Claim OwnershipThe Creator Spotlight Podcast
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© beehiiv 2024
Description
Every week we spend an hour in conversation with a notable creator, discussing their approach to audience growth, monetization, and content production.
Hosted by Francis Zierer (Twitter and LinkedIn).
New episodes every Tuesday.
This podcast is part of our newsletter, Creator Spotlight.
89 Episodes
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Brett Dashevsky is the founder of Creator Economy NYC, where he’s built a six-figure business by consistently creating content, growing a newsletter, and hosting events for creators. In this episode, Brett breaks down how newsletters and in-person events compound together to build audience, trust, and a sustainable creator business.
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Brett Dashevsky
Newsletter
Creator Economy NYC
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
Instagram
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Brett Dashevsky
01:16 Biggest challenges growing a newsletter from scratch
07:00 Scaling multiple newsletters to the masses
12:44 A community built out of passion
20:00 Why consistency always wins
26:21 Building something bigger than himself
29:33 The best advice for creators
33:56 Revenue breakdown
36:19 How hosting events makes money
42:41 Securing long term deals with brands
48:33 Defining the digital economy
50:52 Event cost and attendance
56:36 Building tools for creators
This week on Creator Spotlight we’re joined by Tomo Chien, the founder and editor of ‘Morning, Trojan’, a newsletter aimed at engaging USC students with local news. He highlights the competitive landscape of student publications, the importance of original reporting, and the strategies used to grow the audience.
Read the newsletter
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Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense
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Tomo Chien
Morning, Trojan
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Tomo Chien
01:08 Disrupting the local media scene
05:10 The freedom to be controversial
08:57 The one change that brought 10k subscribers
14:30 Finding the stories people want to read
20:02 How long does aggregating content take?
25:02 Tomo’s high school news project
28:55 Why he’s shutting down the newsletter
32:22 Future plans after the newsletter
37:28 Defining creator journalism
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we’re joined by digital writer, author, and serial writing entrepreneur Nicolas Cole. Nicolas is the co-founder of a $600K+ per month online writing education business. He shares the principles, systems, and mindset shifts that turned simple online writing into a scalable company.
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Nicolas Cole
Website
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
Instagram
YouTube
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Nicolas Cole
05:23 Scaling to $600k+/month
12:00 Growing an educational product
17:15 The demand for ghostwriting in 2025
28:04 The hardest part of scaling a business
35:05 How to never run out of content
40:05 Rejecting the ‘artist vs entrepreneur’ dichotomy
50:00 How to earn more as a creator
55:27 Education with accountability
57:15 New rules for writing online in 2026
Lia Haberman is a social media strategist, creator economy expert and writer behind one of the industries leading newsletters, ICYMI (In Case You Missed It.) Lia breaks down why most creators only last 3–4 years, how to spot real platform trends, where creators should focus in 2026, and how to build a business that survives algorithm shifts.
Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles
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Lia Haberman
ICYMI
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
Instagram
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Lia Haberman
01:20 The 3 year shelf life of a creator
08:45 Knowing which platforms to invest in
16:21 7 signs of a good platform feature
25:52 The most valuable platforms for creators
34:35 Defining the 7 formats of content
39:24 Why are marketers spending on Instagram?
41:25 Keeping content free vs paid
47:03 Social media trends of 2025
54:27 How to grow online in 2026
This week on Creator Spotlight we’re joined by the co-founder and CEO of beehiiv, Tyler Denk. Following beehiiv’s highly anticipated winter release event, Tyler and Francis discuss the company’s approach to becoming the operating system of the “content economy”.
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Catch up on beehiiv’s Winter Release Event
Full event video
Event in 90 seconds
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Tyler Denk
Twitter/X
LinkedIn
Instagram
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter
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Timestamps
00:00:00 Introducing Tyler Denk
00:01:45 The next step in the content economy
00:07:20 Scaling past the education gap
00:12:40 Becoming the tool, not the brand
00:16:52 Lowering the barrier to entry for creators
00:21:25 What is the “content economy?”
