It's No Fluke

The co-founders of Greenlight Group join for a very inside look at the creator economy. We talk about the many opportunities and some challenges facing the creator economy, how to be the best advocate for talent, where to find talent and Italian Brainrot. IYKYK. It’s a Masterclass without the subscription. Michael Berkowitz is A Berklee College of Music graduate, Michael majored in Professional Mu...

Thea Neal knows brands. As the founder of TMN Branding, with more than 15 years of marketing experience, Thea has led marketing teams at Coinbase, Royal Caribbean Group and Hallmark. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 in marketing and advertising, and is still pushing herself to live up to the title (despite being now over 30). When she isn't creating strategies for Fortune 500 companies, you can fin...

Francesco Federico is Chief Marketing Officer at S&P Global, where he leads global marketing strategy across five divisions of the 165-year-old heritage brand. With a career that defies conventional paths, Francesco combines the analytical precision of his legal training with entrepreneurial vision and corporate leadership experience to drive marketing innovation in complex financial markets....

Damon Harman is the Founder & CEO of StreamerDap , a cutting-edge platform revolutionizing sponsorships between brands and live streamers. By enabling seamless, real-time brand integrations, StreamerDap transforms traditional advertising into an authentic and measurable experience for both brands and creators. A pioneer in interactive content, Damon has produced and directed live and branded e...

Andrea Palten is the founder of  CMO Growth Guide , where she helps startup founders and early-stage companies scale through effective marketing strategies. She's also the Vice President of Marketing at Techstars. With over a decade of helping thousands of founders with their marketing and scaling their businesses, Andrea specializes in building demand generation systems and teaching marketing...

Simone Banna, the self-proclaimed Queen of Strategy and Culture, is a marketing and partnerships executive known for translating cultural relevance into measurable growth. She specializes in building strategic partnerships that unlock new revenue, expand audiences, and strengthen brand ecosystems across high-impact verticals including sports, technology, and entertainment. Simone has held roles at...

Ian Shepherd has 25 years commercial experience at some of the world’s leading media companies including Disney, Universal Music and WarnerMedia along with start-up experience as the founder of two leading Creator Economy businesses. He is currently Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Electrify Video Partners . They invest in and scale established YouTube channels, enabling content creators to maximize their...

Becky Frost is the founder and CEO of Frost Communications. She is a highly accomplished communications executive whose career spans over 18 years of driving strategic, integrated marketing and communications programs across the globe. Becky brings a unique blend of brand strategy, executive advisory, and messaging expertise to organizations at every stage of growth—from nimble, fast-moving startu...

Josh Kaplan is the CEO and Co-Founder of Smooth Media , a new agency that represents the best knowledge creators on the internet. He was on the founding team at Morning Brew and is focused on helping creators educate, empower, and engage professional audiences.

Mandy Hoskinson is a talented digital marketer and visual artist based in Los Angeles, California. She has a passion for digital marketing and community management, which began during her time at UCLA where she co-launched the university's social media platforms. After her successful experience at UCLA, Mandy took on various roles in the digital marketing industry, including work for LA 2028 (...

Monica Khan is a creator economy multi-hyphenate with 15+ years of experience helping creators build sustainable, revenue-driven businesses. As Partner and Head of Digital at Strand Entertainment, she leads creator management, representing top digital-first talent through multi-platform growth and strategic partnerships. Earlier in her career, Monica worked directly with top creators and media com...

Robyn Nissim began her career on the agency side of advertising, launching social channels for global brands like Michelin and Nissan. After five years in the Ad World and winning a Webby Award, she realized she could make waves on social platforms using zero brand dollars, which led her to launch an independent freelancing business. During this time, Robyn built out Ulta Beauty's entire influ...

Rachel Catanach is Senior Partner and General Manager of FleishmanHillard’s New York operations, responsible for people development, cultivating existing client relationships, and securing new business.  She has held this position since November 2021.  She also spearheads the firm’s Global Executive Advisory initiative.  A New Zealand native, Rachel started her communications career as a business...

