How Creators Make Money

The Super Bowl looks like a football game — but it’s really a business event.

In this episode, Grace and Justin break down how the Super Bowl became one of the most powerful money-making machines in the world, and what that means for creators, brands, and anyone paying attention to where attention actually flows.

This turns into a broader conversation about scarcity, spectacle, and why the biggest sports moments are no longer built for fans — they’re built for advertisers, executives, and creators who know how to position themselves in the right rooms.

We also get into how creators can think more strategically about major cultural moments like the Super Bowl, World Cup, Olympics, SXSW, and F1 — and how money quietly moves around all of them.

Inside this episode:

• Why Super Bowl tickets cost $5,000+ (and who’s actually buying them)

• How the Super Bowl turned into a networking and sales event

• Why creators get paid just to show up

• Sports betting money flooding the creator economy

• The rise of B2B creators and why brands trust them more

• How to map big events 6–12 months ahead to get invited in

• Why attention, not talent, drives the biggest contracts in sports

This isn’t about “how to go viral.”
It’s about understanding where the money already is — and how creators tap into it.

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen
📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Here is a link to the 350 page 2025 social trends deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/u/0/d/1aSrP4Pojh7EZde8EZL5kTOH_DAY0SoXzEWF6o2RmFg4/

In this episode, Grace and Justin react to a massive deck that shares social trends of 2025, where the industry is headed, and what most people still don’t understand about social media.

This turns into a real conversation about creator income, incentives, platforms, and why so many creators feel stuck even when things look “successful” on the outside.

Inside this episode:

Why someone would build a 350-page creator economy deck

What the deck gets right (and what it completely misses)

How creators actually make money vs how it’s usually explained

The gap between creator attention and creator incomeWhat matters more than follower count in 2025

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen

📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

In this episode, Justin and Grace sit down with JC Rodriguez to break down how creators should be thinking about building multiple income streams to thinking about cash flow, taxes, and long-term financial stability as a creator.

Inside:

• Revenue vs. profit — why many creators get this wrong
• How creators should think about taxes, savings, and reinvesting income
• Common financial mistakes creators make early on
• When to monetize vs. when to grow distribution• Building long-term financial security as a creator

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro & JC Rodriguez’s background

05:30 – How JC thinks about creator income streams

12:10 – Revenue, profit, and cash flow for creators

19:40 – Monetization timing mistakes

27:15 – Taxes, savings, and reinvesting creator income

35:00 – Risk management and income diversification

42:20 – Long-term financial planning for creators

48:10 – Closing thoughts

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen

📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

This episode breaks down the real world of UGC. How creators with tiny audiences are making six figures, why most creator panels are useless, and how brands actually manufacture viral moments on TikTok.

Grace also dives into portfolio mistakes, agency vs. direct pricing, and what Handshake looks for when hiring UGC creators.

Inside:

• How small creators quietly earn 6 figures with UGC
• Why most creator panels suck (and what actually matters)
• Agency rates vs. direct brand rates — 10x difference
• How brands “flood TikTok” to push products viral
• What Handshake looks for in UGC creators
• Why comedians are the best teachers of creator storytelling

Timestamps:

00:00 – LA stories, gyms & party culture

02:40 – Audience vs. brand: why community matters

07:00 – Faceless brands & creator-led design

10:20 – Reviewing niche creator content formats

12:50 – Repurposing content authentically

18:10 – TikTok Shop, creator education & events

20:00 – Why most creator panels suck

26:05 – What comedians teach creators

32:20 – UGC portfolios: who’s making real money

36:40 – UGC content types + what performs

41:30 – Who dominates UGC demographics

43:00 – Agency vs. direct pricing

49:05 – Handshake’s UGC hiring criteria

52:15 – Brands flooding TikTok

56:00 – AI clipping tools vs. organic virality

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen

📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Inside This Episode:

This one goes deep into the creator × career crossroads — how personal branding actually impacts job offers, whether “dream jobs” are real or a scam, and what Grace & our guest learned from breaking into tech, navigating identity shifts, and growing online while working full-time.
Plus… the Lucy Guo saga, getting into VC-backed startups, and the real game behind “prestige hiring.”

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 — Imposter syndrome & your online reputation
02:45 — How personal branding actually gets you hired
05:30 — Why top-of-mind beats résumés
07:50 — Inside his new role + onboarding realities in tech
10:45 — Why relationships are the real promotion engine
12:30 — The job market is brutal… here’s how to stand out
15:00 — Biggest mistakes people make when building a personal brand
18:00 — Niche vs broad identity: how Grace pivoted 5+ times
21:00 — Do “dream jobs” even exist? (debate gets spicy)
26:00 — When a job isn’t a step down for creators
29:30 — What you actually learn from a W2 that creators miss
34:00 — Systems, tracking, and how corporate teaches discipline
39:40 — Lucy Guo breakdown: career path, scaleAI, Passes, PR spin
44:00 — The VC “hack”: big-name → startup → equity route
48:30 — Why clout still rules hiring (and how to leverage it)
52:00 — Breaking into VC-backed startups without pedigree
55:00 — The truth about early career, prestige & portfolio plays

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen

📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Most creators think you need a massive audience to make real money. Phil Pallen is proof you don’t.