00:26:29 Building a world class ad network
00:33:48 Growing a newsletter to 120k subscribers
00:46:46 Finding the gap in the content economy infrastructure
00:57:29 Building features for every type of user
01:01:53 Knowing your customer
Nastja Mohren is a content creator, designer, and sewing educator who’s built a community of more than half a million followers across platforms — all around her love of making things by hand. In this episode, she talks with Francis about turning creativity into a business, balancing authenticity with brand deals, and how she built a sustainable creator by diversifying her revenue into seven different streams.
Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles
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Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense
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Follow Nastja
YouTube
Blog
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Pinterest
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timstamps
00:00:00 Introducing Nastja Mohren
00:01:37 Going full-time on YouTube
00:06:08 The 7 revenue streams
00:12:14 The art of integrating brand deals
00:22:49 Which platform is most valuable?
00:24:30 The value of a blog in 2025
00:32:27 Why choose Google AdSense?
00:37:31 Building packages for advertisers
00:40:57 Crafting a specific audience
00:52:00 The 80/20 principle of video production
01:00:08 Collaborating with the creator community
This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined by former ESPN journalist Joon Lee. Joon shares how he turned a layoff into a creator career, breaking down his 22-month YouTube study, and how he is building an independent sports media brand that puts storytelling and trust first.
Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles
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Follow Joon
YouTube
Twitter/X
Instagram
TikTok
Website
Follow Francis
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Joon Lee
01:15 From tech YouTuber to sports journalist
06:49 Preparing to be a YouTuber
13:02 Indie creator bootcamp
17:05 What should new creators focus on?
22:58 The process of making high-quality YouTube videos
33:19 Making revenue and maintaining ethics
40:56 The most valuable asset as a creator is trust
44:55 Building relationships in the creator economy
50:30 The hardest part of YouTube
This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined by Ken Yarmosh, founder of The Remote Solopreneur. Ken is a creator who’s been building online businesses long before the creator economy had a name.
Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles
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Earn with Google AdSense: https://goo.gle/earnwithadsense
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Ken Yarmosh
YouTube
Website
LinkedIn
Francis Zierer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
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Timestamps
00:00 Introducing Ken Yarmosh
01:16 Becoming The Remote Solopreneur
04:29 Redefining 'creator'
08:20 The creator to entrepreneur spectrum
12:15 How Ken runs a solo business
16:51 The importance of community in business
22:13 The 4 C's of the creator economy
29:42 Are all creators solopreneurs?
34:50 DTA: The framework for all entrepreneurs
41:58 Is the LinkedIn gold rush over?
47:15 The best time to be a creator is now
50:11 Advice for newsletter creators
53:20 Creating a personal brand in 2025
This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined by Geoff Sharpe, founder of Lookout Media — a network of local newsletters collectively generating almost $500K a year. Geoff shares how he built a profitable, subscription-first media business, why trust and real journalism still win, and the systems he’s using to scale local news across Canada.Read the newsletter__Tired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your coworkers? It’s time to let AI do the explaining for you. The Guidde extension is completely free. Go check it out at Guidde.com__Geoff SharpeLookout MediaLinkedInTwitter/XFrancis ZiererLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Geoff Sharpe01:40 Making $500k+ with paid subscriptions07:16 Don't listen to your audience12:00 The merging of editorial and business16:20 Running a media company sustainably21:01 Building trust through food27:06 How to get people to pay for your content37:43 What do people not pay for?40:44 Don't scale too quickly43:41 The difficulties of local newsletter ad sales49:11 How to grow a local newsletter52:40 A bullish and bearish take on local media57:50 Best advice for entrepreneurs
