The Creative Influencer is a weekly podcast where we discuss all things creative with an emphasis on Influencers. Jon interviews influencers, creatives, and the professionals who work with them.
We publish new episodes on Wednesdays!
Episode Two of Season Seven. We interview Dr. John Demartini. John is a human behavior specialist, an educator, an author of over 40 self-help books, including the recently released The 7 Secret Treasures: A Transformational Blueprint For a Well-Lived Life. Dr. Demartini shares his incredible journey from being a self-described “long-haired hippie surfer that lived on the streets” who couldn’t read until the age of 18, to being a sought-after motivational speaker and author of over 200 books—the self-help books are just the beginning! This is a fun interview, learning about John’s world travels (he lives on a cruise ship) and the experience and wisdom he has gleaned along the way.
Minisode Three of Season Seven and the second part of our special series about Influencer Management Agreements. In this minisode, Jon starts our deep dive into the nuts and bolts with one of the most important provisions: the term. Although simple on its face, there are several factors to consider when setting the length of a Management Agreement.
Episode One of Season Seven. We interview Kiersty Torok. Kiersty is known as the queen of couponing. She tells us how she grew her TikTok channel from 15 family members to over 2.4 million followers in two years.
Minisode Two of Season Seven. In this minisode, Jon starts our in-depth discussion of influencer management agreements. He starts with an overview of the important step of hiring a manager and gives pointers and red flags to watch for when selecting a manager.
Minisode One of Season Seven. This minisode is the first in a multi-part series about the ins and outs of Influencer Agreements. In this minisode, Jon gives an overview of what is to come and sets the scene.
Episode Six of Season Six. We interview Kylie Larsen. Kylie is a beauty content creator with 2.2 million followers on TikTok. She shares her body positivity message and insights on how she grew her channel.
Minisode Six of Season Six. In this minisode, Jon talks about how to cope with comments. This is the twin sister of our last minisode – minisode five – where we discussed what to do about negative product reviews.
Episode Five of Season Six. We interview Niklas Hartmann. Niklas is the Head of Influencer Marketing for ReachOn and ReachOn works with businesses to retain and work with influencers. We flipped the script on Niklas. We had him tell us tips for Influencers to better position themselves when working with brands.
Minisode Five of Season Six. In this minisode, Jon talks about what to do about negative product reviews and how to deal with abusive comments.
Episode Four of Season Six. We interview Christy Faith. Christy is a TikTok creator with a unique niche: home schooling. Christy built her following from zero in July of last year to almost 200,000 followers. There is something every influencer can learn from Christy about how she built her following.
Minisode Four of Season Six. In this minisode, Jon takes a look at name, image and likeness collectives – or as it is commonly referred to – NIL collectives.
Minisode Three of Season Six. In this minisode, Jon takes a look at the NCAA’s interim policy relating to a student athlete’s exploitation of their name, image and likeness – or as it is commonly referred to – NIL.
Episode Three of Season Six. We interview Joel Green. Joel is a former professional basketball player, the CEO of Pro Level Training,—through which he runs Nike Sports Camps,—and is also the author of the upcoming book Filtering: The Way to Extract Strength From the Struggle. Joel shares lessons learned from his transition from professional sports to business. This led him to develop a process he calls “filtering” to gain insight from your daily experiences and continually improve and grow from them. Joel also gives us his thoughts on student athletes being able to use their Name, Image and Likeness. Finally, we talk about how he engages with fans on social media.
Minisode Two of Season Six. In this minisode, Jon asks the question “Where are they now?” about the influencers turned court correspondents that gained notable followings through their coverage of the Depp/Heard trial.
Episode Two of Season Six. We interview Phoebe Hines. Phoebe is a TikTok personality known for her dance moves and choreography with almost 1,000,000 followers and 35 million likes! Her online calling card is taking a familiar dance move popular in other videos and adding a sophisticated twist—"adding something to it,” in her own words, “so that, it's not exactly the same, but it's still familiar enough that people know how to do it.” Pheobe shares her thoughts on what makes viral content, TikTok trends and the amount of preparation and time it takes to create a video.
Minisode One of Season Six. In this minisode, Jon discusses the lessons learned from lifestyle influencers turned court correspondents in the Depp/Heard trial.
Episode One of Season Six. We interview Angela Engel. Angela is publisher and founder of the Collective Book Studio, which is a partnership publisher. Angela discusses the important role that print publishers play as distributors, marketers and salespeople in the digital age, and the impact of social media. We walk through the process of publishing and promoting a book and what makes the model of a partnership publisher different.
