Send us a text From the beaches of Cannes to your For You page, Keith and Brendan sit down with Kim Farrell - Head of Creators at TikTok, and dive into how TikTok is helping creators connect, create, and cash in. We explore why live events are becoming a core pillar of creator strategy, which underused monetization tools every creator should know about, and how to actually define "high quality" content in 2025. Plus, our Creator & Brand of the Week picks: Dhar Mann, Louis Butterfield, Dove’s...
Jun 20, 2025•50 min•Ep. 65
Send us a text Want to get all this content and MORE in person? Then you need to be at Creator Economy Live East , heading to NYC August 5-6. Use code CELPOD20 for 20% off your ticket, and the first 500 brands go free! Melanie Huet, CMO of Newell Brands (home to Sharpie, Coleman, Rubbermaid, and more), joins the pod to talk about her journey from Unilever and Kraft to leading a powerhouse portfolio of everyday icons. But before we get into boardrooms and brand strategy, we dive into her other pa...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 64
Send us a text Keith and Brendan sit down with Olivia Petzy, Social Media and Communications Group Manager at Care.com. Olivia shares how she built Care.com’s influencer strategy from the ground up, why she’s passionate about authentic storytelling, and what brands get wrong when they expect social leads to be on-camera talent. Plus, we cover the latest headlines: Publicis’ acquisition of Captiv8, Whalar’s $400M valuation, new creator tools from YouTube and Instagram, and all the wild AI updates...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 63
Send us a text Enjoying the Creator Economy Live podcast? Hear all these actionable insights and build connections with HUGE industry titan brands at Creator Economy Live East 2025 . PLUS as a loyal listener, you can get 20% off your ticket using POD20 at checkout! On this episode of Creator Economy Live, Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan sit down with Gabe Gomez — a social strategist who’s made waves on LinkedIn and beyond. With experience at Edelman, Verizon, and now MCoBeauty, Gabe offers a uniq...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 62
Send us a text Toilet paper, tampons, tissues, and... TikTok? In this episode of Creator Economy Live, Keith and Brendan sit down with Megan Narcisi and Lauren Staff from Kimberly-Clark—home to household brands like Huggies, Kleenex, and Kotex—to talk about what it really takes to make everyday products pop on social. From wild agency stories to building a center of excellence in a corporate giant, they spill all. Plus, we dive into LinkedIn’s influencer glow-up, Meta’s new ad features, and the ...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 61
Send us a text In this special episode of Creator Economy Live , hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan are joined by not one but two powerhouse guests—Ali Kaltman and Janna Ninekin from Gruns, the brand that’s been taking over your social feed. They dive deep into how Gruns crafts scroll-stopping content, builds measurable impact through influencer marketing, and structures a high-performing team. Plus, the duo explores the evolving revenue models for creators, how community drives long-term succ...
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 60
Send us a text On this episode of Creator Economy Live, we’re joined by the one and only Mike Diva—the creative powerhouse directing some of Saturday Night Live’s most unforgettable digital shorts. From viral YouTube hits to high-gloss SNL sketches, Mike has built a career on chaotic brilliance, razor-sharp satire, and mind-blowing VFX. Hosts Brendan Gahan and Keith Bendes chat with Mike about breaking into the industry, maintaining his distinct visual voice in mainstream media, how the SNL gig ...
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Send us a text Recorded live at Shack15 in San Francisco, this episode of Creator Economy Live brings the heat with our very special guest, Marina Mogilko — co-founder of LinguaTrip.com and the creator behind Linguamarina and Silicon Valley Girl, with a combined digital audience of over 17 million. Hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan catch up on the latest news in the creator space — including the looming TikTok ban, new YouTube Shorts updates, and why Gen Z is leaning harder into creator conte...
Apr 10, 2025•50 min•Ep. 58
Send us a text Join hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan on the latest episode of Creator Economy Live, where they dive into the ever-evolving world of influencer marketing. This week, they sit down with James Del, the visionary behind Passionfruit, a platform pushing boundaries in the creator space. With a career spanning Gawker, Tao Group, and numerous leadership roles, James shares his journey, marketing insights, and the key trends shaping the industry. From SXSW's creator palooza to the ris...
