Claim OwnershipThe Creator Spotlight Podcast
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© beehiiv 2024
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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.
84 Episodes
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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
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Francis Zierer
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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
__
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
This week we’re joined by Landon Huslig, the creator of Wichita Life, a local media brand covering life in Wichita through a newsletter, podcast, and Instagram. He built it as a side hustle while working full-time as an engineer. It now has a combined 50,000 followers and generates $120k+ annually. Wichita Life: https://wichitalifeict.com __Follow Landon LinkedIn Twitter/X Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X __ Timestamp 00:00:00 Introducing Landon 00:01:16 The art of hand to hand combat 00:10:54 Starting a local media 00:18:43 The growth to $120k 00:25:06 How big can a local newsletter be? 00:34:27 The value of a likeminded community 00:40:39 The creator to entrepreneur spectrum 00:46:06 The difficult relationship with traditional local media 00:57:22 Building local businesses in addition to newsletter 01:01:48 The responsibility to your audience 01:04:03 Side hustle vs full time business 01:09:24 Starting a local newsletter in 2025
This week on Creator Spotlight we're joined by Nathan May, founder of The Feed Media, a company that helps newsletters grow with paid ads and help convert readers into revenue.Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles__Join the waitlist: https://creatormasterminds.co__Follow NathanLinkedInTwitter/XThe Feed Media__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Nathan May01:21 The core principles of newsletter growth06:33 It’s about niching down12:31 Growing a newsletter for acquisition18:23 Your subscriber count does not matter23:58 Is it harder than ever to get subscribers?31:38 The one thing AI can’t replace37:10 Give your knowledge away for free43:58 Podcasting is hard — why do it?50:11 Best lessons from podcast guests52:18 Rapid fire advice for creators
The week on The Creator Spotlight Podcast we're joined by Liz Kelly Nelson. Liz is the founder of Project C, a newsletter and pre-funding collective helping mission-driven journalism creators develop sustainable business models. __Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/profiles __RSVP to the Creator Business Summit__Follow Liz Project C LinkedIn __Follow Francis LinkedIn Twitter/X__ Timestamps00:00 Redefining influencer 04:46 Journalists want to be creators 10:17 What to expect if you become a creator 16:51 The role of community in creator journalism 21:20 Is the solo creator a myth? 27:00 Culture shock at the newsletter conference 31:52 Your responsibility as a creator 36:10 Maintaining ethical standards as a solo journalist 38:16 The creator journalist world 5 years from now 40:57 Revenue breakdown 43:10 Don't make these mistakes as a creator journalist
This week Francis and Natalia are joined by sewing creator Sydney Graham ( @HiSydGraham ). Sydney has gained over 100k subscribers on YouTube this year and has over 600k followers across platforms.Read the newsletter__RSVP to the Creator Business Summit__Follow SydneyYouTubeTikTokInstagram__Follow FrancisLinkedInTwitter/X__Follow NataliaLinkedInTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Sydney Graham01:01 How to gain 100k subscribers in a year10:46 Early days of the creator economy15:05 The biggest creators in the sewing space17:40 Balancing community and individuality21:17 The best video platforms for creators right now25:19 Why you shouldn't chase trends31:48 Sewing content is growing - here's why33:45 Revenue breakdown36:51 Content creation and sewing similarities41:12 How to build a friendly community online45:53 Choosing the right brand partnerships49:38 Defining your goals as a creator
This week Francis is joined by Tom Fishburne, also known as The Marketoonist. Tom is a cartoonist and marketer who turned his satirical drawings about corporate life into a sustainable business that has brought him over 500,000+ followers across platforms.Read the newsletter: https://www.creatorspotlight.com/p/tom-fishburne__RSVP to the Creator Business Summit: https://www.beehiiv.com/virtual-events/creator-business-summit__Follow TomLinkedInWebsiteNewsletterInstagram__Links & ReferencesThe Do Lecture__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Tom Fishburne, The Marketoonist01:05 How to price your work online08:49 Humor as a leadership skill11:45 The world of content creation in the early 2000’s15:05 It’s not the ink, it’s the think21:05 The importance of mimicry in creative work23:26 How to create a recognizable style26:36 You must be an entrepreneur in the creator economy30:41 Email, the most valuable platform33:16 The best platform for audience engagement38:32 Red flags for clients43:17 Why you shouldn’t scale your business44:37 How to nail speaking engagements52:25 Structuring your day for optimal creativity57:39 Focussing on sustainability, not growth
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