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Creator Debates

English, Finance, 3 seasons, 40 episodes, 23 hours, 59 minutes
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Stupid arguments to help creators make smart decisions.
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What to Say When Brands Say “Don’t Have Budget…”

In this coaching call with a creator named Guarav (@gauravashisha), I walk through the mistake to NOT make on phone calls with brands, I give a sneak peek into my sponsorship pricing calculator, we discuss whether every creator needs a podcast, and what to say to brands who refuse to pay you more.Book a "public" coaching call with me to get featured in a video like this!  https://creatorwizard.com/coachingMy advanced 4-week program to find & negotiate your dream sponsorships so that you stop leaving thousands on the table: https://branddealwizard.comWanna get paid sponsorship opportunities? Sign up for my free weekly report: https://pages.creatorwizard.com/join👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://creatorwizard.com/convertkitCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IColored Flood Lights: https://amzn.to/3k801lfMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3nfz0NvBusiness inquiries: [email protected]'s Creator Wizard all about? Justin Moore is a Sponsorship Coach & the founder of @CreatorWizard, a school & community that teaches you how to find & negotiate your dream brand deals so that you stop leaving thousands on the table.Along with his wife April, he has been a full-time creator for over 8 years and has personally made over $4M working with brands. He also ran an influencer marketing agency for over 6 years that helped other creators earn an additional $3M.Justin brings a very unique perspective because not only has he been a creator in the trenches doing sponsorships for years but by running an agency, he has insider knowledge behind how big brands choose which influencers to partner with and why they pass on others. Justin's mission is to enable creators big and small to land 1 million paid brand partnerships by 2032.
7/17/202355 minutes, 56 seconds
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Do NOT Make These Brand Deal Mistakes (3 Failed Sponsorships)

In this coaching call with influencer @JosiahEats, I analyze 3 sponsorship negotiations that fell apart and how he might have changed his fortunes with a few simple tweaks to his approach.Book a "public" coaching call with me to get featured in a video like this!  https://creatorwizard.com/coachingMy advanced 4-week program to find & negotiate your dream sponsorships so that you stop leaving thousands on the table: https://creatorwizard.com/bdw-overviewWanna get paid sponsorship opportunities? Sign up for my free weekly report: https://pages.creatorwizard.com/join👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://creatorwizard.com/convertkitCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IColored Flood Lights: https://amzn.to/3k801lfMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3nfz0NvBusiness inquiries: [email protected]
7/3/202358 minutes, 15 seconds
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Physical vs Digital Products: Which Makes More Money? | Kevin Espiritu vs. Sean Cannell

