In partnership with

Good morning Launch Key 🚀 community!

Just a few years ago Goldman Sachs estimated that the Creator Economy might be a quarter-trillion dollars by 2027. Deloitte and others now think its 4 times that much.

No matter the total, it is clear that the Creator Economy is only growing.

This week’s message is just a nudge because, if you have unique content that growth can be harnessed.

Let's get into it.

Comment below and let me know if we’re on the right track.

Table of Contents

• Pull to Eject

• Modern Tools

• Old School Wisdom

• Free Knowledge

• Recommendations

• Visual Crapshoot

Pull to Eject

Today there are more than 50 million creators around the globe. What began as gig economy freelance work has turned into independent creators in various shapes and sizes:

• Content Creators: YouTubers, TikTokers, Instagrammers, bloggers, podcasters.

• Educators: Online course creators, tutors, consultants, coaches.

• Artists: Musicians, illustrators, writers, photographers.

• Entrepreneurs: Individuals selling digital or physical products.

The vast majority of those 50 million are solopreneurs, owning the outcomes of what they create. We know some things. We talk about, or write about, or broadcast those things. Our audiences are small to medium sized - think of the typical Linkedin, Instagram, YouTube or X user.

The outliers are the huge social media stars like Cristiano Ronaldo with a billion followers or Mr Beast with 350 million YouTube subscribers.

You can laugh these off as just celebrity, or you can realize that a regular podcast from Joe Rogan has roughly 28 times the audience of a nightly prime time CNN broadcast (14 million vs 500k).

2024 may have been the final nail in the coffin of MSM talk and news. The Creator Economy has a lot to do with that.

So is it just a passing fad?

Deloitte doesn’t think so. And presented a 4 quadrants type SWOT assessment in a recent thought piece. Their opinions put a lot of the onus on platforms to assist the creators of the future.

I’ve always touted the platforms (software) simply as tools. The content is the king. Same as it ever was.

In recent years, the biggest money in the Creator Economy came from so-called ‘influencers.’ Celebrities with large followings attracted corporate ad dollars in an effort to leverage their followers into potential consumers for the brands.

But corporate has gotten the memo.

Like all celebrity endorsement - you can’t control how the influencers behave. And many times, behavior has not been on-brand, if you know what I mean.

The on-again-off-again Tik-Tok ban has also affected creator revenue streams. This Inc. article claims that many are looking into Direct-to-Consumer solutions instead of counting on brand partnerships for income. More direct contact with your audience makes for better products. Full stop.

A welcome pendulum swing toward value. And letting the market, not the algos, decide who has quality products or services.

Exactly the types of products that you can create from your unique knowledge.

So, what best practices should you employ as you create?

1. Find Your Niche: Focus on a specific area of expertise or passion to stand out

2. Be Consistent: Regularly produce high-quality content

3. Diversify Revenue Streams: Don’t rely on a single platform or monetization method—explore ads, subscriptions, merchandise, courses, etc.

4. Engage Your Community: Build a strong relationship with your audience through comments, newsletters, or community platforms

5. Stay Adaptable: Keep up with trends, platform updates, and new technologies understanding that we are still very early innings

If you have ever sold attic treasures on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace - congratulations - you’ve already leveraged creator economy platforms.

I bet you have much more valuable knowledge assets than those garage sale items.

Get them out there! 5 billion potential customers are looking to buy.

Now go launch something 🚀 

Modern Tools

Shoutout to 🚀 subscriber Jason Crome who suggested this tool. Obsidian is a great way to organize your thoughts and notes.

The best part? Your ideas are stored privately only on your devices. No one else can read them - not even Obsidian. Great tool for solopreneurs or individuals.

You found global talent. Deel’s here to help you onboard them

Deel’s simplified a whole planet’s worth of information. It’s time you got your hands on our international compliance handbook where you’ll learn about:

• Attracting global talent

• Labor laws to consider when hiring

• Processing international payroll on time

• Staying compliant with employment & tax laws abroad

With 150+ countries right at your fingertips, growing your team with Deel is easier than ever.

Get the guide

Old School Wisdom

Is your potential content best served as a book?

In this conversational and action-oriented guide, Chandler Bolt presents a proven solution that will take from blank page to published author in 90 days.

Free Knowledge

Jim Louderback covers news, strategy and analysis as well as media, generative AI and more in his Inside the Creator Economy newsletter.

Recommendations

💡 Product-Led Geek : Get your FREE GROWTH TOOLKIT and join over 7600 founders and leaders learning how to scale their B2B software companies with product-led growth and product-led sales.

🧠 Seven Deadly Stupidities : Discover the patterns that lead to failure and learn how to avoid them.

🗃️ Dealroom Business Success Uncovered : Learn directly from billionaire entrepreneurs on how to grow a business. Join a community of 2,000+ innovators.

📕 MGMT Playbook : Practical management insights straight to your inbox every Wednesday.

👋 Huntrs : Join Hanna Larrson and learn how to build your personal brand and audience, monetize your knowledge, build multiple income streams and a lean, profitable online business.

Visual Crapshoot