The Creator Spotlight Podcast

Ep. 113: How he makes $140k+ writing about video games ft. Stephen Totilo

Stephen Totilo has spent 20 years reporting in the video game industry, working at MTV, Kotaku and Axios. Francis and Stephen discuss his recent transition to independent journalism and how he's built a stable and successful newsletter product, support entirely by his readers. __ open.video [https://open.video/] lets you host your videos on your own domain, under your own brand — so you control the channel, the data, and the direct connection to your viewers. Try it out at open.video [http://open.video]  __ Stephen Totilo * Game File [https://www.gamefile.news] * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/stephentotilo.bsky.social] * X [https://x.com/stephentotilo] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@stephentotilo] __ Timestamps  00:00 Introducing Stephen Totilo 01:17 Reporting and criticism. 07:10 Transitioning to independent journalism 13:15 Stories that generated the most growth 18:25 No clickbait — building with integrity 29:00 Pricing yourself as an independent journalist 37:29 The difficulties of expanding a media business 51:50 Passionate about helping other journalists

Ep. 112: They have 2M+ followers, but they’re starting again ft. Martinez and Mu

Rob Martinez and Julian Mu are independent food creators with a combined 2.1 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and co-hosts of the YouTube channel 'Martinez and Mu'. They discuss how they built their channels, how they make money as full-time creators, and the creative and business decisions behind launching a new show together. __ open.video [https://open.video] lets you host your videos on your own domain, under your own brand — so you control the channel, the data, and the direct connection to your viewers. Try it out at https://open.video [https://open.video]  __ Martinez and Mu * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@MartinezandMu] * Rob's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/robmartinez] * Julian's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mubereats] __ Timestamps  00:00 Martinez and Mu's Feasting for Fifty 04:40 Doing food content differently 11:13 Guardrails that make the show better 15:25 Why start a new YouTube channel 21:07 The most important platforms right now 24:13 The revenue and costs of running a food channel 32:50 Collaborating through competition 35:30 When to kill a show 44:46 How your work changes through collaboration

Ep. 111: He only makes 5 videos a year ft. Max Z Zavidow

Max Z Zavidow is a content creator who makes narrative "really short films" for TikTok and Instagram, including the Webby-winning video "Long Time." In this episode, he discusses his evolution from investment banking to stand-up comedy and vertical video, how he funds and structures branded short films, and why he believes the phone is the next major medium for storytelling. __ open.video [https://open.video] lets you host your videos on your own domain, under your own brand — so you control the channel, the data, and the direct connection to your viewers. Try it out at https://open.video [https://open.video]  __ Max Z Zavidow  * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@formerteenheartthrob] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/formerteenheartthrob/]  * X [https://x.com/zavidavidoo] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxzavidow/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@formerteenheartthrob] __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Max Z Zavidow 00:28 The monetization model of short form content 04:13 The evolution of short form content creation 16:04 Focusing on quality not quantity 24:19 Making money as a short form content creator 33:55 Creating for TikTok first 35:58 The value of winning a Webby 38:00 Respecting the phone as a medium 44:38 The importance of collaboration 47:44 The steps of making a viral video 52:03 Analyzing content and finding inspiration 55:30 Revolutionizing content creation

Ep. 110: The Facebook creator with 8 revenue streams ft. Todd Anderson

Todd Anderson, the Turnip Vegan, is a food creator with over 3 million followers across platforms. In this episode we cover his journey from hobbyist to professional, how he monetizes with up to 8 revenue streams, and why Facebook is still his number one platform for reach. __ Todd Anderson * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/turnipvegan/]  * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/turnipvegan/] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@turnipvegan]  * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@turnipvegan]  * Snapchat [https://www.snapchat.com/@turnipvegan] * Recipe Club [https://www.turnipvegan.club/] __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Todd Anderson, the Turnip Vegan 01:20 The timeline of becoming a content creator 06:23 Learning the business of creating content 09:06 Revealing the 8 revenue stream behind the business 11:02 Building a subscription service outside of the platforms 18:57 The retreats business, disconnecting and recharging 25:46 The value of always pivoting and adapting formats 30:48 Why Facebook is still the #1 platform 34:24 Building a formal relationship with platforms 39:40 The highs and lows of building a content business

Ep. 109: How LinkedIn Groups and Newsletters Power an Online Education Business

Natalie Peters is the founder and CEO of Sky Society, a community and career accelerator for women breaking into marketing. In this episode, Natalie breaks down how she grew Sky Society from two students to a waitlisted accelerator with over 100 students per cohort, why she built her entire content funnel around organic growth and personal brand, and how she structures admissions, pricing, and community to consistently get graduates hired. __ open.video [https://open.video] lets you host your videos on your own domain, under your own brand — so you control the channel, the data, and the direct connection to your viewers. Try it out at https://open.video [https://open.video]  __ Sky Society * Website [https://www.skysociety.co/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@sky-society] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/skysociety.co] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/skysociety/] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@skysociety.co] Natalie Peters * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petersnatalie/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/natalieepeterss/]  __ Timestamps  00:00 Introducing Natalie Peters 01:03 The value of hands-on marketing experience 03:55 Lessons learned in 5 years of founder experience 07:30 How to make a good education product 13:25 Business failures to learn from 16:23 The content funnel that drives a $1M+ business 23:58 Pricing an online educational product 32:25 The difficulties of growing an educational business 35:33 Driving growth through newsletter leads 40:34 Building a globally respected product