Today we’re talking about Physical vs. Digital Products.Get $50 off your Craft + Commerce ticket: https://conference.convertkit.comBig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Access "After Dark" episodes by becoming a supporter of the podcast: https://www.creatorwizard.com/supporter So the thing about physical products is…Oh sorry, were you distracted by this awesome hat I’m wearing that says Monetize? Oh and this shirt? That’s so kind of you to say they’re FIRE. Well since you asked, you can click the link below to cop them. See what I just did there? I just seamlessly plugged my MERCH, which is one of first things most creators start selling after they wake up a few times in a cold sweat after having a nightmare about getting demonetized or shadow-banned. And, I mean hats & t-shirts are nice, but they kinda require you as the creator to keep making consistent content on a hamster wheel in order to keep plugging them and making money. Actually you know what? Selling physical products is kinda making me nauseous now… I think Digital products are for me! Yaaa, I’ll make an ebook, a course, some templates, I’ll make it once and sell it forever and I’m gonna print money! Inject those passive revenue streams into my veins!!! But wait, I almost forgot that launching my first course a few years back was absolutely terrifying and imposter-syndrome inducing and an absolute slog and was most certainly NOT passive income in any way shape or form.   OK I’m getting those cold sweats again.  Honestly, this is why I asked two experts here today to settle this debate, once and for all. Kevin Espiritu is the founder of Epic Gardening, which he started in 2010 when he was feeling lost and disconnected with the natural world. He started sharing his journey online and fast-forward to today and Kevin has grown his business into the world’s most-followed garden brand with tens of millions of followers across 100 countries. And get this - he recently made his first acquisition of a company called Botanical Interests which makes seeds – talk about SYNERGY. Y’all this dude is making MOVES. Sean Cannell, on the other hand, is a YouTuber, international speaker, coach, and the founder of Think Media which helps entrepreneurs build their influence and income with online video.  Sean’s YouTube channels have over 1,000,000 subscribers, his videos have been viewed over 100 million times and he has been featured in the “20 Must Watch YouTube Channels that Will Change your Business” by Forbes.  So you could say Sean knows a thing or two about making those sweet, sweet Internet dollars.  By the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. How to make that initial decision of whether physical or digital products is right for you…2. How your niche or content vertical should impact your decision to launch one or the other…3. Who is a better Creator Debater: Kevin or Sean?Who won this Creator Debate? Vote here: https://www.creatorwizard.com/podcast/physical-or-digital-products-which-makes-more-money-kevin-espiritu-vs-sean-cannellFollow our guests 👇Kevin EspirituWebsite - https://www.kevinespiritu.comTwitter - @KevinEspirituYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/kevinmespirituSean CannellFREE YouTube class by Sean Cannell to start and grow your YouTube channel in 2023: https://courses.seancannell.com/a/2147510103/ogjCx9pn  Learn more about Sean's YouTube Course here: https://courses.seancannell.com/a/2147518609/ogjCx9pnWebsite - https://www.seancannell.comTwitter - @seancannellInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/seancannell/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/thinkmediatvJoin 28K+ creators getting paid sponsorship opportunities every week: https://creatorwizard.com/join👇  Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOWanna collaborate or work together?Shoot us a note: [email protected]
5/22/202329 minutes, 38 seconds
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Short-Form vs. Long-Form: Where Should You Put Your Effort? | Peter Hollens vs. Roberto Blake

Today we’re talking about Short-form vs. Long-form video.Get $50 off your Craft + Commerce ticket: https://conference.convertkit.comBig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Access "After Dark" episodes by becoming a supporter of the podcast: https://www.creatorwizard.com/supporterIt’s impossible to deny that people are more and more distracted these days which is why TikToks and Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have blown up over the last few years. It’s addictive to just keep swiping.Now, I’m someone who daily vlogged on YouTube for over 3 years and never missed an upload, these were 10-15 minute videos that took me hours to edit every single night for over 1000 days. So you would think I would be thrilled to jump on the short-form trend, that I would’ve been the first one to embrace it.I don’t have to keep learning all these new fancy editing tricks, heck I can just make my video 30 seconds long, then go lounge by a pool somewhere, right? But alas, I resisted doing any kind of short-form video for years, which was really stupid and short-sighted. But in my heart of hearts, I felt like long-form video is just how you truly connect with people, but I’ve come to believe, that’s also pretty short-sighted. And I’ll be honest, I kinda waffle back and forth every other day between the two…I just don’t know what I’m doing…Which is why I asked two experts here today to settle this debate, once and for all. Peter Hollens is a creator, investor, and advisor who is obsessed with helping creatives. He’s also an incredible singer and producer with more than 7+ million followers where his a capella videos have reached more than billion views since 2011, and has recently founded InHouse Creators getting creators placed with companies and getting PAID!Roberto Blake, on the other hand, is a creative entrepreneur, YouTube Certified Educator, Keynote speaker and content creator with over 550,000 subscribers. He’s also a Best-selling author and leading voice in the creator economy. So by the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. Whether focusing on short-form or long-form video is the smarter move for you as a creator2. If it’s easier to grow or make more money in certain niches 3. Who is a better Creator Debater: Peter or Roberto?Who won this Creator Debate? Vote here: Follow our guest 👇Peter HollensYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/peterhollensWebsite - https://peterhollens.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/peterhollens/Twitter - https://twitter.com/PeterHollensRoberto BlakeYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCovtFObhY9NypXcyHxAS7-QTwitter - https://twitter.com/robertoblakeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/robertoblake/Website - https://robertoblake.comJoin 25K+ creators getting paid sponsorship opportunities every week: https://creatorwizard.com/joinChapters00:00 Long- vs Short-Form Videos02:35 Opening Arguments7:32 Round 1: Audience Growth12:41 Round 2: Money20:14 Round 3: Argue each other’s opinions25:30 Closing Arguments👇  Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOWanna collaborate or work together?Shoot us a note: [email protected]
5/8/202335 minutes, 1 second
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Free vs. Paid Newsletters: Which Is Right for Creators? | Nathan Barry vs. Dan Shipper

