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. 72 of Earned, Conor sits down with Silvia Galfo, general manager of Armani Beauty. We start by talking about influencers: when Silvia first realized their potential, and how the narrative—and budgets—around influencer marketing have shifted in recent years. Silvia describes how important it is for luxury brands to strike the right balance between establishing a brand-led narrative and giving up some control to creators. We also discuss how to divvy up the marketing budget with the increasing number of channels available today, and Silvia shares her test-and-learn philosophy. We then explore the world of fragrance marketing—a historically difficult vertical to market across social media. Silvia emphasizes the importance of entertaining your audience, and shares the success of a recent TikTok activation for Armani’s Acqua di Giò Profondo fragrance. To close the show, we discuss how to adapt your brand’s message to resonate across international markets, and why Silvia’s leadership style prioritizes nimbleness and agility. In this episode, you will learn:<ol><li>How luxury brands' approach to influencer marketing has shifted in recent years</li><li>The importance of entertainment in fragrance marketing</li><li>Why you should adapt your brand's message to resonate across international markets </li></ol> Key Takeaways[02:28] Why brands—including luxury brands—should lean into influencer marketing[10:31] How Silvia divvies up the marketing budget across all of today's new channels[13:39] How to effectively market fragrance on social media[18:15] Why brands should adapt their messaging to resonate across different markets and cultures[25:12] Why Silvia's leadership style prioritizes nimbleness and agility Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.loreal.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">L’ORÉAL’s website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.loreal.com/en/loreal-luxe/armani/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Giorgio Armani L’ORÉAL</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-galfo-893a1a2b/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Silvia’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>

Silvia Galfo

General Manager of Armani Beauty

In Ep. 72 of Earned, Conor sits down with Silvia Galfo, general manager of Armani Beauty.




72 - Silvia Galfo, Armani Beauty

Armani Beauty’s Silvia Galfo on How Luxury Brands Can Leverage Creators

In Ep. 71 of Earned, Conor sits down with Marc Hustvedt, president of the largest YouTube channel in America (137 MILLION subscribers): MrBeast. Marc’s impressive resume also includes founding ventures like Tubefilter, Supergravity Pictures, and the Streamy Awards. We start the episode by learning why Marc enjoys building new companies, and hear why he’s particularly interested in YouTubers. We ask Marc about the core elements that make a piece of content successful, and the reasons behind MrBeast’s most recent explosion in (billions of) views. Marc shares how the MrBeast team has leaned into TikTok, before explaining the importance of viewer acquisition with captivating video titles and thumbnails, and a few of the ways MrBeast optimizes its content for performance. We hear Marc’s take on the current monetization models of social platforms like YouTube and TikTok, and how MrBeast’s side ventures like Feastables and MrBeast Burger are now contributing a larger slice of the revenue pie. To close the show, we discuss the impact that MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, has had on his hometown of Greenville, North Carolina, and hear what’s in store for the company over the next 20 years. In this episode, you will learn:<ol><li>The keys to creating a successful piece of content </li><li>The importance of catchy video titles and thumbnails for viewer acquisition</li><li>How MrBeast grew a following of 137 million subscribers (and counting!)</li></ol> Key Takeaways[12:51] The keys to creating a successful piece of content[20:25] Why MrBeast leaned into TikTok[26:06] The importance of optimizing titles, thumbnails, and integrated ad reads[41:40] Marc’s predictions for the future of MrBeast Resources:<ul><li>MrBeast Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/mrbeast6000" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@mrbeast</a></li><li>MrBeast Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/MrBeast?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@mrbeast</a></li><li>MrBeast Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrbeast/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@mrbeast</a></li><li>Shop MrBeast Merch: <a href="https://shopmrbeast.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://shopmrbeast.com/</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchustvedt/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marc’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>

Marc Hustvedt

President at MrBeast

In Ep. 71 of Earned, Conor sits down with Marc Hustvedt, president of YouTube sensation MrBeast. 


