How Monet used Facebook groups to sign up 7,500 content creators before building the product

Jacob Casson spent years trying to solve cash flow for the entertainment and media industry — influencer agencies, production houses, film and TV — while nearly running his own company into the ground twice. In this episode, he breaks down how Monet evolved from a creator banking product into a financial back office and lending platform, how he recapitalized under a hostile takeover attempt, and why the UK media industry is one of the most defensible fintech niches nobody is building for.Topics DiscussedWhy traditional lenders systematically misprice influencer agency riskHow Monet ended up inside Coldplay's global marketing payment flowsThe pivot from creator-facing banking to agency financial infrastructureSurviving a hostile takeover attempt and engineering a recapitalizationThe decision to stay UK-focused in 2025 and what it would actually take to enter the USExpanding into film and TV debt: tax credits, pre-sales, and broadcasting license feesRaising debt vs. equity: why conflating the two is a costly fintech mistakeThe founder psychology of performing better under pressure than in calm// Sponsors: Front Lines — Silicon Valley's leading Podcast Production Studio. We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. Mention you are a listener and get a 10% discount. www.FrontLines.io/Podcast-as-a-Service