The Business of Creators

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The Business of Creators

Ian Shepherd

79 episodes

4 weeks ago

You won’t believe how a $2,500 angel investment and a WhatsApp group turned into one of the most powerful female-led creator brands today. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Maggie Sellers Reum, founder of Hot Smart Rich about how she turned her creator-led female ambition brand into something so powerful that Steven Bartlett and FlightStory came calling. She shares the full behind-the-scenes of how the deal happened and how she’s scaling her media business w...

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You won’t believe how a $2,500 angel investment and a WhatsApp group turned into one of the most powerful female-led creator brands today. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Maggie Sellers Reum, founder of Hot Smart Rich about how she turned her creator-led female ambition brand into something so powerful that Steven Bartlett and FlightStory came calling. She shares the full behind-the-scenes of how the deal happened and how she’s scaling her media business w...

Show more...

Episodes (20/79)

The Business of Creators

Steven Bartlett Just Invested in This Creator Brand — Here’s How Maggie Sellers Reum Made It Happen

You won’t believe how a $2,500 angel investment and a WhatsApp group turned into one of the most powerful female-led creator brands today. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Maggie Sellers Reum, founder of Hot Smart Rich about how she turned her creator-led female ambition brand into something so powerful that Steven Bartlett and FlightStory came calling. She shares the full behind-the-scenes of how the deal happened and how she’s scaling her media business w...

4 weeks ago

30 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Steven Bartlett's FlightStory are building billion-dollar creator brands with CEO Georgie Holt

What if your podcast could be the next billion-dollar media company? Georgie Holt is already building them with Steven Bartlett and she reveals exactly how. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Georgie Holt, CEO of FlightStory & Co Founder of FlightStory Studio, who shares the playbook for turning creators into powerful media brands, using data, AI and obsessive focus on audience value. You’ll hear how they’ve scaled The Diary of a CEO into cultural p...

1 month ago

42 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Beehiiv Is Helping Creators Monetize Faster Than Ever with CEO Tyler Denk

If you want to understand where the creator economy is heading — and how to build a real business in it — this episode is a must-listen. Ian Shepherd sits down with Beehiiv CEO and co-founder Tyler Denk to break down the company’s massive new product launch and its mission to become “the operating system for the content economy.” Tyler shares how Beehiiv is transforming newsletters into full-scale media businesses with websites, digital products, analytics, an ad network and more — all in on...

1 month ago

20 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Amy Madison Luo Is Building Blueberry Into the LVMH of Digital Fashion on Roblox

In this episode Ian Shepherd sits down with Amy Madison Luo, CEO of Blueberry, to explore how digital fashion is exploding across platforms like Roblox and Snapchat. They break down how Blueberry creates culture native to gaming, why this moment mirrors the early days of streetwear, and how the next generation of fashion brands might be built entirely inside virtual worlds. Topics Discussed: - How digital fashion works inside Roblox and why players treat avatars like real identity - Blueberr...

1 month ago

37 minutes

The Business of Creators

Why Podcasting Is the Next Big Gold Rush for Creators with Acast CEO Greg Glenday

Podcasting isn’t just a side hustle anymore, it’s becoming the next major media industry. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Greg Glenday, CEO at Acast, to reveal how the world’s biggest podcast-only company is scaling globally with open RSS, smarter monetization, and AI that enhances, not replaces, human creativity. Topics Discussed: - How Acast turned dynamic ad insertion into a billion-dollar podcast ad backbone - “Open, not walled”: why being ...

2 months ago

25 minutes

The Business of Creators

How AI and Video Are Fuelling a 1.1 Billion Creator Future with Ben Woods from MiDiA

1.1 billion people will be creators by 2032 — but who are they, and what does that future look like? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd dives deep with Ben Woods from MiDiA to explore the eye-opening findings from their latest report on the creator economy. Ben breaks down what’s really driving this explosive growth: the rise of consumer-creators, the power of video, and how AI is flipping the playbook for creators at every level. Whether you're a seasoned creator, bran...

2 months ago

29 minutes

The Business of Creators

James Watt built BrewDog.. Now he's coming for the Creator Economy

What if your customers could become your most powerful influencers — and you paid them less than Facebook ads? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog and now founder of Social Tip — a groundbreaking platform aiming to democratize influence. James shares how Social Tip flips the traditional advertising model on its head by turning everyday customers into brand advocates. They explore James's transition from brewing beer to bu...

2 months ago

15 minutes

The Business of Creators

Learning AI Will Be Lead by Creators | How to Get Ahead with ThriveCart CEO Ismael Wrixen

If you're a creator and not making six figures yet — this might be why. ThriveCart CEO Ismael Wrixen reveals what actually works in the creator economy after processing over $2 billion in sales — and shares the blueprint behind today’s top-earning creators. In this episode, Ian Shepherd digs into ThriveCart’s 2025 Creator Economy Report with Ismael, uncovering the future of digital products, why niche creators win, and how AI is opening massive new revenue streams. Whether you’re selling tem...

