Earned: Unlocking the Power of the Creator Economy

In the 110th episode of Earned, Conor sits down with Lilly Ghalichi, social media star and founder of creator favorite brand, Lilly Lashes. To start, we dive into the founding of Lilly Lashes, and hear the story of why Lilly classifies it as ‘accidental.’ A lawyer by trade, Lilly explains that it was her love of all things glam that led her to creating the brand. Next, Lilly shares that in the world of founders, what you’ll be remembered for is what succeeds, and all you need is one winning idea. We explore Lilly’s three secrets to winning with a social media business, which she definitely should’ve charged us for. Unpacking Lilly’s approach to strategy for Lilly Lashes, we start with her founding principle that the product was disruptive. We then learn about how Lilly utilized the organic conversation from high profile makeup artists to track sales, and how she came to the conclusion that this posting led to a surge in sales. Lilly emphasizes the acceleration we’ve all seen in the creator community, as well as the importance of investing in the right people to forge relationships that will propel your brand forward. With increased competition and greater saturation of brands, we explore the diverse ways that companies can bring creators into their brand development. Lilly reveals her own Instagram journey, shares her thoughts on the two kinds of influencers, and explains how she intentionally chooses what to focus on. To close the show, Lilly shares her dream to eventually build a brand with her daughter—so keep an eye out! In this episode, you will learn:  How Ghalichi utilized strategic creator partnerships that combine genuine content with deep community relationships to drive brand visibility and sales. The significant impact of product quality, targeted pricing, and the importance of a cohesive team in achieving long-term success in the competitive social marketing landscape. How Lily balanced her professional achievements and personal fulfillment and how she evolved from business-focused to family-prioritized. Resources: Lilly Lashes - https://www.lillylashes.com/  Lilly Lashes on Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/lillylashes/  Connect with the Guest(s): Lilly’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilly-ghalichi-a93654139/  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 109 of Earned, we sit down with David Neyman, Global Lead of Talent and Content at Logitech. We dive into Logitech’s innovative approach to marketing, and David explains how the brand builds “cultural cachet” with consumers by partnering with talent (like Lizzo) on creative campaigns. David emphasizes the importance of aligning internally and externally on the purpose and goals of a creator partnership, and striving for the right balance of art and science when determining brand partners and initiatives. Conor and David discuss how Logitech actually sits at the center of technology and lifestyle by connecting consumers to their favorite digital experiences with best-in-class tech. We also hear how Logitech tailors its product marketing to resonate with its diverse, target demographics, from software engineers to social media creators. David shares why Logitech is looking to expand its creator strategy from brand awareness to conversion, and unpacks the challenge of identifying the “holy grail” creators that can actually influence purchase intent. Next, we explore Logitech’s participation in the metaverse, and David reveals the origins of the brand’s Song Breaker Awards activation with Roblox, which aimed to shine a light on impactful yet underrecognized creators, before learning how Logitech co-created the “Own The 8 Count” short film about choreographer JaQuel Knight. To close the show, Conor asks David about his predictions for the future of VR.  In this episode, you will learn:  How Logitech builds "cultural cachet" with consumers by partnering with relevant celebrities and creators. How Logitech tailors its product marketing to resonate with its diverse, target demographics, from software engineers to social media creators. The story behind Logitech's innovative initiatives like the Songbreaker Awards with Roblox and "Own The 8 Count" short film about JaQuel Knight. Resources: Logitech - https://www.logitech.com/  Logitech on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/logitech Connect with the Guest(s): David’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-neyman  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

To start, we dive into the unique story behind the founding of Chubbies, and learn about what sets Chubbies apart from the competition. Next, Preston shares what went into a couple of Chubbies’ creative marketing programs, such as its tailgate tour and “koozie palooza.” With the goal of maintaining “human to human friendship” versus becoming a corporate company selling to faceless customers, we unpack how Chubbies utilizes short- and long-term strategies to build resilience for its business. Preston emphasizes the role of institutional inertia, as well as the importance of remaining patient while deploying longer-term strategies. Additionally, we explore how Chubbies evolved based around the notion that the best creative constraint is a limited budget, which allows for the highest quality in idea selection. Preston reveals how Chubbies uses its metrics, and explains why he finds surveys to be the best indicator of customer temperature. To close the show, Preston encourages us to put on a show, have a little bit of fun, and most of all, be memorable. In this episode, you will learn:  1) How leveraging authentic, relatable content over polished advertising brought Chubbies into a brand synonymous with fun and inclusivity. 2) The '95-5 rule' in marketing and how rethinking your approach can lead to memorable campaigns that truly connect with consumers. 3) How remaining patient when it comes to a longer-term marketing strategy can have higher payoff than impatiently deploying several simultaneously. Resources: Chubbies - https://www.chubbiesshorts.com/  Connect with the Guest(s): Preston’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonr/  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

