Earned: Unlocking the Power of the Creator Economy

In our last episode of 2022, Conor sits down with one of Glossy’s Top Marketers of 2022: Michelle Miller, SVP of Global Marketing at biotech-backed superstar K18 Hair. We start by learning why K18 prioritizes top-of-funnel brand marketing over paid advertising, and Michelle emphasizes the importance of fostering your core community—which, for K18, has always been professional hairstylists. We then hear what qualities Michelle looks for when joining a brand, and the characteristics of good founders, before learning how Michelle recruits her own “team of geniuses.” Next, we dive into Michelle’s career background and unpack how influencer marketing has evolved since her early days pioneering the space at Too Faced. We discuss K18’s approach to TikTok, before switching gears to explore the challenges of hyper-growth. To close the show, we learn what’s next for K18, and Michelle gives advice to those looking to achieve similar success.

In today’s episode of Earned, we’re joined by our first gaming industry guest: Zeena Koda, head of global digital community marketing at gaming powerhouse 2K. With previous experience at renowned companies like Sirius XM Radio, Capitol Records, Atlantic Records, and The North Face, Zeena’s expertise spans far beyond the gaming industry. We learn how this broad career experience has influenced Zeena’s approach to her current role at 2K, and how she familiarizes herself with different online and offline cultures. We then dive into Zeena’s time in the music industry, before unpacking the large-scale impact that TikTok has had on the space. Zeena also discusses the intersection of music and gaming, and shares what attracted her to gaming. Next, we hear which social platforms are most influential in gaming right now, and how 2K chooses which influencers to partner with. To close the show, we learn more about 2K’s NextMakers community, and how Zeena balances her multitude of interests.

In Ep. 62 of Earned, CreatorIQ’s own Tim Sovay sits down with Meta’s Doug Weiss, head of creator commerce at Instagram. We start the episode by learning how Meta has grown and changed over the years, with Doug unpacking the evolution of creators, shoppable content, and content format on Facebook and Instagram. We learn what attracts creators to Instagram, and Doug emphasizes how the platform allows creators to reach an audience and build a community in a way that was previously impossible. We then discuss Instagram’s pivot to short-form video content in the form of Reels, before hearing why the platform expanded its model from connecting people to people, to connecting people to content. Next, we explore how the pandemic expedited the rise of e-commerce, and how Meta supported brands in growing their online businesses through shoppable content and ads. Finally, Doug tells us why Meta prioritizes its partnership program with other companies—including CreatorIQ—before closing the show with his predictions for the future of the creator economy, and the role Meta will play in it.

In Ep. 61 of Earned, we sit down with beauty industry veteran Catherine Gore, Global Brand President of sustainable skin and hair brands Biossance and JVN Hair (yes, as in Jonathan Van Ness, professional hairstylist and star of Queer Eye). We start the episode by unpacking the key areas of focus that help Catherine scale a brand, before learning why she prioritizes building a positive, supportive team culture. We then explore the interplay between a brand’s DTC and retail footprints, and Catherine reveals why there’s “no replacement” for either. Next, we take a step back and hear why Catherine decided to pivot away from the LVMH corporation and enter the indie beauty world, before discussing best practices for launching celebrity-founded brands. Finally, Catherine emphasizes why “connection is key” when it comes to successful influencer marketing, and closes the show with advice to young professionals looking to achieve a similar path to success.

For our 60th episode of Earned, we’re bringing you a titan of the retail industry: Craig Brommers. Craig is currently the CMO of Gen Z-favorite apparel brand American Eagle Outfitters, but his previous work experience spans across iconic brands like Calvin Klein, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Speedo. We start the interview by learning how American Eagle has navigated shifting momentum around legacy social platforms following the rise of TikTok. Craig also shares why the brand is investing in another Gen Z-favorite platform: Snapchat. We then hear Craig’s take on augmented reality, and why he thinks it will become a key way to provide unique retail experiences. Next, we ask Craig what qualities he’s consistently observed about iconic brands that help them stand the test of time, before switching gears to the future of retail in today’s digital world. We then dive back into TikTok, and Craig emphasizes that brands looking to make a splash on the creator-led platform need a “creator-first” approach. To close the show, Craig gives sage advice to those looking to grow their career.

