Hooked with Julia and Nick

Alexis Hedley went from posting one viral TikTok in college to managing 200+ creators and millions of views as Playkit’s Campaign Manager.In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to succeed as a creator or land your first role in the UGC space. From monetization frameworks to horror stories of creator outreach, Alexis shares the tactical insights every founder, brand, and aspiring creator needs to know.What you’ll learn:• How Alexis went from creator → strategist → campaign manager.• The 4 monetization “buckets” every creator should know.• Why you don’t need a huge following to make money.• The right way (and wrong way) to pitch brands.• What creators get wrong about “finding a niche.”• Why startups are the best place to launch a content career.Timestamps:0:00 – Cold open: Alexis on content & monetization0:09 – Intro to Alexis Hedley, Campaign Manager at Playkit2:00 – The For You Page, TikTok Lives & how algorithms influence behavior14:00 – Alexis’ background: small-town California → Ole Miss → first viral TikTok23:00 – Breaking into startups with no experience (and first big lessons)26:00 – The money behind UGC: what creators actually charge30:00 – Creator outreach horror stories & how to stand out35:00 – Why startups are the best way to break into content + taking initiative46:00 – Running her first campaign, making $10K in bonuses, & helping friends quit jobs to create full-time56:30 – How Playkit structures creator pay: weekly payouts + bonuses1:02:00 – Finding your niche: what you love to create vs. consume1:06:00 – The 4 monetization buckets every creator should know1:13:00 – The evolution of UGC: hook + demo → skits → founder-led content1:23:00 – Rapid fire: craziest excuses, proudest moments & final adviceIf you’re a founder or creator who wants to grow your engagement and eventually monetize your accounts, you’re going to love this. Tune into this episode of Hooked on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

Garrett Rothstein (founder of Queue, ex-Snapchat, Bird, Quibi) shares how he turned TikTok into a growth engine, engineering features for virality, building a captions matrix, and iterating 100+ times before hitting his first breakout video.If you’re a founder, marketer, or creator, this is a masterclass in how to design products and content for distribution.Timestamps:0:00 – Cold open: 100 TikToks before the first viral hit1:15 – Intro: Who is Garrett Rothstein & how Q + Playkit teamed up4:00 – Building Q & engineering the “swipe with a friend” feature for TikTok virality9:20 – The captions + iteration matrix (inspired by MrBeast)12:00 – Why some videos flop & others go viral: hooks, pain points, and couples content19:20 – Triggering comments, planting Easter eggs, and why shares matter most25:30 – The comment section as the new Reddit31:10 – Lessons from Snapchat, Bird, and Quibi36:00 – Gamification, streaks & consumer psychology that drive growth39:00 – Founder life: balancing CEO duties with content creation44:30 – Staying sane: health, habits & mental resilience48:20 – Advice for students + how to get hired as a creator56:30 – The future of AI in content: slop vs. real utility1:07:00 – Rapid fire: biggest flop, consumer psych tricks, daily routinesWhether you’re scaling a startup, running campaigns, or just curious about how virality actually works, this episode will leave you with playbooks you can apply right now.Don’t forget to listen, subscribe, and share Hooked on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube to catch every new drop. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

Chris Josephs (founder of Autopilot and the Pelosi Stock Tracker) joins us for a no-BS breakdown of what makes each platform tick, and why creators and brands keep getting it wrong.We cover how Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter actually work, why authenticity always beats polish, and the creator strategies that scale. If you’ve ever felt lost about what to post and where — this episode gives you the playbook.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro: who is Chris Josephs6:00 – Why DMs are still the most underrated growth channel12:00 – The origins of the Pelosi Tracker18:00 – Instagram vs TikTok vs Twitter: what creators miss25:00 – Authenticity vs polish: why raw TikToks win32:00 – How to find the right type of creator for your team41:00 – The right (and wrong) way to use AI in content51:00 – Organic vs paid: where the real growth comes from1:02:00 – The Third Door mindset for creators and founders1:10:00 – Advice for anyone trying to break into startups or contentSubscribe for weekly deep dives with founders, CMOs, and creators on how growth is actually happening right now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com