The Business of Creators

What happens when you combine a viral creator with a disruptive candy brand? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd dives into the story of 1UP with co-founders Michael Schenker, and Chris Koch — the team behind the bold new candy brand launched with FaZe Rug. From rapid product innovation to landing Walmart distribution in months, they share how they’re building a Gen Z-first C...

Want to know the secret to going viral and getting paid on Snapchat? This episode breaks it all down. Ian Shepherd sits down with Varshini Satish, Talent Partnerships Lead at Snapchat, to explore how Snap is rapidly becoming one of the most creator-friendly platforms in 2025 — with a strong focus on authenticity, monetization and deep audience engagement. Topics Discussed: - What Varshini’s team d...

Launching products for sale? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and Colin & Samir use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc6 What if your next big payday didn’t come from AdSense or brand deals—but from a product you...

What happens when a college freshman drops out and builds a social media empire from scratch? Teddy Solomon did exactly that — and now Fizz is dominating college campuses across the U.S. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Teddy Solomon to uncover how Fizz tapped into Gen Z’s craving for authenticity, creating a platform where real conversations thrive — withou...

Launching products for sale? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and IShowSpeed use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc5  What happens when one of the world’s biggest podcasters backs your startup? In this episode of Th...

Launching merch? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and IShowSpeed use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc1  In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Charles Haynes, Founder and MD of Zi...

What if shopping felt more like a stadium packed with fans than a boring scroll through product listings? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd chats with Nick Bell, CEO of Fanatics Live, about how he’s transforming the world of collectibles through live commerce — blending entertainment, community, and commerce into one addictive experience. They dive into how Fanatics Live fi...

In this episode Ian Shepherd is joined by Jesse Feister, new Executive Director of The Webby Awards, to unpack why creators are finally getting their due at one of the internet's most prestigious award shows. From redefining what "creator" means to how the awards process works, Jesse offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the internet’s cultural fabric is being reshaped. They discus...

In the latest episode Ian talks with Tom Verrilli, Chief Product Officer at Whatnot, about how live shopping is reshaping the way products are sold online. From collectibles to luxury handbags, Whatnot is empowering creators and small businesses to turn passion into profit — all through the power of live, interactive video. They discuss: How Whatnot blends e-commerce with live video to create trus...

Launching merch? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and IShowSpeed use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc2  In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd chats with Ahad Khan, CEO of Kajabi, about how crea...

Launching your own store? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and IShowSpeed use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc5   What if a TikTok video could change your life? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian She...

Launching merch? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and IShowSpeed use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc3   In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd speaks with Saurabh Shah, CEO of Warren James, the...

In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Kyle Scott, GM at Thinkific and former NBC producer, to explore the booming Expert Economy—and how creators and professionals alike can build real businesses by monetizing their expertise online. What you’ll learn in this episode: What the “Expert Economy” is—and how it differs from the traditional creator economy Why subject...

From intelligent chatbots streamlining your workflow to ML algorithms supercharging your YouTube performance, this episode is a sample of the cutting-edge tech reshaping the creator landscape. Essential listening for forward-thinking creators, tech enthusiasts, and digital entrepreneurs ready to leverage AI for success. Featuring groundbreaking insights from: Conor Eliot from Opus Clip: Exploring...

Over the last 3 years we have interviewed some amazing guests on The Business of Creators podcast. As we reach the end of 2024, we have compiled a number of compilations with some of the best bits from our interviews.   This one features exclusive interviews with: Iggy Azalea: Hip-hop icon turned creator economy trailblazer Megan Lightcap from Slow Ventures: Insider scoop on creator investments fr...

In this exclusive interview, Nolan Sykes, Editor-in-Chief of Donut Media, shares insights into the channel's journey, challenges, and exciting future. Discover how Donut is navigating industry changes, embracing new talent, and launching innovative products like Real Mechanic Scrub. Learn about the impact of recent departures, the importance of authenticity, and the future of automotive conte...

We dive into the future of Web3 with Harry Horsfall, CEO of Flight3, as he explores how blockchain technology is revolutionizing the creator economy. From Bitcoin's parallel with 1997's internet adoption to groundbreaking developments in NFTs and digital communities, discover why we're just at the beginning of the Web3 revolution and what it means for creators, brands, and entrepren...

Discover how young digital natives are revolutionizing corporate culture, marketing, and social activism through content creation and hear about ZCON, the groundbreaking conference where Gen Z content creators and Fortune 500 executives converge to reshape the future of business. Ian speaks with Regina Harris, from Digital Brand Architects and Olivia Frary, Head of ZCON at UTA Next Gen, who share...

Mike Donoghue, CEO of Subtext, about the power of text message marketing for creators, influencers, and brands. Learn how SMS subscriptions are outperforming traditional social media and email marketing strategies. Key Topics: SMS marketing vs social media algorithms Text message engagement rates (98% open rate!) Case study: Creator earning $500,000/year through SMS How music labels use text messa...

In an exclusive interview with paranormal investigation duo Sam and Colby, they discuss their journey from YouTube stars to big-screen filmmakers. Discover how these ghost-hunting content creators are pushing the boundaries of the creator economy and taking their audience on thrilling new adventures. Key Insights Sam and Colby's new film "The Legends of the Paranormal" hits 350+ Cin...

Join us as we dive deep into the incredible journey of Kit Chilvers and Iyrah Williams, the young British entrepreneurs behind Pubity Group. Discover how these two teens turned their passion for football memes into a global social media phenomenon reaching billions of views per month! Key Topics: How Pubity Group started from humble beginnings in 2014 Building a Gen Z-focused social publishing emp...

Join us as we dive deep into the groundbreaking $500 million acquisition of Influential by Publicis Groupe. Discover how this deal is reshaping the creator economy and influencer marketing landscape. In this episode: The rise of Influential and its journey to becoming a leader in influencer marketing How data-driven approaches are transforming creator collaborations The future of the creator econo...

OnlyFans creators are emerging as leaders in the adoption and integration of AI! These innovative content creators are leveraging AI to transform their operations, enhance audience engagement, and redefine the boundaries of personalized content delivery. In the latest episode of the Business of Creators our guest is the founder and CEO of SuperCreator, a company at the forefront of developing AI t...

TheSoul Publishing is a digital media powerhouse you may not have heard of, but their content reaches billions across social media. In this episode, Victor Potrel, Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Creator Services, pulls back the curtain on how TheSoul has become one of the world's largest digital studios, with a staggering 2.5 billion subscribers. We dive into the strategies behind...

In this episode of we sit down with Jordan Barclay, better known as EYstreem - a 21-year-old YouTube sensation who has amassed over 10 million subscribers. Jordan takes us on a fascinating journey through his career, from his early days as a young content creator balancing school and YouTube, to building a thriving media company with multiple channels and nearly 100 team members. Jordan shares ins...