The Business of Talent

Latest Episodes:

Are Celebrity Brands A Bubble or Here to Stay? Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Business Talent Podcast, hosts Jordan and Sam discuss the rise of talent-led brands and their potential long-term viability. They explore market shifts driven by technological advancements that have made it easier to create content and build audiences. Highlighting successful ventures like Logan Paul and KSI's Prime and Kim Kardashian's Skims, alongside flops like Travis Scott's Cacti, they analyze key factors for success in this space. The conversation delves into the importance of product market fit, reducing key man risk, and long-term business fundamentals, while also weighing if this trend represents a sustainable business model or just a transient bubble.

00:00 Introduction and Warm-Up

00:50 Overview of Talent-Led Brands

02:23 Market Shifts and Technology Impact

09:33 Case Study: Prime by Logan Paul and KSI

13:25 Key Man Risk and Brand Sustainability

19:15 Success Factors for Talent-Led Brands

23:51 Final Thoughts and Personal Favorites

27:54 Conclusion and Sign-Off

Why Traditional Media Is Buying Up Creator Companies Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Business of Talent Podcast, hosts Jordan and Sam delve into the latest trends and significant investments in the media and talent sectors. They discuss Fox Corporation's acquisition of Red Seat Ventures, Publicis Groupe's strategic purchase of BR Media Group, and Carlyle's noteworthy investment in Entertainment 360. The conversation explores the implications of these moves for creators, traditional media companies, and the shifting dynamics of content consumption. They emphasize the importance of creating and owning intellectual property in the evolving marketplace and tease exciting updates for their own ventures.

00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks

00:23 Weekly Updates and Personal News

01:07 Podcast Overview and Main Topics

01:58 Carlisle's Investment in Entertainment 360

09:51 Publicis Acquires BR Media Group

16:07 Fox Corporation Acquires Red Seat Ventures

24:38 Concluding Thoughts and Next Week's Preview

Why Creators Got $200M+ in Funding Last Week Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Business of Talent Podcast, hosts Jordan and Sam dive into the evolving landscape of the creator economy, emphasizing the growing significance of niche content creators and creator-led businesses. They discuss Slow Ventures' $60 million fund aimed at investing in niche creators, touching on the challenges and opportunities presented by algorithm-driven platforms and creator burnout. The episode also analyzes key insights from Patreon's State of Create report and celebrates MrBeast's groundbreaking success with his unscripted show on Amazon Prime Video, setting a new paradigm for creators in traditional media.01:00 Trends in the Creator Economy01:32 Slow Ventures' Investment in Niche Creators03:00 Challenges and Opportunities for Creators07:43 Patreon's State of Create Report14:40 MrBeast's Impact on Unscripted Shows17:05 Conclusion and Sign-Off

11 Shocking Stats About the Future of the Creator Economy Feb 18, 2025

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In this episode of the Business of Talent Podcast, hosts Sam Hysell and Jordan Williams dive into 11 surprising statistics about the creator economy. They discuss the rapid growth projections for the industry, the increasing influence of brand collaborations, and the evolving landscape for content creators. They highlight key insights such as the rise of creator-led brands, the dominance of short-form videos, and the varied categories of creators. They also touch on the potential for a middle class of creators and the significance of authentic endorsements. This episode provides a data-driven look at the current state and future trends of the creator economy.00:00 Introduction and Overview00:22 Welcome to the Talent Podcast00:52 11 Shocking Stats About the Creator Economy01:18 Stat 1: Creator Economy Growth Projections05:23 Stat 2: Rapid Expansion of the Creator Economy06:29 Stat 3: Blockbuster Agency Acquisition09:56 Stat 4: Brand Investments in Creators12:26 Stat 5: Who Are the Creators?15:22 Stat 6: Gen Z's Preference for Influencers17:34 Stat 7: Creator-Led Brands19:45 Stat 8: Power of Celebrity Endorsements22:46 Stat 9: Audience Size23:57 Stat 10: Top Creator Categories25:42 Stat 11: Dominance of Short Form Videos27:38 Conclusion and Closing Remarks

Why Big Brands Are Investing in Emerging Artists Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Business of Talent Podcast, hosts dive into an engaging conversation with Mike Boyd from Gary Vaynerchuk's (Gary Vee) VaynerX. They discuss Boyd's journey in the music industry, including his transition from managing artists to becoming the head of music at VaynerX. Boyd shares stories about discovering and supporting emerging talent like Tierra Whack and Gunna, as well as his experience with music-related campaigns for brands such as Budweiser and K-Swiss. Special guest Guy joins the dialogue to discuss his collaboration with VaynerX and his aspirations for 2025. The episode explores the intersection of music, marketing, and cultural influence, highlighting the potential impact of artist-brand partnerships.