Apr 03, 2025•55 min•Ep. 57
Send us a text Welcome back to Creator Economy Live , your go-to podcast for everything influencer marketing and the creator economy. Hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan are back with another exciting episode, bringing you the latest in the world of media, creators, and everything in between. First, a huge thank you to our incredible sponsors at Linqia and the amazing production team over at Creator Economy Live . In this episode, we’re joined by Foster Kamer, a long-time friend, writer, editor...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 56
Send us a text In this episode of Creator Economy Live , hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan catch up on the latest trends in influencer marketing and the creator economy. They dive into March Madness NIL deals, TikTok’s latest updates, and Amazon shutting down Inspire. Plus, they discuss Instagram's new ad format, YouTube’s AI Shorts integration, and more. The episode features a conversation with Adam Ornelas, Influencer Lead at DoorDash, who shares his experience working with major brands lik...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 55
Send us a text Welcome back to Creator Economy Live, your go-to source for all things influencer marketing. This week in episode 54, Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan break down the latest trends, including record-breaking NIL deal spending, the rise of performance-driven influencer marketing, and how YouTube has overtaken mobile as the top way people watch content. We also celebrate 20 years of YouTube, exploring how it reshaped media and made creators more influential than traditional celebrities...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 54
Send us a text Live from Creator Economy Live 2025 in Las Vegas, Keith & Brendan are joined by Jon Youshaei — former Instagram & YouTube insider turned full-time creator. After spending nearly a decade building creator teams at the biggest platforms, Jon took the leap to go solo. In this episode, he reveals why he left his dream job, how he landed interviews with icons like MrBeast, Logan Paul, Marques Brownlee, and Charli D’Amelio, and why he doubled down on high-quality production in a...
Feb 21, 2025•46 min•Ep. 53
Send us a text In this episode of Creator Economy Live, hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan sit down with marketing executive Marissa Kraines, former VP of Social & Content Marketing at Salesforce. From her start in the music industry to shaping innovative B2B campaigns, Marissa shares insights on creativity, influencer marketing, and the future of the creator economy. Plus, we break down Meta’s latest push to lure creators, Instagram’s algorithm updates, and the launch of Linqia’s Creator ...
Feb 11, 2025•51 min•Ep. 52
Send us a text In this episode of Creator Economy Live, Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan sit down with bestselling author and adventurer Michael Easter. From the secrets behind The Comfort Crisis to navigating the transition from traditional media to thriving as a modern creator, Michael shares how stepping outside your comfort zone can unlock extraordinary performance. Plus, we dive into the latest industry news, from TikTok bans to Meta's shifts, and highlight creators and brands making waves. D...
Jan 22, 2025•55 min•Ep. 51
Send us a text In our landmark 50th episode, hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan are joined by none other than Rachel Karten, the mastermind behind the beloved newsletter Link in Bio, with over 94k subscribers. We dive into Rachel's journey from brand social media expert to independent creator, discuss her eye-opening survey findings, and uncover her top predictions for 2025. Plus, Keith and Brendan share their own bold forecasts for the year ahead, touching on AI video, creator-driven content,...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Send us a text Welcome to Creator Economy Live’s festive holiday edition! In this special episode, we’re celebrating the year by revisiting The 12 Stories in Social —the top moments that shaped the creator economy in 2024. Inspired by "The 12 Days of Christmas," we take a creative spin through the stories that mattered most: The rise of creators on big screens New metrics driving social platform success Social media's influence on politics The women dominating online conversations And much more!...
Dec 23, 2024•51 min
Send us a text Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan are back for Episode 48 of Creator Economy Live! This week, we unpack the ripple effects of the TikTok ban and Kai Cenat’s record-breaking Twitch “Mafiathon.” Plus, Instagram’s Trial Reels, LinkedIn’s boosted posts, and how brands like Away and Puresport are shaking up influencer marketing. Our guest, Josh Cohen, co-founder of Tubefilter and the Streamy Awards, takes us behind the curtain of digital media’s rise, sharing untold stories and his vision...
