He Covered Creators Before the Creator Economy Existed | Joshua Cohen (Tubefilter)

What this episode covers

When Joshua Cohen co-founded Tubefilter in 2007, YouTube was just two years old and the term "creator economy" didn't even exist. While mainstream media dismissed online video as "stupid shit kids are putting online," Joshua saw something different: a fundamental shift in who gets to tell stories, build audiences, and create careers outside the traditional Hollywood gatekeepers. Now, nearly two decades later, Tubefilter has become one of the most trusted platforms covering the creator economy, and Joshua's latest venture—Gospel Stats—is pulling back the curtain on the multi-billion dollar YouTube sponsorship ecosystem that almost nobody has visibility into. But here's what makes this conversation especially compelling: Joshua watched creators evolve from making videos for fun to making a living, to launching businesses, to now becoming the dominant force in entertainment, marketing, and even politics. And he's got the receipts to prove it—Gospel's 2025 report reveals a staggering 54% year-over-year increase in sponsored YouTube videos, signaling that brands can no longer ignore what Joshua knew 18 years ago: creators are the future. In this episode, you'll discover: The exact moment Joshua realized online video would disrupt traditional entertainment—watching a garage-filmed video podcast showcased by Steve Jobs at a Mac event in 2006 Why Phil DeFranco almost quit YouTube to focus on school until a $112 check from YouTube's new partner program changed everything and helped birth the creator economy How Tubefilter became the "Variety and Hollywood Reporter" for creators when nobody else was taking the space seriously—and why that positioning still matters today The evolution from wave one creators (doing it for fun) to wave two (doing it for a living) to wave three (building ancillary businesses) to today's wave four (experts using content as distribution for their core business) Why 98% of creators should NOT launch their own companies—and what separates the 2% who actually should Why follower count is a "fantasy metric" and how a creator with 200K highly engaged followers in the right niche beats one with 10 million disengaged followers every time When creators should actually start thinking about raising capital (hint: it's not about hitting a follower threshold—it's about having clear product-market fit and knowing exactly how capital accelerates growth) Why being a creator is more like owning a small retail shop than being a celebrity—instant feedback, customer intimacy, and managing both the "front window" and "back office" simultaneously How Gospel Stats finds virtually every sponsored video on YouTube and reveals unprecedented detail about the sponsorship landscape—becoming the ultimate lead source for managers, agents, and brands The 54% year-over-year increase in sponsored YouTube videos (H1 2025 vs H1 2024) and what it reveals about brands finally waking up to creator power Why YouTube niches that were too small to monetize three years ago are now commanding serious sponsorship dollars—and how this creates opportunities for thousands of "undiscovered" creators His number one advice for creators launching brands: "Get behind a brand you'll still love three to five years from now—look at Emma Chamberlain and coffee, she can wake up every morning proud of that decision regardless of the financials" From launching the Streamy Awards in 2009 (honoring creators the way the Oscars honor traditional celebrities) to being the first to interview Ryan from Ryan's World in 2015, Joshua has had a front-row seat to every major shift in the creator economy. Whether you're a creator thinking about launching a brand, an investor evaluating the space, or a brand trying to navigate YouTube sponsorships, this conversation delivers a masterclass in understanding where this industry has been—and where it's headed next. Chapters: HotStart VC Subscribe to the HotStart VC newsletter: https://hotstart.beehiiv.com/ Become a HotStart Angel and co-invest with us in celebrity-founded brands starting from $5,000: https://www.hotstart.vc/hotstart-angels/ Check out our fund: https://www.hotstart.vc/ Scott van den Berg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-van-den-berg-22b534150/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottvandenberg_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scottvandenberg_ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@scottvandenbergvc Joshua Cohen Tubefilter: https://www.tubefilter.com/ Gospel Stats: https://reports.gospelstats.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/ HotStart VC is a fund that exclusively invests in brands founded by celebrities and creators. We're the go-to platform for celebrities and creators launching brands, providing capital, strategic support, and the infrastructure to scale.

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