It's clear that creators have become an integral component in successful marketing strategies. But what does good creator marketing really look like? Who's doing it well? And how do you measure success? For today's episode of Earned, we're sharing one of the most popular sessions from our blowout CreatorIQ Connect event in October titled "What Does Good Creator Marketing Look Like?", hosted by Conor Begley himself. Conor shares why it's important to foster growing creator communities, invest early in creators' careers, and prioritize long-term relationships to see long-term gains. He also dives into the impressive performance of successful brands including Fashion Nova, SKIMS, MLB, Celsius, Rare Beauty, and Amazon, and reveals how your brand can see similar results with the right strategies and support. Resources: Watch Conor's full session here - https://www.creatoriq.com/connect2023-what-good-looks-like Watch more session content from CreatorIQ Connect - https://www.creatoriq.com/event/connect  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 107 of Earned, we sit down with Stephanie Fried, CMO of the world’s largest fan wiki platform, Fandom. To start, we dive into Stephanie’s personal favorite fandoms and hear about the content that’s shaped who she is. We learn about Fandom’s mission and vision, and discover what makes it the world’s best resource for fans. Next, Stephanie shares what went into Fandom’s branding process, and explains Fandom’s goal of being the fan’s first choice for community and experience. Switching gears, we unpack how Fandom uses a multitude of social media platforms to maximize the value consumers are receiving. Stephanie emphasizes the importance her team places on creating new features and functionality that can “bring life” to new fans. Additionally, we explore how Fandom celebrates the idea of fan identity via in-person events that create meaningful connections for individual fandoms. Stephanie also reveals how Fandom works with entertainment companies on both data and content to meet users where they’re at. To close the show, Stephanie leaves us with some insightful advice on how to engage and retain audiences in cost-effective ways. In this episode, you will learn:  How Stephanie leveraged her background in research and insights to develop a user-centric approach, optimizing platform design and audience interaction at Fandom. The unique challenges of managing multiple brands and competitors across Fandom’s diverse set of offerings. How the different social platforms uniquely contribute to Fandom’s marketing strategies, and how the brand engages and retains audiences in cost-effective ways. Resources: Fandom - https://www.fandom.com/  Connect with the Guest(s): Stephanie’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniefried/  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In today’s episode of Earned, Conor has the pleasure of sitting down with two incredible guests: Rose-Marie Swift, veteran celebrity makeup artist and founder of RMS Beauty, and her partner in crime for 15+ years, Chief Strategic Officer Elaine Sack. To start, we hear why Rose-Marie was inspired to disrupt the industry and create her own clean beauty line after years of being a professional makeup artist to the stars, while Elaine shares why she decided to join the brand 15 years ago. Next, we discuss the recent explosion of expert-founded brands, and the reasons why Rose-Marie and Elaine believe these brands will stand the test of time. We unpack RMS Beauty’s impressive EMV growth over the last year and hear about the brand’s approach to working with creators, then learn why Rose-Marie herself decided to get on—and take over—TikTok. (#RoseMarieSwift has over 20M views!) Rose-Marie then shares why she believes her unfiltered content resonates across generations on the platform. We switch gears to discuss Rose-Marie and Elaine’s “husband and wife” working relationship, and how it has evolved over the last decade. The pair shares their rationale for bringing on financial partners, and why Highlander Partners and current CEO David Olsen were the perfect fit for them. To close the show, Rose-Marie, Elaine, and Conor discuss their craziest “middle-of-the-night” ideas for their companies. In this episode, you will learn:  Why Rose-Marie Swift started RMS Beauty, and how her relationship with Chief Strategic Officer Elaine Sack has evolved over the last 15+ years How Rose-Marie's TikTok stardom has helped RMS Beauty reach and resonate with different generations How Rose-Marie and Elaine successfully navigated the challenging process of bringing on a financial partner while remaining true to their brand's mission and values Resources: RMS Beauty - https://www.rmsbeauty.com/  Connect with the Guest(s): Rose-Marie’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-marie-swift-38a6b010/  Elaine’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-s-614a542/  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 105 of Earned, we sit down with Dan Elton, Senior Director of Customer and Marketing at trendy, fashion-forward online boutique, ASOS. To start, we dive into Dan’s thought process behind “starting at the ground floor” by focusing on stabilizing the brand, rebuilding the balance sheet, and refreshing the leadership team. We learn about ASOS’ goal to be in a position of growth, as well as its unique perspective on styling, which sets the brand apart from fellow industry leaders. Unpacking Dan’s experience in vastly different industries and companies, from Deloitte to Google, we hear what lessons he took from each stop on his journey, and how they shaped him into the executive he is today. Emphasizing his tenure working at Tesco and Sainsbury’s, Dan reveals how the grocery industry’s prioritization of quick execution drew him in, but the quality of leadership he was learning from kept him there. Dan underscores the importance of building internal muscle for branded content, and how a focus on selling a vision is vital. Additionally, Dan shares what he took away from his time working with