00:00 Introduction and Special Guest

01:47 Mike Boyd's Journey and Role at VaynerX

04:15 Evolution of VaynerMusic

06:52 Campaigns and Artist Relations

10:39 Brand Partnerships and ROI

20:04 The Power of Influencers in Marketing

20:46 Success Stories: VaynerX and Custom Music

22:23 The Cultural Influence of Hip Hop

27:15 Identifying and Supporting Emerging Talent

33:26 Special Guest: Guy's Journey with VaynerX

36:46 Looking Ahead: Future Projects and Excitement

38:15 Closing Remarks and Reflections

This Platform is Redefining Creator x Brand Partnerships Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Business of Talent Podcast, hosts Sam and Jordan are joined by Tiffany Kelly, the founder and CEO of Curastory. They discuss the transformative impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) for student-athletes, the future of influencer media, and how creators can better monetize their content.

Tiffany shares her journey from being a sports analytics associate at ESPN to creating Curastory, a platform enabling creators to monetize across their social profiles. The episode’s news segment also covers Chamath Paliapatiya's investment in Mr. Beast and the NFL's new program granting former players access to official footage. With insights into programmatic advertising and creator growth strategies, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving landscape of the creator economy.

00:00 Introduction to NIL and Creator Economy

00:18 Welcoming the Audience and Introducing the Podcast

00:50 Special Guest: Tiffany Kelly of Curastory

02:05 Weekly News Segment: Mr. Beast's Series A Funding

07:22 NFL's Access Pass for Legends

12:46 Brand Safety and Creator Autonomy

17:51 Interview with Tiffany Kelly: ESPN to Curastory

31:23 Early Partnerships and VC Funding

33:36 Starting with Sports in the Creator Economy

36:47 Navigating Advertiser Demand

37:40 The Evolution of the Creator Economy

41:03 Data and Analytics in Advertising

45:47 Exploring B2B Creators

47:31 Hot Takes and Final Thoughts

Caleb Simpson’s Journey to 13M+ Followers Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

In the first episode of the Business of Talent Podcast, hosts Jordan and Sam are joined by special guest Caleb Simpson. Caleb is widely recognized as the 'apartment guy' with over 13M followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Caleb shares insights from his journey from a tennis trainer to a viral content creator, discussing the nuances of working with brands, leveraging different platforms, and the importance of maintaining authenticity.

The episode also covers trending news such as TikTok's ban, Instagram and Substack’s incentive programs for creators, and the role of podcasts and democratized media in the recent 2024 elections.

00:00 Introduction

00:42 Special Guest: Caleb Simpson

02:31 Substack & Instagram Creator Incentives

09:47 Podcasts & The 2024 Election

15:39 Caleb’s Journey to Internet Stardom

27:23 Brand Partnerships & Content Strategy

35:10 Knowing When to Pivot

37:49 Monetizing Content

40:09 The Art of Short-Form Video Editing

45:17 Balancing Creativity & Branding

46:33 Growth Strategies & Viral Content

54:38 Hot Takes & Final Thoughts

Music Business Podcast Season 2??? Jan 25, 2025

Show notes

We’re back! Join Sam Hysell & Jordan Chude Williams as they return after a hiatus with a special announcement… The Music Business Podcast is coming back with Season 2, The Business of Talent.

Catch up with the hosts as they reflect on what’s happened in the past couple of years and dive into what’s coming with Season 2. Get ready for weekly episodes, which include guest interviews and news segments focused on how talent, media and the creator economy are redefining how businesses are built and scaled.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Comeback

01:29 Personal Updates: Marriage and Career Growth

05:05 Sam's Journey with NOX Media & nft now

11:05 Season 2: The Business of Talent

13:10 The Evolving Creator Economy

19:29 What to Expect

25:35 Conclusion and Future Episodes

Season 1 Finale! Aug 22, 2021

Show notes

After 124 episodes, we are switching it up. We're putting a nice, big red bow on Season 1. Thank you all so much for the incredible support over the past 2 years and we are so so thankful for the amazing community that now surrounds the podcast and everything it stands for.

This is our opportunity to reimagine and continue to level up how we operate, the conversations we have, the potential to organise events and come back like never before.

BRB on September 23rd.

Don't be a stranger.

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Using the Blog Era to Win in 2021 with Co-Founder of Closed Sessions Alexander Fruchter Aug 13, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of the Music Business Podcast, we invite Alexander Fruchter aka DJ RTC. Born and raised in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, he has been a mainstay in Chicago’s Hip Hop community as a DJ, journalist, and label owner for close to 20 years. Fruchter is the founder of the significant underground Hip Hop blog rubyhornet, an accomplished DJ, and an Associate Professor of Instruction at Columbia College Chicago. Fruchter is the founder of the indie Hip Hop label, Closed Sessions, and was recognized by the Chicago Tribune as a “Chicagoan of the Year” in 2016. He is a graduate of Indiana University, and currently lives in Humboldt Park. His most recent writing can be found at LL Cool’s Rock The Bells.

Today, we talk about founding Closed Sessions and writing for rubyhornet in the height of the blog era, what today's music industry can learn from it when it comes to community building, branding, and more. This is a fun, informative episode and a moment nostalgia for anyone that was a part of the blogging community in the early 2010s. Even if you weren't, you'll get an idea of what it brought to today's industry by the episode's conclusion.

Leave a review and join us in our discord via our Patreon at https://musicbusinesspodcast.com/community to discuss the episode with Sam, Jordan, and the Music Business Podcast community. Follow us on IG at @musicbusinesspodcast for additional content and clips from this episode and past episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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