Season Six, Here We Go! We are excited to announce the launch of Season Six of The Creative Influencer podcast. This is going to be a great season. Our guests this season are wide ranging—from TikTok stars, to publishers to student athletes. Stay tuned, this will be fun.
Minisode Eleven of Season Five. In this minisode, Jon talks about a new bill in California that will make social media companies responsible for the addictive design features of their apps as it relates to kids. If the companies don’t change these features, parents would be able to sue them for hurting their kids. This begs the question: which is the addiction—lawsuits or social media?
Episode Seven of Season Five. We interview Beth Rylaarsdam. Beth is a social media influencer, plus-size model, motivational speaker, a body acceptance advocate and Lipedema awareness spokesperson. Beth shares aspects of her “secret sauce” for how she went from a nonexistent social media following to a very impressive one in just a few years.
Minisode Ten of Season Five. In this minisode, Jon discusses the cautionary tale of disgraced influencer Brittany Dawn, who sold “customized” fitness plans that were the same for everyone, and when she apologized and said she would refund her customers, never did. She now faces over $1 million in fines.
Minisode Nine of Season Five. In the second minisode in our series about online accessibility and making sure your content is ADA compliant, Jon details best practices all influencers should implement on social media.
Minisode Eight of Season Five. This is the first of two minisodes about online accessibility and making sure content is compliant with laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it applies to influencers. In this minisode, Jon discusses the law’s background and outlines a few best practices for websites.
Minisode Seven of Season Five. In this minisode, Jon talks about a new copyright ‘small claims’ process that will help creators protect their work more economically.
Minisode Six of Season Five. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon responds to an email about fake social media accounts that steal the identity of real influencers.
Episode Six of Season Five. We interview Adrian Lurie. Adrian is co-founder of Dragonfruit Media, a video production and YouTube agency. Adrian discusses current YouTube engagement best-practices, with an eye to how the most engaging content bridges a curiosity gap for the audience through storytelling. This is a masterclass from a YouTube expert on how influencers—or really anybody—can make their YouTube page better and build an audience as a result.
Episode Five of Season Five. We flip the script and interview Jon Pfeiffer. We talk about Jon’s experience as an entertainment lawyer, his work with influencers and creatives and his thoughts on the shifting landscape of social media.
Minisode Five of Season Five. In this minisode, Jon answers a listener question about why they’re not making any money on TikTok despite a high follower count and compares platform monetization rates.
Episode Four of Season Five. We interview Joi Wade.Joi is a YouTuber, an entrepreneur, an author, co-host of a travel podcast, a recent graduate from University of Southern California—all on top of a day job!In Joi’s words, her YouTube channel and content sit at the crossroads of between beauty, education, and side hustling. Her channel has evolved as she’s evolved as a person, especially as she now navigates the transition from college to adult life.Joi shares some of her tricks for managing all of these projects and how she lives by the mantra “if you have an idea, just try it.”
Minisode Four of Season Five. Jon details the ongoing legal uncertainties around NIL deal-making for college athletes.
Minisode Three of Season Five. Jon discusses the influx of dealmaking in just the first three months of student athletes being able to be paid for their name, image and likeness.
Episode Three of Season Five. We interview Taylor Rochestie. Taylor is the author of A New 20/20 Vision: Cultivate Joy, Reprogram your Mind, and Define a Life Through an Authentic Lens. And by the way, he is also a professional basketball player. Taylor shares his fascinating journey and insight about finding happiness in the 95 percent of life that we tend to ignore. He also talks about his use of social media in promoting his book and shifting his social media persona and posts from personal to public-facing.
Minisode Two of Season Five. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses Instagram’s new age verification requirements and what parents and users should know.
Episode Two of Season Five. We interview Rebecca Hulse. Rebeca is a speaker and author who is “in the business of change.” She recently published the book Rebellious Rituals, a personal development guide for creatives to nurture their work and themselves through routines that help foster their creative process. Rebecca shares some of the lessons and insight she has learned on her journey traveling the world, coaching thousands of creatives on finding success in their work.
Minisode 1 of Season 5. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a listener’s question about disclosures.
Episode One of Season Five. We interview Alivia D’Andrea. Alivia has over 2.25 million YouTube subscribers and creates videos about food, self-improvement and the delightfully, chaotic adventures of a girl in progress. Alivia shares her advice and thoughts on creating engaging content and how her YouTube channel has matured in tandem with her own personal growth.
