Origins of Influence is a limited podcast series exploring the untold stories of the internet’s earliest creators. Hosted by marketing leader and onetime blogger Dina Fierro, this series revisits the era before the algorithm—when creators built communities on platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.
Through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders, Origins of Influence unpacks the moments that defined their influence, the cultural (and algorithmic) shifts they witnessed, and how they've evolved—online and off.
Together, we’ll explore how they built influence in an unfiltered, pre-algorithm online world—and reflect on what today’s creator economy might learn from this generation of digital trailblazers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Origins of Influence is a limited podcast series exploring the untold stories of the internet’s earliest creators. Hosted by marketing leader and onetime blogger Dina Fierro, this series revisits the era before the algorithm—when creators built communities on platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.
Through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders, Origins of Influence unpacks the moments that defined their influence, the cultural (and algorithmic) shifts they witnessed, and how they've evolved—online and off.
Together, we’ll explore how they built influence in an unfiltered, pre-algorithm online world—and reflect on what today’s creator economy might learn from this generation of digital trailblazers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Nord’s story begins on Tumblr in 2007, where his cinematic photography earned him one of the largest followings on the platform. But his path from creator to CEO was just beginning. Today, he’s the founder and CEO of Fohr — a leading influencer and ambassador marketing company powering software, services, and strategy for some of the world’s top brands.
In this episode of Origins of Influence, James reflects on the early internet, the turning points that shaped his path, and how his experience as a creator laid the foundation for Fohr. He shares candid insights on the evolution of the creator economy, what marketers still get wrong about influence, and what the future might hold.
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📲 Follow Origins of Influence on Instagram: @originsofinfluence
About Origins of Influence
Hosted by longtime fashion and beauty marketer Dina Fierro, Origins of Influence is a limited series exploring the past, present and future of the creator economy through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders. From the days of LiveJournal and Tumblr to the dawn of Instagram, each episode revisits the platforms, posts, and pivotal moments that shaped digital culture — long before the algorithm. New episodes drop weekly. Show notes and exclusive content on Substack.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.