CreatorIQ

As the Earned podcast takes a summer break (we'll be back on July 21st!), Conor reflects back on the learnings and milestones from the last 29 episodes.

A Message from Conor

In Ep. 98 of Earned, we sit down with Lexie Barnhorn, the Head of Influencer Marketing at Notion, the $10B productivity and organization web application. To start, we dive into why Lexie joined Notion after championing the platform at her previous company, Curology, and hear how working in the scrappy, startup world allows her to stay at the forefront of fast-growing businesses. Next, Lexie explains why Notion taps into various niche creator communities to connect with new audiences, before revealing how the company’s “test and learn” approach to channels like TikTok and LinkedIn is vital to its success on social media. Lexie then shares her advice to young professionals looking to jumpstart their careers, and emphasizes the importance of taking risks and joining companies you believe in. To close the show, Lexie, an outspoken Swiftie, speaks to why she believes Taylor Swift is so successful, and how companies can utilize her marketing strategies to fuel success in their own businesses. In this episode, you will learn:&nbsp;<ul><li>Notion’s non-traditional approach to creator-led marketing and its focus on niche communities across multiple platforms</li><li>Lexie's advice to young professionals looking to jumpstart their careers</li><li>How Notion’s test-and-learn approach to TikTok drives success on the platform and creates value and connection with consumers</li></ul> Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.notion.so" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Notion.so</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li>Lexie Barnhorn’s LinkedIn - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbarnhorn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@AlexisBarnhorn</a></li></ul> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:<ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul> Follow us on social:<ul><li>CreatorIQ YouTube -<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @TribeDynamics</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Instagram -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ TikTok -<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creator.iq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Twitter -<a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Lexie Barnhorn

Head of Influencer Marketing 

In Ep. 98 of Earned, Conor sits down with Lexie Barnhorn, a former Director of Influencer Marketing at Curology who now leads the influencer marketing program at Notion.


98 - Lexie Barnhorn, Notion

From Productivity to Gaming: Why Notion Taps Into Different Creator Communities to Maximize its Reach to Consumers

In Ep. 97 of Earned, Conor sits down with Jesse Draper: actor, fourth-generation venture capitalist, and founding partner of early-stage, female-focused VC firm Halogen Ventures. To start the show, we learn why Jesse pursued Hollywood stardom, with notable acting credits including Nickelodeon’s hit TV show “The Naked Brothers Band,” before jumping into the investing business. Jesse shares the inspiration behind her Emmy-nominated tech talk show “The Valley Girl Show,” and how her success empowered her to effect change in the male-dominated tech industry by finding—and funding—successful female-founded businesses. We dive into Jesse’s now-viral (and bad-ass) 2020 Medium article, “Investing In Women Isn’t A Fucking Charity,” and she unpacks the data around why female investors and entrepreneurs tend to outperform their male counterparts. Next, we hear Jesse’s investment philosophies, and the characteristics she looks for in her founders, before getting her take on the creator economy—how she and her portfolio participate in it, and where she sees it going next. To wrap the episode, Jesse reveals the investments she’s most excited about, and the businesses we should look out for. In this episode, you will learn:<ul><li>Why investing in women-led businesses is a profitable opportunity with superior returns and efficiency—not charity</li><li>The qualities Jesse looks for in the founders she invests in</li><li>Jesse's take on the future of the creator economy </li></ul> Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://halogenvc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Halogen Ventures</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest(s):<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessedraper/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jesse Draper’s LinkedIn</a></li></ul> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:<ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul> Follow us on social:<ul><li>CreatorIQ YouTube -<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @TribeDynamics</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Instagram -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ TikTok -<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creator.iq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Twitter -<a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Jesse Draper

General Partner at Halogen Ventures

In Ep. 97 of Earned, Conor Begley sits down with the distinguished Jesse Draper: actor, fourth-generation venture capitalist, and founding partner of early-stage, female-focused VC firm Halogen Ventures.