Today we’re talking about Newsletters and whether they should be FREE or PAID.Get $50 off your Craft + Commerce ticket: https://conference.convertkit.comBig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!You might be thinking, newsletters, “what are we in 1999, are you using AOL dial-up Internet, how big is your beanie baby collection? Don’t look now I think your tamagotchi just died, better go cry to your newsletter!”You couldn’t be more wrong!Newsletters are back, baby! And they’re especially important unless you like risking the entire future of your business on the whims & fancies of those sadistic social media algorithms.Anyway, even though the idea of making some extra dough with a paid newsletter sounds nice, I have some concerns and I’m pretty confused about which direction to take my newsletter which is why I asked two experts here to settle this debate, once and for all. Nathan Barry, is a creator, author, designer, AND the founder of ConvertKit, an email marketing provider that powers the audiences of over 500,000 creators, including my own! Full disclosure, ConvertKit is a sponsor of this podcast but they had absolutely no editorial control over this episode.Dan Shipper, on the other hand, is an entrepreneur and writer focusing on AI, tools for thought, and the psychology of work. Dan is also the Co-Founder and CEO or Every, a bundle of newsletters and podcasts trusted by 60,000 curious business people.  So by the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. Whether there and RIGHT And WRONG times in your creator journey to consider charging for your newsletter2. How to know what content to charge for and what to give away for free3. Who is a better Creator Debater: Nathan or Dan?Who won this Creator Debate? Vote here: Follow our guest 👇Nathan BarryConvertkit - https://convertkit.comWebsite - https://nathanbarry.comTwitter - https://twitter.com/nathanbarryDan ShipperWebsite - https://every.toTwitter - https://twitter.com/danshipperJoin 23K+ creators getting paid sponsorship opportunities every week: https://creatorwizard.com/join👇  Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOWanna collaborate or work together?Shoot us a note: [email protected]
4/24/202332 minutes, 1 second
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Is Selling Sponsorships via CPM a Terrible Idea? | Danielle Desir Corbett vs. Adam McNeil

Today we’re talking about Podcast sponsorships and the pros and cons of getting paid via CPM or flat compensation.Get $50 off your Craft + Commerce ticket: https://conference.convertkit.comBig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!First of all, what the heck is CPM? Well it stands for cost per mille, meaning a set rate per 1000 downloads. And these days, a lot of brands might try to pay around $25-$30 CPM for a 60-second promo. So if you get 1,000 downloads per episode, you can maaaaaaybe buy a medium pepperoni pizza. You might be thinking Justin, ”I can easily find a pizza joint where I can get a large for less than $20.” I’m not talking about your local spot with 3.5 Yelp stars, I’m talking about 5/5 quality pie.Anyways, CPM maaaybe not ideal BUT on the other hand, if your podcast starts consistently getting lots of downloads and more importantly *results* for the right brands, maybe it makes sense.But then again, as an aspiring podcaster myself, I am more than my numbers. I can help brands in lots of other ways! My alumni and coaching students have told me that one of their favorite Justin-isms is that “you’re not just a creator, you’re a consultant” who can help brands accomplish much more ambitious things. And for THAT kinda work, I’m gonna need to be slid some guaranteed green, ya feel me?But honestly…I’m, still pretty confused about what my podcast sponsorship strategy should be.So, that’s why I asked two experts here today to settle this debate, once and for all. Adam McNeil, is the host of The Brewview, a weekly podcast all about coffee, kendama, and culture but he’s also the VP of Marketing at Adopter Media, A Podcast Advertising agency that works with brands like Magic Spoon, Lomi, and ChiliSleep to name a few.  Danielle Desir Corbett, on the other hand, is the host of The Thought Card Podcast, Founder of Women of Color Podcasters community, and she’s also a Podcast Marketing Coach, helping overworked podcasters grow their audiences, improve their visibility, and make more money. By the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. Whether there are advantages to adopting different sponsorship pricing structures during different chapters of your creator journey2. How to more clearly articulate your value to brands and agencies at the negotiating table3. Who is a better Creator Debater: Adam or Danielle?Who won this Creator Debate? Vote here: Follow our guest 👇Adam McNeilInstagram - @cafe.kendamaWebsite - https://www.cafekendama.comTwitter - @adamjamesmcneilDanielle Desir CorbettWebsite - https://danielledesir.comInstagram - @thedanielledesirTwitter - @thethoughtcardJoin 23K+ creators getting paid sponsorship opportunities every week: https://creatorwizard.com/join👇  Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOWanna collaborate or work together?Shoot us a note: [email protected]
4/10/202327 minutes, 52 seconds
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Will Creators FAIL Without a Manager? | Kevin Herrera vs. Justin Moore

