My guest Jens Glerum is the founder of CreatorMate.

We discuss the real strategies behind building a successful creator business in today’s fast changing creator economy. From AI driven audience insights to long-term brand creator partnerships, Jens shares exactly how creators can scale their influence, monetize smarter, and turn content creation into a sustainable business. Whether you’rehttps://www.instagram.com/trycreatormate?igsh=enE5NDVtNDlrdmFs a YouTuber, TikTok creator, Instagram influencer, or brand owner, this conversation is packed with actionable tips on partner-led growth, digital storytelling, and building ecosystems that actually work in 2025. Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing content creation .

Jens breaks down why most creator partnerships fail, the key steps to create a content-market fit, and how to leverage AI tools for consistent growth. We discuss creator marketing strategies, digital branding, startup funding for creators, and the secrets to building a vetted creator marketplace.

If you’ve ever wondered how to scale a creator led startup, secure brand collaborations, or launch a creator platform like CreatorMate, this episode gives you the complete blueprint. From almost losing his business to raising pre seed funding and pivoting to a thriving AI powered creator platform, Jens’ journey is a masterclass in resilience, creativity, and business growth. This podcast is your guide to thriving in the creator economy, navigating AI disruption, and building creator brand partnerships that generate results.

Timestamps 

00:00 - Early YouTube Days – Jens’ start as a young creator, first videos, challenges, and community

04:06 - Creator Life & Identity – Loneliness, balancing online vs real life, and moving into design work

06:05 - First Entrepreneurial Steps – Early jobs, Amsterdam e-commerce role, and lessons on product & growth

10:08 - Content & Branding Insights – Content’s role in startups, branding pitfalls, and algorithms & saturation

16:00 - From Advice to Strategy – Storytelling, authenticity, and content strategy for B2C brands

20:16 - The Birth of CreatorMate – Founding story, early struggles, partnership with Marnix, and mentorship

25:32 - The Startup Rollercoaster – Jens as CEO, startup realities, financial struggles, and near bankruptcy

29:24 - The CreatorMate Pivot – Max Kleinstra’s role, new model, value proposition, and focus areas

36:17 - Lessons & Growth – Luck, mistakes, key learnings, and the reality of building a company

42:02 - Personal Journey – Caring about work, partnership, growth, balance, and friendships

Connect with Jens Glerum:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__glerum?igsh=MWI3MXdldHgwcnVkOA==

CreatorMate: https://www.instagram.com/trycreatormate?igsh=enE5NDVtNDlrdmFs

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