97 - Jesse Draper, Halogen Ventures

Halogen Ventures’ Jesse Draper on Why Investing in Women Is Not a Charity

In Ep. 96 of Earned, Conor sits down with Amy Liu, founder and CEO of fast-growing clean beauty brand Tower 28. We dive into Tower 28’s success both online and off, and Amy shares the past investments she’s made that are now paying off. We hear why she believes you have to earn your reputation, and how investing in people and products have fueled much of the beauty brand’s success. Next, we take a step back and learn why Amy was grateful to get laid off from Accenture in her early 20s, because it forced her to evaluate what she wanted to do. Her path led her to USC business school, and then into the beauty industry. After running marketing teams at Smashbox, Kate Somerville, and Josie Maran (where she grew sales 5x in three years), we learn why Amy decided to take time away from her career to focus on family, before going all in on her own brand, Tower 28 Beauty. Amy reveals why she’s happy she waited to found her brand, before explaining why she created the Clean Beauty Summer School, a professional development program designed to accelerate small, BIPOC-owned clean beauty businesses. As we wrap up the show, we discuss Tower 28’s thoughtful, personalized approach to building relationships with relevant creators, and Amy gives her take on where the influencer marketing landscape is headed next.&nbsp; In this episode, you will learn:<ul><li>Why investing in people and high-quality products fueled much of Tower 28 Beauty's success</li><li>How Amy's unexpected career trajectory inspired her to launch her own brand</li><li>Tower 28's thoughtful, personalized approach to building relationships with creators</li></ul> Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.tower28beauty.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tower 28 Beauty</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest(s):<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyhuangliu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amy Liu’s LinkedIn</a></li></ul> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:<ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul> Follow us on social:<ul><li>CreatorIQ YouTube -<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @TribeDynamics</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Instagram -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ TikTok -<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creator.iq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Twitter -<a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Amy Liu

CEO and Founder at Tower 28 Beauty

In Ep. 96 of Earned, Conor Begley sits down with Amy Liu, founder and CEO of fast-growing clean beauty brand Tower 28.


96 - Amy Liu, Tower 28 Beauty

Tower 28 Beauty Founder Amy Liu on Investing in People and Products to Drive Success

For our 95th episode of Earned, Conor sits down with Samantha Sichel, the Head of Social Product and Digital Innovation at leading live entertainment company Live Nation. To start the show, we dive into Samantha’s nearly two-decade career at Live Nation, and she shares how the company and industry have evolved during the rise of digital media. We unpack Live Nation’s rapid growth via vertical integration, and hear how CEO Michael Rapino is a “visionary” in discovering successful artists and investing in their growth, while still allowing them to remain autonomous. We learn why live entertainment attracts a highly influential audience, and Samantha explains how Live Nation leverages this engaged community of “fanfluencers” to help market shows and events. Next, we dive into the success of Live Nation’s Last2Leave creator house, and Samantha shares why the company’s secret sauce lies in its unique ability to give creators “the best night of your life every single week.” Conor and Samantha then reflect back on the pandemic, and we hear how Live Nation creatively connected fans to artists in a time without in-person events. To close the show, Samantha, a mother of three, shares her advice for excelling in your career as a working mom. In this episode, you will learn:<ul><li>Why live events attract a highly influential audience, and how Live Nation has tapped into its "Fanfluencer" community to promote its events.</li><li>How Live Nation powered massive growth, going from event promoter to giant ticketing entity, by leaning in to the digital revolution.</li><li>How Live Nation's unique, money-can't-buy experiences have turned its creator house Last2Leave into a major success.</li></ul> Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.livenationentertainment.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Live Nation Entertainment</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-sichel-8910573/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Samantha Sichel's LinkedIn</a></li></ul> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:<ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul> Follow us on social:<ul><li>CreatorIQ YouTube -<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @TribeDynamics</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Instagram -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ TikTok -<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creator.iq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Twitter -<a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Samantha Sichel is a pioneer in the world of live entertainment and audience engagement. Recognizing the power of an influential audience, she developed a groundbreaking tool called the fanfluencer tool. This tool enables her to identify fans with large social media followings in real time by using social listening and geofencing techniques. Once the influential fans are identified, Samantha and her team invite them to become instant influencers, promoting their events and performances without directly calling them. This innovative approach to marketing has revolutionized the way live entertainment reaches its target audience. With Samantha's expertise and the fanfluencer tool, she continues to captivate audiences and establish herself as a trailblazer in the industry.

Samantha Sichel

Head of Social Product & Digital Innovation at Live Nation Entertainment

In Ep. 95 of Earned, Conor Begley sits down with Samantha Sichel, Head of Social Product and Digital Innovation at leading live entertainment company Live Nation.




95 - Samantha Sichel, Live Nation Entertainment

Creating Fanfluencers: Live Nation’s Samantha Sichel Talks Tapping Into Live Entertainment’s Influential Audience