Get $50 off your Craft + Commerce ticket: https://conference.convertkit.comBig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Today we’re talking about whether or not you need a manager as a creator.  See when you start publishing content on the Internet, the “business side of it” is usually the last thing on your mind, right?You just wanna focus on making cool stuff, come on!But then maybe you start making a little bit of money, maybe your schedule starts getting really hectic, maybe you start dreaming of more ambitious projects that you’re not really sure how to pull of.And so this idea starts creeping into your mind, maybe I should hire someone to help me.  Then all of a sudden, like a bolt of lightning, you think, “I’ve got it! I’ll hire a manager!” But wait a minute, what does a manager do? Could they get me paid sponsorships? Could they respond to emails for me? When I have a craving for Sprinkles cupcakes at 3am on a Wednesday could they go pick it up for me at the cupcake ATM?  These are important questions, right?So in order to figure out what the heck a manager really is and whether they’re awesome or terrible, I had to ask an expert here to settle this debate, once and for all. Kevin Herrera, is the Co-Founder and CEO of theMachine, which provides full-service sponsorship operations & management for the creator economy. Kevin also spent many years as an agent at the Gersh Agency so he knows a thing or two about working with talent and what makes this industry tick. But in the other corner, we have ME, Justin Moore, Sponsorship Coach, who has very vocally chosen NOT to be a manager or have a roster and instead educate creators around sponsorship strategy so they can take control of their own destinies.And because moderating AND competing in a debate would be super unfair (even though it’s my podcast I can make up the rules - IM NOT GUNNA DO IT THOUGH), I asked Dee Brissett, our very own Community & Programs Manager here at Creator Wizard, to take over today as the referee. By the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. When is the right time to start thinking about hiring a manager (or if you even need one at all)?2. What qualities and skills to look for in a manager?3. Who is a better Creator Debater: Kevin or me?Who won this Creator Debate? Vote here: https://www.creatorwizard.com/podcast/will-creators-fail-without-a-manager-kevin-herrera-vs-justin-mooreFollow our guest 👇Kevin HerreraWebsite - https://www.themachine.la Twitter - https://twitter.com/kevin_herreraInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/hahxpoJoin 20K+ creators getting paid sponsorship opportunities every week: https://creatorwizard.com/join👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOWanna collaborate or work together?Shoot us a note: [email protected]
3/27/202326 minutes, 47 seconds
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Is YouTube or TikTok Better for Growing a Creator Business? | Thomas Frank vs. John Hu