Season Five, Here We Go! We are excited to announce the launch of Season Five of The Creative Influencer podcast. This is going to be a great season. Our guests this season are wide ranging—from Instagram to athletes to YouTube. Stay tuned, this will be fun.
Episode One Hundred. Jon takes a look back at some of the highlights of the past four seasons and presents a Top Ten List of the most interesting moments from our first 100 episodes.
Minisode Ffiteen of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon discusses the US Supreme Court’s decision in NCAA v. Alston and what it means for student athletes who want to be influencers.
Minisode Fourteen of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon outlines best practices for a student athlete to develop their brand and build a following, with practical tips and suggestions.
Episode Twelve of Season Four. We interview Elise Brisco. Dr. Brisco is a health and wellness influencer who uses her background as an integrative optometrist and a clinical homeopath, to promote holistic and healthy aging. Elise is also preparing to compete as a contestant in the Miss California United States Pageant in August 2021 and will be break ground as the oldest contestant in the pageant.
Minisode Thirteen of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon discusses the steps that student athletes should take now to clean up their social media so that they are ready for Brand deals as influencers. But this is also required listening (or reading here) for all influencers, as everyone should follow these rules of the road.
Minisode Twelve of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon takes a closer look at what you cannot do under the rules for the commercial use of a student athlete’s name, image and likeness that the NCAA plans to pass in the next few weeks.
Minisode Eleven of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon takes a closer look at what is allowed under the rules for the commercial use of a student athlete’s name, image and likeness that the NCAA plans to vote on (and likely pass) in the next few weeks.
Minisode Ten of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon returns to his series on college athletes being able to profit from their name image and likeness and discusses the NCAA’s recent decision to move forward with their rules before state laws take effect.
Episode Eleven of Season Four. We interview Rebecca Otis Leder. Rebecca is the author of KNOCK – How to Open Doors and Build Career Relationships that Matter. Knock is a great book regardless of where you are on your career path. It provides a five-step plan to making lasting connections. Knock should be required reading for every influencer that wants to connect with a brand!
Minisode Nine of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon looks more closely at some of the pros and cons of the new agreement from the Screen Actors’ Guild of America covering content created by influencers.
Episode Ten of Season Four. We interview Justin Kline. Justin is the co-founder of Markerly, a marketing company and an influencer marketing software platform that helps influencers connect with Fortune 500 companies.Justin shares his experience working with Influencers on projects with companies like Nike, Coca-Cola and Budweiser. We also talk about how influencer marketing has evolved since Markerly was founded in 2012 and Justin’s insight into future trends.
Minisode Eight of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon provides an overview of the new agreement from the Screen Actors’ Guild of America covering content created by influencers when they are paid to advertise products or services.
Minisode Seven of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon continues his series on college athletes being able to profit from their name image and likeness and takes a deeper dive on the Power Five’s position and how conferences and schools are lobbying on the issue.
Episode Nine of Season Four. We interview Beto O’Rourke. Beto represented Texas's 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. Beto came to national political prominence during his 2018 campaign for U.S. Senate, which he narrowly lost to Republican incumbent Ted Cruz, but also set a new standard in politics for his grassroots use of social media during his campaign. After seeking the 2020 Democratic nomination for U.S. President, Beto created Powered By People, an organization with the mission to reach eligible Texas voters to register, vote and volunteer. Beto has been described as understanding how to use social media as an influencer and not as a politician. He shares his thoughts on the positive democratizing effect of social media, how it can be used as for powerful purposes such as facilitating help, assistance and organizing. He also talks about his views on politics in general, as well as his viral live-streamed road trip across the country with Will Hurd.
Minisode Six of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon takes a deeper dive on the proposed federal legislation on college athletes profiting from their name, image and likeness. There are currently six bills that have been proposed in the House and Senate. Each has their own twist but there are common themes to all of them, which Jon outlines and discusses.
Episode Eight of Season Four. We interview Justin Blaney. Justin is an adjunct professor at the University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business where he teaches a course on influencer marketing. Justin is also the bestselling author of 15 books. His latest book is titled “Will post for profit – how brands and influencers are cashing in on social media.” The book provides a great blueprint for influencers to grow their following.
Minisode Five of Season Four. In this minisode, Jon takes a deep dive into the case involving the NCAA that is now in front of the Supreme Court that has implications on the ability for college athletes to monetize their name image and likeness and provides a few predictions.