71 - Marc Hustvedt, MrBeast

MrBeast President Marc Hustvedt on What it Takes to Run America’s Largest YouTube Channel

In our 70th episode of Earned, we sit down with Winnie Park, CEO of Gen Z retailer Forever 21. We start by discussing the resurgence of retail and in-store shopping, and how the industry has changed since the start of the pandemic. Winnie unpacks the evolution of Forever 21’s omnichannel strategy, and emphasizes the importance of meeting the customer where they’re at. We dive into the retailer’s approach to influencer marketing, and Winnie shares why Forever 21 prioritizes co-creation. Conor asks Winnie what it takes to run hundreds of physical retail locations, and Winnie explains why store associates are crucial because they’re closest to the boss—the customer. Next, we hear Winnie’s perspective on the “Glass Cliff” phenomenon, and she shares why she believes women make some of the best CEOs, particularly in tough times. To close the show, Winnie reveals her greatest learnings from her mentors, and why she now loves mentoring other professionals, before sharing the advantages of being part of the SPARC Group community. In this episode, you will learn:<ol><li>How the retail industry has evolved and bounced back since the start of the pandemic</li><li>The importance of a balanced omnichannel strategy and meeting the customer where they're at </li><li>Why women make some of the best CEOs in tough times</li></ol> Key Takeaways[01:08] The resurgence of retail and in-store shopping[09:43] The evolution of Forever 21's omnichannel strategy[17:34] Forever 21’s approach to influencer marketing[23:40] The keys to successfully running physical retail locations[27:49] Winnie's perspective on the "Glass Cliff" phenomenon Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.forever21.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forever21</a></li><li>Forever21 on TikTok - <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@forever21" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@forever21</a></li><li>Forever21 on Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/forever21/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@forever21</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sparkgroup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Spark Group</a>&nbsp;</li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li>Winnie’s LinkedIn - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnie-park?trk=people-guest_people_search-card" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@winnie-park</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>

Winnie Park

CEO, Forever 21

In our 70th episode of Earned, we sit down with Winnie Park, CEO of Gen Z retailer Forever 21. 


70 - Winnie Park, Forever 21

In our latest episode of Earned, we sit down with Jason Wagenheim, President and Chief Revenue Officer at global media company Bustle Digital Group. To start, we dive into Jason’s long-spanning career in publishing at Condé Nast, including his time at Vanity Fair, Glamour, and Teen Vogue. Jason reveals how accurate “The Devil Wears Prada” was, then unpacks how digital publishing took the print world by storm. We learn about the triumphs and challenges of acquiring and integrating a portfolio of independent media companies under one roof, including Elite Daily, The Zoe Report, and Inverse, before Jason emphasizes the importance of being comfortable with change. We discuss how publishers were the original influencers, and why advertisers should continue to see their value. Next, Jason shares the learnings he’s applied from his background in sales, and explains why empathy is key to being a successful leader. We close the show with the origin story of Jason’s current side hustle and passion project: East End Cowboy barbecue sauce. In this episode, you will learn:+ How the evolution of digital publishing took the print world by storm+ Why publishers are the original influencers+ The qualities you need to be a successful leader Key Takeaways:[04:27] The rise of digital publishing and its impact on print media[07:33] Why publishers are the original influencers [15:58] The benefits and challenges of acquiring independent media companies[26:54] Jason’s biggest learnings from his background in sales[30:16] The key qualities of a successful leader[35:32] Jason’s BBQ sauce side hustle Resources:<a href="https://www.bdg.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BDG - Bustle Digital Group</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Amazing/dp/0399144463/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=who+moved+my+cheese&amp;qid=1677171925&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=who+moved%2Cstripbooks%2C157&amp;sr=1-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Book - Who Moved by Cheese</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-90-Days-Strategies-Expanded/dp/1422188612" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Book - The First 90 Days</a><a href="https://eastendcowboy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">East End Cowboy BBQ</a> Connect with the Guest:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-wagenheim-113b624" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jason’s LinkedIn</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/east.end.cowboy/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">East End Cowboy Instagram</a> Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:Conor’s LinkedIn - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@conormbegley</a>CreatorIQ LinkedIn - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@creatoriq</a> Follow us on social:CreatorIQ YouTube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@TribeDynamics</a>CreatorIQ Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@creatoriq</a>CreatorIQ TikTok - <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@creator.iq</a>CreatorIQ Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@CreatorIQ</a>

Jason Wagenheim

President and Chief Revenue Officer at Bustle Digital Group

In our latest episode of Earned, Conor sits down with Jason Wagenheim, a titan of the publishing industry and current president and Chief Revenue Officer of Bustle Digital Group. 