Get $50 off your Craft + Commerce ticket: https://conference.convertkit.comBig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Today we’re talking about YouTube vs. TikTok. Every single creator I talk to seems to be very polarized on this topic. Ask an OG YouTuber who’s used to spending hours filming and editing, uploading one video a week, one video every few weeks - they’ll tell you that TikTok is for dancing and lip-syncing and it’s not really their “thing.”But ask a TikToker who started posting 3 videos a day during the pandemic, some growing massive audiences seemingly overnight, and they’ll say, “YouTube scares me plus people don’t want all that fancy polished editing anymore, it’s all about authenticity.”Now obviously, many creators have presences on both platforms, heck I do, but we’re not here to make lame compromises. We’re here to pick sides and take a stance.Because I need to know - if I only had time to focus on one to grow my creator business - is it YouTube or TikTok? So, that’s why I asked two experts here today to settle the debate, once and for all. Thomas Frank is a video creator and writer with a focus on productivity, learning, and personal development who has built not one, but two massive YouTube channels. Most recently he’s become a Notion power user, creating tutorials and Notion templates that are generating $120K a month.John Hu, on the other hand, is a TikTokker who has raised $5M for his business Stan, an all-in-one tool empowering creators to become entrepreneurs. John has used TikTok masterfully to not only build his personal brand but spread awareness for his startup. By the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. Whether certain types of creators or businesses are better suited to grow on YouTube or TikTok 2. Whether you should double down on one or the other to make more money3. Who is a better Creator Debater: Thomas or John?Follow our guests 👇Thomas FrankWebsite - https://thomasjfrank.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasFrankExplainsTwitter - https://twitter.com/TomFranklyJohn HuWebsite - https://www.stan.storeTwitter - https://twitter.com/JayHoovyTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhoovyInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayhoovy/Join 17K+ creators getting paid sponsorship opportunities every week: https://creatorwizard.com/join👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOWanna collaborate or work together?Shoot us a note: [email protected]
3/13/202328 minutes, 5 seconds
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Do Creators HAVE to go Full-Time to Succeed? | Cody Jay vs. Jessica Williams

Check out the 30-Day Grow Your Audience Challenge: https://convertk.it/GYABig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Today we’re talking about the Pros & Cons of being a Full-time vs. Side Hustle Creator. When my wife April and I started on YouTube back in 2009, being a Full-time Creator was not really a “thing.” By default it was a side-hustle, in fact, you couldn’t even make money on YouTube back then… there was no Partner Program.  I was working in medical devices, April was a pre school teacher and we were making YouTube videos on the side for fun.  I actually looked it up and our very first Adsense check was for $130.06 and we were STOKED!  That paid for our electric bill in our little tiny studio apartment. And it wasn’t for *many years* that we even entertained the idea of quitting our 9-5 jobs and just doing social media full-time. I think part of it was we really didn’t know anyone else who had ever done that.  But as the momentum started to build and we started making more and more money, we sat down and had a long hard discussion about the opportunity cost.  What if we could spend 60 hours a week focused on growing our online business instead of being stuck at our day jobs? So, April took the plunge first, she quit her job in 2012, and I kept my job, kept my salary, which critically came with health benefits.  And then I didn’t quit my job until 2014 which was 6 weeks after my first son Liam was born.  And lemme tell you, it was a really scary decision.  Not only did basically everyone in our lives think we were absolutely NUTS, but now we no longer had the safety net of a steady paycheck where we knew predictably every month how much we would make.  Fast-forward to today and my wife and I have been full-time creators for over 8 years and we have seen it all, just a ton of ups and downs, huge changes in our different revenue streams…it’s not for the faint of heart. And you know what? I bet you, dear creator listening and/or watching right now might have struggled with this decision at some point as well.  Maybe you’re still struggling with the Pros and Cons? So, that’s why I asked Cody Jay and Jessica Williams to join me today to talk all this through.  Cody has been a full-time creator & pro make-up artist for over 3 years, he’s got hundreds of thousands of followers, and even coaches other creators how to grow their businesses. And Jessica, on the other hand, has been side-hustling for 6 years, growing a newsletter, juggling it all while caregiving. She even calls herself a Side Hustle Cheerleader in her Twitter headline so you know this is gonna be good. By the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. The key questions you need to ask yourself to determine whether being a full-time or side-hustle creator is right for you2. How your decision might impact your creativity AND your income 3. Who’s a better Creator Debater: Cody or Jessica?Follow our guests 👇Cody JayInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/codyjayartistryYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CodyjayartistryTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@codyjayartistryFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/codyjayartistryTwitter - https://twitter.com/codyjayartistrySnapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/add/codyjayartistryJessica WilliamsTwitter - https://twitter.com/techbizgurlWebsite - https://techbizgurl.com/jesspicksFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/techbizgurlLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalavernewilliamsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/techbizgurl👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOBusiness inquiries: [email protected]
2/27/202332 minutes, 42 seconds
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Twitter or Instagram: Where Should Creators Focus for Money & Growth?

