From early digital media pioneer to mental health advocate for creators, meet Shira Lazar. Shira revolutionized web-first news in 2011 with "What's Trending," predating the creator economy as we know it today. She recognized the power of digital culture before most, becoming a go-to voice for emerging online communities and viral moments when traditional media wasn't paying attention. Through advocacy work, her weekly newsletter The Alpha, and speaking engagements on stages like SXSW, VeeCon, and CES, Shira continues to shape how we think about technology's impact on creators and society. As an Emmy-nominated digital culture trailblazer, one of Fast Company's Most Influential Women in Technology, and on Variety's Women of Impact list, Shira has spent over two decades at the intersection of technology, media, and human connection. Her journey from broadcaster to digital innovator led her to an even more crucial mission — supporting creator wellbeing through co-founding Peace Inside Live, a wellness agency and collective. This work led to launching the Creators 4 Mental Health initiative which is focused on bringing mental health tools to the creator economy through events and community programming. One question we dive into: Are A.I. creators making money? And do they have the tools to set themselves up for success in their careers? Today, you'll hear Shira's unique perspective on the evolution of the creator economy, from the early days of YouTube stars to the current A.I. revolution. She shares invaluable insights on creator sustainability, mental health, and building a more mindful digital future. As a trigger warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide and mental health that some listeners may find distressing. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or visit https://speakingofsuicide.com for more support and resources. Join us to get a pulse on the creator economy and what’s needed so we all thrive, centering wellbeing to unlock our best content we can imagine — enjoy! EPISODE SHOW NOTES: https://creativitysquared.com/podcast/ep73-shira-lazar-a-i-our-wellbeing/ JOIN CREATIVITY SQUARED Sign up for our free weekly newsletter: https://creativitysquared.com/newsletter  Become a premium member: https://creativitysquared.com/supporters  SUBSCRIBE Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform: https://creativitysquared.com Subscribe for more videos: https://youtube.com/@creativity_squared/?sub_confirmation=1 CONNECT with C^2 https://instagram.com/creativitysquaredpodcast https://facebook.com/CreativitySquaredPodcast https://giphy.com/channel/CreativitySquared https://tumblr.com/blog/creativitysquared https://tiktok.com/@creativitysquaredpodcast #CreativitySquared CONNECT with Helen Todd, the human behind C^2 https://instagram.com/helenstravels https://twitter.com/helenstravels https://linkedin.com/in/helentodd https://pinterest.com/helentodd Creativity Squared explores how creatives are collaborating with artificial intelligence in your inbox, on YouTube, and on your preferred podcast platform.  Because it’s important to support artists, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates will go to ArtsWave, a nationally recognized non-profit that supports over 100 arts organizations. Creativity Squared is brought to you by Sociality Squared, a social media agency who understands the magic of bringing people together around what they value and love: http://socialitysquared.com.  #Creators4MentalHealth #PeaceInside #WhatsTrending #DigitalCreators #ShiraLazar #MentalHealth #CreatorEconomy #DigitalCreatives #FutureOfTech #GenAI #Web3 #CreativeTrends #Web3Community #AIInnovation #DigitalCreativity #AIAndCreativity #CreatorFuture #CreativeEconomy #ArtificialIntelligence #AIUpdates #MachineLearning #Creativity #FutureTechnology #Creatives #AIMedia #TechPodcast #FutureTech #AIandCulture #TheFutureIsNow