69 - Jason Wagenheim, Bustle Digital Group

&nbsp;In Ep. 68 of Earned, we sit down with beauty industry veteran Ken Landis. Ken has a proven track record of success, co-founding some of today’s top beauty brands, including Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, TULA Skincare, and DIBS Beauty. To begin the episode, Ken reveals the core characteristics of a successful beauty brand, emphasizing the importance of a focused distribution strategy and unpacking his mantra of “narrow and deep.” He explains why Bobbi Brown Cosmetics started out in the ’90s by being “laser focused” on high-end specialty retail stores, and prioritized winning market share in the few doors they were in, rather than maximizing distribution. We then dive into TULA, and Ken shares why the skincare brand launched with a digital-first, influencer-centric strategy, which quickly paved a path to profitability. We explore the difficulties of building a brand identity through retail compared to DTC, and Ken unpacks the differences in marketing a color cosmetics brand versus a skincare brand. We then discuss how the creator economy has evolved over the years, and how DIBS and Tula approach organic relationships versus paid partnerships with influencers. To close the show, Ken details the key factors that have attracted him to invest in a variety of companies, from beauty to tech to art to cannabis, before sharing his philosophies on effective leadership. In this episode, you will learn:<ol><li>How to build a brand identity that stands out in a crowded market</li><li>Strategies for leveraging organic relationships and paid partnerships with influencers</li><li>Key characteristics that investors look for in a brand</li></ol> Key Takeaways[02:47] The core elements of a successful beauty company[11:40] How digital marketing has evolved since Ken began in the industry[14:40] Utilizing influencer marketing to expand brand awareness[16:45] Common mistakes brands make in retail[22:43] Key qualities Ken looks for when investing in companies Resources:<ul><li><a href="https://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bobbi Brown Cosmetics</a></li><li><a href="https://www.tula.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TULA</a></li><li><a href="https://dibsbeauty.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DIBS Beauty</a></li></ul> Connect with the Guest:<ul><li>Ken’s LinkedIn - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-landis-88b7423/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-landis-88b7423/</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><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CreatorIQ Instagram - </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@creatoriq</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CreatorIQ TikTok - </a><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creator.iq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@creator.iq</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TribeDynamics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CreatorIQ Twitter - </a><a href="https://twitter.com/CreatorIQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@CreatorIQ</a></li></ul>

Ken Landis

Co-Founder of Bobbi Brown, TULA Skincare, & DIBS

In Ep. 68 of Earned, we sit down with beauty industry veteran Ken Landis. Ken has a proven track record of success, co-founding some of today’s top beauty brands, including Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Tula Skincare, and DIBS Beauty.


68 - Ken Landis, Bobbi Brown & TULA Skincare

Earned Ep. 68: Ken Landis, Investor & Co-founder of Bobbi Brown, TULA, DIBS, on the Keys to Building Profitable Beauty Brands

In Ep. 67 of Earned, Conor sits down with creator economy expert and gaming industry veteran Rodrigo Velloso. We begin by learning what attracted Rod, who built his early career in traditional media, to join the then-booming tech industry. Conor and Rod then share their predictions for how the rise in AI technology like ChatGPT will impact industries across the board. We dive into Rod’s time at YouTube in the early 2010s, and hear why the platform’s shifting focus from views to watch time led to increased interest in long-form gaming videos—a completely new genre of content at the time. Next, Rod shares his learnings from his time as YouTube’s Director of Gaming Partnerships, before pivoting to his experience leading creator-led marketing at interactive gaming platform Roblox—which helped fuel the company’s hypergrowth to compete with gaming giants like Minecraft. We learn how Roblox’s monetization model drew an influx of gamers to the platform, and Rod emphasizes how the best content lives where its creators can be properly compensated for it. To close the show, we hear what Rod has learned about the broader creator economy since joining creator commerce platform Spring, and Rod reveals what’s up next for his career.

Rodrigo Velloso

Creator Economy Advisor

In Ep. 67 of Earned, Conor sits down with gaming industry veteran Rodrigo Velloso to discuss the rise and impact of the creator economy in the gaming vertical. 


67 - Rodrigo Velloso, YouTube & Roblox

Earned Ep. 67: Roblox’s Rodrigo Velloso on the Rise and Impact of the Creator Economy in the World of Gaming

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