The Creator Economy: Challenges and Innovations

Brought to you by Merge—A single API to add hundreds of integrations into your app | Coda—Meet the evolution of docs | Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security.

—

Camille Hearst is Head of Fan Monetization at Spotify, where she finds new ways for fans to connect and for artists to monetize. Previously she was Head of Product for Creators at Patreon, Product Marketing Manager at YouTube, the second Product Manager at iTunes, and VP of Product at Hailo. She also co-founded a company called Kit, which was acquired by Patreon in 2018. In today’s podcast, we discuss:

• Advice on building a successful career as a creator

• Her take on the future of the creator economy

• The best and worst parts of building products for music artists

• What Apple product teams do differently

• The story of meeting Steve Jobs

• Advice for founders going through acquisitions

—

Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/monetizing-passions-scaling-marketplaces

—

Where to find Camille Hearst:

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/camillionz

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chearst/

—

Where to find Lenny:

• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/

—

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Camille’s background

(04:24) Camille’s role as Head of Fan Monetization at Spotify

(07:40) The best and worst parts of working with artists

(14:15) Trends in the content creation world

(19:29) Advice on building a successful career as a creator

(21:32) The importance of content curators

(22:30) Camille’s startup, Kit 

(24:49) Advice on selling your startup

(28:28) The supply side of marketplaces

(34:37) How Camille became the second PM at iTunes 

(35:43) The story of meeting Steve Jobs

(43:01) Apple’s style of product management

(45:54) Opportunities on the platform side of content creation

(48:34) Camille’s early years growing up in a creative tech family

(53:45) Favorite frameworks

(52:32) Lightning round

—

Referenced:

• Adam Fishman on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-build-a-high-performing-growth-team-adam-fishman-patreon-lyft-imperfect-foods/

• The Federal Reserve says Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour boosted the economy. One market research firm estimates she could add $5 billion: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-eras-tour-boosted-economy-tourism-federal-reserve-how-much-money-made/

• Yelp coins the “Beyoncé bump” for the economic halo created by the pop star’s Renaissance Tour: https://fortune.com/2023/07/19/beyonce-renaissance-tour-economic-impact/

• Lenny Bot: https://www.lennybot.com/

• YouTube streamer faces riot charge after Union Square Park erupts in chaos: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/04/nyregion/union-square-kai-cenat-twitch-giveaway.html

• Michelle Phan on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MICHELLEPHA

• Rover: https://www.rover.com/

• Airbnb’s product management shift: the view from product leaders: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/airbnbs-product-management-shift-the-viewpoint-of-product-leaders/#

• Hiroki Asai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiroki-asai-a44137110/

• The Really Good Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-really-good-podcast/id1697794816

• Nichiren Buddhism: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/nichiren_1.shtml

• What’s Love Got to Do with It on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/movie/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-f996a307-ee91-4550-8829-3694f55e0189

• Marty Cagan on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-nature-of-product-marty-cagan-silicon-valley-product-group/

• Why you should eat the frog first: https://asana.com/resources/eat-the-frog

• Draw the owl: https://review.firstround.com/draw-the-owl-and-other-company-values-you-didnt-know-you-should-have

• The Three-Body Problem: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Body-Problem-Cixin-Liu/dp/0765382032

• Kindred: https://www.amazon.com/Kindred-Octavia-Butler/dp/0807083690

• A Wrinkle in Time: https://www.amazon.com/Wrinkle-Time-Quintet/dp/0312367546/

• Foundation on AppleTV+: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/foundation/umc.cmc.5983fipzqbicvrve6jdfep4x3

• Battlestar Galactica on SyFy: https://www.syfy.com/battlestar-galactica

• Hijack on AppleTV+: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/hijack/umc.cmc.1dg08zn0g3zx52hs8npoj5qe3

• Shadow and Bone on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80236319

• Afrobeats playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EQqFPe2ux3rbj

• “Calm Down” by Rema on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/37iaWiKMa9YBbEDlw5c3Qh

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.

—

Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe