Shows
Creator ScienceHow I’m Approaching The Rest of 2025 (Behind The Scenes)Today, I want to take you behind the scenes in The Lab this week. Every month I do a retro where I look at the months that just passed, things that went well, things that didn't go well, things that I'm changing because of that.
I wanted to share a version of that here on the channel and on the podcast feed, and hopefully by learning more about what's going on in my head, not only do you feel a little bit seen and understood, but maybe it gives you some insight and unlocks something for you...
2025-10-1444 min
Creator ScienceCoaching: Helping a Lab member design their product suite | Hot Seat with John McBrideWelcome back to another episode of Creator Science. This week, I'm sharing with you a coaching conversation with John McBride. John is the co-founder of Fatherhood Unlocked, which offers digital products and group coaching programs to help high-performing dads level up as leaders, parents, and husbands. This is exactly my jam right now.
John is a member of The Lab, and this call is what I refer to as a Hot Seat in The Lab. Hot seats are one-on-one conversations between me and a member. But we invite other members to join the call live and ask...
2025-08-2654 min
Creator ScienceBeing a creator and a parent | Jay-Talking with Jay AcunzoWelcome back to another episode of Creator Science. We have a different type of episode this week. I recently shared some stories on my social media about being a dad, and my good friend Jay Acunzo reached out and said we should do an episode talking about being parents and creators. I thought that was a great idea because, as I have spent the last year as a father, it's become so much more obvious to me that the voices in the space we pay attention to are not parents and do not quite have the same constraints and...
2025-08-191h 00Creator ScienceDetailed Breakdown: Our First Offline Event (And What We’ll Do Differently Next Time)Welcome back to Creator Science! In this special “Offline Recap” episode, host Jay Clouse takes us behind the scenes of The Lab’s very first in-person event—now officially dubbed “Lab Offline.” After years of thriving as an online community, this was a bold experiment to bring members together face-to-face in Boise, Idaho.
Jay walks us through every step—how he chose the event style based on direct member feedback, the unexpected venue logistics (including a nerve-wracking run-in with a $43,000 hotel contract), the financial ups and downs, and the nuts and bolts of thoughtful event design. He shares candid...
2025-06-2452 minCreator ScienceMy numbers from May 2025 [From The Lab]Welcome back to Creator Science! In this special episode, host Jay Clouse pulls back the curtain on his business with a transparent look at his May Retro—an in-depth monthly review where he walks through key metrics, goals, wins, challenges, and behind-the-scenes decisions. You’ll get a firsthand listen to the kind of content usually reserved for The Lab community, as Jay shares real revenue numbers, growth strategies, creative experiments, and honest reflections about everything from team building to business structure to personal growth.
Whether you’re curious about what drives Creator Science or looking for inspiration and pr...
2025-06-1732 minCreator ScienceQ&A: Goals for our YouTube videos, determining when a new offer is a distraction, validating a product idea, and moreWelcome back to Creator Science! In this special episode, host Jay Clouse takes listeners behind the scenes of the The Lab’s vibrant community. Fresh off organizing The Lab’s first-ever major in-person event in Boise, Jay shares a candid update about creating real-world connections among full-time creators and what these gatherings mean for the future of The Lab membership.
But that’s just the beginning. This episode is a front-row seat to the magic that happens during The Lab’s monthly office hours. Jay and a panel of talented creators—including Tom Burden, Pat Gostek, Anna Reich, Tra...
2025-06-1054 minCreator ScienceHow to Build a Creator-First Business (That Actually Lasts) | The Strategy Hour PodcastWelcome back to Creator Science! In this special Strategy Hour episode, host Jay Clouse flips the script as a guest on Abagail Pumphrey’s acclaimed podcast, Strategy Hour. Abagail, the founder and CEO of The Boss Project, dives into Jay’s fascinating journey from startup founder to creative entrepreneur—exploring how he built a thriving newsletter business, fostered an engaged community, and navigated the ever-evolving creator landscape.
Together, they break down what it really means to grow an audience with intention, why consistency trumps fleeting viral moments, and how creators can build businesses that last. Jay pulls back t...
2025-06-0343 min
The PanelShould you still build in public? Peldi (Balsamiq) and Jay Clouse (Creator Science)Peldi is the founder of Balsamiq and pioneered transparent business building in 2007. In this episode, he came to the Panel looking advice on "build in public." We invited Jay Clouse, of Creator Science, on to share his wisdom. Jay had tons of practical suggestions for SaaS founders looking to build community and build in public in an authentic way.Chapters:(00:08) - Introduction of The Panel
(04:24) - Why is Peldi interested in build in public in 2025?
(09:32) - Build in public has become brag in public
(20:44) - Can Peldi give back in some way?
(28:25) - Could you...
2025-02-211h 00
Creator ScienceNatasha Willis – $70M from automated Instagram DMsNatasha Willis is the woman behind the conversational marketing agency School of Bots, which has generated over $70,000,000 for clients like Tori Dunlap, Jenna Kutcher, and even Facebook.In this episode, Natasha reveals how you can use automated direct messages to grow your email list, how to generate more revenue, and her secrets on how to increase your organic reach on Instagram.@natashatwillis → message “JAY”Full transcript and show notesNatasha's Website / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube / LinkedIn***TIMESTAMPS(00:00) The Chatbot Queen(01:04) What is Conversational Marketing...
2024-12-0359 min
Open ThreadsThe Health Pendulum as Entrepreneurs with Jay ClouseJay Clouse, founder of Creator Science, returns to the show and we have a fun episode where we talk about our lives away from the cameras and mics to talk about how we stay fit and healthy (or at least try to be). Brian and Jay’s conversation was recorded on November 8th, 2023.(00:00) - The Health Pendulum as Entrepreneurs
(01:39) - Physical health = mental health
(03:42) - Jay's health and fitness "stack"
(05:59) - Diet and portion control
(08:10) - Morning person/Night troll?
