company culture to diversifying revenue streams and investing in talent, this conversation offers a rare look behind the scenes of a modern creator business operating at a high level.

Topics Discussed:
- Smosh’s evolution from YouTube channel to premium comedy brand
- Why creator companies need clear values, culture, and leadership
- Building sustainable revenue across AdSense, brand deals, merch, and live shows
- Hiring, scaling teams, and maintaining work-life balance
- The future of the creator economy and its convergence with traditional media

Key Takeaways:
- Learn how to evolve a creator brand without alienating your existing audience
- Understand how to structure leadership so creators can stay creative while the business scales
- See how Smosh balances free YouTube content with paid products, merch, and live experiences
- Discover how intentional culture, hiring, and work-life balance drive long-term growth
- Get a clear framework for thinking about the future of the creator economy and where opportunities are opening up next

Listen to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business — and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

You won’t believe how a $2,500 angel investment and a WhatsApp group turned into one of the most powerful female-led creator brands today. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Maggie Sellers Reum, founder of Hot Smart Rich about how she turned her creator-led female ambition brand into something so powerful that Steven Bartlett and FlightStory came calling. She shares the full behind-the-scenes of how the deal happened and how she’s scaling her media business without losing its soul.

Topics Discussed:
- The moment Maggie knew HSR was more than just content
- How FlightStory discovered the podcast and why they invested
- Lessons from negotiating your first major deal as a creator
- Why community is HSR’s secret weapon
- Building a real brand beyond virality

What You’ll Learn:
- How Maggie got on Steven Bartlett’s radar — and why DMs matter
- The strategic value of partnerships for podcast and media growth
- Why monetizing a podcast requires more than just great content
- How to position your brand to attract investors (even if you're small)
- The systems Maggie uses to scale as a founder and creator-CEO

Watch to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

What if your podcast could be the next billion-dollar media company? Georgie Holt is already building them with Steven Bartlett and she reveals exactly how.

In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Georgie Holt, CEO of FlightStory & Co Founder of FlightStory Studio, who shares the playbook for turning creators into powerful media brands, using data, AI and obsessive focus on audience value.

You’ll hear how they’ve scaled The Diary of a CEO into cultural phenomena and why the next generation of media empires will be built by creators, not corporations.

Topics Discussed:
- What FlightStory actually does (and why it’s more than a podcast network)
- How to evaluate creators like venture capitalists
- The tools and data behind FlightStory’s “creator radar” system
- Why community and long-form content are essential for scale
- How AI is shaping the future of content creation

What You’ll Learn:
- How to turn your content into a full-scale media brand
- What metrics and experiments actually move the needle
- The mindset shift from “creator” to “founder”
- How to structure a team that helps you scale beyond platforms
- Why audience obsession drives long-term growth

Listen to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

If you want to understand where the creator economy is heading — and how to build a real business in it — this episode is a must-listen.

Ian Shepherd sits down with Beehiiv CEO and co-founder Tyler Denk to break down the company’s massive new product launch and its mission to become “the operating system for the content economy.” Tyler shares how Beehiiv is transforming newsletters into full-scale media businesses with websites, digital products, analytics, an ad network and more — all in one platform built for both solo creators and major publishers.

Topics Discussed:
- Beehiiv’s new product ecosystem and why they shipped everything at once
- How newsletters, websites, podcasts, and digital products now fit into one unified platform
- Why creators and publishers are moving toward full-stack, consolidated toolsets
- How Beehiiv’s ad network and Boosts give creators instant monetization opportunities
- The role Tyler’s own newsletter plays in shaping Beehiiv’s roadmap and enterprise strategy

What You’ll Gain From This Episode:
- A clear understanding of how top creators are building real, scalable content businesses
- Practical ideas for monetizing your content — even with a small audience
- Insight into how to simplify your creator tech stack for faster growth and less friction
- Strategies for owning your audience and future-proofing your business
- A behind-the-scenes look at how Beehiiv is building tools designed for long-term creator success

Listen to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

In this episode Ian Shepherd sits down with Amy Madison Luo, CEO of Blueberry, to explore how digital fashion is exploding across platforms like Roblox and Snapchat. They break down how Blueberry creates culture native to gaming, why this moment mirrors the early days of streetwear, and how the next generation of fashion brands might be built entirely inside virtual worlds.

Topics Discussed:
- How digital fashion works inside Roblox and why players treat avatars like real identity
- Blueberry’s design process and how it builds culturally resonant digital brands
- High performing creator collaborations and the strategy behind hits like the Natasha Panda drop
- The launch of Blueberry Creator Studio and how it lets fans design and publish their own looks
- Amy’s journey from law and crypto to leading one of the biggest digital fashion houses
- Where digital fashion is heading across platforms and how AI could transform design

Key Takeaways:
- Understand how digital fashion is becoming a real industry and why it might be the next massive wave in the creator economy.
- Learn how Roblox creators are quietly building multi million dollar brands and what opportunities still exist for early movers.
- Get a behind the scenes look at how digital fashion drops are actually made from design to collabs to distribution.
- Discover how Blueberry is turning fans into co creators and what that means for the future of creator led businesses.
- Hear practical insights you can apply to your own creator strategy especially if you want to build products, IP, or a brand inside gaming platforms.

Listen to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

Podcasting isn’t just a side hustle anymore, it’s becoming the next major media industry.

In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Greg Glenday, CEO at Acast, to reveal how the world’s biggest podcast-only company is scaling globally with open RSS, smarter monetization, and AI that enhances, not replaces, human creativity.

Topics Discussed:
- How Acast turned dynamic ad insertion into a billion-dollar podcast ad backbone
- “Open, not walled”: why being platform-agnostic is Acast’s superpower
- The real ways AI is being used right now — from better ad matching to creative automation
- What makes the UK and Australia such strong podcast markets (and how the U.S. is catching up)
- Why YouTube has become the new podcast discovery engine

What You’ll Learn by Listening:
- How to use AI tools to boost your ad revenue without losing your voice
- Why going “open RSS” could be your best growth move as a creator
- How brands are finally valuing podcasting as a measurable, mainstream ad channel
- The global trends shaping podcasting’s next wave — and where the biggest opportunities lie
- How to future-proof your creator business as the industry matures and ad tech evolves

Watch to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!

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