MADE, an online furniture retailer that revolutionized the way London residents furnish their homes. To close the show, we switch gears and hear about Dan’s post-pandemic and self-proclaimed cliché hobby. In this episode, you will learn:  How a brand like ASOS is reinventing its customer journey, focusing on growth, and leveraging influencers for brand building. What led ASOS to focus on building long-term relationships with fashion influencers, and how this strategy is shaping their brand and productivity. How a career in different industries can make you a more well-rounded leader. Resources: ASOS - https://www.asos.com/us/  Connect with the Guest(s): Dan’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelton/?originalSubdomain=uk  Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 104 of Earned, we sit down with Carolyn Dawkins, CMO of luxury jewelry company David Yurman. We start the episode by diving into Carolyn’s career trajectory and unpacking her learnings from “finishing school” brands like P&G, L'Oréal, Google, and The Estée Lauder Companies. We explore how Carolyn uses data and analytics to understand consumer behavior and build better pattern recognition, and Carolyn discusses her approach to executing fewer, higher impact brand campaigns (like David Yurman’s Sculpted Cable campaign with Sofia Richie Grainge). Carolyn reveals her mission to balance “heritage and heresy” at David Yurman—honoring the brand’s legacy while also surprising and delighting the modern consumer on platforms like TikTok. Next, Carolyn shares her process for getting to the core essence of a brand, and explains how the key elements of David Yurman are its creativity, innovation, commitment to craft, and family-run roots. To close the show, we discuss David Yurman’s approach to working with creators, before Carolyn shares her advice to others looking to achieve a similar career path. In this episode, you will learn:  1. How David Yurman successfully intertwines heritage with heresy to create a compelling brand experience for their modern consumer 2. How Carolyn uses data and analytics to understand consumer behavior and build better pattern recognition 3. David Yurman's approach to working with creators to bring luxury into the real world Resources: David Yurman - https://www.davidyurman.com/ Connect with the Guest(s): Carolyn’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-dawkins-b0502330/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 103 of Earned, we sit down with Natasha Vaquer, SVP of Talent Partnerships and Influencer Strategy at VICE Media—the largest independent youth media company in the world. To start, we dive into the ever-evolving relationship between publishers and creators, and Natasha reveals where she thinks it’s heading next. With a decade of experience in the industry, Natasha sheds light on how editors have now become the talent in their own right, and why she believes these subject-matter experts may become the new focal point in companies’ creator strategies. Switching gears, Natasha, who previously ran the talent partnerships division at Refinery29, recounts being acquired by VICE, and adapting to the publication’s different audience. We discuss VICE’s relationship to different social platforms, and Natasha emphasizes how the “key” is to be nimble with finding what works for your audience. Next, Natasha reveals the mistakes brands often make with talent partnerships, and reiterates the importance of giving creators the autonomy to make content that’s suited to their audience. To close the show, we touch on the current state of affairs with the SAG-AFTRA strike, and unpack how social media creators are being affected. In this episode, you’ll learn:  1. How the relationship between publishers, brands, and creators is evolving. 2. Why subject-matter experts may become the new focal point in companies’ creator strategies. 3. Why brands need to give creators the autonomy to create content that works for their audience. Resources: VICE Media - https://www.vicemediagroup.com/ Connect with the Guest(s): Natasha’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-vaquer-a98402/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 102 of Earned, we’re back with Lia Haberman: advisor, educator, newsletter publisher, and one of Insider’s “Top Creator Economy Experts.” We start by discussing Lia’s time in the editorial world, and she recounts the shifting ownership of celebrities’ narratives from their PR and management teams to the celebrities themselves. We then discuss the approach Lia’s students take to the social media landscape, and she shares why “creators and social media managers are almost interchangeable at this point,” as well as why hiring savvy social media creators is an asset to any company, not a liability. We switch gears and hear why Lia decided to start publishing her newsletter, along with two key learnings: have a personality and point of view, and respect your audience. Conor and Lia speak to the value of creating and becoming known for recurring content series or franchises in order to make your content easy, interesting, and familiar for your audience. Next, we ask Lia about her monetization strategies as a publisher and brand advisor, and find out whether or not she would consider going back in-house on the brand side. To close the show, Lia shares the influencer marketing strategies she’s seen drive the most success for brands. She emphasizes that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and that businesses need to respect creators as business partners, not ad units, and align on what success means for each partnership. In this episode, you will learn:  1. Why creators should be treated as business partnerships, not ad units 2. Why it's critical to align internally on what success looks for your creator partnerships 3. Why your business should respect and prioritize its existing customer base rather than going after new audiences Resources: UCLA Extension - https://www.uclaextension.edu/ Connect with the Guest(s): Lia Haberman’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/liahaberman/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