In this episode, Jacob and I discuss the AI-powered episode Jacob created last week - a fascinating experiment using Eleven Labs to clone his voice. He walks through his entire workflow from capturing voice notes and using Claude to help refine ideas, to the challenges of making the AI voice sound natural. We also chat about the ethics and concerns around voice cloning technology. Let us know what you thought of the AI episode here. Would you listen to more content like that? 👉 What did you thi...
May 09, 2025•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 48
In this experimental meta-episode, host Jacob explores the complex relationship creators have with AI in 2025. Using his own voice cloned with ElevenLabs, alongside two AI hosts named NotJacob and Eva, the episode examines how creators are simultaneously empowered and unsettled by AI tools—capable of producing more than ever before, yet questioning what it means to create at all. The conversation follows the typical creator journey with AI: from that first moment of revelation, through experimen...
May 03, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 47
In this episode, Matthew and Jacob discuss the telltale signs of an amateur creator mindset and provide practical strategies to overcome these common challenges. Key Insights: 🟢 Writer's Block : Many creators struggle with not knowing what to say or lacking confidence in their ideas. The solution lies in gaining clarity about your audience and purpose. 🟢 Motivation Dependence : Amateur creators often wait for inspiration to strike rather than developing consistent creation habits. Professional...
Apr 25, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In this solo episode, Jacob tackles one of the most common struggles for aspiring creators: how to make the leap from passively consuming content to actively creating it. He shares practical strategies and a 7-day challenge to help overcome the psychological barriers that keep us stuck in consumption mode. Key Insights: 🟢 Creation Paralysis : The fear of judgment and exposure prevents many would-be creators from taking their first steps, even when they feel a deep urge to create. 🟢 The Perfect...
Apr 18, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Will Content Sites Still Exist in 5 Years? In this special crossover episode between Creator Craft and Podcraft, Matthew and Jacob dive into a pressing question for all content creators: will content sites still exist in five years? With search habits changing and AI reshaping how people find information online, what does this mean for blogs, podcasts, and other content platforms? Read Jacob's full article with sources on the stats mentioned, How To Survive The Death of Search Engines And Thrive...
Apr 11, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In this episode, we get into a couple of AI tools which we've been playing with for content creation. We kick things off discussing ChatGPT's updated image generation capabilities, which finally solved the text legibility problem that's plagued AI image creation for years. Jacob shows the steps you can take to finally create professionally designed assets like cheat sheets, social media graphics, and podcast artwork where the text is perfectly rendered. The key is following a specific set of ste...
Apr 04, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In this episode of Creator Craft, Jacob and I chat about the craft of creating! We kick things off explaining our recent name change from Creator Toolbox to Creator Craft (due to a naming conflict with a newsletter). Then I review the DJI Osmo Mobile 7 and 7P gimbals, comparing features and sharing my experience using them for YouTube shorts and videos. Jacob shares a fascinating case study on "news jacking" - how his article about vibe coding went viral, bringing in 17,000 readers and 200 backl...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In this solo episode of Creator Toolbox (soon to be Creator Craft), Jacob announces our name change and uses this opportunity to dive deep into the art of naming creative projects. Jacob explains why we're rebranding from Creator Toolbox to Creator Craft – there's already a newsletter called "Creators Toolbox" which could cause confusion as we launch our own newsletter. Jacob shares valuable insights about different types of creative project names, what makes a name scalable, and practical advic...
Mar 20, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode of Creator Toolbox, Colin and Jacob share their strategy for growing the podcast over the next 6-12 months. We discuss shifting to a "newsletter-first" approach, where the podcast generates content that then flows into newsletters, blog posts, and social media. We explore how this approach feels more future-proof in an environment where SEO is becoming less reliable, and how it gives us more creative freedom. Throughout the conversation, we share our plans for improving social me...
Mar 14, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In this episode, Colin and Jacob dig into two powerful tools for creators: LinkedIn and AI deep research capabilities. Colin shares his recent LinkedIn strategy, revealing how daily posting has drastically improved his engagement and impressions, and what makes up those daily posts. He explores effective content types like cheat sheets, carousels, video formats, and personal stories that perform well on the platform. Colin also highlights successful creators like Chris Donnelly, Ann Handley, and...