Carolyn Pollock is a visionary brand builder who has transformed some of the most iconic brands in North American retail. As Chief Marketing Officer at Tailored Brands (parent company of Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank), Carolyn led a sweeping brand and creative relaunch, reshaping customer perceptions and driving measurable gains in awareness, consideration, and loyalty. Known for her bold appro...

David Shelley is Chief Executive Officer of the Hachette Book Group , which is home to seven publishing divisions – Basic Books Group; Grand Central Publishing; Hachette Audio; Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Orbit; and Workman Running Press Group. He also serves as CEO of Hachette UK, the second largest UK publisher, with 12 autonomous divisions and over 50 impri...

Jamie McLaughlin is the Founder and CEO of Monday Talent . He is regarded as an authority in Marketing, Creative and Communications recruitment and search, successfully working in the industry for nearly 20 years, across 5 continents and partnering with the world’s most regarded brands. Jamie has an unrivaled global network and has created formidable tactical partnerships with some of the most hig...

Maria A. Rodriguez is the VP of Marketing and Communications at Open Influence , a global creator marketing agency that has shaped the industry since 2013. With over 13 years of experience spanning journalism, digital media, and strategic communications, her career has been built at the intersection of media, culture, and technology. She holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Public Relations from U...

Barbara Duffek is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Georgia State University, J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Barbara holds a PhD from Imperial College London. In her research, she explores the cooperation between different stakeholders in influencer marketing, with the goal of better understanding how influencers can be effectively leveraged. She also explores the use of AI in consumer...

James Heath is the VP of Creator Marketing at TelevisaUnivision , boasting 8 years of experience in the creator economy. With a career spanning various roles in growth strategy, audience development and talent management, James has navigated every creator era, from MCN to TikTok house. In his current role, he has reshaped TelevisaUnivision’s creator capability by launching a new model for brand pa...

Anne-Margot Rodde, Founder & CEO, Creators Corp. For nearly two decades, Anne-Margot Rodde has been a pioneering force in video games, digital media, and the metaverse, holding strategic roles at leading agencies and driving high-profile projects for brands like Microsoft Xbox and PlayStation. Margot launched her first gaming venture with experiential agency WePlay, serving clients such as EA,...

Kevin Herrera is a veteran of the creator economy with 18+ years in the game. Currently operating TheMachine and previously at The Gersh Agency, Kevin's prophetic thought leadership has led to a sizable LinkedIn following, hundreds of millions of dollars earned for his clients and a network of creator representatives nearing 1,000 members. Kevin is a rare mix of storyteller and business acumen...

Armando Turco is the President of Mojo Supermarket , a certified minority owned agency headquartered in Chinatown, NYC. Mojo Supermarket helps make brands more interesting, and is the Social Content AOR for brands like TikTok, Lululemon and The Truth Initiative. Armando Turco was previously the SVP of Global Brand & Creative at Oatly, the world’s original and largest oat milk company. In his r...

Jennifer Wakefield, APR, is the President and Chief Executive Officer for the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP). In her role, she is responsible for collaborating with public and private sector stakeholders to set and drive the organizational vision. She assumed her current role in February 2021 after joining the organization in 2017. During her time as President and CEO, she created a new strate...

Alessandra Catanese serves as CEO of Smosh, the internet’s largest sketch comedy brand and a pioneer in creator-first entertainment, redefining comedy for the digital generation. Catanese’s career has spanned the evolution of the digital creator space, from helping establish the talent department at Maker Studios during the early days of YouTube, to launching the Los Angeles division of Patreon in...

As CEO of Porter Novelli , Jillian Janaczek manages talent and operations of the strategic communications company globally, nurturing key client relationships, and driving business growth across Health, Corporate + Brand, Food + Ag + Nutrition, Purpose + Impact, Tech, and Government, as well as strategic services. She is part of OPRG’s (Omnicom PR Group’s) global leadership team. ​  Before Porter...