2024-03-0613 minOpen ThreadsThe Science Behind a Creator Business with Jay Clouse Jay Clouse, who runs Creator Science, joins me to talk all things creator businesses. Brian and Jay’s conversation was recorded on November 8th, 2023 (00:00) - The Science Behind a Creator Business
(03:35) - Content as a product
(10:03) - Seperating personal and creator brands
(16:35) - Creator Science breakdown
(26:11) - Creative energy and prioritization
(29:20) - Content ideation, production and output
(31:25) - Side hustle to full time creator
(36:40) - Where to focus your creative energy
2024-01-3140 min
Creator Science[GREATEST HITS] #114: Miss Excel – Engineering virality and earning more than $100,000 in a single dayWATCH▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONKat Norton energetically teaches Microsoft Excel to individuals, businesses, and educational institutions.Since launching Miss Excel in June 2020, she has grown a community of over 1,000,000 people on TikTok & Instagram (@miss.excel) through viral Excel trick videos infused with creativity, music, and dance.Kat was recently awarded the Microsoft MVP Award and has been featured in Business Insider, CNBC, and Entrepreneur Magazine as a pioneer in the "Excel Influencer" space. Kat was also named one of the Top Influencers of 2021 by F...
2023-09-1958 min
Creator ScienceAsk Creator Science – when to change strategy, my issue with the term “solopreneur,” dealing with trolls, and a lot moreIn this episode, we're going to do another listener mailbag.Instead of doing a guest interview as I typically do, I'm going to do a question and answer. I'm going to start with the questions that I got from members of The Lab, then I'm going to transition to Twitter, LinkedIn, and then finally Threads. I'm going to answer as many questions as I can before I lose steam.Listen to my recent Mailbag episodeFull transcript and show notes***RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE→ #169: Q&A with...
2023-08-221h 25
Creator ScienceAsk Creator Science – starting over, mistakes, delegating, and moreEPISODE DESCRIPTIONWe're gonna do something a little bit different this week. In this episode, we're gonna slow down. We're gonna make this a little bit more casual, a little bit more of a hangout between me and you.Instead of doing a guest interview as I typically do, I'm going to do a question and answer episode. I'm going start with the questions that I got from members of The Lab, then I'm going to transition to Twitter, and then finally LinkedIn. I'm going to answer as many questions as I can b...
2023-06-271h 09
Creator ScienceJamie Rawsthorne – How to steal an idea (and get millions of views)WATCH▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONJamie Rawsthorne is formerly half of the Zac and Jay show and is a current Youtube advisor to clients like Codie Sanchez and Morning Brew.In 2018, Zac and Jay posted "We Entered the World’s Strangest Sport," a video where they take part in the age-old Welsh tradition of bog snorkeling. That video was the catalyst for the channel's explosion, becoming one of the fastest-growing channels on YouTube.Jamie helped grow the Zac and Jay show to 900,000 subscribers…and then he...
2023-05-3032 min
London Writers' Salon#045: Jay Clouse — Find Your Niche, Become a Professional Creator & Build Your Creative Platform. Learn To Experiment, Charge Without GuiltJay Clouse (@Jay Clouse), entrepreneur, writer and host of The Creative Elements Podcast, on how to find your niche, become a professional creator and build your creative platform. We discuss the role of a creative platform and how to charge for your services without guilt. Plus, the importance of experimentation, finding and succeeding in your creative niche and leveraging platforms like Linkedin, Twitter, and Newsletters platforms.*ABOUT JAY CLOUSEJay Clouse hosts the Creative Elements podcast and the Creator Science newsletter. He is behind several courses including Podcast Like The Pros, Freelancing School...
2023-02-041h 07Creator ScienceBONUS: Creator Debates – Will Podcasts FAIL Without Video? | Jay Clouse vs. Joe CasabonaWATCH▶️ Watch this video on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONI’m excited to share with you an episode of a new podcast that I’m really excited about – it’s called Creator Debates with Justin Moore.You may or may not know that Justin and I are pretty good friends – his business is called Creator Wizard and he helps creators find & negotiate your dream sponsorships so that you stop leaving $ on the table. And he’s really, really good at that.Justin was my guest on Episode #112 of this podcast whi...
2023-02-0240 min
The Bootstrapped Founder176: Jay Clouse — Creative CommitmentsToday, I’m talking to Jay Clouse, a creative entrepreneur, and all-around amazing human being. We’re talking about keeping it all together as a solo creator, what makes a personal brand work, and how important authenticity is in building an audience. 00:00:00 What to do about all the attention-grabbing out there00:05:00 A trust-based paradigm for your work00:12:15 The importance of being a human being and not a brand00:18:11 Challenges of aligning all of your projects under one umbrella.00:23:02 Can you even find good names at the start?00:28:57 The importance of having a ba...
2022-12-2857 min
The CEO Teacher PodcastHow to Maximize Your Efforts as a Content Creator with Jay ClouseYour content creator starter kit Whether you're curious about becoming a content creator on Instagram, YouTube, or not sure where to begin, I am eager to share today's guest with you. You're going to hear how to become a content creator for social media – no matter the platform – from one of the best content creators in the world. Without question, my guest today is an expert in the content creation marketing field. And though he's on many platforms, he humbly tells people that he's a content creator mostly focused on writing, even though I'm here to tell you that he a...
2022-12-1434 min
Creator ScienceKayse Morris – from government assistance to multimillion dollar membershipWATCH▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONKayse Morris is the creator of The CEO Teacher and has helped thousands of other teachers break through the classroom glass ceiling.Kayse started selling her teaching resources from the kitchen table in 2013 after grappling with a four-year-long stint through deep (and I mean deep) postpartum depression. Today, The CEO Teacher is a multimillion dollar business.In this episode, you’ll learn how Kayse transitioned from selling digital products to a membership, how to avoid making bad hires, how she ma...
