Jordan Schwarzenberger: Managing the world's biggest content creators

Even if you’ve never heard of The Sidemen, there’s a teenager in your life who has. One of the world’s most renowned YouTube factions, this content group is a juggernaut but they need smart representation to make the most of their commercial opportunities. Enter Arcade Media and its Co-Founder, Jordan Schwarzenberger.

Jordan’s savvy representation has seen The Sidemen launch three fast-growing businesses: fried chicken restaurant Sides, premium alcohol brand XIX Vodka and the official Sidemen membership club, Side+. The group also has an estimated following of over 138.7 million subscribers and an estimated 37.9 billion views.

In this exclusive interview, we talk to Jordan about the lessons business leaders learn from content creators, speaking to the biggest brands in the world, developing his leadership style and much more.

Here's what we discussed:

• For those who may not know, could you explain who The Sidemen are? (00:25)
• Could you give us an overview of your career to date? (04:06)
• Where do you think your can-do attitude came from? (12:54)
• Did you always have an entrepreneurial spirit? (16:17)
• You’re in the room the some of the biggest brands in the world. Do you ever get intimidated or have imposter syndrome kick in? (19:01)
• Could you give us an idea of how many people work behind the scenes for The Sidemen? (23:03)
• You’re still very young but have had to manage a number of teams. How have you changed and developed your leadership style? (26:47)
• Could you tell us about your funding journey? (30:21)
• The creator economy is growing rapidly, despite still being in its infancy. What do you see as the risks creator economy? (33:39)
• What lessons do you think business leaders could learn from the creator economy? (40:05)
• The Good News Postcard: Are you happy with what you've achieved to date and where do you see yourself in 5 years time? (44:36)
• What makes a great business leader? (47:24)

Thanks to Ben from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures.

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