Erik Torenberg sits down with Steph Smith, host of the a16z podcast and the driver behind the newsletter Trends for The Hustle, which was acquired by Hubspot. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.
In this conversation, Steph and Erik discuss unfair information advantages and how to hone them, choosing a social platform based on the degree of truth and anonymity, and Steph’s advice for building a media network from her own experience at The Hustle and now as a podcast host at a16z.
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SPONSOR:
Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.
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We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.
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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs
Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00) Episode Preview
(01:21) Sponsor: Riverside.fm
(01:52) Intro: Steph Smith
(02:30) Steph’s nonlinear background
(04:28) If Steph could go back four years ago, how would she allocate her time differently?
(07:24) How Steph thinks about her “unfair” information advantage
(08:46) How Steph grew The Hustle’s Trends
(11:58) Challenges of building out great educational content in tech
(14:20) The intersection of media and tech companies
(18:29) Having an emotional connection with your audience
(19:27) Ownership deals in media
(22:39) 85 years from now, what will be different about the creator economy?
(25:41) Digital virtual influencers and the metaverse
(27:28) What Steph would do if she was unconstrained
(30:00) Using subreddit data to build businesses
(38:14) The degree of truth as a function of anonymity on social platforms
(40:41) Choosing a medium for content
(44:09) Steph’s advice for building a media network
(51:34) Anything else that’s top of mind?
LINKS:
a16z podcast: https://a16z.com/podcast-episodes/
TWITTER:
@stephsmithio (Steph Smith)
@eriktorenberg (Erik
@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)
