Building industry protections from scratch

The Creator Economy has 1.5 million creators, billions in revenue, and… zero worker protections. Welcome back to The Media Odyssey Podcast!

In this episode, Evan Shapiro and Marion Ranchet sit down with Shira Lazar, founder of What's Trending and a pioneer in the creator economy. The conversation covers Shira's journey from early vlogger at CBS News to building a digital media brand covering internet culture, and dives deep into her current work on the Creator Bill of Rights and mental health advocacy for creators through her organization Creators 4 Mental Health. 

Rather than focusing on growth metrics or platform strategies, Shira, Marion, and Evan tackle the human side of content creation including the mental health challenges, lack of industry protections, and systemic issues facing the millions of people who make up the creator economy.

The episode is a reality check on how the creator economy, despite generating billions in revenue for platforms and brands, still lacks basic worker protections and the mental health support structures that exist in traditional industries.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Creator Economy Is a Real Industry That Lacks Basic Protections

There are 1.5 to 10 million creators in the US (compared to 83,000 steel workers) yet creators operate in what's described as the "Wild West" without established worker protections. The creator economy generates enormous revenue, with Meta alone generating more than all television on Earth, and Unilever putting half their marketing budget into creator partnerships. Despite this scale, creators lack the fundamental protections, unions, and support systems that exist in traditional industries.

2. Mental Health Crises in the Creator Economy Need Systemic Solutions

Creators face unique mental health challenges from constant platform algorithm changes, metrics obsession, isolation, and financial instability. While awareness of mental health issues exists, there's no clear infrastructure or accessible resources for creators to get help. The Creator Bill of Rights initiative aims to establish mental health support as a foundational element of the industry rather than an afterthought, making resources tangible and accessible.

3. The Industry Was Built by Accident, Not Design

Unlike traditional industries that were planned and structured over time, the creator economy emerged through happenstance without intentional design or worker protections built in. The automotive industry had headquarters, roads, and eventually unions, but the creator economy is asymmetrical with no central structure. This requires building frameworks from scratch, including state and federal level recognition, rather than trying to retrofit traditional models.

4. Corporate Media Faces Similar Mental Health Issues Without the Awareness

The mental health challenges aren't unique to creators, corporate media employees struggle with burnout, loneliness, and shame around mental health, but without the same level of awareness or conversation. In corporate environments, mental health struggles are often seen as a disgrace despite theoretical access to company resources. The creator economy has an advantage in that there's at least recognition that something is wrong and needs to be fixed, creating an opportunity to build support systems into the foundation of the industry.

Thank you Shira Lazar for joining the pod!

Shira Lazar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiralazar/ 

What’s Trending: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what's-trending/

Creators 4 Mental Health: https://www.creators4mentalhealth.com/ 

Interested in sponsorship? https://forms.gle/2LCWfX2HBNT8mtpx8

Connect with us on Linkedin:

Evan Shapiro - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshap-media-cartographer/

Marion Ranchet - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionranchet/

The Media Odyssey Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-media-odyssey-podcast

• (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Introduction
• (01:39) - Shira Lazar's Journey in the Creator Economy
• (02:02) - The Evolution of What's Trending
• (05:05) - Challenges and Innovations in the Creator Space
• (09:14) - Collaboration and Mapping the Creator Ecosystem
• (18:31) - Monetization and Value in the Creator Economy
• (27:38) - Understanding the Value of Time and Experience
• (28:31) - Challenges in Influencer Marketing
• (30:53) - The Importance of Hiring Experts
• (32:30) - Mental Health in the Creator Community
• (32:50) - Founding Creators for Mental Health
• (36:33) - Key Findings from the Mental Health Survey
• (43:31) - The Creator Bill of Rights
• (52:30) - Reflecting on Mental Health and Social Media