Episode Seven of Season Four. We interview Adi Kunalic. Adi is the co-founder of Opendorse, the platform used by professional athletes and now college athletes to measure engagement metrics and easily post sponsored content on Social Media. Opendorse makes it incredibly easy for brands and influencers to make deals. Adi shares his personal experience as a college athlete and kicker in the NFL, and how that journey led him to create Opendorse—first as a way to help his teammates calculate their worth on social media, and now as the leading platform for brand and endorsement deals for influencers.
Minisode Four of Season Four. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the NCAA’s decision to delay the vote to allow student athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness and where we go from here.
Episode Six of Season Four. We interview Garrett Klassy. Garrett is the Senior Deputy Athletic Director for the University of Nebraska. In his role, Garrett has been intimately involved in implementing the “Ready Now” program which helps student athletes craft and manage their personal brands on Social Media. It is the first ever NCAA program to embrace social media and incorporate the development of branding into the life skills training and support that students receive. Garrett shares his thoughts on this new approach to training college athletes on using social media—specifically how instead of telling students what not to do, they are training them on best practices, which are applicable to all influencers.
Episode Five of Season Four. We interview Matthew Dicks. Matthew is a bestselling author, podcaster and teacher. He is also a great storyteller. Matthew is 45-time Moth StorySLAM champion and a 6-time Moth GrandSLAM champion. He has written a book called “Storyworthy” which gives us the tools to tell better stories. If you are an influencer, Matthew tells us about a technique called Homework for Life. If you do Homework for Life will never run out of ideas for future videos.
Episode Four of Season Four. We interview Niel Robertson. Niel is the cofounder of influencer.co, which can be described as LinkedIn for influencers and creators. Influencer.co makes it easy for influencers to monetize their posts in one central place. It also connects brands with creatives and their managers. And, as an added benefit, it has a ton of helpful resources for influencer marketing. We take a deep dive into Niel’s predictions for the different social media platforms, and you will we surprised at where he thinks things are going.
Minisode Three of Season Four. In this special update to our minisode last season about the NCAA making changes to start to allow for student athletes to profit off of their likeness on Instagram and YouTube, Jon discusses how universities and their athletic departments are taking advantage of social media as a recruiting tool for these new student athlete influencers.
Episode Three of Season Four. This is special episode that breaks with our usual Q&A format. Jon Pfeiffer and Niel Robertson appeared on a panel to discuss Influencer Collaborations – Dos & Don’ts for Influencer Talks presented by the Summit Spot on October 8, 2020.
Minisode Two of Season Four. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon talks about how and when you can sue for emotional damages for extreme content on YouTube and other social media platforms.
Episode Two of Season Four. We interview Kamla Pande. Kamla is the founder of Moondust Management, a full-service talent management company for digital-first entrepreneurs and personalities. Kamla shares some of her clients’ secrets to success, her very interesting journey helping influencers grow their businesses, and thoughts about were things will go in the future.
Minisode One of Season Four. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon talks about Instagram Reels and whether or not it is a true TikTok killer.
Episode One of Season Four. We interview Neal Schaffer. Neal is a global keynote speaker, university educator, social media agency owner, social media strategy consultant and the author of “The Age of Influence, the power of influencers to elevate your brand.” This is his fourth book and we take a deep dive into influencer marketing.
We are excited to announce the launch of Season Four of The Creative Influencer podcast. This is going to be a great season. Our guests this season are wide ranging—from YouTube stars, to politicians to authors. Stay tuned, this will be fun.
Minisode Twenty-one of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answer’s Paul’s question about the new lobbying group called the American Influencer Council and why influencers need a lobbyist.
Episode Seven of Season Three. We interview Rena Owen. Rena is a published author and an actor, currently playing a role on the hit television series, Siren. She is also one of only six actors in the world who have worked with both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg—and the only female on that short list. Rena shares her use of social media as a creative, both how she uses it to connect with her audience now, and how that’s changed over the years. She also discusses the unique path that brought her to acting and what keeps her motivated as a 35-year veteran of the industry.
Minisode Twenty of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses how TikTok’s under even more fire now, as countries are considering banning the app completely and major Influencers are quitting the platform altogether.A full transcript of this episode is available at Jon’s entertainment law blog at www.pfeifferlaw.com/entertainment-law-blog/
Minisode Nineteen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon explores a few great tools and services you can use to quickly produce and distribute content.
Minisode Eighteen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this special follow-up minisode to episode four of season two, Jon discusses how Cobra Kai is leaving YouTube for Netflix and what that means for YouTube’s premium originals strategy.
Minisode Seventeen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon talks about a new feature on YouTube and how to add it to your videos.