Mar 11, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 39
We kicked off talking about a big change we're making to our annual planning cadence. Instead of following the traditional January-December cycle, we're shifting to a March-February year. Why? Because December-January is such a mess with holidays and slow starts! We found that planning during this time just doesn't work well. By making March 1st the start of our planning year, we're using January-February as a time for reflection, strategy planning, and wrapping up previous projects. This gives ...
Feb 28, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In this episode, Colin and Jacob discuss the " Big Five " content strategy, a framework for creating content that attracts your audience at every stage of the buying process. The Big Five content areas are: cost and pricing, best-of lists, problems, comparisons, and reviews. They explain how each area can be used to generate content ideas, regardless of your industry. They also discuss how these different content types can be used to reach people at all stages of the buying process, from those w...
Feb 20, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In this episode, Jacob explores the three major AI assistants and how creators can best leverage each one. Drawing from extensive hands-on experience, he breaks down the unique strengths of Claude, ChatGPT (including the new O1 model), and Gemini, providing practical guidance on which tool works best for different creator tasks. Key Takeaways 👉 OpenAI's O1 excels at strategic planning and breaking down complex problems 👉 Claude is the top choice for writing tasks and maintaining consistent ton...
Feb 07, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In this episode, we explore two key tools for creators looking to level up their business: media kits and personal websites. We start by breaking down what goes into an effective media kit - from showcasing your audience stats to highlighting your unique value proposition. We talk about using media kits not just for sponsorships, but also for podcast guest appearances, collaborations, and PR opportunities. The conversation then shifts to personal websites, where we contrast super simple approach...
Jan 30, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In this episode of Creator Toolbox, hosts Colin and Jacob explore several key topics affecting content creators. Colin kicks things off with a detailed look at his switch from Asana to TickTick for task management, explaining how he's created a more effective system for handling ideas and daily tasks. The conversation then shifts to a discussion of Project Stargate, a proposed $500 billion AI initiative, with Jacob expressing skepticism about its feasibility and environmental impact. The hosts d...
Jan 27, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 34
In this episode, we dig into four fantastic tools and strategies for creators. Jacob kicks things off by sharing his pocket-filling discovery of 2023 - the Revolut Ultra plan. This premium bank account is packed with creator-friendly perks like WeWork passes, airport lounges, and a bundle of premium subscriptions. Next, Colin walks us through his annual planning process, sharing the exact framework he's developed since 2015 for reviewing the past year and setting up for success. Finally, we expl...
Jan 10, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In this special year-end episode, Colin and Jacob reflect on their key learnings from 2024 and share predictions for 2025. They discuss experiences and lessons learned in hiring and team building, the challenges of maintaining focus across different content mediums, and the evolving AI landscape. The hosts also share their commitments for the upcoming year, including Jacob's plans to start creating video content and Colin's goal to hire an assistant. The episode wraps up with gift recommendation...
Jan 03, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Struggling with overwhelming projects and not sure where to start, or having a hard time keeping track of your brand's impact? This episode is packed with a set of tools to help you work smart, and let AI do the hard work in planning your next project. Colin shows how he's turned AI into his own personal project manager, breaking down massive tasks into manageable steps and creating visual workflows that actually make sense. Then, Colin and Jacob explore Podscan, a smart tool that helps you disc...
Dec 27, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In this video, we dig deep into the mindset and systems that power a ridiculously consistent and long lived podcast. My guest is Matty Lansdowne, from the How Not to Get Sick and Die Podcast, and he shares how he built his show to over 400 episodes, much of that time while working a full-time job. We explore the psychology of consistency, practical systems for success, and strategies for maintaining quality content production. Matty also shares insights on building a profitable business through ...
Dec 20, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 30
This week, we're queuing up a chat about YouTube scripting tools, no-code app building, pro vs amateur mindsets, what we can learn from Jay Clouse, and a mindset for producing authentic content on a daily basis. Join us!