This week on the Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Kaelyn Grace Apple. Kaelyn is the founder and co-owner of Accepted Society, an international online community of students, educators, and independent researchers dedicated to learning, research, and creating networks of support. In this episode Kaelyn shares how she cracked the formula for building a profitable, niche, online community. She breaks down the business plan behind her 500+ member collective, lessons from working with Ali Abdaal, and the strategies every creator can use to turn research into results.Read the newsletter__Earn with Google AdSense__Kaelyn Grace AppleAccepted SocietyWebsiteYouTubeLinkedInInstagramFrancis ZiererLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Kaelyn Grace Apple01:28 From eight members to over 50008:02 Why you should not scale too quickly12:03 The course model vs. community model14:03 Using YouTube to build a community18:42 Pricing a community22:01 Scaling a business up, and scaling it down30:46 The evolution of Kaelyn's YouTube content37:24 Revenue breakdown42:44 Why Kaelyn left the Ali Abdaal team47:34 Lessons learnt working with Ali Abdaal53:47 Kaelyn's 30 year plan
This week on the Creator Spotlight Podcast, we’re joined by Caspar Lee — one of YouTube’s early stars turned entrepreneur and investor. Caspar talks about why he walked away from 15 million followers, how he built four companies after YouTube, and what every creator should know about building a business that lasts. __ Caspar Lee YouTubeWebsite LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Francis Zierer LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps00:00 Introducing Caspar Lee 01:17 How to exit, as a creator 07:11 It's hard to do YouTube and business 12:49 How influencer marketing has evolved 16:02 The hardest part of influencer marketing 20:33 Investing in the creator economy 25:18 What is the perfect investment? 30:14 Equity vs cash in brand deals 33:14 The vulnerability of the creator economy 38:43 If Caspar Lee started YouTube in 2025 43:28 Caspar Lee's five year plan
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast, we’re joined by Rachel Kisela — a six-figure YouTube editor who has worked with top creators, including MrBeast. Rachel recently founded EditHers, a community for women in editing. In this episode Rachel shares her philosophy on editing, how she built her business, what she learnt editing for Mr Beast, and how to make over $100k as a video editor.__Rachel Kisela Website EditHers LinkedIn Twitter/X __Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Rachel Kisela 01:25 The core philosophies of video editing 06:05 The process of editing a YouTube video 09:45 How to make six-figures as a YouTube editor 17:47 Leaving Mr Beast 20:42 The real responsibility of an editor 23:43 Building a much needed community 32:46 The unknown challenges of video editing 35:40 Getting paid as a video editor 39:35 What journalism school doesn’t teach you 46:07 The relationship between editor and creator 52:51 What Rachel learnt working for Mr Beast 56:47 Future dreams for EditHers 01:00:15 Where to find video editors 01:02:42 How much do video editors get paid? 01:05:17 Rachel’s favorite video
Sophia Smith Galer is an award-winning journalist, author, and creator with nearly a million followers across TikTok and Instagram. After roles at the BBC and VICE, she went independent to pioneer new ways of telling stories through short-form video. In this episode, she shares why traditional media is struggling to adapt, and what creators and journalists need to know about the future of vertical video.Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles__Sophia Smith GalerTikTokInstagramLinkedInTwitter/XViralectSophiana (App Store)__FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Sophia Smith Galer01:50 How to present on short form video07:15 Defining ‘journalism’ in the age of the creator13:26 Traditional media’s problem with short form content18:25 The one thing most short form creators get wrong24:38 The best platform for short form content31:02 Short form bootcamps34:25 Sophiana: Your short form assistant41:34 Why everyone should be making content44:05 The hardest part of building an app49:47 US vs. UK creator economy difficulties52:46 Revenue breakdown57:58 Sophia’s future plans and goals
This week on Creator Spotlight, Francis is joined byJordan DiPietro — former Motley Fool exec, CEO of Hampton, and writer of the Signal//Noise newsletter. Jordan shares the three big bets he’d make on the future of creators, why community now matters more than audience, and the lessons he’s carried from two decades in media, newsletters, and leadership.Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles__Follow JordanNewsletterLinkedInX/Twitter__FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Jordan DiPietro01:08 The 3 moves to bet your career on08:16 These creator economy trends are dying17:20 Communities are the next search engine19:42 The non-negotiables of a successful community29:00 Audience vs community, the key differences32:25 What you need to last in the creator economy37:53 It's marketing all the way down41:49 Signal//Noise45:46 When to quit your job as a creator50:36 The value of relationships in business