2022-11-1555 min
Creator SciencePat Flynn and Matt Gartland – Courses, community, and the future of educationWATCH▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONPat Flynn is the founder of Smart Passive Income as well as a bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, industry influencer, and startup advisor. Matt Gartland is the CEO of Smart Passive Income and a servant leader whose greatest joy comes from empowering other leaders, teams, and organizations to achieve their potential through sustainable growth.Smart Passive Income is a trailblazer in the entrepreneurial space, developing state-of-the-art content, training, and resources to help you launch and grow your online business.In...
2022-10-1847 min
Creator ScienceJosh Spector – Driving action with a daily newsletter and providing Transformation for your audienceWATCH▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONJosh Spector is a marketing and business consultant who writes For The Interested, a newsletter for creative entrepreneurs with more than 20,000 subscribers.Josh also recently launched the I Want To Know podcast where Josh answers three questions from creative entrepreneurs to help them overcome their challenges and accomplish their goals. In this episode, we talk about how Josh has built his newsletter, the benefits, and challenges of publishing daily, why I think he’s undercharging for sponsorships, and why Transfo...
2022-09-1354 min
Creator ScienceKat Norton aka Miss Excel – Engineering virality and earning more than $100,000 in a single dayWATCH▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube***EPISODE DESCRIPTIONKat Norton energetically teaches Microsoft Excel to individuals, businesses, and educational institutions.Since launching Miss Excel in June 2020, she has grown a community of over 1,000,000 people on TikTok & Instagram (@miss.excel) through viral Excel trick videos infused with creativity, music, and dance.Kat was recently awarded the Microsoft MVP Award and has been featured in Business Insider, CNBC, and Entrepreneur Magazine as a pioneer in the "Excel Influencer" space. Kat was also named one of the Top Influencers of 2021 by F...
2022-08-2357 min
Creator ScienceChanti Zak – How (and why) you should be using quizzesChanti Zak is a quiz funnel strategist and growth coach for online business owners, change-makers, and brands.Chanti has developed quizzes for Jenna Kutcher, Carrie Green, Rick Mulready, John Lee Dumas, Amy Porterfield, and many more. Those quizzes have attracted hundreds of thousands of qualified leads and millions in sales for my clients and students.In this episode, we talk about how Chanti got into quiz building, the different types of quizzes you can use, the steps to building your OWN quiz, and how Curiosity doesn’t just serve you but serves your audience as we...
2022-07-051h 00
Creator ScienceBop-It Inventor Dan Klitsner – How to create and commercialize gamesDan Klitsner is the inventor of Bop It and more than a dozen different versions of Bop It including Bop It Extreme, Bop It Blast, Bop It Tetris, and even Bratz Bop It. Since 1996, Bop It has sold more than 30 million units worldwide.Dan estimates that he's seen hundreds of his game ideas go to market and has given up to 40,000 total concept pitches. And today, Dan has nearly 500,000 followers on TikTok.In this episode, we talk about how Dan broke into the world of game creation, how the game industry works, the difference between l...
2022-06-281h 08
Creator Science[REPLAY] Matt D'Avella – Freelancing, filmmaking, podcasting, and finding success on YouTube.Matt D'Avella is a filmmaker, YouTuber & podcaster that explores what it means to live a good life. Matt directed Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, which was acquired by Netflix in 2016. His YouTube channel has nearly 3 million subscribers, and his videos have been viewed more than 175 million times. In this episode, we talk about his experience creating the Minimalism documentary, managing his creative energy, crafting a good story, and how Experimentation has helped him find success on YouTube.Learn more about Matt D'AvellaFollow Matt D'Avella on TwitterSubscribe to Matt D'Avella...
2022-06-2157 min
Creator Science[REPLAY] Tiago Forte – How Building a Second Brain went from public rant to thriving cohort-based courseTiago Forte is the creator of Building a Second Brain. Tiago has spent more than 10 years researching and personally experimenting with a new way of organizing our digital lives and improving our productivity as creative professionals.The Building a Second Brain system is the result of thousands of hours spent teaching, speaking, coaching, and writing about Personal Knowledge Management.In this episode, we talk about Tiago’s interest in digital organization, how he came up with the name Building A Second Brain, the course and his email newsletter’s growth over time, and how listening to s...
2022-06-1656 min
Creator Science[REPLAY] Steph Smith – Generating thousands of sales on Gumroad (with a side project!)Steph Smith is a growth marketer, writer, and indie maker. She's the creator of two books, Doing Content Right and Doing Time Right. Doing Content Right is a 270-page book published in 2020. The book retails for $100 and has sold nearly 3200 copies on Gumroad.Steph creates her independent work on the side while leading Trends for the Hustle, which generates millions in ARR and has 15000+ paying subscribers.In this episode, we talk about how Stephanie found her way from chemical engineering into business, how she spends her time learning while also ensuring that she’s acti...
2022-06-1459 min
Creator Science[REPLAY] Jordan Harbinger – The secret to effective sales, dating, and hosting a popular podcastJordan Harbinger is a Wall Street lawyer turned podcast interviewer with an approachable style and knack for securing high-profile guests.His show, The Jordan Harbinger Show was selected as part of Apple’s “Best of 2018.” And today, the Jordan Harbinger Show generates more than 6 million downloads per month.In this episode, we talk about building strong relationships, effective sales strategies that people actually appreciate, being a great podcast host, and ALL of it really comes down to relationships.Learn more about Jordan HarbingerSubscribe to the Jordan Harbinger ShowJoin t...