Nov 21, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Is your creative mind bursting with ideas but struggling to turn them into consistent content? Discover how to organize your thoughts, streamline your workflow, and sustainably grow your creator business! Join Colin Gray, Jacob Anderson, and special guest Ian Anderson Gray as they dive deep into productivity systems, community building, and leveraging AI to supercharge your content creation process. In this episode, you'll learn: How to use tools like Notion and the PARA method to organize your ...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In this episode of Creator Toolbox, Colin and Jacob dive into three main topics: Colin's recent launch of the revamped Podcraft Academy 2.0, Jacob's insights on First Promoter's new features for affiliate marketing, and a deep dive into community platform options. Colin shares his experience running a week-long email campaign for the Academy launch, including his approach to writing daily emails with video content and managing customer responses. Jacob then explores First Promoter 2.0's improvem...
Nov 01, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Rob Lawrence joins us to share his unique perspective on podcasting for coaches, drawing from his experience as both a certified coach and professional podcast producer. In this value-packed episode, we explore everything from overcoming mental blocks to practical setup advice for coaches looking to expand their reach through podcasting. Episode Highlights: Why podcasting works particularly well for coaches How to start "scrappy" and improve over time The real value of podcasting (hint: it's not...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 26
In this episode of The Creator Toolbox , we dive into a bunch of cool topics that every creator should be thinking about. First up, we talk about private podcasting and how it can be an awesome way to monetize your content and build a tight-knit community around your show. We then explore Ripple , a new tool designed by Brian Cassell, which combines private podcasting with community-building features—perfect for creators looking to offer exclusive content and interact more directly with their au...
Oct 18, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 25
In this episode of The Creator Toolbox , we explore how to turn everyday moments into content gold, helping podcasters and creators build thriving channels. We share real-world examples from top YouTubers like the Aquarium Co-Op and The Hoof GP . Tune in to learn strategies for growing your audience, monetising "boring" niches, and boosting productivity with flexible co-working and AI tools. This episode is perfect for content creators wanting to leverage everyday life for maximum impact. ⌚ Time...
Oct 07, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 24
In this episode of The Creator Toolbox, we kick things off with Jacob's viral Northern Lights photography story. He shares how his stunning images went a bit loopy online and how he used Shopify to capitalise on print-on-demand sales. Colin then breaks down his current video lighting setup, discussing the best ways to use softboxes, LED panels, and smart lights like Philips Hue to create professionally lit backgrounds and achieve a high-quality video feel. We then get into the barbell strategy f...
Sep 24, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In this special episode of The Creator Toolbox , we dive into the craft of producing highly polished, montage or documentary content. That means one or more episodes with narration, clips from multiple interviews, music and FX, all aimed at creating a way-above-average listening and viewing experience. We'll share our experience in creating a podcast series in this way, but it applies to multi-interview YouTube episodes just as well. We cover everything from setting up interviews with expert pod...
Sep 11, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Welcome back to another episode of The Creator Toolbox ! In this episode, we talk about our new Creator Toolbox blog and dive into ways to develop a website to suit our creative needs - from building it, to preparing the content and finally going live. We discuss the blurry lines between a blog and a website. Jacob also gives some good examples from his own experience. We then expand on why we chose Ghost as the most suitable hosting platform for our content. We talk through differences with Wor...
Sep 04, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 21
On this episode, we dive into some automation tools that can really boost your productivity as a creator. I shared my experience with the Stream Deck, which has become an unexpected favorite of mine. It's not just for streamers – I use it for everything from controlling my studio lights to automating repetitive tasks in video editing. We also touched on browser recording tools for automating web tasks and text expansion for speeding up writing. These might seem like small time-savers, but they r...
Aug 20, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 20
In the latest episode of The Creator Toolbox, we cover writing tools (find the best space to create shownotes, scripts or full-scale blog posts!) and SEO for a new content project (my full process for figuring out the first 30 to 50 episodes or posts on a brand new brand).
Aug 12, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 19