Episode Six of Season Three. We interview Sydney Serena. Sydney is a YouTuber and Influencer with over 2 million followers. Sydney shares her extraordinary journey of moving from Minnesota to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams. She tells us about her growth and vision for the future and at the end of the interview, makes a big announcement!
Minisode Sixteen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon goes into the details of Instagram’s recent announcement that it will introduce two new features to allow influencers a way to profit directly off their videos.
Minisode Fifteen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon talks about Instagram Checkout and Target’s recent arrival to the service as a predictor for things to come in the new world of “social media retailing.”
Minisode Fourteen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this special follow up minisode, Jon discusses Children’s privacy concerns around TikTok.
Minisode Thirteen of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this special follow-up minisode to last week’s question, Jon discusses how the talent agency CAA just signed a major Virtual Influencer and implications for truth in advertising.
Minisode Twelve of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the rise of fake avatars and the use of Artificial Intelligence as the new frontier of Influencer marketing.
Episode Six of Season Three. We interview Sydney Serena. Sydney is a YouTuber and Influencer with over 2 million followers. Sydney shares her extraordinary journey of moving from Minnesota to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams. She tells us about her growth and vision for the future and at the end of the interview, makes a big announcement—so big, in fact, that we had to push back the release of today’s interview because the news isn’t ready to be released quite yet. Stay tuned--you will get the interview as soon as the news has been released!
Minisode Eleven of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses YouTube’s plans to take on TikTok, as well as a brief history of the short-form video media landscape.
Minisode Ten of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the impact coronavirus and resulting stay-at-home orders are having on Influencers’ bottom line.
Episode Five of Season Three. We interview Amelia Edmondson. Amelia is an Instagram Influencer who, after graduating from Pepperdine with a degree in Advertising last year, went all-in on making a living as an Influencer. Amelia shares the lessons she’s learned along the way, including how to be authentic and true to yourself as an Influencer, while also transitioning from college to post-grad life.
Minisode Nine of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the viral-seeking behavior of the recent #Coronavirus Challenge on Instagram and TikTok.
Minisode Eight of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the U.S. government’s ban of TikTok on all of their phones and the security risks of app.
Minisode Seven of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about who makes more: YouTube Creators or Instagram Influencers?
Minisode Six of Season Three. In this special follow-up minisode, Jon revisits the settlement between the FTC and YouTube relating to COPPA. Now, YouTube is establishing a $100 million fund to sponsor original children’s content.
Episode Four of Season Three. We interview Ricky Williams. Ricky is a renaissance man and multi-faceted influencer. He is an elite professional athlete with a wide-ranging curiosity that has led him to study herbal medicine, Ayurveda and astrology. Ricky is currently the Chief Herbal Officer of Real Wellness, a CBD company based in Venice California.
Minisode Five of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon revisits the topic of alcohol on Instagram, with developments since last season. This time, it’s about underage audiences seeing ads for alcohol.
Minisode Four of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses Netflix’s change in how they count video views and compares the new system to how YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat count video views.
Minisode Three of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the growing underbelly of Instagram, where influencers are propositioned for sex in exchange for money, gifts and trips.
Episode Three of Season Three. We interview Linnea Miron. Linnea talks to us about her path from a corporate lawyer at one of the world’s largest law firms to CEO of Real Wellness, a cannabis company specializing in CBD products. Our conversation is wide-ranging from astrology to her use of Instagram to market her company.
Minisode Two of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses whether the NCAA is going to allow college football players to make money on YouTube and Instagram and the future prospect of the student athlete influencer.
Episode Two of Season Three. We interview Aja Dang. Aja is a YouTube creator, known for her honest and positive lifestyle vlog and her passion for helping animals. She also co-hosts the podcast “Heavy Topics with Lightweights.” Aja shares her journey from broadcast journalism to lifestyle “journalism” with lots of humor and fun insight along the way.
Minisode One of Season Three. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the new FTC document called “Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers.”
Episode One of Season Three. We interview Tiffany Mitchell. Tiffany is an Instagram influencer based in Nashville. She was involved in a motorcycle accident and later posted about it on Instagram. A few weeks after her post, BuzzFeed did a hit piece implying that she staged the accident and had an impromptu photo shoot for Smart Water. Tiffany tells us about being accused of something she didn’t do and the personal impact. She also talks about her journey to become an influencer, and why she doesn’t like to call herself one.
We are excited to announce the launch of Season Three of The Creative Influencer podcast. This is going to be a great season. Our guests this season are wide ranging—from Instagram to the NFL to YouTube. Stay tuned, this will be fun.