2022-06-0759 minCreator ScienceBRB – Going on my honeymoon!Hello my friend! I wanted to share a very short message today…This past Memorial Day weekend, I married my best friend! Mallory and I had a beautiful, amazing, perfect outdoor wedding here in Ohio surrounded by about 120 of our closest friends and family.We’ve been engaged since December 2020, so for this to finally all come to fruition in such a beautiful way was absolutely amazing.We got married on a 12-acre farm at a property built in 1850. There’s a pine forest in the backyard where the ceremony was held, led by one...
2022-06-0602 min
Creator ScienceDaphne Gomez – Leaning into rapid growth and finding rapid growth on InstagramDaphne Gomez is the creator of Teacher Career Coach. She is a former teacher turned instructional designer, podcaster, and career coach.Teacher Career Coach receives more than 150,000 monthly views. Daphne has 85K followers on Instagram, more than 85K email subscribers, and a podcast that generates nearly 50K downloads per month!In this episode, we talk about Daphne’s transition out of the classroom, how she’s leveraged partnerships and collaboration to grow on Instagram, how she gets so many podcast reviews, and why Service is at the core of her business.Learn more abou...
2022-05-3153 min
Creator ScienceAsk Creator ScienceWe have a special episode this week! For the first time, I wanted to do a little listener Q&A episode…which I’m calling a Mailbag!A couple of weeks ago, I posted on my social media looking for listener questions. So if you don’t follow me on Twitter or Instagram yet, be sure to do so! I’m @jayclouse on both.So today I have 12 listener questions that I’m going to answer for you. This may be a little more free-form and rambly than a typical episode of Creative Elements, but let me kno...
2022-05-2446 min
Creator ScienceSam Parr – from The Hustle to one of the top podcasts on the planet with My First MillionSam Parr is the co-host of My First Million and the founder of The Hustle. My First Million is one of the top business podcasts on the planet, generating more than 1 million downloads per month.The Hustle is a business and tech newsletter that had 1.5 million subscribers when it was acquired by Hubspot in February 2021. We don’t know what the terms of the deal are – Sam has said that he’s taking the number to the grave. But Axios reported that The Hustle was valued at $27 million.In this episode, we talk about the start...
2022-05-1757 min
Creator ScienceTiago Forte – How Building a Second Brain went from public rant to thriving cohort-based courseTiago Forte is the creator of Building a Second Brain. Tiago has spent more than 10 years researching and personally experimenting with a new way of organizing our digital lives and improving our productivity as creative professionals.The Building a Second Brain system is the result of thousands of hours spent teaching, speaking, coaching, and writing about Personal Knowledge Management.In this episode, we talk about Tiago’s interest in digital organization, how he came up with the name Building A Second Brain, the course and his email newsletter’s growth over time, and how listening to s...
2022-05-1056 min
Creator ScienceArvid Kahl – From SaaS founder to full-time creatorArvid Kahl is the creator of The Bootstrapped Founder. The Bootstrapped Founder is the home of his Twitter course Find your Following, the books Zero to Sold: How to Start, Run, and Sell a Bootstrapped Business and The Embedded Entrepreneur, which is an audience-driven book teaching you how to build an audience-driven business.Previously, Arvid was the co-founder of FeedbackPanda, an online teacher productivity SaaS company, with my partner Danielle Simpson. FeedbackPanda was sold to SureSwift Capital in 2019.In this episode, we talk about the start of FeedbackPanda, a speaking opportunity that opened up a...
2022-05-031h 02
Creator Science[BONUS] Talking about my money story and the MOAT Method on the Danny Miranda PodcastTo continue to celebrate our 100th episode this week, I’m airing a second interview with yours truly this week.This interview came from the Danny Miranda Podcast, where I appeared as a guest just last week. I thought Danny did an excellent job of interviewing and asking questions that I’m not often asked. Since this episode covers a lot of new ground, especially in comparison to my interview earlier this week, I asked Danny if I could share it on my feed as well. And he was kind enough to oblige.In this inte...
2022-04-281h 17
Creator ScienceMy Story and Reflecting on 100 Episodes of Creative ElementsThis week marks the 100th episode of Creative Elements! That's 100 unique interviews (and 87 unique elements) in just over two years.In March of this year, 2022, the show crossed 1,000,000 all-time downloads! And it gets about 40,000 downloads each and every month. It’s been featured in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Castro, and more.The success this show has had and continues to build is all because of YOU. You listening, supporting, and sharing the show. We have nearly 250 five-star reviews on Apple Podcasts and nearly 50 five-star reviews on Spotify! Over the las...
2022-04-261h 12
Creator ScienceAmanda Natividad – Growing on Twitter and using her platform to lift up othersAmanda Natividad is VP of Marketing for audience research startup, SparkToro. She’s also a contributor for Adweek, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, and a former journalist. Amanda previously led marketing for Growth Machine, led marketing for Liftopia, built Fitbit’s B2B content program, and led content and communications for NatureBox.In this episode, we talk about Amanda’s path into marketing, her advice for growing your Twitter following, her new live talk show on YouTube called The Menu, and what she’s doing to encourage more inclusiveness online.Learn more about Amanda NatividadFol...
2022-04-1959 min
Creator ScienceJay-Talking about Memberships with Jay AcunzoOver the last month, Jay Acunzo and I have both launched our own membership programs. And while we were in the thick of designing and launching those programs, we thought it would be a good idea to record a podcast about it.This episode is part of “Jay Talking,” a series of conversations with my friend Jay Acunzo that are less of an interview, and more of a conversation between two creators in the trenches of building their businesses.Jay is an author, a speaker, and a showrunner. He started his career in marketing working with...
2022-04-121h 04
Creator ScienceDickie Bush Returns! – Jumping ship from full-time job to full-time creatorDickie Bush is the creator of Ship 30 for 30, a cohort-based course and community of people developing a writing habit in 30 days.He is passionate about providing writers and creators with the tools, resources, processes, and mindsets required to find points of leverage and achieve exponential growth—both personally and professionally.Since our first interview, Dickie has grown his Twitter following from 10,000 to more than 175,000 at the time of publishing. He's also now served 4,000 students through Ship 30 for 30.In this episode, we talk about Dickie’s wild year of growth, the evolution of the Ship...