Check out the 30-Day Grow Your Audience Challenge: https://convertk.it/GYABig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Today we’re talking about Twitter vs. Instagram when it comes to growing a business as a creator.I first joined Twitter and Instagram in 2012 but I gotta admit something pretty embarrassing. I used both of them almost every day but I was a consumer of content, not a producer.  Sure, I would post here and there, but I did not have a content strategy.  So in October 2020, when I was trying to get Creator Wizard off the ground, I decided to make a change.  I hired a random dude from Twitter and gave him a singular mission, “make me known as The Sponsorships Guy on social media.”So we made a plan - full court press on content about finding & negotiating brand partnerships, posting multiple times a day.And things were VERY rocky at first. Many, many times, we’d spend hours crafting Twitter threads only for them to get basically no engagement.  We’d curate pixel-perfect pics on Instagram with super long, tactical captions thinking we were building deeper connections.  And honestly? I started getting a little discouraged.  But then, slowly but surely people started responding.  They’d start DMing me asking for help with brand deal negotiations. They’d ask me how much I thought they should charge on complex deals. Then someone asked me *gasp* if I did 1-1 coaching, or if I had a course, what the heck?!And none of this would have ever happened had I not decided to use Twitter and Instagram to grow my creator business.But we all know there’s only so many hours in the day so if you had to pick one of them…which one is better?  So, that’s why I asked two experts here today to settle the debate, once and for all. Steph Taylor, is an online business strategist, host of the Imperfect Action podcast, and has grown her Instagram from ZERO to 31K by helping others build an online business that’s profitable even when you’re offline. Alex Llull, on the other hand, is a social media consultant, content creator, and writer who grew his Twitter from ZERO to 31K by teaching solopreneurs how to leverage social media content so they can grow their brand, audience, or business. Oh, and remember how I mentioned I hired a dude to help me become known as the Sponsorships Guy on social media? Ya…that was Alex.   By the end of this episode, you’ll know: 1. Whether certain types of creators are better suited to grow on Twitter or Instagram 2. Whether you should double down on one or the other to make more money3. Who’s a better Creator Debater: Steph or Alex?Follow our guests 👇Alex LlullAlex's site: https://thestealclub.comAlex's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexLlullTWSteph TaylorSteph's site: https://stephtaylor.coSteph's Podcast: https://stephtaylor.co/imperfect-action-podcast/Steph's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephtaylor.co/👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOBusiness inquiries: [email protected]
2/13/202335 minutes, 56 seconds
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Will Podcasts FAIL Without Video? | Jay Clouse vs. Joe Casabona

Check out the 30-Day Grow Your Audience Challenge: https://convertk.it/GYABig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Today we’re talking about podcasts. If you’re thinking, “Podcasts?! Who the heck still listens to those? This is the age of TikTok, anything longer than 30 seconds is blasphemy. People have the attention span of Squirrels now, come on!”  Well, would it surprise you that over ⅓ of Americans (that’s 104 million people) listen to podcasts regularly? You’re seeing massive companies like Spotify spending hundreds of millions of dollars to acquire upstarts like Anchor, a free podcasting platform, and Gimlet, a producer of podcasts.But the thing that kinda sucks about podcasts is it’s hard to find them (unless one of your friends tells you, “yo, you gotta check out this dope new podcast I just found all about underwater basket weaving!”) Enter: YouTube and even TikTok & Instagram Reels for that matter.  You’re now seeing an explosion of podcasters starting to leverage Video.  YouTube even launched a dedicated podcasts homepage recently.So I dunno about you but I’m feeling pretty confused. Now this is gonna be kinda meta because when I was figuring out how to launch this podcast that you’re listening and/or watching right now, I thought to myself, “do I really wanna complicate things by adding video?  That way I can just record all the episodes in my PJs!”So, I realized I needed to call upon some experts to settle this debate once and for all. So I rang up Jay Clouse, founder of Creator Science, host of the award-winning, 1M downloads in 18 months, Creative Elements podcast. Which by the way, was recently completely reimagined as a Video Podcast.But in the other corner, we have Joe Casabona, Podcast Coach & Producer who helps podcasters become business owners at Podcast Liftoff, he creates online courses for LinkedIn Learning, and hosts a podcast called How I Built It. And Joe feels pretty strongly that video killed the podcast star.So by the end of this episode, you’ll know:1. Whether or not launching a video podcast is the right move for you as a creator2. How to speak with brands & sponsors to make more money with your Video or Audio podcast 3. Honestly the only thing I care about: who’s a better Creator Debater, Jay or Joe?Follow our guests 👇Jay ClouseJay's site: https://creatorscience.comJay's Podcast: https://www.creativeelements.fmJay's YouTube:  @CreatorScienceYT  Jay's Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayclouseCreator Science Lab (affiliate): https://join.creatorscience.com?ref=creatorwizardJoe CasabonaJoe's site: https://podcastliftoff.com/debateJoe's Podcast: https://howibuilt.itJoe's Twitter: https://twitter.com/jcasabona👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOBusiness inquiries: [email protected]
1/30/202337 minutes, 29 seconds
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Hustle Culture: Necessary Evil or Toxic Trend? | Dickie Bush vs. Khe Hy