Episode Fifteen of Season Two. Part two of our special two-part interview with Robert Kozinets. Robert is the Jayne and Hans Hufschmid Chair in Strategic Public Relations and Business Communicationat USC Annenberg and teaches a class about influencer marketing. Rob has studied the topic since the early days of the internet and is currently writing the first ever college textbook on influencer relations. In this part, Rob gives takes a deep dive into influencer relations across platforms and countries and shares his predictions for the future.
Episode Fourteen of Season Two. We interview Robert Kozinets. Robert is the Jayne and Hans Hufschmid Chair in Strategic Public Relations and Business Communicationat USC Annenberg and teaches a class about influencer marketing. Rob has studied the topic since the early days of the internet and is currently writing the first ever college textbook on influencer relations. But don’t let the fact that Rob is a professor put you off; this is not a lecture. Part one of a special two-part interview.
Minisode Thirteen of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses a recent survey that shows more teens get their news from YouTube than from traditional news media.
Episode Thirteen of Season Two. We interview Taryne Renee. Taryne is the co-host of the “Unsolicited Advice” Podcast with Ashley McDonal. She is also a former YouTuber, who quit YouTube after building a sizable following.Taryne tells us her perspective of how to be a successful Influencer and why she quit YouTube and how she became a podcaster.
Minisode Twelve of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses the wild-wild-west of advertising on Social Media when it comes to “adult themes” such as smoking, vaping and drinking.
Episode Twelve of Season Two. We interview Travis Eliot. Travis is an internationally known yoga instructor, meditation teacher, musician, author and entrepreneur. He is the creator of the DVD series The Ultimate Yogi, co-creator of the digital series “Yoga 30 for 30,” along with many other best-selling yoga DVDs. He is also the CEO of Inner Domain Media, which is best described as the “Netflix of Yoga.” Travis shares his incredible story about his journey to where he is today. His search for spiritual fulfillment holds truths and lessons for us all on how to use one’s influence for good.
Minisode Eleven of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this special follow-up minisode, Jon discusses recent changes to YouTube’s recommendation algorithm after Google settled with the FTC over children’s privacy issues.
Episode Eleven of Season Two. We interview Natalie Brunell. Natalie is a Journalist with a capital “J”—she has won an Emmy Award for breaking news coverage and an Emmy nomination for investigative series. Natalie is a national ABC News correspondent in Los Angeles and an adjunct professor of journalism at the Annenberg School at USC. She is also the host of her own podcast, the Career Stories Podcast. Natalie talks about her journey from sitting in front of her living room TV, as a 5-year old immigrant, learning English by watching the news, to being on TV and reporting the news. Her passion and persistence offer an example to other Influencers about how you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. We talk the future of News and how Journalism is aided and impacted by Social Media.
Minisode Ten of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon discusses advertising targeted at children on YouTube, how the FTC may force the platform to remove all ads from children’s content, and what parents can do now to protect their child’s privacy.
Episode Ten of Season Two. We interview Mike Bienstock. Mike is the CEO of Semaphore, a premier business management and tax solution firm specializing in servicing digital creators.Mike sits down with us to discuss how Semaphore evolved from a financial management firm to now serving as a one-stop-shop for creators and a leading influencer marketing agency. He shares his thoughts about the continued transformation of YouTube personalities into premier creative talent and offers a bold prediction about how new media will ultimately replace traditional media
Minisode Nine of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon walks through the steps to monetize YouTube videos (and the requirements for your channel before you can start).
Episode Nine of Season Two. We interview Will Hurd. Will is the Representative for Texas’s 23rd congressional district and has been described as one of the leading voices on technology in Congress. He serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, as well as several subcommittees. Prior to running for public office, Will was an undercover agent in the CIA, serving in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The Congressman sits down with us to discuss how social media is affecting both the intelligence community and the government generally. Will shares with us memories from his time in the CIA, as well as his viral live-streamed road trip across the country with Beto O’Rourke.
Minisode Eight of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about what entertainment lawyers do and about what he does for influencers.
Episode Eight of Season Two. We interview Ashley Felts. Ashley is the vice president of the digital division at Murphey O’Brien, an integrated public relations and digital advertising agency. Previously, she directed the digital marketing strategy for Land Rover and Jaguar, where she launched those brands’ global social media influencer program. Ashley talks to us about what advertisers think about when they shape their influencer campaign strategy. She us tips for influencers aspiring to partner with luxury brands like those in her portfolio of clients, and she discusses her predictions for the future of influencer marketing campaigns.
