The Business of Creators
The Business of Creators podcast is for content creators and professionals in the creator economy. Each week we speak to the businesses supporting the creator economy with new tools and effective means of monetisation. Subscribe to the show to learn more about the people powering this amazing new industry. The origin of the show is actually a network I set up in 2017 called The Business of Influencers, back when everyone was talking about influencers and not creators. I built the network to bring people together and it grew to more than 500 people as the creator economy boomed. But I've never liked the word influencer.Having spent more than 20 years in the media industry, I am deeply passionate about supporting creative talent. Today I am the co-founder of a business called Electrify Video Partners which invests in creators. And I created this show to raise awareness of this great industry.
The Business of Creators
How Creators Are Building 7-Figure Product Lines (Without Millions of Views) | CREATOR COMMERCE S1E4
Launching merch? Start with a .store domain. Top creators like MrBeast, Dude Perfect and IShowSpeed use .store to build clean, memorable web addresses like YourName.store, boosting clicks, driving sales and making it crystal clear where fans can shop. Grab yours now: https://go.store/boc1
In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd sits down with Charles Haynes, Founder and MD of Ziggurat XYZ, to explore how niche creators are building thriving businesses beyond brand deals. Charles shares his journey from recognizing a market shift in YouTube viewership to managing creators who turn passions like woodworking, miniatures, and coffee into profitable product lines.
This conversation is packed with real-world examples — from Squidmar Miniatures’ million-dollar Kickstarter to James Hoffmann’s artisan coffee accessories — and reveals what it really takes to launch a successful creator-led product.
They Discussed:
- The difference between agents and managers in the creator economy
- Evaluating if a creator is ready to launch a product
- Case studies: Emil of Squidmar, James Hoffmann, Bourbon Moth, and more
- Product strategy, fulfillment, pricing, and long-term brand building
What You’ll Learn from This Episode:
- How to assess whether your audience is ready for a product — and what signals to look for
- The difference between a creator selling merch vs. building a product business
- Real examples of niche creators turning small audiences into major revenue through physical products
- The importance of pricing correctly — and why underpricing can hurt your brand
- Practical advice on pre-orders, fulfillment logistics, and avoiding common pitfalls
Watch to learn actionable strategies to grow your creator business — and don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more insights on the business of creators!