2022-04-0556 min
Creator Science[REPLAY] Dickie Bush – Building an audience, product, and community in less than one yearDickie Bush is a macro investor and the creator of Ship 30 for 30, a community of writers developing a writing habit in 30 days.He is passionate about providing writers and creators with the tools, resources, processes, and mindsets required to find points of leverage and achieve exponential growth—both personally and professionally.In this episode we talk about Dickie’s humble newsletter beginnings, his experimentation with Twitter, the growth of Ship 30 for 30, and why listening to feedback loops has helped him turn the flywheel of growth so quickly.Join Ship 30 for 30Follow Dick...
2022-04-0452 min
Creator ScienceNathan Barry – from $150K/yr in ebooks to $30M in ARR with ConvertKitNathan Barry is a creator, author, speaker, designer, and the founder of ConvertKit. ConvertKit powers the audiences for creators like Gretchen Rubin, Chris Guillebeau, Pat Flynn, Tim Ferriss, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Tim McGraw.Prior to ConvertKit, Nathan made over $150,000 from self-published books in less than one year. His book Authority is still often referenced within the creator community.In this episode, we talk about Nathan’s wild year of selling ebooks, trends he’s seeing among creators today, a crucial business model decision every creator should make, and why his relentlessness helped make his decision to d...
2022-03-291h 02
Creator ScienceJosh Hall – from freelance web design to professional creator earning $300K/yearJosh Hall is a YouTuber, course creator, and web design coach specializing in WordPress and Divi. Josh helps people build and scale 6-figure, work-from-home web design businesses.He's created nine web design courses as well as a membership, Josh's Web Design Club. On his YouTube channel, he posts videos about the business of web design, the tools he uses, the video interviews of his podcast, and live stream Q&A sessions.In this episode, we talk about Josh’s evolution from underpricing clients to selling his agency, why he began creating on YouTube, how his fi...
2022-03-2257 min
Creator Science[REPLAY] Adam Turla – Going on tour, building a fanbase, launching albums through kickstarter, and playing cave showsAdam Turla is the guitarist, lead singer, and founding member of Murder By Death, a five-piece band from Louisville, Kentucky. They have a unique sound that's somewhere between folk, rock, and spooky western. Even more unique is their cult-like following that has supported them for the last 20 years. In this episode, we’re talking about how Murder By Death has built such a loyal following. We talk about the early days on tour, how they accidentally got lumped in with the Emo movement, why they use Kickstarter, and how Gratitude has allowed them to keep this band going now, 20 ye...
2022-03-1555 min
Creator ScienceAnn Handley – How to make your voice a differentiator in your workAnn Handley is a writer, digital marketing pioneer, and author of the Wall Street Journal bestsellers Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content and co-author of Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business.Her company, MarketingProfs, is a marketing training and education company with more than 600,000 subscribers. She is a LinkedIn Influencer with more than 420,000 followers on Twitter. She is consistently named one of the most influential marketers on social media.In this episode, we’re exploring how Ann go...
2022-03-0853 min
Creator ScienceCodie Sanchez – Growing a newsletter by dominating social media (in just over 2 years)!Codie Sanchez is a reformed journalist, turned institutional investor to cannabis investor and advisor, to now Founder of Contrarian Thinking and Cofounder of Unconventional Acquisitions. She helps people think critically, and cashflow unconventionally while allocating to what she calls "sweaty & boring" small businesses. Most notably these are businesses in the micro-private equity space in traditional service-based industries. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of marketing and money, finding contrarian ways to invest. Today, Codie has more than 150,000 email subscribers, 815,000 followers on TikTok, 209,000 followers on Instagram, and 123,000 followers on Twitter.In th...
2022-03-0155 min
Creator ScienceCathryn Lavery – From Kickstarter to global 8-figure e-commerce businessCathryn Lavery is the Founder & CEO of BestSelf. Since 2013 she's designed, launched and sold over $32 Million in consumer products.Along the way, BestSelf Co. won Shopify’s Build a Business Competition in 2016 and the Build a BIGGER Business competition in 2017 – the only company to win both awards consecutively. We have been featured in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, MTV, Huffington Post, Forbes, Inc., and more. We’re funded solely through the investments made by thousands of customers who have used our products to change their lives.In this episode, we talk about Cathryn’s first business...
2022-02-2249 min
Creator ScienceMariah Sinclair – How the "Queen of Cozy" began designing covers for cozy mystery novelsMariah Sinclair is an award-winning designer. During most of her career, she worked for advertising agencies as a designer and digital marketer serving Fortune 500 companies and the City of Los Angeles. Then she designed her first book cover in 2001. Now known as the “Queen of Cozy,” Mariah’s clients regularly dominate the top of the cozy mystery charts on Amazon. Today, Mariah sometimes designs hundreds of pre-made covers and lists them for sale at once, earning thousands of dollars within minutes (and sometimes crashing her website in the process).In this episode, we talk about her fir...
2022-02-151h 08
Creator Science[BONUS] Creative Independence on The Accidental CreativeLast week I was featured on The Accidental Creative, a podcast hosted by Todd Henry since 2005. It’s one of the most influential and important podcasts out there for creative professionals, and I was honored to be a guest. And it’s great for the show too – I’m sure a lot of new listeners found Creative Elements by listening to that episode.In this episode we talk a lot about Creative Independence – a topic I care a lot about and think YOU will too. We all seem to strive for financial independence...but I think creative independen...