Minisode Seven of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about the introduction of augmented reality on YouTube.
Episode Seven of Season Two. We interview Brian Freeman. Brian is co-founder and CEO of Heartbeat, a platform that engages nano-influencers to be Ambassadors for Brands that they use and love. Heartbeat works with over 300,000 nano-influencers and 200 brands including Netflix, goop and H&M. Brian is a serial entrepreneur. From his company’s headquarters in Snapchat’s former Venice office, he shares his path from starting a dating app that had a viral following, to his pivot to creating the future of targeted marketing.
Minisode Six of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about whether influencer Gabbie Hanna will suffer any repercussions because she faked going to Coachella.
Episode Six of Season Two. We interview Stephen Perlstein. Stephen is the Director of Podcast Network at the digital media company Studio71. In this role, he helps digital creators maximize the revenue streams of their podcasts.In his spare time, Stephen is an improv comedy coach, and an avid social media user. He sits down with us to discuss his unique viewpoint about when to take social media seriously, and when to just have fun with it.
Minisode Five of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about the rumors circulating around Instagram testing the removal of their “like” button.
Episode Five of Season Two. We interview Savannah Wix. Savannah was crowned Miss Arizona USA 2019, and competed in the Miss USA Pageant just last week. Prior to this, Savannah won the Miss Malibu title in 2019, as well as the Miss Arizona Teen USA title in 2014. This Scottsdale, Arizona native isn’t just a beauty queen; she is the President of her sorority at Pepperdine University, a self-described professional tree climber, and founder of the HeartStrings Charity, helping children through music and art therapy. Savannah talks to us about what it takes to be a pageant contestant on a national stage, and how competing in pageants has changed her as a person. We also discuss how she approaches social media, and how she balances it with her already hectic life.
Minisode Four of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about the five most common ways a YouTuber can find themself in legal peril.
Episode Four of Season Two. We interview Josh Heald. Josh is a writer, executive producer, and co-creator of the YouTube Premium original series “Cobra Kai,” the hit extension of the Karate Kid universe. Josh sits down with us to discuss the process he and his writing team takes when coming up with a new story, and we discuss a few of the escapades that lead to his developing the hit online series.
Minisode Three of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, Jon answers a question about a lawsuit filed against Gigi Hadid regarding copyright infringement.
Episode Three of Season Two. We interview Dr. Jennifer Berman. Dr. Berman is a New York Times best selling author, a practicing urologist, a pioneer and leading authority in the field of female sexual health, a former co-host of the award winning CBS talk show “The Doctors,” and a long-time advocate for women’s wellness issues. Dr. Berman is uniquely qualified to discuss how social media is shaping both women’s self-image and the sexual norms of future generations. Stay tuned for fascinating conversation.
Minisode Two of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, we answer a question about what will likely happen to Olivia Jade, and influencer who’s parents were indicted in connection to the Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal.
Episode Two of Season Two. We interview Adam Krasner. Adam started his career in the mail room of William Morris Endeavor. While at William Morris, he worked with clients including Donald Trump. After spending time in the advertising world, Adam became a talent manager at Fullscreen Media, specializing in representing digital creators. Adam is now the CEO of Two West Entertainment, where he represents some truly dynamic talents in the digital space.
Minisode One of Season Two. In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon. In this minisode, we answer a question about what constitutes cheating in the age of social media.
Episode One of Season Two. We interview Rodney Faraon. Rodney is a former CIA analyst. While in the CIA he was a member of the President’s Daily Briefing team and CIA director, George Tenant’s, personal briefer. After leaving the CIA, Rodney became the very first Director of Threat and Violence Assessment for the Walt Disney Company. Rodney is currently a partner in the Crumpton Group and president of Aardwolf Creative, a firm developing CIA themed dramas for tv and the movies.
Welcome to season two of the Creative Influencer Podcast, hosted by Jon Pfeiffer. We are excited to be back! Season two will build on season one. We have some great guests lined up for you.
This is the last, and bonus, episode of Season One. Veronica Sams and Erica Schenk play our version of “The Best Friends Challenge.” Stay tuned for Season Two which will drop in February.
Episode Fifteen of Season One. We interview Erica Jean. Erica was the first plus size female model to ever be on the cover of a fitness magazine and ultimately won a Teen Choice Award. She uses her influence to connect with and help young women.
