Ep. 76: 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.creatorspotlight.com/profiles__Follow JordanNewsletterLinkedInX/Twitter__FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Jordan DiPietro01:08 The 3 moves to bet your career on08:16 These creator economy trends are dying17:20 Communities are the next search engine19:42 The non-negotiables of a successful community29:00 Audience vs community, the key differences32:25 What you need to last in the creator economy37:53 It's marketing all the way down41:49 Signal//Noise45:46 When to quit your job as a creator50:36 The value of relationships in business
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Ep. 75: 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__BillyLinkedInSlow VenturesJonathan Katz-Moses__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Billy Parks and Slow Ventures01:30 What makes an investable creator?05:35 The two types of creator businesses13:44 Creators are just founders17:24 Which creators need investment the most?23:30 The difficulties of valuing a creator business32:13 It's all marketing34:29 The biggest risk in creator investments38:12 Business is the future of the creator economy42:54 How to be niche in the creator economy
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Ep. 74: 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 NguyenWebsiteInstagramLinkedInPaper Talk Podcast__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Quynh Nguyen02:53 The most important marketing principles online06:52 How to get paid to teach your passion12:01 The secret to nurturing a valuable community18:34 Moving from a physical to a digital business24:32 A podcast that builds trust and loyalty31:07 The creator-entrepreneur spectrum36:02 Expanding audience for future events40:40 Breaking down the revenue of a thriving online business45:45 From 6-week course to 6-month mastermind50:17 The one thing Quynh is most proud of
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Ep. 73: 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__AltsWebsiteInstagramYouTubeStefanLinkedInSubstack__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Stefan02:05 An alternative revenue breakdown06:54 The biggest challenges of community building15:02 How a side project becomes a business22:44 Demonstrating the value of your content27:33 Leveraging audience segmentation31:21 Decentralised due-diligence33:56 The art of buying and selling newsletters37:10 A bearish perspective on the newsletter economy40:54 The power of events as a community business47:17 The playbook for newsletter acquisition49:39 Newsletter remix concept53:16 A love for physical media56:55 Where is the creator/business owner tipping point
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Ep. 72: 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 HubSpotMindstream __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __00:00 Introducing Jonathan Hunt 01:20 The 3 pillars of audience development 04:16 For the independent creator 07:32 Marketing through content creation 14:10 The most sustainable monetization models 18:18 Building a brand voice 21:00 The need for diversification 23:41 The ever evolving definition of 'creator' 26:50 The most shocking recent changes in media 28:27 When to sell your business as a solo creator
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.
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