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)