Episode Fourteen of Season One. We interview Veronica Sams. Veronica is a Los Angeles based photographer who shoots fashion models and swim models. She uses word of mouth and Instagram to grow her business.
Episode Thirteen of Season One. We interview Chris McDonal. Chris, a musician and former IRS agent, shares what it’s like to be the mother of two social media juggernauts – Ashley Nichole and Alisha Marie. She tells us about their development into who they are today and her role as a supportive mother.
Episode Twelve of Season One. We interview Paul Merrell. Paul is the father of Vanessa & Veronica Merrell – The Merrell Twins. In addition to his Daily Dad Jokes series on YouTube, he has shot and edited the Merrell Twins videos. His role has now shifted into that of an executive producer. Watch their videos every “twin Tuesday.”
Episode Eleven of Season One. We interview Carter Sharer. Carter takes us through his journey from award winning designer to YouTube Influencer. His love of robotics and cars makes his videos truly unique.
Episode Ten of Season One. We interview Lizzy Sharer. Liz shares her thoughts on growing a YouTube following. In the nine months since she started her YouTube channel, Liz has attracted 1.5 million subscribers and over 210 million video views. Did I mention that she is really smart? Liz earned a bachelor’s degree in statistics and technical writing from Carnegie Mellon University before she started her YouTube career.
Episode Nine of Season One. We interview Brian Dunbar. Brian has worked on ten different Super Bowl commercials and we take a deep dive into his last three involving Pierce Brosnan, Christopher Walken and Melissa McCarthy. Brian also talks about the value of sponsorships and celebrity endorsements. We conclude with a discussion about the transition from traditional advertising to digital media.
Episode Eight of Season One. We interview Don Knight. Don is an influencer in charge of the Instagram account The High Society with 1.5 million followers. He gives us a look into the start of The High Society’s following which works alongside his clothing company featuring cannabis related humor and images. Don works with other influencers and comedians to organize events and retreats to take the High Society to the next level.
Episode Seven of Season One. We interview Ashley Nichole. Ashley is an influencer who is on the rise with over 1.1 million YouTube subscribers and over 900,000 Instagram subscribers. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look into the brainstorming, filming, and producing process of creating a hit YouTube video. She and her sister Alisha Marie, who I interviewed back in episode 3, collaborate together when creating their content—working to bring the best out in each other.
Episode Six of Season One. We interview Evegail Andal. Evegail is the founder of Matter Media Group, a boutique talent management agency. Evegail shares insights from her life as a talent manager and what she looks for in new clients. And, spoiler alert, Evegail has a dog for a client -- Ken the corgi.
Episode Five of Season One. We interview Kaila Methven. Kaila is a fashion designer, dominatrix, Kentucky Fried Chicken heiress, CEO of her own business and an Influencer with over 1 million Instagram followers. Kaila is a unique personality that you are going to enjoy.
Episode Four of Season One. We interview Amber Scholl. When Amber graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu she had dreams of becoming the biggest entertainment reporter in the world, the female Ryan Seacrest. Instead, she drove for Postmates. At her personal low point, Amber turned to YouTube and started to film all the things that made her life look great when it wasn’t. Her break out video, “How to Make Cheap Clothes Look Expensive,” increased her following from one thousand to one hundred thousand followers in two days. Amber now has over two million followers. Her interview is an inspirational story about following your dreams.
Episode Three of Season One. We interview Alisha Marie who has 7.6 million YouTube subscribers and 3.7 million Instagram followers. Alisha has been described as the hardest working influencer on YouTube. We talk about the four phases of her career from getting started to her workaholic phase which ultimately led to burn out. She is now entering the rejuvenation phase of her career. Alisha gives great advice to anyone starting their YouTube career.
Episode Two of Season One. “Martin” (not his real name) bought an Instagram account from someone in Turkey. Two weeks later, Martin’s new account had been hacked away by the person who sold it to him. To add insult to injury, the account was listed for sale, again. Martin did it because, as he put it, “I knew I could absolutely make a killing off of it, I mean hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.”
Episode One of Season One. We interview Greg Goodfried head of digital talent at UTA. Greg is also the co-creator of Lonelygirl15, YouTube’s first big hit. Greg shares a detailed account of the story behind creating Lonelygirl15 and how he made an impact on the YouTube we know today. It is a fantastic story.
Welcome to The Creative Influencer podcast hosted by Jon Pfeiffer. Every other week we interview influencers and other creatives. Our goal is edutainment. We want to entertain you while helping you become informed, or dare we say, educated about issues facing Influencers.
Contact Jon and his team today.