Check out the 30-Day Grow Your Audience Challenge: https://convertk.it/GYABig thanks to ConvertKit for sponsoring this episode!Today we’re talking about Hustle Culture vs. Life Design. You’ve seen the tweet threads, you’ve seen the Gary Vee TikToks.Why are you sleeping? You don’t need sleep. You gotta grind it out, start a side-hustle, buy & sell baseball cards you find at garage sales. Start a podcast. Oh…wait. So I get the idea behind hustle culture, and honestly, I’m kind of a workaholic.My wife April and I have been full-time creators for many years so work-life balance has always been…a challenge.  And I feel the pressure to pump out content on the social platform hamster wheel. I see the amazing stuff that other creators are putting out there and I feel FOMO.But…should I? I’m a decade PLUS into this creator thing and lately I’ve kinda been thinking that maybe I need to design my life a little more intentionally. Protect my time, my calendar, be more “present” … Because if I don’t I feel like I’m gonna burn out at some point. But there’s always that itch…that tension to do more.So, I recently saw this tweet that said the following:“I am a fan of hustle culture. The truth is, most people should be doing way more. Worst case, you go too hard & have short-term burnout—but at least you found your limits. Best case, that short period of volume & intensity completely changes your life's trajectory. Win-win.”So I knew I had to get the author of said tweet on here to talk about this.Dickie Bush is an absolutely prolific creator, he’s helped over 5,600 people start writing at Ship 30 for 30, he’s a former Blackrock trader turned digital builder, and dude just knows how to get that sweet Tweet engagement.But to properly have this debate about Hustle Culture, I had to ask my friend Khe Hy to be here as well.  Khe helps people transform their relationships with time, work, & money and has been called Oprah for Millennials by CNN. He also teaches the class Supercharge your Productivity to help you design a system for doing $10,000/hr work.So by the end of this episode, you’ll know:1. Whether there are benefits to hustle culture during certain chapters of your life2. When it’s the right time to just chill the F out and design your life more intentionally3. And honestly the only thing I care about: who’s a better Creator Debater, Dickie or Khe?Follow our guests 👇Dickie BushDickie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/dickiebushDickie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dickiebush/Dickie's website: https://startwritingonline.comDickie's course: https://www.ship30for30.comKhe HyKhe's Twitter: https://twitter.com/khemaridhKhe's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColNfZXzL946wNgxPGWst1AKhe's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khehy/Khe's website: https://radreads.coKhe's course: https://10k.radreads.co/join-syp12👇   Creator Wizard Affiliates 👇Claim your free ConvertKit account: https://convertkit.com?lmref=NjtOPgCreate a digital course using Thinkific: https://try.thinkific.com/dil41ce876v3Claim your free Restream account: https://restream.grsm.io/creatorwizardClaim your free TubeBudy account: https://www.tubebuddy.com/creatorwizardCamera: https://amzn.to/2Zc8gFGDSLR monitor: https://amzn.to/3psgt3zCamlink (to use camera as webcam): https://amzn.to/2ZcHInTLED Panel Lights: https://amzn.to/3po9Z5IMic: https://amzn.to/3G3eWqxMixer: https://amzn.to/3UFpaUOBusiness inquiries: [email protected]
1/30/202328 minutes, 35 seconds
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What is Creator Debates?

My brand new video podcast launching January 30, 2023. Stupid arguments to help creators make smart decisions.Contact: [email protected]
1/24/20231 minute, 47 seconds