2022-02-1025 min
Creator ScienceWes Kao – Should you teach a cohort-based course?Wes Kao is co-founder of Maven, the first platform for cohort-based courses. Maven helps creators build a cohort-based course and deliver an incredible student experience at scale.She helped build cohort-based courses for Outlier.org (from the co-founder of MasterClass), David Perell’s Write of Passage, Tiago Forte’s Build a Second Brain, Section4/Professor Scott Galloway, and Morning Brew.Previously, Wes was the co-founder of the altMBA. Under her leadership, the altMBA grew from zero to 550 cities in 45 countries in three years. She designed the altMBA's beloved coaching system, grew the global community, built the m...
2022-02-0853 min
Creator Science[REPLAY] Tim Urban – Why the author of Wait But Why focuses on quality over consistencyTim Urban is the writer of the blog Wait But Why. Tim writes about topics including artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, alien life, the size of the universe, and more.His articles are often tens of thousands of words – the length of finished novels. The success of his blog has garnered millions of unique page views, thousands of patrons and famous fans like Elon Musk.In this episode we talk about the beginning of Wait But Why, his research and writing process, how Tim thinks about A+ work, and why he loves the struggle of writing on...
2022-02-0154 min
Creator ScienceHrishikesh Hirway – From full-time musician to Song Exploder and back againHrishikesh Hirway is a musician and podcast creator. He’s the host and creator of Song Exploder, an award-winning podcast and a Netflix original television series, where musicians break down the creative process behind their songs. Vulture called Song Exploder “probably the best use of the podcast format ever.” As a musician, he’s released four albums under the moniker The One AM Radio, and an EP with Moors, his project with Lakeith Stanfield.Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business in 2021. He serves the Library of Congress as an advisor on...
2022-01-251h 00
Creator ScienceTori Dunlap – Building an audience of millions on TikTok with Her First $100KTori Dunlap is a nationally-recognized millennial money and career expert. After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded Her First $100K to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money. She has helped over 800,000 women negotiate salaries, pay off debt, build savings, and invest. A Plutus award winner, her work has been featured on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the New York Times, TIME, PEOPLE, New York Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, and more. In this episode, we talk about Tori’s start as a creator, what she’s...
2022-01-181h 03
Creator ScienceDan Runcie – From business school to music industry insider by covering the business of hip hopDan Runcie is the founder of Trapital, a media company covering the business of hip hop.Trapital has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC World News, NPR All Things Considered, CNBC, and many more publications, with more than 13,000 subscribers.And 35% of the audience works in the music industry at companies like Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Live Nation, 300, Roc Nation, eOne, ASCAP, UnitedMasters, and more.In this episode, we talk about Dan’s pathway into writing the Trapital newsletter, why he shut down a successful pai...
2022-01-111h 03
Creator Science[BONUS] Resonance Revisited with Jay Acunzo on UnthinkableI recently started a mini-series of episodes on the show called Jay-Talking with my friend Jay Acunzo. Those episodes are intended to be a little more raw and really feel more like you are a fly on the wall listening to a conversation between the two of us.Well, Jay recently had me on HIS show, Unthinkable, to continue the Jay-Talking series.We are talking about one of his favorite topics, the idea of Resonance. As Jay likes to say, marketing isn't about who arrives, it’s about who stays.We chatted about Re...
2022-01-061h 03
Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoResonance Revisited with Jay ClouseWhat does it take to create work that resonates? This week, Jay unpacks his framing of resonance - why it matters, why we should prioritize it, and how to build it - with one of his creative sparring partners, Jay Clouse. From dissecting how competition comes into play to analyzing how it differs from reach, they look at resonance from all angles. It’s a raw, messy, and unfiltered conversation that gives listeners a behind the scenes look at being an investigator in our own daily work. SHARE THE SHOW:Help others find Unth...
2021-12-2958 min
Creator ScienceJay-Talking about Speaking with Jay AcunzoJay Acunzo is an author, a speaker, and a showrunner. He started his career in marketing working with ESPN, Google and HubSpot. He currently hosts two podcasts. One is called 3 Clips, which was recently acquired by a podcasting platform called Castos, and the other is called Unthinkable, a storytelling podcast about creative people who break from conventional thinking to make what matters most.I recently reached out to Jay to ask him questions about speaking, and we decided to turn that conversation into a podcast episode to help others too.I’m calling this “Jay Talk...
2021-11-301h 07
Creator ScienceUnveiling Our New Cover Art!I'm thrilled to share the new Creative Elements cover artwork with you.Thanks to Johnny Ropple of Brave Little Beast for the new artwork!Follow Emily Clouse on Instagram***WHEN YOU'RE READY📬 Creator Science Newsletter🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system)🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community)🧞♂️ Get a Personalized Offer***CONNECT🐦 Connect on Twitter📸 Connect on Instagram💼 Connect on LinkedIn📹 Subscribe on YouTube***SPONSORS💼 View all sponsors and offers...
2021-11-2306 minCreator ScienceTake our Listener Survey for a chance to win $200LISTENER SURVEYClick here to complete our listener surveyLeave me a voicemail***This week I'm asking for your help. Podcast analytics are terrible, and I want to know more about YOU. Please take our Creative Elements Listener Survey for a chance to win one of two $200 Amazon Gift Cards!The survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete, and the winners will be chosen at random on November 1. And when you finish the survey, leave me a voicemail! I'm putting together an episode of listener questions, so feel...
2021-10-1205 min
Creator ScienceJay Acunzo – How to tell great stories with a professional speaker and veteran podcasterJay Acunzo is an author, speaker, and showrunner. He's the host of 3 Clips (recently acquired by Castos) and Unthinkable, which he describes as Radiolab for creators.Jay writes a weekly newsletter called Playing Favorites, a membership called Make What Matters, and in 2018 he published his book, Break The Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work. With a combined 15+ years of public performance and creative projects working with companies like Google, ESPN, and HubSpot, Jay's goal is to demystify the creative process – because anyone can make things that make a difference.