In Ep. 59 of Earned, Conor sits down with Megan Streeter, CMO of customizable haircare brand Prose, which achieved $100 million in revenue in its first five years. To start the episode, Megan unpacks her long career in the beauty industry, which spans from corporate giants L'Oréal and Estée Lauder to independent, direct-to-consumer haircare brands like DevaCurl and now Prose. We learn why Megan was interested in working in the haircare space, and what Prose has taught her about not only haircare, but also DTC strategy and distribution, product personalization, and digital tech. Megan then explains how Prose’s mission to deliver personalized products that addressed people’s unique needs attracted her to the brand, and how its product customization helps Prose build one-on-one, sustainable relationships with its consumers. Next, Megan shares why it was important to her to start investing in influencers early on, and how her influencer marketing philosophies have evolved over time, before ending the show by revealing the characteristics that she thinks make for a good CMO.

Today’s episode of Earned might sound a bit different…that’s because it is! This week, we wanted to share Conor’s conversation with BeautyMatter founder and CEO Kelly Kovack from her own podcast, “It’s a Matter of…” This time, it’s a matter of “Earned.”  To start the show, Conor shares the origin story for Tribe Dynamics, which he co-founded nearly a decade ago at the forefront of the influencer marketing boom. Kelly and Conor reflect on how the space has accelerated since then to become a $100 billion industry, and Conor unpacks a few of the “new rules” governing the relationships between brands, creators, and social media platforms. Conor also offers advice to small brand startups around building successful, sustainable influencer marketing programs. Kelly and Conor then explore how influencer marketing has shifted from a side task for interns to a sophisticated area of focus for many brands, and Conor reveals the most important influencer KPIs brands should be measuring. The pair also discuss TikTok’s takeover, and how other social platforms are attempting to compete. To end the show, Conor shares the influencer marketing trends currently on his radar, and gives his thoughts on the metaverse.

In Episode 58 of Earned, Conor sits down with beauty investor Rich Gersten, co-founder and Managing Partner of beauty-focused growth fund (and newly announced Tribe Dynamics partner) True Beauty Ventures. To start the episode, Rich walks us through his career trajectory, unpacking his transition from private equity to venture capital, before explaining how he wound up investing exclusively in beauty brands. We then learn why he founded True Beauty Ventures at the end of 2019 to provide capital and guidance to smaller beauty businesses. Next, Rich shines a light on the qualities that distinguish a successful investor, emphasizing that the investment business is all about pattern recognition, so specialization is key. We also hear which characteristics of effective brand founders make Rich keen to invest, before learning about the metrics and KPIs that he values most. To close the show, Rich shares the knowledge he gained from investments that didn’t turn out as expected, and how those takeaways have informed True Beauty Ventures’ brand mentorship program.

In Episode 57 of Earned, we sit down with Jake Danehy, co-founder and CEO of sustainable beachwear brand Fair Harbor. To start the episode, we dive into how Jake and his sister/co-founder Caroline conceived the idea for Fair Harbor—named after their hometown on Fire Island—while in college, after learning about how plastic bottles can be converted into yarn. We learn how the brand generated the majority of its early revenue from trunk shows, and how consumer insights from these events inspired Fair Harbor’s anti-chafe, meshless lining for its hero boardshorts (made almost entirely of upcycled plastic). Jake reveals how the clothing brand has seen unexpected advertising success from radio,TV, and even beachfront plane banners, before explaining why it was important for Fair Harbor to become a B Corp. We hear why Jake’s sister Caroline was the perfect co-founder, and Jake shares why he believes the two are the right pair to move the brand closer to their ultimate goal: becoming the next iconic American heritage brand.

In Ep. 56 of Earned, we sit down with Jeff Lee, co-founder and CEO of DIBS (“Desert Island Beauty Status”), the beauty brand created in partnership with star influencer Courtney Shields. We start by unpacking Jeff’s many noteworthy accomplishments, including earning his MBA at Stanford and his law degree at Yale, coaching several successful Miss Universe pageant contestants, visiting every Equinox gym across the world, and serving as COO for former MLB shortstop Alex Rodriguez’s A-Rod Corp investment firm—all before launching DIBS Beauty. Jeff reveals how he manages and prioritizes his time to allow him to invest in his varied pursuits, before explaining why he decided to transition from attorney to brand operator. We dive into his time at A-Rod Corp, and hear how he got the job (despite not knowing who A-Rod was), as well as the team-building learnings he took away with him. Jeff then shares why he thinks following your passion is the “worst career advice,” and why you should instead pursue your “superpower.” Next, we discuss how DIBS Beauty came to be, and the key factors contributing to the brand’s rapid growth, before closing the show by learning Jeff’s guiding principles that help him navigate challenging times.