How Creators Make Money

The Super Bowl looks like a football game — but it’s really a business event.In this episode, Grace and Justin break down how the Super Bowl became one of the most powerful money-making machines in the world, and what that means for creators, brands, and anyone paying attention to where attention actually flows.This turns into a broader conversation about scarcity, spectacle, and why the biggest sports moments are no longer built for fans — they’re built for advertisers, executives, and creators who know how to position themselves in the right rooms.We also get into how creators can think more strategically about major cultural moments like the Super Bowl, World Cup, Olympics, SXSW, and F1 — and how money quietly moves around all of them.Inside this episode:Why Super Bowl tickets cost $5,000+ (and who’s actually buying them)How the Super Bowl turned into a networking and sales eventWhy creators get paid just to show upSports betting money flooding the creator economyThe rise of B2B creators and why brands trust them moreHow to map big events 6–12 months ahead to get invited inWhy attention, not talent, drives the biggest contracts in sportsThis isn’t about “how to go viral.”It’s about understanding where the money already is — and how creators tap into it.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Here is a link to the 350 page 2025 social trends deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/u/0/d/1aSrP4Pojh7EZde8EZL5kTOH_DAY0SoXzEWF6o2RmFg4/In this episode, Grace and Justin react to a massive deck that shares social trends of 2025, where the industry is headed, and what most people still don’t understand about social media.This turns into a real conversation about creator income, incentives, platforms, and why so many creators feel stuck even when things look “successful” on the outside.Inside this episode:Why someone would build a 350-page creator economy deckWhat the deck gets right (and what it completely misses)How creators actually make money vs how it’s usually explainedThe gap between creator attention and creator incomeWhat matters more than follower count in 2025🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

In this episode, Justin and Grace sit down with JC Rodriguez to break down how creators should be thinking about building multiple income streams to thinking about cash flow, taxes, and long-term financial stability as a creator.Inside:Revenue vs. profit — why many creators get this wrongHow creators should think about taxes, savings, and reinvesting incomeCommon financial mistakes creators make early onWhen to monetize vs. when to grow distribution• Building long-term financial security as a creatorTimestamps:00:00 – Intro & JC Rodriguez’s background05:30 – How JC thinks about creator income streams12:10 – Revenue, profit, and cash flow for creators19:40 – Monetization timing mistakes27:15 – Taxes, savings, and reinvesting creator income35:00 – Risk management and income diversification42:20 – Long-term financial planning for creators48:10 – Closing thoughts🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