2021-06-291h 01
Creator ScienceJay Clouse (interviewed by Ryan Hawk!) – Turning the tables for a crossover episode with The Learning Leader ShowToday is a special crossover episode. Last week, I interviewed the creator and host of The Learning Leader Show, Ryan Hawk.After a while, all podcast hosts are asked by their listeners to spend some time talking about THEIR OWN journey. But it's weird to talk about yourself, and borderline insane to interview yourself.Luckily, my recent guest (and incredible podcast host) Ryan Hawk asked if he could turn the tables and interview me for a special crossover episode of Creative Elements and the Learning Leader Show.In this episode, we talk about...
2021-06-221h 04
upsideRevisiting "Test City, USA" // now streaming online for free! [JE022]When we filmed Test City, USA in the summer of 2019 about the startup ecosystem in Columbus, Ohio, we knew the timing was special. Little did we know how good that timing was! Columbus has continued to gain momentum over the last two years. Here's a sample of the changes for companies and individuals featured in this film:Beam Dental - Raised $55M (2019) + $80M (March 2021) Mobikit - Acquired by Azuga (March 2021)Root - IPO raising $724.4M at $27/share (Oct. 2020) - valued at $6BRapchat - Raised $2.3M (May 2020)PopCom - $1.3M from crowdfunding (June 2020)ScriptDrop - $15M Series A...
2021-06-1416 min
Creator ScienceAllen Gannett – Writing The Creative Curve, receiving feedback gracefully, and tapping into your innate creativityAllen Gannett is the author of The Creative Curve (Penguin Random House, 2018) that shows how the creative process can be learned by anyone.He founded and served as CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform that merged with Skyword, the leading content marketing platform, in 2018.In this episode, we talk about how Allen built TrackMaven into a multi-million dollar company in his twenties, the challenges that come from being ambitious, how to receive feedback, strengthening your innate creativity, and how all the Inputs we receive better inform our creative work.Visit Allen Gannett's...
2021-05-1858 minupsideIntroducing When Pigs Fly [JE021]This week we’re excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: When Pigs Fly.Hosted by Allie Martin and Patrick Bailey, When Pigs Fly is a podcast that uncovers Cincinnati's rich business history from the 1800s to today.We talk to companies to learn the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, what it takes to grow a successful business and to simply prost to future innovation.When Pigs Fly will air every Tuesday beginning February 2 on the upside po...
2021-02-0309 min
Creator ScienceEmily Clouse – Our podcast illustrator talks drawing, breaking into comedy, and our childhoodEmily Clouse is a Los Angeles-based comedy writer and cartoonist who illustrates this show!Her work can be found in The Onion, The New Yorker, Reductress, McSweeney's, American Greetings and other, more unspeakable places.In this episode we talk about our childhood, her interest in drawing, moving to Chicago, Uganda, and LA, and why holding space to explore her interests have led her to pursue a career in comedy writing.Transcript and show notes can be found here***RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE→ #39: Chris McAlister***WH...
2021-02-0248 minupsideCraftom // making it easy for companies to ship customized gifts, office equipment, and more [UP081]Interview begins: 5:01Debrief: 40:42Caleb Musser is the founder and CEO of Craftom. Craftom is a B2B gifting and shipping platform that makes it easy to send hyper-designed corporate gifts, products and office equipment to anyone, whether they’re working from home, in the office, or somewhere else entirely.It started with a cigar box and a tough sales job. In 2013, Craftom founder Caleb Musser was searching for a unique way to stand out with business owners while selling printers and copiers door-to-door. So he...
2021-01-2756 minupsideLandon Ainge of Assure Syndicates // matchmaking founders with the right venture investors [CC068]Interview begins: 6:02Debrief: 42.:02Landon Ainge is the Managing Director of Assure Syndicates.Assure Syndicates is a division of Assure. Assure is the pioneering leader in providing comprehensive structuring and administrative management services (specifically Special Purpose Vehicles) to the private investment ecosystem. Assure Syndicates’ mission is to connect the right investors with the right businesses.Assure Syndicates is a one-of-a-kind hybrid that aligns with fellow investors while advocating for the founder. We provide fundraising guidance to founders, then commit our own...
2021-01-2050 minupsideBetween Two Hedges // building companies with one foot in and one foot outside Silicon Valley [CC067]Trent and Travis Hedge are brothers from Columbus, OH, who left for Silicon Valley. But since that time, both have continued to visit and advocate for Ohio and other parts of the country.Travis Hedge is the co-founder of Vouch Insurance (YC S19). Vouch Insurance is an insurance company designed for startups. It was developed by founders for founders and redesigned everything about business insurance from scratch. The company offers a platform that works with clients to manage, mitigate, and avoid risks. Vouch Insurance was founded in 2016 and has its offices in San Francisco...
2021-01-131h 00
Creator ScienceChris McAlister – Meet my business and creative coachChris McAlister is the founder of SightShift, a company that helps ambitious people be courageous and kind.He’s authored 5 books, spoken to thousands of people, and loves the work of helping others unblock their best leadership.In this episode we talk about separating who you are from what you do, what it means to be proving and hiding, and why becoming more comfortable with your identity can be key to unlocking your creativity.Transcript and show notes can be found here***RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE→ #43: Emily Clouse
2021-01-0559 minupsideIntroducing Lay of the Land [JE019]This week we're excited to introduce you to the first new show on the upside podcast network: Lay of The Land.Jeffrey Stern is a New York City transplant building companies in Cleveland. And TheTagan is an Atlanta-born strategist with a passion for creating content to amplify voices.We love learning about the Cleveland ecosystem and, if you're listening to this podcast, we bet you do to. We both moved here to work at startups, and we've had our fair share of ups and downs. We use those experiences to have REAL conversations about both...
