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
Steven Bartlett Just Invested in This Creator Brand — Here’s How Maggie Sellers Reum Made It Happen
You won’t believe how a $2,500 angel investment and a WhatsApp group turned into one of the most powerful female-led creator brands today. In this episode of The Business of Creators, Ian Shepherd talks with Maggie Sellers Reum, founder of Hot Smart Rich about how she turned her creator-led female ambition brand into something so powerful that Steven Bartlett and FlightStory came calling. She shares the full behind-the-scenes of how the deal happened and how she’s scaling her media business without losing its soul.
Topics Discussed:
- The moment Maggie knew HSR was more than just content
- How FlightStory discovered the podcast and why they invested
- Lessons from negotiating your first major deal as a creator
- Why community is HSR’s secret weapon
- Building a real brand beyond virality
What You’ll Learn:
- How Maggie got on Steven Bartlett’s radar — and why DMs matter
- The strategic value of partnerships for podcast and media growth
- Why monetizing a podcast requires more than just great content
- How to position your brand to attract investors (even if you're small)
- The systems Maggie uses to scale as a founder and creator-CEO
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!