This episode breaks down the real world of UGC. How creators with tiny audiences are making six figures, why most creator panels are useless, and how brands actually manufacture viral moments on TikTok.Grace also dives into portfolio mistakes, agency vs. direct pricing, and what Handshake looks for when hiring UGC creators.Inside:How small creators quietly earn 6 figures with UGCWhy most creator panels suck (and what actually matters)Agency rates vs. direct brand rates — 10x differenceHow brands “flood TikTok” to push products viralWhat Handshake looks for in UGC creatorsWhy comedians are the best teachers of creator storytellingTimestamps:00:00 – LA stories, gyms & party culture02:40 – Audience vs. brand: why community matters07:00 – Faceless brands & creator-led design10:20 – Reviewing niche creator content formats12:50 – Repurposing content authentically18:10 – TikTok Shop, creator education & events20:00 – Why most creator panels suck26:05 – What comedians teach creators32:20 – UGC portfolios: who’s making real money36:40 – UGC content types + what performs41:30 – Who dominates UGC demographics43:00 – Agency vs. direct pricing49:05 – Handshake’s UGC hiring criteria52:15 – Brands flooding TikTok56:00 – AI clipping tools vs. organic virality🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Inside This Episode:This one goes deep into the creator × career crossroads — how personal branding actually impacts job offers, whether “dream jobs” are real or a scam, and what Grace & our guest learned from breaking into tech, navigating identity shifts, and growing online while working full-time.Plus… the Lucy Guo saga, getting into VC-backed startups, and the real game behind “prestige hiring.”⏱ Timestamps00:00 — Imposter syndrome & your online reputation02:45 — How personal branding actually gets you hired05:30 — Why top-of-mind beats résumés07:50 — Inside his new role + onboarding realities in tech10:45 — Why relationships are the real promotion engine12:30 — The job market is brutal… here’s how to stand out15:00 — Biggest mistakes people make when building a personal brand18:00 — Niche vs broad identity: how Grace pivoted 5+ times21:00 — Do “dream jobs” even exist? (debate gets spicy)26:00 — When a job isn’t a step down for creators29:30 — What you actually learn from a W2 that creators miss34:00 — Systems, tracking, and how corporate teaches discipline39:40 — Lucy Guo breakdown: career path, scaleAI, Passes, PR spin44:00 — The VC “hack”: big-name → startup → equity route48:30 — Why clout still rules hiring (and how to leverage it)52:00 — Breaking into VC-backed startups without pedigree55:00 — The truth about early career, prestige & portfolio plays🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Most creators think you need a massive audience to make real money. Phil Pallen is proof you don’t.He will finish 2025 close to 7-figures in revenue — while barely having 6-figures in followers across platforms.In this episode, Justin and Grace break down how Phil built a highly profitable creator-consultant business by positioning himself correctly, charging like a strategist, and letting his content do the inbound work for him.Inside:💡 The 3 pillars of a personal brand that actually sells📱 Why follower count ≠ revenue (Phil is the perfect example)💸 How he prices strategy, consulting, and brand builds🔄 Rebranding yourself after a pivot (and why most people do it wrong)📈 How Phil structures his business to stay creative and profitableTimestamps:00:00 – Phil Pallen’s business model06:12 – Why most personal brands fail12:45 – The 3 pillars of a high-trust personal brand20:10 – Follower count vs. credibility (Phil’s anti-vanity approach)26:30 – Creating content that attracts inbound leads34:15 – Pricing yourself as a strategist, not a freelancer41:20 – How to rebrand after a pivot47:50 – Building an agency that scales your creative work53:10 – Final takeaways🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From affiliate YouTube empires to billion-dollar creator platforms, this episode dives into how creators are turning strategy into scale.Justin and Grace break down the real business behind money-making on the internet — from finance creators earning millions off links to brands like Adobe rebuilding their image around creators.Inside:💸 The truth about OF and the “1%” income curve🎯 Why vice-based content (betting, thirst traps, alcohol) always wins attention🏙 SF vs. LA creator culture — how environment shapes identity🎨 Adobe Max’s rebrand into creator-first marketing🤝 How to get into the right invite-only brand rooms📈 Charlie Chang’s $4M/year YouTube machine and affiliate strategy🔁 Recurring revenue from affiliate deals (and how creators can copy it)Timestamps:00:00 – The economics of OF and vice-based content07:28 – SF vs. LA culture and how it shapes creator identity13:42 – Adobe Max: how Adobe is reinventing for creators20:30 – Creator-first branding and event strategy27:03 – Inside the “real” brand parties and how to get invited29:46 – Charlie Chang’s $4M affiliate empire38:02 – How to actually make YouTube affiliate content work41:24 – ChatGPT affiliate ideas + AI product monetization43:20 – Closing thoughts🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From Reddit money threads to Wall Street creators, this episode breaks down the real side of personal finance.Justin and Grace unpack the creator money game, what actually matters when building wealth, and why increasing your income beats budgeting every time.Inside:💸 Why “saving $3 a day” advice doesn’t work for creators📈 How to actually increase your income (before worrying about taxes)🤖 The Reddit flowchart thats better than most financial advisors🚨 Why YouTube finance advice can be a red flagTimestamps:00:00 – When parents start charging rent05:30 – The struggle of money management as a creator vs. employee14:00 – Finance YouTubers and the clickbait dilemma18:30 – Why Reddit might be the most honest finance platform22:00 – The real truth about financial advisors & commissions27:40 – Save vs. earn: what actually matters first33:00 – FIRE, FAT FIRE & the rise of creator early retirement goals39:00 – Vivian Tu’s rise and what creators can learn from her branding46:00 – The game of perception, headlines & making people care52:00 – Final thoughts: pay more taxes → make more money🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From Ryan Trahan’s $1M YouTube sprint to Crocs pulling 64M views in a single campaign, brands and creators are rewriting the rules of influence.In this episode, Justin and Grace break down the money, the strategy, and the clout hacks behind some of the biggest creator-brand plays today.Inside:💰 How Ryan Trahan made $1M+ in 50 days from one YouTube series🎮 Why gaming companies spend $800K+ on creator sponsorships👟 Anthpo’s Crocs collab - 22 videos, 64M views, viral genius📊 CPM vs. RPM explained (and why finance creators earn 25x more)🚪 Using clout to get into rooms and open doorsTimestamps:00:00 – Ryan Trahan’s $1M+ YouTube sprint10:45 – Gaming companies dropping $800K+ on sponsorships23:00 – Anthpo x Crocs: 64M views in under a month30:00 – CPM vs. RPM and why finance creators cash in big48:30 – Success metrics: views vs. money vs. impact53:45 – Clout hacks: getting into rooms that matter🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From near-death travel stories to $600K journals, this episode dives into how creators are monetizing in surprising ways. Justin and Grace unpack the risks, niches, and products that actually scale in today’s creator economy.Inside:🌍 Justin’s wild Guatemala trip & the risks creators take IRL🪵 The rise of niche creators - woodworking, gardening, golf & beyond📈 The journal creator making $632K from a simple product📱 Why Bobby Approved is crushing creator apps🥩 Grocery store prices, U.S. food culture, and what Europe gets rightTimestamps:00:00 – Near-death experiences & Guatemala travel story15:00 – Going all in vs. gradual growth as a creator23:00 – The fall of lifestyle creators & rise of niches47:00 – Bobby Approved app breakdown & why it works54:30 – Food culture, grocery prices & Europe vs. U.S.59:30 – Could Bobby Approved become the next big food label?🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

