How Creators Make Money

The Super Bowl Isn’t About Football Anymore (Here’s Who Actually Wins)

The Super Bowl looks like a football game — but it’s really a business event. In this episode, Grace and Justin break down how the Super Bowl became one of the most powerful money-making machines in the world, and what that means for creators, brands, and anyone paying attention to where attention actually flows. This turns into a broader conversation about scarcity, spectacle, and why the biggest sports moments are no longer built for fans — they’re built for advertisers, executives, and creators who know how to position themselves in the right rooms. We also get into how creators can think more strategically about major cultural moments like the Super Bowl, World Cup, Olympics, SXSW, and F1 — and how money quietly moves around all of them. Inside this episode: * Why Super Bowl tickets cost $5,000+ (and who’s actually buying them) * How the Super Bowl turned into a networking and sales event * Why creators get paid just to show up * Sports betting money flooding the creator economy * The rise of B2B creators and why brands trust them more * How to map big events 6–12 months ahead to get invited in * Why attention, not talent, drives the biggest contracts in sports This isn’t about “how to go viral.” It’s about understanding where the money already is — and how creators tap into it. 🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen 📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

How To Succeed as a Creator in 2026 | Insights From a 350-Page Report

Here is a link to the 350 page 2025 social trends deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/u/0/d/1aSrP4Pojh7EZde8EZL5kTOH_DAY0SoXzEWF6o2RmFg4/ [https://docs.google.com/presentation/u/0/d/1aSrP4Pojh7EZde8EZL5kTOH_DAY0SoXzEWF6o2RmFg4/] In this episode, Grace and Justin react to a massive deck that shares social trends of 2025, where the industry is headed, and what most people still don’t understand about social media. This turns into a real conversation about creator income, incentives, platforms, and why so many creators feel stuck even when things look “successful” on the outside. Inside this episode: Why someone would build a 350-page creator economy deck What the deck gets right (and what it completely misses) How creators actually make money vs how it’s usually explained The gap between creator attention and creator incomeWhat matters more than follower count in 2025 🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen 📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Why Most Creators Are Broke (Even With a Big Audience)

In this episode, Justin and Grace sit down with JC Rodriguez to break down how creators should be thinking about building multiple income streams to thinking about cash flow, taxes, and long-term financial stability as a creator. Inside: * Revenue vs. profit — why many creators get this wrong * How creators should think about taxes, savings, and reinvesting income * Common financial mistakes creators make early on * When to monetize vs. when to grow distribution• Building long-term financial security as a creator Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & JC Rodriguez’s background 05:30 – How JC thinks about creator income streams 12:10 – Revenue, profit, and cash flow for creators 19:40 – Monetization timing mistakes 27:15 – Taxes, savings, and reinvesting creator income 35:00 – Risk management and income diversification 42:20 – Long-term financial planning for creators 48:10 – Closing thoughts 🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen 📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

How Small Creators Are Making 6 Figures with UGC

This episode breaks down the real world of UGC. How creators with tiny audiences are making six figures, why most creator panels are useless, and how brands actually manufacture viral moments on TikTok. Grace also dives into portfolio mistakes, agency vs. direct pricing, and what Handshake looks for when hiring UGC creators. Inside: * How small creators quietly earn 6 figures with UGC * Why most creator panels suck (and what actually matters) * Agency rates vs. direct brand rates — 10x difference * How brands “flood TikTok” to push products viral * What Handshake looks for in UGC creators * Why comedians are the best teachers of creator storytelling Timestamps: 00:00 – LA stories, gyms & party culture 02:40 – Audience vs. brand: why community matters 07:00 – Faceless brands & creator-led design 10:20 – Reviewing niche creator content formats 12:50 – Repurposing content authentically 18:10 – TikTok Shop, creator education & events 20:00 – Why most creator panels suck 26:05 – What comedians teach creators 32:20 – UGC portfolios: who’s making real money 36:40 – UGC content types + what performs 41:30 – Who dominates UGC demographics 43:00 – Agency vs. direct pricing 49:05 – Handshake’s UGC hiring criteria 52:15 – Brands flooding TikTok 56:00 – AI clipping tools vs. organic virality 🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen 📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.

Billionaire Career Advice: How to Actually Use Your 9–5

Inside This Episode: This one goes deep into the creator × career crossroads — how personal branding actually impacts job offers, whether “dream jobs” are real or a scam, and what Grace & our guest learned from breaking into tech, navigating identity shifts, and growing online while working full-time. Plus… the Lucy Guo saga, getting into VC-backed startups, and the real game behind “prestige hiring.” ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 — Imposter syndrome & your online reputation 02:45 — How personal branding actually gets you hired 05:30 — Why top-of-mind beats résumés 07:50 — Inside his new role + onboarding realities in tech 10:45 — Why relationships are the real promotion engine 12:30 — The job market is brutal… here’s how to stand out 15:00 — Biggest mistakes people make when building a personal brand 18:00 — Niche vs broad identity: how Grace pivoted 5+ times 21:00 — Do “dream jobs” even exist? (debate gets spicy) 26:00 — When a job isn’t a step down for creators 29:30 — What you actually learn from a W2 that creators miss 34:00 — Systems, tracking, and how corporate teaches discipline 39:40 — Lucy Guo breakdown: career path, scaleAI, Passes, PR spin 44:00 — The VC “hack”: big-name → startup → equity route 48:30 — Why clout still rules hiring (and how to leverage it) 52:00 — Breaking into VC-backed startups without pedigree 55:00 — The truth about early career, prestige & portfolio plays 🎙️ Hosted by Grace Ling & Justin Nguyen 📍 How Creators Make Money — the podcast where we unpack the real strategies behind today’s smartest creators.