2 months ago

22 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Halo’s Co-Creator Alex Seropian Is Building the Future of Gaming with Look North World

What if the next Halo wasn’t built by a massive studio, but by a teenager on Roblox? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Alex Seropian, co-creator of Halo and founder of Look North World, about how the gaming industry is being reinvented by creators, communities, and platforms like Fortnite and Roblox. Seropian explains why he believes we’re entering the Creator Era of gaming—where players aren’t just consumers but builders shaping the future. From empowering...

3 months ago

27 minutes

The Business of Creators

Epidemic Sound's CEO reveals the strategy behind new AI tool - with Oscar Höglund and Steve Wright

What happens when AI meets creativity and respects the people behind it? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Oscar Höglund, CEO & Co-founder of Epidemic Sound, to dive into how AI is transforming music in content creation without replacing artists. From emotional storytelling to fair artist compensation, this is a deep dive into building creator-first tools that actually work. Steve Wright, filmmaker and YouTuber, joins the conversation to share a cre...

3 months ago

33 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Katie Feeney Became ESPN’s First Sports & Lifestyle Creator

What happens when a 23-year-old creator lands a groundbreaking role at ESPN? Katie Feeney is living the dream — and changing the game. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Katie about her rise from Musically to becoming ESPN’s first-ever Sports & Lifestyle Creator. Katie reveals how she creates real-time content at live sports events, builds engaged cross-platform audiences, and bridges the gap between Gen Z and traditional sports media. Whether you're a c...

3 months ago

19 minutes

The Business of Creators

Kajabi's 10bn Milestone + Dominique Broadway’s Secrets to Building a 7-Figure Creator Business

She turned finance advice into a multimillion-dollar digital empire. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Dominique Broadway shares how she built her business on Kajabi, what she’d do differently today, and why community and ownership are the future of creator success. Ian Shepherd also speaks with Kajabi’s Allie Fernando, who unpacks exclusive data behind their $10 billion milestone — and what it really takes to scale from six to seven figures as a creator. Topics Discussed: - Domi...

4 months ago

27 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Hacksmith Turned a $1M Gamble into More Than $6.5M on Kickstarter with COO Ian Hillier

This is how a YouTube channel turned one tool into over $6.5 million with no paid ads. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks to Ian Hillier, COO of Hacksmith Industries, about how they transformed a side project into a massive Kickstarter success. Launching products for sale? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and Hacksmith use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and maki...

4 months ago

29 minutes

The Business of Creators

The Secret Behind Jonathan Katz-Moses Sold-Out Product Line + Slow Ventures Investment

What does it take to turn a 120-square-foot shed into a thriving multi-million dollar creator brand? In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Jonathan Katz-Moses — master woodworker, inventor, and YouTube creator — and Billy Parks from Slow Ventures to reveal the mindset, strategies, and partnerships that fueled Jonathan’s explosive growth. From surviving a life-changing attack to launching patented tools that dominate the woodworking niche, Jonathan shares how...

4 months ago

34 minutes

The Business of Creators

Short-form social is becoming the new TV! With Zach Blume from Portal A

Creators Are Becoming Studios — Here’s What That Means for You. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Zach Blume — a 15-year veteran of the digital content space — to break down the shift from snackable content to premium storytelling on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Zach shares lessons from building one of the longest-running independent creator studios and why the next frontier in the creator economy isn’t about virality — it’s about owne...

5 months ago

27 minutes

The Business of Creators

Why Most Creator Brands Fail (And How to Fix It) with Aaron Day of Amaze | CREATOR COMMERCE S1E10

Think selling merch is just about slapping your logo on a t-shirt? Think again — this episode reveals what really drives sales in 2025. This episode is packed with surprising, actionable insights on what actually works in creator commerce today. 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 w...

5 months ago

28 minutes

The Business of Creators

How Pietra Is Enabling Solo Entrepreneurs to Build $100M Brands with AI | CREATOR COMMERCE S1E9

What if one person could build a $100 million brand — without a team? Pietra’s new AI assistant is making that future possible right now. 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/boc9 In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian ...

5 months ago

28 minutes

The Business of Creators

You Won’t Believe What Happens Inside CrunchLabs - with President Jim Lee | CREATOR COMMERCE S1E8

What if your kid’s favorite YouTuber could also make them fall in love with science? That’s exactly what CrunchLabs is doing — and today, Jim Lee, the company’s President and COO, reveals how. 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/...

5 months ago

27 minutes

The Business of Creators

The Secret Behind 1UP Candy’s Explosive Success (And FaZe Rug’s Role) | CREATOR COMMERCE S1E7

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 CPG company with creators at the core. Launching products for sale? Start with a .store domain. To...

6 months ago

28 minutes

The Business of Creators

How to Make Money on Snapchat in 2025 (From a Snap Insider!)

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 does to elevate creators inside Snapchat - How Snap identifies top creators through both data and...

7 months ago

19 minutes