What happens when creators stop being the face of their own businesses?In this episode, we dive into the new wave of creator-led companies, how investors think about exits, and why the strongest creators build cults instead of just audiences.Inside:🏗️ Building creator brands that can outlast the founder’s face📈 VC vs. cash-flow businesses — what investors really want🔥 Measuring “cult-like” followings in the creator economy💡 Why niche and “unsexy” industries are blowing up on social🎟️ The rise of side events vs. big conferences like VidConTimestamps:00:00 – Creator brands vs. personality-driven businesses08:45 – The new wave: Joyride, Nami, and faceless creator CPG19:00 – What does a “successful exit” look like in VC?28:30 – Cult followings & how to measure them45:00 – Unsexy industries turning into creator niches53:40 – Events: side meetups vs. VidCon & SXSW🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From vegan popcorn to TikTok beauty brands, creators are finding new ways to launch products that feel more like movements than businesses.In this episode, Justin and Grace unpack the strategies behind viral CPG plays, scam-exposing influencers, and the health trends shaping what people buy next.Inside:🍿 Daddy Snacks - the vegan popcorn brand born from satire🕵️ Baller Busters, Coffeezilla & the rise of scam-exposing creators🍵 Nami Matcha and why timing is everything in CPG💜 Ube, Thai tea & what the next big drink trend could be🪧 Why a $150 Times Square billboard looks like a $69M flex onlineTimestamps:00:00 – Daddy Snacks & vegan popcorn strategy6:00 – Scam exposers: Baller Busters, Coffeezilla, Jideon16:30 – Nami Matcha & the timing of creator CPG25:20 – Predicting the next drink trend (ube, Thai tea, etc.)57:00 – Times Square billboards as the ultimate creator hack🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Description:From intermittent fasting experiments to vegan cults, this episode dives deep into how creators turn extreme lifestyles into cash.We cover:🥗 Justin’s 3-day fast gone wrong + why he’s trying intermittent fasting now💸 How mukbangs, thumbnails, and even Cameo gigs can stack six figures🎬 Why Supersize Me would’ve killed on YouTube today👕 The $800K streetwear drop from Mai Pham and how she built a private “cult” brand⚡ What makes a true movement vs. just selling a productTimestamps:00:00 – Justin’s 3-day fasting experiment (and why it failed)25:00 – Mukbangs, shock thumbnails, and monetization tactics33:00 – Why Supersize Me would have been a viral YouTube channel41:00 – Mai Pham’s $800K streetwear drop + building a private “cult” brand52:00 – Movement vs. product: what really keeps people buying🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

