Filmmaker, multimedia creator, and Streamy Award nominee Wesley “Wuz Good” Armstrong has been on the pulse of social media, and digital custom content since Vine. A future thinker, Wesley, recognized that video had a virality unlike other formats and could catapult a creator into a brand early on. From Instagram, Meta, and TikTok, Wesley has grown a community of over 3 million followers sharing videos that fuse superhero motifs, animé graphics, and comedy genres. He joins us on Season 1, Episode 6 of Creators with Influence Podcast to discuss the evolution of influencing and where he fits into the creator economy.


A graduate of Sony TV's Diverse Directors Program, he has extensively shadowed directors on hit shows such as 'New Girl' starring Zooey Deschanel and directed over $1 million in co-branded entertainment for brands such as Lyft and T-Mobile. Wuz's creative authority earned him the nod of being named "game-changing influencer" by Bloomberg magazine.


#CreatorswithInfluence is produced by the American Influencer Council. Engage with us on Instagram & TikTok @CreatorswithInfluence. AKG by Harman powers the sound for Creators with Influence. #AKGbyHarmanPartner

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S1, EP6: From Vine to TikTok: Wesley “Wuz Good” Armstrong On the Evolution of Influencing

You have arrived at Creators with Influence, a podcast produced by the American Influencer Council on the business of career influencing. This multimedia vodcast experience is the intersection between the creator economy and digital culture, where creatorpreneurs come to share empowered stories. Listen to insightful conversations that will inspire and enhance your entrepreneurial mindset.

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On ⁠World Storytelling Day, held annually on March 20, the American Influencer Council (AIC) held a lunch and learn⁠, at Pando Park Avenue, exploring career travel creators' unique business dynamics. This AIC Member-led event was hosted by ⁠Jessica Morrobel⁠, who moderated the conversation, and ⁠Gabby Beckford⁠, as well as Public Goodwill Committee Chair ⁠Nneya Richards⁠. Guests heard from our trio of Members and special brand guest ⁠Dupé Ajayi⁠, who has held impactful roles at ABC News, Airbnb.org, Bank of America, and MTV and had clients such as Mary J. Blige.
 
The conversation ignited insightful dialogues around travel storytelling and remote work and provided practical business advice for growing as new and seasoned storytellers in the creator economy. Per data released in ⁠December 2023 from Statista’s Research Department⁠, “[the] influx of visitors and a boost in U.S. travel spending, the travel and tourism industry contributed over two trillion U.S. dollars to the country’s GDP in 2022.”
 
Travel creator content is sought after by brands and tourism boards locally and globally. Such content entices tourists to book more leisure travel, and Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube act as extended search engines for discovery.


Watch the full replay on YouTube or listen to the conversation through our Creators with Influence Podcast. Listen whereever podcasts are available: Spotify, Apple, Google and more!


https://youtu.be/LhFmazBiYxQ


Engage with us
Instagram ⁠@creatorswithinfluence⁠
Instagram ⁠@americaninfluencercouncil⁠
YouTube ⁠@americaninfluencercouncil⁠
LinkedIn ⁠@aic_nyc



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S3, EP1: Creators with Influence Podcast at Pando Park Avenue a Conversation on Exploring Like a Career Travel Creator

American Influencer Council Member Gabby Beckford is a GenZ global nomad on a quest to empower young women from all socio-economic backgrounds to cultivate a passion and the financial means to travel. She is the creator of the blog PacksLight.com where she shares her many adventures from over 45+ countries, COVID safe recommendations, affordable hacks, and information vetted by tourist board partners worldwide. Gabby was selected for all of the highly competitive social media platform creator programs: TikTok Creator Fund, Meta’s We the Culture Black Creator Program, LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program, and Pinterest Creator Fund. She is an entrepreneurial career creator wunderkind. As a business-savvy GenZ, Gabby has taken control over her personal and professional growth by being self-employed and touting herself as a full-time digital nomad since January 2021. Her unique thought leadership on solo female travel and remote work has earned her awards from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel: Emerging Voice Award, Wanderful’s Bessie Awards: Trailblazer Award, Traverse’s 12-Month Achievement Award, and she was named a finalist for Newsweek’s Future of Travel Award. Creators with Influence hosts Qianna Smith Bruneteau, and Karston 'Skinny' Tannis speak to Gabby about succeeding from anywhere.


The American Influence Council (AIC) produces the Creators with Influence Podcast. Visit the AIC: https://www.americaninfluencercouncil.com


CONNECT WITH GABBY
Website: https://www.packslight.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellebeckford
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@packslight
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packslight
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/packslight


ENGAGE WITH #CreatorswithInfluence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Creatorswithinfluence
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Creatorswithinf
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Creatorswithinfluence
Learn more: http://creatorswithinfluence.com
Hashtag #CreatorswithInfluence

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S2, EP4: Gabby Beckford, a GenZ Global Nomad on Succeeding from Anywhere