Dec 20, 2024•58 min
Send us a text This week, we’re thrilled to have Kaya Yurieff, the Team Lead on the Creator Economy at The Information and one of our favorite industry reporters. Kaya shares her journey from working at CNN with Jake Tapper to becoming a leading voice in the creator economy. We dive into how her team produces unparalleled insights daily, the evolving landscape of the creator space, and her bold predictions for 2025. Before Kaya joins, Keith and Brendan catch up on the latest news, including high...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Send us a text In Episode 46 of Creator Economy Live, hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan dive into the latest updates in influencer marketing and the creator economy with special guest Lauren Flanigan, Head of Global Brands for Refreshments at Mondelez. Lauren brings her insights from working with iconic brands like Oreo, Ritz, and Cadbury, sharing her take on influencer strategies and brand performance. They also discuss Meta’s rumored AI search engine, the rise of retail influencers, and Ins...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Send us a text Episode 45 features guest Michelle Miller, CMO of K18 - the haircare brand that has seen a meteoric rise in the last few years, being the #1 most discussed hair care brand amongst influencers. Tune in to hear about Michelle's time at UCSC with co-host Brendan Gahan, her early career in journalism, and her range of roles in luxury beauty brands (including Too Faced and Kosas Cosmetics). Also, hear Keith and Brendan discuss the huge impact long-form content such as podcasts and YouT...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Send us a text Join Keith, Brendan and guest Esraa Elzin, Influencer Marketing lead at Instacart, to discuss Esraa's PR background having worked at Marina Maher, went in-house role in the beauty world at top brands Estee Lauder Companies and LVMH before landing her role at Instacart. COW/BOW (creator of the week & brand of the week) Creator of the week (COW) Keith: Rachel Karten from Link in Bio - newsletter about working in social media and creating stand out content - has over 75k subscrib...
Oct 31, 2024•53 min
Send us a text In Brendan and Keith's latest solo episode, they dive into Linqia's highly anticipated, 2025 State of Influencer Marketing Report and it's a treasure trove of data. It's survey based data from 200+ US enterprise marketers, and some of the top insights include a lot of useful stats around influencer budgets, Tiktok's potential ban and its impact on influencers, and using influencer content beyond creators feed. Also, get ready to get personal as Keith & Brendan discuss family h...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Send us a text In episode 42 of Creator Economy Live, hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan sit down with powerhouse influencer and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Victoria Garrick Browne . From battling mental health struggles as a Division 1 athlete to skyrocketing to influencer fame, Victoria opens up about her inspiring journey. This episode is sponsored by Linqia, the #1 influencer marketing partner for the world's leading brands. Having executed over 3,000 campaigns for more than 650 brands, Li...
Oct 02, 2024•57 min
Send us a text Keith & Brendan talk with finance influencer Humphrey Yang running through his meteoric rise from a financial advisor to a social media powerhouse, the secret behind his multi-platform growth, and what brands get wrong when working with creators. This episode is sponsored by Linqia, the #1 influencer marketing partner for the world's leading brands. Having executed over 3,000 campaigns for more than 650 brands, Linqia combines technology powered by Google Vision AI with award ...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Send us a text In this episode of Creator Economy Live, hosts Keith and Brendan chat with Danielle Ito, the influencer marketing lead at Notion, about her diverse experience in creator partnerships across brands like Taco Bell and Madison Reed. They deep dive into influencer marketing on LinkedIn as well as how affiliate marketing is integrating into creator marketing. As always, we cover the latest industry news, including the FTC’s crackdown on fake followers and TikTok’s growing dominance in ...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Send us a text In this episode of Creator Economy Live, Keith and Brendan welcome Lia Haberman, a leading voice in the creator economy and founder/author of ICYMI newsletter. Fresh from attending the first ever White House Creator Economy Conference Lia shares her takeaways and gives us a peek into the conversations that took place. Lia also dives into her impressive career from big brand activations, to the academic side of the creator economy. 🐄 Creators of the Week (COW): Joel Bervell MatPat...
Aug 20, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 39
Send us a text ICYMI, last week Keith and Brendan were joined by Nadya Okamoto, co-Founder of August, to record the second live edition of the podcast, in partnership with Creator Economy NYC. Nadya is a force to be reckoned with in the creator economy. At just 25 years old, she's is founder of multiple companies, she has run for public office, AND amassed millions of followers across various platforms. Safe to say, this conversation blew us away. As a self-described "geriatric Gen Z," Nadya lev...
Aug 08, 2024•53 min
Send us a text On this week's episode of Creator Economy Live, Keith and Brendan are joined by a household name in social medial marketing, Jack Appleby. Jack shares his journey from a college basketball player to a leading social media strategist. He offers valuable advice for aspiring B2B creators, discusses the most impactful platform for his work and what the future holds for brands using influencer marketing. Jack also reveals which of his posts garnered the most support and how he started ...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Send us a text This week, we have another special guest appearance alongside Brendan and Keith: Steph Martin, an influencer marketing veteran with extensive experience in fintech, healthcare, DTC, and consumer goods industries. Steph has led influencer marketing for renowned brands such as Hims & Hers and ThirdLove and is the SF chapter ambassador for Women in Influencer Marketing. Steph shares her journey from traditional PR to leading influencer programs on the brand side. She discusses th...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min