From Big Tech to burnout to building a million-dollar creator business, Zach Wilson has seen it all. After stints at Netflix, Meta, and Airbnb (earning $600K+ a year), Zach left it behind to go all-in on content, education, and his own platform.We dive deep into what it really takes to transition from employee to full-time creator, and the business models that actually work.Inside:💻 How Zach went from Airbnb staff engineer to 150K+ LinkedIn followers in 1 year🔥 The burnout that landed him in the psych ward, and the lessons he learned💸 Building Data Expert Academy — cohorts, subscriptions, and a $400K month🛠️ Why creators fail with too many income streams and how to focus on what scales🤖 Using AI avatars + platforms to fight burnout and expand globallyTimestamps:00:00 – From Big Tech engineer to creator: Zach’s backstory05:00 – Burnout, breakdown, and lessons from saying “yes” to everything10:00 – Growing on LinkedIn and becoming the #1 data engineering voice20:00 – How the LinkedIn algorithm changed and what still works today28:00 – Quitting Airbnb → first $0.19 TikTok paycheck → $50K cohort beta34:00 – Building multiple income streams: cohorts, subscriptions, newsletter41:00 – Platforms that convert (LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram) vs. ones that don’t53:00 – AI avatars, teaching at scale, and the rise of one-person billion-dollar companies🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Run clubs are blowing up, not just for fitness, but as the new way Gen Z is meeting people IRL. Grace shares her experience running with groups from LA to SF (and even almost making the Olympic team), while Justin breaks down how sponsorships are turning these clubs into real businesses.We also dive into:🏃 How college athletes went from banned to banking big with NIL deals💸 Why pro runners struggle financially compared to football or basketball players📹 Ryan Trahan’s wild leap from D1 runner to full-time YouTuberCreators, athletes, and entrepreneurs are rewriting the playbook on how to monetize passion, and we’re here to unpack it.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Followers don’t always equal influence. Some creators with millions can’t sell a thing, while others with smaller audiences spark entire movements.In this episode, Grace and Justin talk through the messy business of being an influencer today: culture, money, and what “influence” really means in 2025.Inside:📉 Why follower count ≠ influence (and why some launches flop)🏙️ L.A. vs. Austin creator culture. Exclusivity, wellness, and ambition🎲 The rise of La Bubus, blind boxes, and gambling culture for kids💡 How environment shapes ambition, community, and creator careers🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

We looked into how much money Morning Brew brings in by just sending emails... it's insane.In this episode, Grace and Justin break down:📰 How Morning Brew makes millions from newsletter ads👤 The “identity crisis” creators face when building a personal brand💳 Why designer credit cards are as much about persona as perks🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.For more creator insights, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

In this episode of How Creators Make Money, Justin breaks down how he's used credit card rewards to travel the world in business class.But that’s just the start. We also dig into creator monetization strategies, growing authentic communities, and share some more LinkedIn viral content hacks.Inside:✈️ Turning credit card points into luxury trips📈 Community growth strategies that actually work in 2025🎥 Real examples of LinkedIn growth hacking🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Oba’s story is equal parts hustle and adventure.After leaving a private equity career in New York, he’s been traveling across Eastern Europe. From Hungary (where locals dubbed him “the Hungarian Fortnite”) to spending Romanian Robox he has found a way to build his brand while traveling the world.You can check out Oba's content here:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@obatriedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/obatriedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajayioba/Travel IG: https://www.instagram.com/oba.travelsWe get into:✈️ How he’s funding his travels while unemployed🚀 The story behind Headstart and how he continues his entrepreneurial mentality by applying to Y Combinator💡 The content strategy to becomming the Prime Minister of Romania🌍 Why travel can actually make you sharper in business🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more interesting creator stories!www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

What happens when your Discord admin accidentally deletes 20,000 members overnight?In this episode, Grace and Justin unpack the chaos of losing an entire year of community growth in one click and how to turn Grace's crash-out moment into a growth hack advice.Inside:⚡ The “Great Discord Purge” and what actually happened📈 Grace’s plan to rebuild 20K members🛠 Why creators should share their failures and their fixes in public📊 A mini LinkedIn algorithm update straight from the LinkedIn teamWhether you run a Discord, a newsletter, or a podcast, this one’s about resilience, building in public, and keeping your cool when things blow up.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money - the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

What happens when your favorite design tool goes public?In this episode, we talk through the chaos of Figma’s IPO and how Grace tried to throw $10K into it at $33.We also unpack:🧃 Prime’s brand hype and sudden sales collapse🚫 Whether creators can ever really get canceled📉 When a single TikTok shuts down a restaurant🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter for more creator insights: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Private equity is moving into the creator economy in a big way.In this episode, we break down:💰 What PE actually is (and how it’s different from VC)📉 How PE can supercharge or completely wreck a creator business🏀 Real examples: Dude Perfect, Blippi, Cocomelon & more🕹 The “rise of the nerds” - how nostalgia-fueled creators like Quinton Reviews are making millions deep-diving Nickelodeon, MapleStory, and childhood culture🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money - the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

If you're hot in NY, you should never have to pay for food...Well at least thats what this startup, Neon Coats, thinks. They match influencers to restaurants, pilates classes, and more based on your following. Inside:😍 What it takes to get free meals💰 Creators who are making BANK selling Notion templates🤝 How to stop being awkward while networkingWhether you're hot or not, this episode has the insights to make sure you still get free meals, make money, and meet people from around the world.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money - the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