This week on Creator Spotlight we talk to Billy Parks, Partner at Slow Ventures and co-lead of the $65M Slow Creator Fund. Billy invests directly in creators, backing entrepreneurial creators who turn their expertise and communities into scalable businesses.Read the newsletter__BillyLinkedInSlow VenturesJonathan Katz-Moses__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Billy Parks and Slow Ventures01:30 What makes an investable creator?05:35 The two types of creator businesses13:44 Creators are just founders17:24 Which creators need investment the most?23:30 The difficulties of valuing a creator business32:13 It's all marketing34:29 The biggest risk in creator investments38:12 Business is the future of the creator economy42:54 How to be niche in the creator economy
This week we talk to Quynh Nguyen. She is a paper flower artist who has built her passion into a six-figure business. We cover her journey from hobbyist to entrepreneur, her pricing and growth strategies, and how she’s helping other creators turn their passions into profits.__Quynh NguyenWebsiteInstagramLinkedInPaper Talk Podcast__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Quynh Nguyen02:53 The most important marketing principles online06:52 How to get paid to teach your passion12:01 The secret to nurturing a valuable community18:34 Moving from a physical to a digital business24:32 A podcast that builds trust and loyalty31:07 The creator-entrepreneur spectrum36:02 Expanding audience for future events40:40 Breaking down the revenue of a thriving online business45:45 From 6-week course to 6-month mastermind50:17 The one thing Quynh is most proud of
This week on the Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Stefan von Imhof, co-founder of alts.co, an alternative investment newsletter, community, fund, and platform.Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles__AltsWebsiteInstagramYouTubeStefanLinkedInSubstack__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Stefan02:05 An alternative revenue breakdown06:54 The biggest challenges of community building15:02 How a side project becomes a business22:44 Demonstrating the value of your content27:33 Leveraging audience segmentation31:21 Decentralised due-diligence33:56 The art of buying and selling newsletters37:10 A bearish perspective on the newsletter economy40:54 The power of events as a community business47:17 The playbook for newsletter acquisition49:39 Newsletter remix concept53:16 A love for physical media56:55 Where is the creator/business owner tipping point
This week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Jonathan Hunt, the VP of HubSpot Media. Jonathan has been working in media for two decades for brands such as Nat Geo, Complex, Vice, Vox, and more. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __ Jonathan LinkedIn HubSpotMindstream __ Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __00:00 Introducing Jonathan Hunt 01:20 The 3 pillars of audience development 04:16 For the independent creator 07:32 Marketing through content creation 14:10 The most sustainable monetization models 18:18 Building a brand voice 21:00 The need for diversification 23:41 The ever evolving definition of 'creator' 26:50 The most shocking recent changes in media 28:27 When to sell your business as a solo creator
This week we're joined by Suraj Kapoor, the creator of Pointer, a 10 year old 40,000 subscriber newsletter curating articles for engineering leaders.__Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles__Follow SurajPointerLinkedInTwitter/X__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Suraj and Pointer01:33 The art of curation06:53 10 years and 40k subs later, what's changed?08:44 Avoiding becoming a personal brand13:35 The AI threat to curation18:38 From side hustle to six figure business24:25 Attracting premium advertisers31:09 Building a high-value audience35:29 reinvestment and experimentation40:30 The 20 hour work week42:39 Mastering your analytics48:00 Identifying the most popular content51:15 The biggest threat to aggregation content
This week we're joined by Milly Tamati, the creator of Generalist World, a community and learning platform. She is also a writer, illustrator, speaker, and consultant. Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __Follow Milly Generalist World Website LinkedIn TikTok __Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamps 00:00:00 Introducing Milly 00:01:45 Necessity of a personal brand 00:06:22 Becoming director of miscellaneous 00:14:14 Building cult-like loyalty on social media 00:18:58 How a quiz can drive subscribers 00:27:26 The playbook for building a community 00:36:41 Keeping a community active 00:46:24 Brand deals done differently 00:53:15 Digital tool workshops 00:58:57 A podcast for the community, about the community 01:05:22 Not knowing what's next is fine
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