In this episode of Creator Economy Live, Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan sit down with bestselling author and adventurer Michael Easter. From the secrets behind The Comfort Crisis to navigating the transition from traditional media to thriving as a modern creator, Michael shares how stepping outside your comfort zone can unlock extraordinary performance. Plus, we dive into the latest industry news, from TikTok bans to Meta's shifts, and highlight creators and brands making waves. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation!

Interested in attending Creator Economy Live? Join us this February 4-5 to see the podcast in action! Use code CELPOD20 at checkout to save 20% on your ticket price.

In our landmark 50th episode, hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan are joined by none other than Rachel Karten, the mastermind behind the beloved newsletter Link in Bio, with over 94k subscribers.

We dive into Rachel's journey from brand social media expert to independent creator, discuss her eye-opening survey findings, and uncover her top predictions for 2025. Plus, Keith and Brendan share their own bold forecasts for the year ahead, touching on AI video, creator-driven content, hybrid compensation models, and more.

COW/BOW (creator of the week & brand of the week)

Creator of the week (COW)
Keith: Elisha Zepeda (ez.bookdesign) - On TikTok, the book cover designer brings 400K followers behind the scenes by sharing the briefs he receives from publishers, the resulting cover options, and the ultimate winners.
Brendan: Walker Ward (aka Walkedsauce42_) a big burly dude who does a ton of hilarious impressions - like GRWM but he’s but he’s using tongs instead of a hair dryer, peanut butter instead of makeup. Or he’ll pretend to be some coked up Chad/Finance bro. He’s got these persona’s down.
Rachel: Paper Eats - set made of construction paper

Brand of the week
Keith: Honey is being torn apart right now online as their business model is being called “an adpocalypse” for creators. On December 22, YouTuber MegaLag posted a bombshell exposé that accused Honey of snatching creators’ commissions by replacing their affiliate links with its own. LegalEagle just filed a class action lawsuit.
Brendan: Notion/Snoop campaign
Rachel: Topicals

Follow
Keith: Meta’s moves this year in affiliate and AI video generation with the release of Movie Gen
One Billion Users is a card game that lets players launch their own social media network and compete with influencers—has blown past its Kickstarter goal by earning over $60,000 in funding. There are troll cards, influencer cards, follower cards, etc.
Brendan: https://www.instagram.com/winniedapointer
Rachel: Michael Freund Law on Twitter

✨ Special Offer: Use code CELPOD20 for 20% off tickets to our Creator Economy Live event this February 4-5 in Vegas!

Welcome to Creator Economy Live’s festive holiday edition! In this special episode, we’re celebrating the year by revisiting The 12 Stories in Social—the top moments that shaped the creator economy in 2024. Inspired by "The 12 Days of Christmas," we take a creative spin through the stories that mattered most:

• The rise of creators on big screens
• New metrics driving social platform success
• Social media's influence on politics
• The women dominating online conversations
• And much more!

Keith and Brendan also share their bold predictions for 2025, including the explosion of live-stream shopping, hybrid compensation models, and the LinkedIn influencer boom.

Plus, don’t miss their picks for Creator of the Year and Brand of the Year, celebrating those who redefined the industry.

As a bonus, we’re only six weeks away from the annual Creator Economy Live Conference in Vegas! Get your tickets now and join us for a live podcast recording featuring a surprise guest.

Tune in to wrap up 2024 and gear up for an even bigger 2025!

COY/BOY (creator of the year & brand of the year)

• Creator of the year (COY)

• • Keith: Jools Lebron

  • Brendan: Natalie + Hawk Tuah + Rogan (kingmaker)

• Brand of the year (BOY)

• • Keith: Cerave (Michael Cera campaign)

    Brendan: Nvidia