It's time to get smarter about how to play the game of brand deals as a creator.In this episode, we break down the behind-the-scenes of brand negotiations, how to think more strategically about your positioning, and dive deep into some of their biggest deals that we've closed.Inside:🤝 Transparent about the mistakes we've made🧠 How to unlock bigger budgets💼 When it's the right time to get your bagThis one’s for any creator who’s done a few deals and is ready to level up.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Xander built a following of 2 million, then walked away because he was boredNow?He makes a $100,000 a month posting TikTok Shop.In this episode, we break down:🛒 The TikTok Shop strategy that’s making creators life changing money📉 Getting over the hump of feeling "stuck"🧠 The mindset shift from “influencer” to business operatorThis conversation will flip your thinking on how to build creator income that lasts.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money - the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more stories like Xander's: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com#TikTokShop #CreatorEconomy #Monetization #HowCreatorsMakeMoney #ContentStrategy

Lenny Rachitsky quietly built a business that prints over $3,000,000 a year.In this episode, we break down how he did it and what creators can learn from the way he runs his newsletter, community, coaching, and courses like a SaaS founder.We also get into:📈 Why creators should think more like businesses (not just personal brands)📬 How Lenny turned long-form writing into serious leverage💼 LinkedIn’s quiet entrance into the creator economy🧠 What “diversified income” actually looks like and where most creators missIf you're trying to build a career with content, this is the blueprint more people should be studying.🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.#CreatorEconomy #Monetization #NewsletterBusiness #LinkedInCreators #HowCreatorsMakeMoney

In this episode Grace and Justin talk about if creators are scamming you, an update on the Cluely situation, how Maya Higa and Alceus Santuary making $1,000,000 without selling tickets to her zoo, and Grace's updated perspective on VC funding!For more creator insights, subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.comHow Creators Make Money is hosted by Grace Ling and Justin Nguyen, a podcast where they unpack the real strategies behind how the smartest creators are making their money.

Lillian Zhang is a finance + lifestyle creator who’s made over $50K in her first year of content and is now writing her book "The New Money Rules" while working a 9-5 at Google.In this episode, we break down:The strategy behind her first brand deal at just 10K followersHow she DOUBLED her income year over year while staying full-timeThe surprising truth about book publishingHer creator income split Pre-order her upcoming book The New Money Rules here → https://www.amazon.com/New-Money-Rules-Personal-Finance/dp/B0DW678THW—How Creators Make Money is hosted by Grace Ling and Justin Nguyen🎙️ How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.—Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:00 Lillian’s first $10K brand deal story06:30 How she prices brand partnerships today10:40 Making $50K in her first year14:20 5+ income streams explained20:00 Why Gen Z gets money wrong30:00 Managing creator + corporate identity50:00 FIRE goals and financial freedom1:02:00 The publishing secrets no one talks about1:07:00 Spicy marketing hacks from the creator world—For more creator insights, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Chris Do, founder of The Futur and author of Pocketful of Do, joins the podcast to reveal how he built a creative empire generating over $2M in revenue as a content creator.The Futur: www.thefutur.comPocketful of Do: www.thefutur.com/pocket-full-of-doHe dives into: How he’s launching a hybrid physical + digital design school in LABreaks down how he would think about creating your first stream of revenue as a creator with 10,000 followersHow he landed a $120K brand dealAnd so much moreWhether you're a designer, educator, or creator, Chris maps out how to blend content creation, community, coaching, equity, and AI-agents into a diversified income model.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more stories like Chris': www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

TikTok shop is not only taking over your fyp, it's changing people's lives from an income standpoint.We break down how this Mommy Vlogger is making $50,000 a month.As you know with our tangents, we talk about other creators like Alex Costa's multimillion dollar men's care brand and if you should take equity as payment as a creator.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter here: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Have you ever cheated on a test? Maybe an interview? This new CAAS (Cheating As A Service) company, Cluey.We also talk about creator trips, Rizz Tis scale, childhood trauma, and Silicon Valley Tech Bro culture.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at: www.howcreatorsmakemoney

Grace and Justin dive into how kids are making money with the video game Roblox, Kai Cenat's Streamer University, and so many more creator events that happened during this time!Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

