In Ep. 167 of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Zaina Sesay, content creator with over 130k followers. To start, we dive into Zaina's journey from high school storytelling enthusiast to becoming a figure in the creator economy. Her unique background in casting and creative development at major networks like MTV and VH1 has equipped her with the experiences that now fuel her content creation. We explore her transformative transition from the corporate world to being a content creator, highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit that drives her. Zaina candidly discusses her participation in Snapchat's 523 program, which provided crucial support in her early creator journey. We also explore Zaina's impactful experience on Netflix's "The Ultimatum," which served as a catalyst for her personal growth and led to the creation of a guided journal addressing the five stages of grief. Her story is a testament to resilience and self love, demonstrating how adversity can be transformed into valuable resources for others.   In this episode, you will learn:   1. How sharing the messy parts builds real connection: Zaina Sesay explains why letting her audience in on the unpolished moments has created stronger trust and impact.   2. Why creators shouldn’t be boxed in: From wellness to home decor, Zaina pushes back on niche expectations and shares why range is part of her brand.   3. What makes a strong brand-creator relationship: It’s not one-off deals—it’s collaboration, feedback, and space to grow together.  

If you're new to our Earned series, be sure to catch up on all of our previous episodes here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLopFdTZxUD9agClzFvKX_QykXrw8uFJRp

Listen to and follow the podcast on: 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6EvXMeMcgGHxjDXBmXqjFL

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/earned-unlocking-the-power-of-the-creator-economy/id1504030691

Connect with the Guests:

• Zaina’s LinkedIn - @zainasesay

Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ:

• Brit’s LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale

• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

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• CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial

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• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