On this week’s episode, Tim Stoddart (@timstodz) and Ethan Brooks (@damn_ethan) talk about Tim’s recent piece on looking into the darkness, and how it applies to everything from world events, to controversial creators, AI chess players, and more.
Cool Stuff Mentioned In The Show

 Tim’s recent piece on looking into the darkness
 Growthbar AI copywriting
  Why AI will be net-positive for creators
  How to stay relevant as a creator by embracing both the old and the new

For more great insights, check out…

  Copyblogger Academy where you’ll learn the 3 skills you need to become an effective content entrepreneur in today’s world.
  Trends where you’ll find cutting-edge research on emerging business trends, plus hands-on advice on how to capitalize on them.… Use code BOATDRINKS for the best discount available.


Looking Into The Darkness As A Creator

The HeyCreator Show is for building your creator business.

Each week, hosts Matt Ragland and Tim Forkin talk through all stages of the creator journey, intentionally designing each conversation to meet you where you’re at along the way. We’re sharing lessons from over a decade of helping digital creators launch and scale courses, communities, and coaching services — along with building newsletters, YouTube channels, and podcasts to millions of subscribers and downloads for our clients.

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The HeyCreator Show is presented by Riverside — ⁠get 15% off a new subscription by using code HEYCREATOR at checkout.⁠
In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Alexis Teichmiller jam on leaving the corporate world to become a creator, along with the move forward into a corporate role again. 
Alexis is the Senior Brand Partnerships Manager at Circle — the platform we use to run the HeyCreator Community — so they also discuss different community business models for creators, along with the best ways to create signature gatherings for your audience.
(0:00) — Presented by Riverside
(4:08) — Matt & Alexis working together at ConvertKit
(11:59) — Romanticizing the leap from W2 employee to full-time creator
(16:18) — From full-time creator to W2 employee
(26:07) — Different types of community business models
(32:23) — How to create signature gatherings in your community
(42:03) — How to set yourself up for sustainability as a creator
(48:36) — Where each platform fits in the audience funnel
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010: Alexis Teichmiller on Career, Community, and Creator Journey

The HeyCreator Show is presented by Riverside — ⁠get 15% off a new subscription by using code HEYCREATOR at checkout.⁠
You know you need to be writing an email newsletter. It’s the hot thing to do.
But most creators still don’t understand WHY email newsletters are such an incredible channel for your business. There’s so many aspects of a newsletter that creators simply get wrong about their newsletter.
Today, we’re going full mythbuster — debunking common misconceptions creators have around sending a newsletter.
(0:00) — Presented by Riverside
(2:53) — The elevator pitch for newsletters
(8:42) — What creators underestimate about newsletter perspective
(13:28) — A misconception about newsletter replies
(17:02) — The math behind a $100k+ product launch using newsletter promotions only (absolute gold here)
(27:56) — What you’re getting wrong about launching a newsletter 
(31:55) — The biggest issue with newsletter writing “quality”
(40:47) — Ranking what’s actually important about newsletters
Join the HeyCreator CommunityUse Automatic Evergreen to send profitable newsletters on autopilot

009: What Creators Get Wrong About Email Newsletters

The HeyCreator Show is presented by Riverside — ⁠get 15% off a new subscription by using code HEYCREATOR at checkout.⁠
In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Tim Forkin (⁠@timforkindotcom⁠) interview Cody (@Cody_Hock) & Cole Hock (@UpNorthCole). These two brothers manage entertainment creators, but we wanted to talk about Enjoy Basketball — the media and lifestyle company they founded with one of the biggest sports creators on the internet, Kenny Beecham.
(0:00) — Presented by Riverside
(1:45) — About today’s show
(2:53) — “Cold emailing is my favorite thing to do.”
(10:21) — What goes into a great cold email?
(15:38) — Why choose Kenny as the face of Enjoy Basketball?
(18:18) — The first channel that made sense for their business
(24:29) — How EB pulls almost every lever a creator business can pull
(28:29) — Why they partnered with ESPN & Omaha Productions
(35:54) — How physical products create serendipity
(38:48) — The value of in-person community building for creators
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Use Automatic Evergreen to send profitable newsletters on autopilot


008: Cody & Cole Hock on Running A Creator Business That Does Everything

The HeyCreator Show is presented by Riverside — ⁠get 15% off a new subscription by using code HEYCREATOR at checkout.⁠
In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Tim Forkin (⁠@timforkindotcom⁠) give out their best advice for new creators. Tim lays out the lessons young creators need to learn in order to grow, while Matt speaks to established professionals looking to become side-hustle creators.
(0:00) — Presented by Riverside
(6:06) — Tim: Can you get past your immediate circle?
(12:25) — Matt: Pick one topic, one platform, for one audience
(16:40) — Tim: Don’t be an expert or idol when you aren’t
(22:43) — Matt: Are you making content for fun, or are you building a business?
(27:30) — Tim: Real artists don’t starve
(30:51) — Matt: What long-term project can you build alongside your content?
Join the HeyCreator CommunityUse Automatic Evergreen to send profitable newsletters on autopilot

007: Best Advice for New Creators

The HeyCreator Show is presented by Riverside — ⁠get 15% off a new subscription by using code HEYCREATOR at checkout.⁠
In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Nat Eliason (@nateliason) jam about what it actually takes to be a creator. Topics include Nat’s take on niching down, the main ways creators become replaceable, choosing between money and passion, why consistency alone isn’t enough, and much more.
(3:18) — Nat’s article Be Yourself, Not a Niche
(7:23) — The #1 way creators fail
(16:10) — Nat’s article When the Money’s Just Too Damn Good
(25:28) — Do you care enough to make your content great?
(32:25) — The illusion that success comes quickly as a creator
(40:17) — Balancing ambition, productivity, and parenting
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Use Automatic Evergreen to send profitable newsletters on autopilot


Looking Into The Darkness As A Creator

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