He will finish 2025 close to 7-figures in revenue — while barely having 6-figures in followers across platforms.

In this episode, Justin and Grace break down how Phil built a highly profitable creator-consultant business by positioning himself correctly, charging like a strategist, and letting his content do the inbound work for him.

Inside:

💡 The 3 pillars of a personal brand that actually sells

📱 Why follower count ≠ revenue (Phil is the perfect example)

💸 How he prices strategy, consulting, and brand builds

🔄 Rebranding yourself after a pivot (and why most people do it wrong)

📈 How Phil structures his business to stay creative and profitable

Timestamps:

00:00 – Phil Pallen’s business model

06:12 – Why most personal brands fail

12:45 – The 3 pillars of a high-trust personal brand

20:10 – Follower count vs. credibility (Phil’s anti-vanity approach)

26:30 – Creating content that attracts inbound leads

34:15 – Pricing yourself as a strategist, not a freelancer

41:20 – How to rebrand after a pivot

47:50 – Building an agency that scales your creative work

53:10 – Final takeaways

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen

📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From affiliate YouTube empires to billion-dollar creator platforms, this episode dives into how creators are turning strategy into scale.

Justin and Grace break down the real business behind money-making on the internet — from finance creators earning millions off links to brands like Adobe rebuilding their image around creators.

Inside:
💸 The truth about OF and the “1%” income curve
🎯 Why vice-based content (betting, thirst traps, alcohol) always wins attention
🏙 SF vs. LA creator culture — how environment shapes identity
🎨 Adobe Max’s rebrand into creator-first marketing
🤝 How to get into the right invite-only brand rooms
📈 Charlie Chang’s $4M/year YouTube machine and affiliate strategy
🔁 Recurring revenue from affiliate deals (and how creators can copy it)

Timestamps:
00:00 – The economics of OF and vice-based content
07:28 – SF vs. LA culture and how it shapes creator identity
13:42 – Adobe Max: how Adobe is reinventing for creators
20:30 – Creator-first branding and event strategy
27:03 – Inside the “real” brand parties and how to get invited
29:46 – Charlie Chang’s $4M affiliate empire
38:02 – How to actually make YouTube affiliate content work
41:24 – ChatGPT affiliate ideas + AI product monetization
43:20 – Closing thoughts

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen
📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From Reddit money threads to Wall Street creators, this episode breaks down the real side of personal finance.

Justin and Grace unpack the creator money game, what actually matters when building wealth, and why increasing your income beats budgeting every time.

Inside:
💸 Why “saving $3 a day” advice doesn’t work for creators
📈 How to actually increase your income (before worrying about taxes)
🤖 The Reddit flowchart thats better than most financial advisors
🚨 Why YouTube finance advice can be a red flag

Timestamps:
00:00 – When parents start charging rent
05:30 – The struggle of money management as a creator vs. employee
14:00 – Finance YouTubers and the clickbait dilemma
18:30 – Why Reddit might be the most honest finance platform
22:00 – The real truth about financial advisors & commissions
27:40 – Save vs. earn: what actually matters first
33:00 – FIRE, FAT FIRE & the rise of creator early retirement goals
39:00 – Vivian Tu’s rise and what creators can learn from her branding
46:00 – The game of perception, headlines & making people care
52:00 – Final thoughts: pay more taxes → make more money

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen
📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From Ryan Trahan’s $1M YouTube sprint to Crocs pulling 64M views in a single campaign, brands and creators are rewriting the rules of influence.

In this episode, Justin and Grace break down the money, the strategy, and the clout hacks behind some of the biggest creator-brand plays today.

Inside:
💰 How Ryan Trahan made $1M+ in 50 days from one YouTube series
🎮 Why gaming companies spend $800K+ on creator sponsorships
👟 Anthpo’s Crocs collab - 22 videos, 64M views, viral genius
📊 CPM vs. RPM explained (and why finance creators earn 25x more)
🚪 Using clout to get into rooms and open doors

Timestamps:
00:00 – Ryan Trahan’s $1M+ YouTube sprint
10:45 – Gaming companies dropping $800K+ on sponsorships
23:00 – Anthpo x Crocs: 64M views in under a month
30:00 – CPM vs. RPM and why finance creators cash in big
48:30 – Success metrics: views vs. money vs. impact
53:45 – Clout hacks: getting into rooms that matter

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen
📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From near-death travel stories to $600K journals, this episode dives into how creators are monetizing in surprising ways. Justin and Grace unpack the risks, niches, and products that actually scale in today’s creator economy.

Inside:
🌍 Justin’s wild Guatemala trip & the risks creators take IRL
🪵 The rise of niche creators - woodworking, gardening, golf & beyond
📈 The journal creator making $632K from a simple product
📱 Why Bobby Approved is crushing creator apps
🥩 Grocery store prices, U.S. food culture, and what Europe gets right

Timestamps:
00:00 – Near-death experiences & Guatemala travel story
15:00 – Going all in vs. gradual growth as a creator
23:00 – The fall of lifestyle creators & rise of niches
47:00 – Bobby Approved app breakdown & why it works
54:30 – Food culture, grocery prices & Europe vs. U.S.
59:30 – Could Bobby Approved become the next big food label?

🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen
📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.