This week Francis is joined by essayist and culture critic, Alicia Kennedy. Alicia is primarily a food writer, however also has many refined takes on writing, the algorithm, and the attention economy.

Alicia's Newsletter: https://www.aliciakennedy.news/

00:00:00 Introducing Alicia Kennedy

00:01:38 Rejecting the idea of the creator

00:07:06 Declining media literacy in the digital age

00:12:36 The fragmentation of public intellectualism

00:17:09 Attaching value to greatest achievements

00:19:32 The creator economy tradeoff of freedom and instability

00:29:33 The need for publications that challenge food writing norms

00:35:08 The blurred line between influencers and creators

00:40:13 Building a like-minded diverse community

00:43:58 The key to consistent organic growth

00:47:10 The need for a more horizontal media ecosystem

00:52:32 Navigating platforms with limited audience engagement control

00:57:51 Experience of writing a book vs newsletters

This week Francis is joined by Kofie Yeboah a versatile creator in the sports media landscape. Kofie does it all, social media, long-form, short-form, podcasts, research and writing. He's here to tell us how he does it all.

Kofie's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KofieWhy

00:00 Introducing Kofie Yeboah

01:25 Kofie's early introduction to sports

05:35 The evolution from long-form to short-form

10:21 TikTok's endless opportunities and constant insecurity

14:37 Balancing roles as a content creator and producer

19:43 Successful strategies for repurposing content

26:56 The best and the worst of social platforms

29:57 Fostering a positive and engaged community

32:23 Revenue reinvestment strategies

43:24 Balancing a full-time job with content creation

46:55 Kofie's relationship with different sports leagues

48:33 The path to 100k subscribers

This week Francis is joined by Jenna Stoeber, a video essayist and content creator known for her deep dives into video game and media culture.

Jenna's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_jenna/

Jenna's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thejenna.bsky.social

00:00:00 Laying the content creator foundation

00:07:00 The art of constructing informative videos

00:09:20 If I create, am I a creator?

00:14:36 The dichotomy of creating and consuming

00:17:19 Beating the algorithm with one simple video

00:20:55 Balancing creativity with optimization

00:29:13 Building diverse and sustainable revenue streams

00:34:25 Sacrificing salary for freedom and autonomy

00:39:27 Knowing your strengths and how to use them

00:46:07 The joys and challenges of podcasting

00:59:02 The art of researching and scripting a video essay

01:05:47 The boss fight: Goals for 2025

This week, Francis is joined by Henry Winslow, founder and writer of Tricycle Day, a newsletter focused on psychedelics research, policy, and business. Francis interviewed Henry exactly one year ago, and this conversation is centred around Henry's growth over the past year.

Tricycle Day Newsletter: https://www.tricycleday.com

Tricycle Day Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tricycleday

00:00 Sustaining a creator-led business following rapid growth

06:27 The key to growing your first 1000 subscribers

09:23 Understanding your audience and utilizing data

12:44 Hiring an successful team as a creator

16:47 Scaling to a $250k business in year two

18:53 The benefits of advertising to a niche audience

23:27 The struggles of operating in a controversial space

28:03 Building an audience around trust

35:21 Expanding your business beyond the newsletter

38:09 Community is a buzzword, but not this time

41:42 Goals for 2025

This week Francis is joined by Matt McGarry, also known as the Newsletter Guy. They discuss his agency Growletter, the nuances of newsletter-only businesses, the challenges of monetization, and the evolving role of creators in the media landscape.

Newsletter Marketing Summit: https://newslettermarketingsummit.com

FOR $200 OFF, USE CODE: CS200

Newsletter Operator: https://www.newsletteroperator.com

Growletter: https://growletter.co

Write Grow Sell: https://writegrowsell.com

Matt McGarry: https://x.com/JMatthewMcGarry

00:00:00 Introducing Matt and his businesses

00:01:12 Breaking down Matt's multiple income streams

00:04:52 Newsletters are NOT a business model

00:08:24 CPA is not as important as you think

00:16:06 Creating a winning ad to grow your newsletter

00:19:24 Why you should not start a newsletter only business

00:23:21 Do not paywall your best content

00:29:19 The key to monetizing your audience

00:36:10 The devolution from media founder to creator

00:41:36 The difficulties of marketing a podcast

00:47:13 Maximizing reach and engagement by repurposing content

00:52:55 The must-haves for a growing newsletter

00:56:30 The most saturated areas in the newsletter world

00:59:46 Newsletter trends for 2025

This week Francis Zierer speaks with Lindsey Stanberry, creator of The Purse, a newsletter focused on money, motherhood, work, and relationships. Lindsay shares her journey from working in corporate media to becoming an independent creator/entrepreneur.