In this episode Grace shares her story about how she made over $50,000 with Design Buddies latest conference. We dive into how she did it, the tactics she used to reach out to sponsors, and so much more.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Every 1-2 years, Justin brings on new creators to Declassified which causes him to rebrand the entire brand. Essentially building a new show from scratch with each group of creators. He walks through what the next rebrand has been like and what it takes to make it successful.Grace also dives into networking hacks to make you not sound/feel like a dick to others in the room!Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Grace put her back against the wall for her Design Buddies conference, CoCreate, and needed to find all of the funding for the event in basically 2 weeks. She not only did that but also got 4,500 sign ups for the event in the following 2 weeks!We're back with weekly episodes! With some suprises in a couple of weeks.Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Grace went to Canva Create 2025 and came back with some inside knowledge on what content that LinkedIn's algorithm is looking for, how Canva is coming after startups with their AI features, and we answer the question of... what is Vibe Designing?Subscribe to our newsletter at www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Facebook is going through a rebrand and a lot of creators are making money on it right now, but how much are brands paying for this? We dive into this topic as well as what it's like to fully take time off as a creator, the TikTok ban, and the unique creator events that are popping up now.Subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Everyone says that its impossible to make money and get views on a podcast but we’re going to prove them wrong with this podcast. Our goal is to make at least $100,000 from this podcast this year and we’re off to a great start after SXSW.This episode we’re going over our outbound strategy and go over specific emails that we’ve sent during our SXSW campaign.Subscribe to our newsletter: ⁠www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com⁠Follow us on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/howcreatorsmakemoney⁠

We just got back from SXSW in Austin and we dive into what was good, bad, and if it was worth it for us.This is my 5th year attending SXSW and this is Grace's 1st time... lets just say we learned A LOT this year where one of the biggest focuses was on the Creator Economy.Subscribe to our newsletter: www.howcreatorsmakemoney.com

@tonesterpaints sells his for $100+ a gallon... and he sells millions of dollars worth of it on Instagram! The best part? This company started because his internship fired him for posting on TikTok.Check out Tonester Paint: https://tonesterpaints.com/We dive into other brands that Tonester is paying attention to, what Creator Camp is building with their film festival, and so much more!Subscribe to our newsletter: howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Grace goes viral on LinkedIn, Justin discovers channels making tens of thousands of dollars racing random objects on the internet, and we share one of our new favorite tools to use for LinkedInSubscribe to our newsletter: ⁠howcreatorsmakemoney.comVideos on our Spotify and YouTube channels!Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7mEgAOJmanfSRkaiJWszf8YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@howcreatorsmakemoney

Should you raise venture capital as a content creator? As more and more money is poured into the creator economy, Grace and I dive into if we think it's worth it or not!We also talk about when agencies make sense for content creators (and what red flags to watch out for), how podcasters are monetizing their content, and so much more!Subscribe to our newsletter: ⁠howcreatorsmakemoney.com

Justin and Grace compare their friends earnings as content creators on different platforms in this episode. We explore how creators are making money on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok to see which is the best money making platform.We also dive in the Poppi Superbowl campaign and talk about if it was a win or loss for the brand as well as our thoughts on how Olipop has handled the whole situation.Subscribe to our newsletter: ⁠howcreatorsmakemoney.com⁠

A lot of people track things in their lives. The number of books you read in a year, your workout routine, etc. but what if you tracked every single minute you spent on your creator business?Thats exactly what Jennifer Chou does with her creator business @vegantechnomadFrom ex-boyfriend revenge arcs to spreadsheets, you'll want to watch the video version of this episode to see the walk through of how Jen tracks her money.Check out her work here:https://www.vegantechnomad.com/Subscribe to our newsletter:howcreatorsmakemoney.com

The average gallon of paint is $20 - $30 a gallon. @tonesterpaints sells his for $100+ a gallon... and he sells millions of dollars worth of it! The best part? This company started because his internship fired him for posting on TikTok. Check out Tonester Paint: https://tonesterpaints.com/ We also talk about how the TikTok Ban, what Grace is doing on RedNote, and whats popping on LinkedIn right now. Subscribe to our newsletter: howcreatorsmakemoney.com

What's easier; getting a PhD or 100M views? That was Justin Nguyen's dilemma when he set out to change how universities think about college students. Check Out Justin Nguyen's Stuff: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declassifiedjustin/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/declassifiedcollege/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeclassifiedCollege Subscribe to our newsletter: howcreatorsmakemoney.com

In our first episode, Justin Nguyen interviews Grace Ling about how she started Design Buddies and grew a Discord server to over $1M ARR. Check out all of Grace's work: Design Buddies: https://www.designbuddies.community/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceling/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irungracepace/ Subscribe to our newsletter: howcreatorsmakemoney.com