In Ep. 94 of Earned, we sit down with Eurie Kim, managing partner at Forerunner Ventures, the wildly successful early-stage venture capital firm that has helped skyrocket consumer-favorite brands like Glossier, Dollar Shave Club, Outdoor Voices, and more. We start the episode by looking back on the past few years in the venture capital market, and Conor asks Eurie whether Forerunner has reconsidered its brands’ exit paths. Eurie then shares how she and the Forerunner team continue to be involved with their portfolio brands after an initial investment, and how Forerunner leverages learnings from each investment to guide its approach with younger brands. Next, we learn what kind of companies Forerunner wants to focus its investments on over the next decade, and Eurie explains why the firm proactively anticipates consumers’ future behaviors and priorities to guide its investment strategy. Switching gears, Conor and Eurie discuss the shift back toward in-person retail, and how DTC-native brands can successfully adapt to that environment, before Eurie shares her thoughts on how the rise of AI will impact the market. To close the show, Eurie unpacks the key business philosophies she believes contributed to Forerunner's massive (25x) success since its launch, before revealing the hard lessons she’s learned along the way. Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.forerunnerventures.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forerunner</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/euriekim/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eurie Kim’s LinkedIn</a></li></ul> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:<ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul> Follow us on social:<ul><li>CreatorIQ YouTube -<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @TribeDynamics</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Instagram -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ TikTok -<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creator.iq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Twitter -<a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Eurie Kim

Managing Partner at Forerunner

In Ep. 94 of Earned, Conor Begley sits down with Eurie Kim, managing partner at consumer-focused, early-stage venture capital firm Forerunner Ventures, which closed its sixth funding round at $1B last year.


94 - Eurie Kim, Forerunner Ventures

Making the Right Bets: How Forerunner Ventures Closed a $1B Funding Round by Anticipating Consumers’ Future Needs

In today’s episode of Earned, we sit down with Oura CMO Doug Sweeny, whose marketing prowess helped drive the $3B+ acquisitions of Nest Labs and One Medical. We start the episode by digging into this success, and hear the qualities Doug looks for before joining&nbsp; a company. Doug emphasizes his interest in companies that are solving real-world problems, and shares his experience working at One Medical during the peak of the pandemic. We then learn what attracted Doug to Oura, before hearing how the company navigates the tech ecosystem and integrates with tech giant Apple. Next, we dive into Doug’s process for crafting Oura’s simple yet compelling brand message of “giving every body a voice,” and discuss the importance of aligning the company around this message. Doug also explains how Oura’s clear mission has helped in establishing partnerships with companies like Strava, Gucci, Best Buy, and Equinox. We switch gears and learn how Oura facilitates content creation among its “rabid fans” and members by introducing new offerings like Circles and the “Refer a Friend” program, as well as partnerships with athletes and wellness influencers. Doug shares how the company constantly leverages its member community for beta testing and product development feedback. To close the show, Doug walks us through why he enjoys taking on advisory roles for other companies outside of Oura, and reveals what kind of startup he’d enjoy leading next. Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://ouraring.com/?g_acctid=553-919-5922&amp;g_adgroupid=139082364377&amp;g_adid=621632900317&amp;g_adtype=search&amp;g_campaign=sem_prosp_alwayson_nb_allgeo_en_broad_smart&amp;g_campaignid=18324137979&amp;g_keyword=aurora%20smart%20ring&amp;g_keywordid=kwd-1465072960730&amp;g_network=g&amp;utm_campaign=sem_prosp_alwayson_nb_allgeo_en_broad_smart&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_source=google_search&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwxOymBhAFEiwAnodBLL7Jg9pc94d1DfW7OYHa4YrIt3fXzd5VNUf8F0H84VqfLy1GgJLkBRoCMFQQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ŌURA</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest(s):<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougsweeny/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Doug Sweeny’s LinkedIn</a></li></ul> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:<ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul> Follow us on social:<ul><li>CreatorIQ YouTube -<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @TribeDynamics</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Instagram -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ TikTok -<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creator.iq</a></li><li>CreatorIQ Twitter -<a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Doug Sweeny

Chief Marketing Officer of ŌURA

In Ep. 93 of Earned, Conor Begley sits down with Doug Sweeny, Chief Marketing Officer at smart ring company Oura. Doug also led Nest Labs and One Medical to $3 billion plus acquisitions by Google and Amazon, respectively. 


93 - Doug Sweeny, ŌURA

Scaling Startups into Giants: How Oura CMO Doug Sweeny Led Nest and One Medical to $3 Billion Acquisitions

Blog

Strategy Guides

Newsletter

Welcome to Earned, an influencer marketing podcast by CreatorIQ. In this series, Conor Begley, Chief Strategy Officer at CreatorIQ, sits down with esteemed industry leaders, exploring the minds—and marketing strategies—behind the most successful brands in creator-led marketing. In each episode, we dive into our guest’s background, as they walk us through the unique—and often unexpected—journey that led them to landing their dream role. We discuss their tried-and-true marketing philosophies, and of course, we talk about influencers, sharing best practices for maximizing the power of the Creator Economy and cultivating impactful influencer communities. Each guest also lends advice to young professionals starting out in the industry, and reveals a few of the key marketing strategies behind their brand’s coveted success, online and off—so be sure to tune in, and take notes!

A Message from Conor

DESCRIPTION

Today's Host

Conor Begley

Recent Episodes