The Purse: https://thepurse.substack.com/

00:00 Introducing Lindsey and The Purse

01:25 Transitioning from Corporate to Independent Creation

06:16 Developing a Blog into a Sustainable Brand

09:30 The Biggest Detriment to Journalists in Media

14:26 Defining Identity: Creator, Journalist, or Entrepreneur?

19:44 The Value of Collaboration and Partnership in Entrepreneurship

24:43 Choosing Your Niche for a Content Franchise

30:54 Growing an Organic Newsletter Audience

32:14 The Challenge of Paid Subscriptions

35:22 Fostering a Community Through Events

38:18 Creator's Concern of Financial Sustainability

42:24 The Evolution of the Newsletter Format

45:05 The Value of Transparency and Trust as a Creator

47:08 The Value of Quality Writing Amongst Abundant Free Content

54:29 Take Yourself Seriously

In this episode of Creator Spotlight Francis is joined by Daisy Alioto, CEO, editor and writer of Dirt Media. They explore the evolution of Dirt Media, its unique approach to content and community, and the challenges faced in the current media landscape.

Daisy: https://x.com/daisandconfused

Dirt: https://dirt.fyi

Tasteland: https://www.tasteland.fyi

00:00 Introducing Daisy Alioto and Dirt Media

04:00 Treating Subscribers as Collectors

06:35 The Primordial Soup of the Media Environment

11:49 Running a Media Company Like a Streetwear Brand

16:49 Understanding Your Audience is Crucial

21:29 The Importance of Being Future Focussed in Business

24:56 Collaboration is Key for Growth

30:41 The Growing Responsibilities to Your Audience and Team

34:51 The Internet is Nothing Without Contribution

This week Francis is joined by Michael Kauffman to discusses his journey building a local newsletter business, Catskill Crew. He shares insights on audience engagement, growth strategies, and the importance of branding in the creator economy.

Catskill Crew: https://catskillcrew.com

Newsletter Club: https://thenewsletter.club

00:00 Building a Community-Led Newsletter

05:57 Local Relationships are Crucial for Newsletter Success

12:29 Building Businesses Around a Local Newsletter

14:28 Why You Must Begin With Organic Growth

17:50 The Importance of Branding and Identity

24:41 The Internal Desire to Create

28:55 Building a Sustainable and Authentic Revenue Model

38:43 The Local Holding Company Model

41:50 Revenue Breakdown and Business Structure

43:12 The Importance of Community Engagement

47:12 Financial Realities of Starting a Newsletter

50:48 The Newsletter Club: A Community for Creators

53:41 The Future of Local Journalism

This week Francis is joined by content creator and entrepreneur John Hu, also known as Jayhoovy. John is the founder of Stan, an all-in-one monetization tool for creators. He shares insights on the challenges creators face in the business landscape and how his platform, Stan, aims to empower them.

Check out Stan: https://www.stan.store/

John's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayhoovy

00:00 Introducing John and his company, Stan

01:24 Building an Audience and Personal Brand

05:05 The Artist to Entrepreneur Spectrum

07:45 Allocating Time as a Content Creator vs CEO at Scale

11:18 Celebrating Creator Success Stories

14:40 The Importance of Consistency in Content Creation

17:49 All Humans Will Be In the Creator Economy

21:30 The Value of Systems Thinking as a Creator

25:33 Scaling a Team and Hiring a Professional Memer

29:00 The Opportunities in Creator Led Digital Products

32:07 Attention Economy: The Limited Resource

33:56 Navigating Different Social Platforms for Success

36:25 Is Building in Public a PsyOp?

This episode is with one of the best business minds in the newsletter world, Adam Ryan of workweek.com

Workweek: https://workweek.com

Adam: https://x.com/adamry_n

00:00 Introducing Adam Ryan and Workweek

03:44 The Balance of Creativity and Sales

06:21 Key Levers for Audience Growth

08:53 Content Trends and Audience Engagement

10:03 Current Projects and Initiatives at Workweek

12:39 The Difficulties of Balancing Creativity and Entrepreneurship

15:59 The Importance of Consistency as a Creator

20:40 From Campus Rep to Brand Builder

27:59 The Evolution and Future of Newsletters

38:04 Advising the Next Generation of Newsletters

44:59 Vision for the Future of Workweek