The American Influencer Council (AIC) held its first in-person event of 2023 on the 20th anniversary of Safer Internet Day to kick off Black History Month (BHM). On Tuesday, February 7, a small intimate group gathered at Soho Works 10 Jay in Brooklyn to discuss the 'Creator Blind Spot, Navigating Algorithmic, and Moderation Biases.' The AIC is a Black-Founded 501(c)6 not-for-profit membership trade association that prioritizes diversity and inclusion 365 days a year. Federally recognized heritage months like BHM provide an excellent opportunity to bring people together from all backgrounds to embrace culture and share knowledge and drive awareness on topics impacting vulnerable communities. "This month, the AIC is driving awareness of the unintentional harms that come from automated decision-making," said AIC Founder Qianna Smith Bruneteau. "At the AIC, we believe awareness is the first step to finding solutions that will create positive change." 
Quotes of Note from our Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs): 
1. "Many people show up on the Internet for the metrics and the hype. They're not showing up to serve or to help someone. And you truly do see a difference in your reach when you are here to serve rather than to get the likes." —Asa Dugger, Moderator, AIC Member 
2. “You have to remember whom you're creating for. I have so many people that say, I want to be an influencer. What do you want to influence? It's not the number of likes you get that will keep you going.” —Nneya Richards, Travel Creator and co-Chair of the AIC Public Goodwill Committee 
3. "The algorithm of life is also about putting the phone down, going outside, and touching the grass. You know, that's the stuff that's going to rejuvenate you to create and be more productive." —Visuals by Pierre, AIC Founding Member 
4. "Algorithms tend to be living, breathing things that evolve based on product priorities, company priorities, and company goals." —Simone Oliver, SVP of Digital Content, BET 
5. “There's the algorithms on these platforms and there's the algorithm of life, too. What are you choosing to engage with? You change these stories, you change the culture and you change the world.” —Rumi Chunara, Ph.D., Associate Professor at NYU Center for Health Data Science 
6. "If you are truly putting yourself out there  and have a core vision of what you are doing in social media as an  influencer. Your impact in the world will always come through." —Sidney Madison Prescott, Former Global Head of Intelligent Automation, Spotify 
7. “So when publishing your content, think of what someone is looking for in the simplest terms. What are the keywords, and how can I be prioritized to the top?” —Brandon Smithwrick, Head of Content at Songfinch 
Engage with us on Instagram @americaninfluencercouncil @creatorswithinfluence; TikTok @creatorswithinfluence. Watch on YouTube.

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S2, EP3: Navigating the Creator Blind Spot, Why Do Algorithmic & Moderation Biases Exist? A Conversation on Safer Internet Day at Soho Works 10 Jay

Dallas-based lifestyle content creator and social media strategist Maryam Ishtiaq joins season two, episode two of Creators with Influence Podcast. Maryam is a multidimensional creator passionate about cooking, travel, beauty, and home. She’s not one to be defined by labels or a particular niche. Maryam’s creative point of difference is expressing her expertise on the many subjects she loves. Her career started in food and tech, working as a social media strategist for New York and San Francisco startups, where she executed brand creative campaigns and e-commerce development. These early defining experiences helped her launch a cooking website, itsactuallyspicy.com, and a YouTube channel with the same name to showcase her culinary skills. On these platforms, you can find recipes crafted by Maryam and her husband, Nabeel, including the Nihari Pizza, a community favorite. Maryam’s work has been profiled in top media outlets, including Southern Living Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, Hello Pakistan, and more. Some of her brand partners include Albertsons, Nordstrom, HerbalEssence, Aveeno, Grove Collaborative, and Dose & Co.
Product developer is also one of the many titles she holds. Maryam illustrated a book series for children, The English Meets Urdu, available online via Anchor and Oak Publishing. As an immigrant, she wanted to create stories that make it easy for parents to teach Urdu to their children. She also produces a timeless accessory drop in collaboration with Jewels By Sunaina.
In this episode, hosts Qianna Smith Bruneteau and Karston Tannis talk with Maryam about motherhood, sharing seasons of her life with her community, managing creator burnout, sharing traditions through food, and where she sees her career heading —and yes, it includes a cookbook and starting her own café!
The American Influence Council produces the Creators with Influence Podcast.
Visit the AIC: https://www.americaninfluencercouncil.com/
Nihari Pizza recipe: https://www.itsactuallyspicy.com/recipes/nihari-pizza
ENGAGE WITH MARYAM 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MaryamIshtiaq 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MaryamIshtiaq1 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maryamishtiaqshah 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maryamishtiaq_
ENGAGE WITH #CreatorswithInfluence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Creatorswithinfluence  
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Creatorswithinf  
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Creatorswithinfluence  
Learn more: http://creatorswithinfluence.com 

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S2, EP2: Maryam Ishtiaq on Breaking Free of Labels

Our Creators with Influence Podcast turned one on International Podcast Day, celebrated annually on September 30. Hosts Qianna Smith Bruneteau and Karston 'Skinny' Tannis welcome Supermodel, Author, and CEO Beverly Johnson to kick off season 2.
Known as the Face that changed it all in fashion, Beverly has graced over 500 magazine covers and was named one of the “20th Century’s 100 Most Influential People in the Fashion Industry” by The New York Times and listed as Oprah Winfrey’s “25 top legends.” She has been photographed by the most iconic names behind a lens, such as Francesco Scavullo, Arthur Elgort, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Patrick Demarchelier. A New York native, she secured a place in fashion history for being the first Black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue in 1974 and the first Black model to land on the cover of French Elle in 1975. But you don't need to be a fashion enthusiast to be captivated by Beverly's storied career. It's her entrepreneurial and abundance mindset that is equally noteworthy.
"You need this kind of connectedness to propel yourself further, faster...That’s what mentorship does. Of course, you’re going to fall down. We learn our biggest lessons from failure more than from our successes."— Beverly Johnson
Often, people associate career longevity with time. At the American Influencer Council, we believe a successful career is choosing the projects and people you want to work with—staying relevant means getting to a place where you are in control of how you share your talents and expertise. With a career spanning five decades, Beverly returned to the runways of New York Fashion Week in February 2022, on her terms, for Sergio Hudson and Bibhu Mohapatra. She closed the shows for both designers, who paid tribute to her incredible legacy. And she has done over 20 covers in the last two years. For the startup businesses listening, get inspired as Beverly shares how she continuously turns up her purpose, the impact of the supermodels on personal branding and why mentorship results in more remarkable career outcomes.

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S1, EP6: From Vine to TikTok: Wesley “Wuz Good” Armstrong On the Evolution of Influencing

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