2020-11-1804 minupsideHealium // self-management of stress using biofeedback and virtual reality [UP081]Interview begins: 7:01Debrief: 45:09Sarah Hill is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Healium.Healium is a virtual and augmented reality tool for the self-management of stress powered by the user's own brainwaves and heart rate. Healium is the world’s first biometrically-powered VR/AR immersive media channel controlled by the user's brainwaves and heart rate via consumer wearables. Hill's XR experiences are clinically validated in 3 peer-reviewed journals and have been viewed more than 7 million times.After 20 years as a TV reporter cov...
2020-11-041h 02upsideSuperRare // creating a tokenized digital art marketplace [UP080]Interview begins: 6:56Debrief: 54:04John Crain is the Founder and CEO of SuperRare.SuperRare is a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Each artwork is authentically created by an artist in the network, and tokenized as a crypto-collectible digital item that you can own and trade.Each artwork on SuperRare is a digital collectible– a digital object secured by cryptography and tracked on the blockchain. That’s just a fancy way of saying they’re provably scarce items that can be collected, and that hold v...
2020-10-281h 08upsideNexme // an on demand real estate platform [UP079]Interview begins: 6:34Debrief: 51:42Vanessa is the Co-Founder and COO of Nexme.Nexme is an on demand real estate platform that delivers instant access to homes and full-service, professional real estate agents. All at the click of a button.Nexme charges buyers and sellers a 1.5% commission fee — roughly half of the traditional rate. It connects the site’s users with licensed real estate agents who have at least two years experience and done 10 transactions. Through the agents, it provides home sellers with services including staging, photography and open...
2020-10-211h 05upsideRob Eloff of Lateral Capital // the history and future of venture capital in Africa [CC066]Interview begins: 7:18Debrief: 59:34Rob Eloff has spent his career investing, living, and working in developing markets. Prior to co-founding Lateral Capital he was a Venture Partner with Conversion Capital and established Frontier Dawn Partners, an evergreen vehicle for capital deployment to early-stage, technology-enabled founding teams in sub-Saharan Africa. Rob started his career in capital markets at JP Morgan, Johannesburg, became an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs and Investment Director at ACI. He spent ten years based in Johannesburg, Moscow, and London transitioning across hedge fund coverage and private equity buyout advisory i...
2020-10-141h 06upsideJohn Fein and Chris Marks of Firebrand Ventures // why two venture firms merged to become one [CC065]Interview begins: 8:54Debrief: 45:54John Fein and Chris Marks are the managing partners of Firebrand Ventures.John started Firebrand Ventures in 2016, and we interviewed him in 2018.Prior to founding Firebrand, John served as Managing Director for Techstars, a leading startup accelerator with over 40 programs around the world. While at Techstars he ran three accelerator programs in Kansas City and invested in 30 startups. Companies that have gone through Techstars programs have raised a total of over $9 billion in funding and have a collective market cap of over $25 billion.
2020-10-0753 minupsideNathan McDonald of Keiretsu Forum // a global community of angel investors with 53 chapters across four continents [CC064]Interview begins: 8:37Debrief: 58:58Nathan McDonald is the CEO and Managing Partner of Keiretsu Capital as well as the Chairman of the Keiretsu Forum Northwest.Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate/institutional investors. Keiretsu Forum is a worldwide network of capital, resources, and deal flow with 53 chapters on 4 continents. Keiretsu Forum members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities. Keiretsu Forum and Keiretsu Capital (the exclusive worldwide fund partner of Keiretsu Forum) are ranked as the most active venture investors in the...
2020-09-301h 06upsideDocumo // Fax and document management for highly-regulated industries [UP078]Interview begins: 11:02Debrief: 53:06Matt Valeo is the founder and CEO of Documo. Documo creates document workflow solutions that make working with documents easy, more secure, and better for the planet. Their product suite includes mSign, mFax, and mDrive.Documo was founded in 2017 and based in Las Vegas, Nevada.Key points: Poker as a profession 11:21Moving to San Diego 17:41What keeps faxing around 22:17Rebranding 26:39Documo and Bootstrapping 28:05Documo's Niche 30;29What does Documo offer 35:22Documo culture 45:13Learn more about Documo: https://www.documo.com/
2020-09-161h 03upsideAshley Flucas of Flucas Ventures // turning 100 angel investments into an AngelList syndicate [CC062]Interview begins: 8:44Debrief: 51:53Ashley Flucas is an angel investor and syndicate lead with Flucas Ventures.By day, Ashley is a general counsel/partner at a real estate finance fund (infrastructure, sports arenas and large-scale condo, apartment and commercial buildings) with approx $3B AUM (LPs are overseas HNWIs).By night, she is an active angel investor who has participated in more than 100 deals through AngelList and direct investment.Flucas Ventures is sector and geography agnostic primarily focused on pre-seed to series A-stage...
2020-09-0956 minupsideEinar Vollset of TinySeed // lessons from the first cohort of the accelerator for bootstrappers [CC061]Interview begins: 9:28Debrief: 35:09Einar Vollset is a General Partner at TinySeed.TinySeed is a year-long, remote accelerator designed for early-stage SaaS founders.He is also a YC-alum, former Cornell CS Professor, and the founder of Discretion Capital, a tech-focused M&A investment bank. He sold his first startup to Google in 2010 and exited his most recent in 2016.Know more about Einar Vollset: https://tinyseed.com/people TinySeed Website: https://tinyseed.com/ Listen to our interview with Rob Wa...
2020-09-0241 minupsideSLP Toolkit // Helping Speech Language Pathologists manage their caseloads [UP077]Interview begins: 8:54Debrief: 1:02:09SLP Toolkit™ is a web-based app with built in assessments and tools that give a school-based Speech Language Pathologist the confidence s/he needs to take charge of her busy caseload. The software is designed to help SLPs collect data to determine communication strengths and needs, as well as monitor progress over time. Features include built-in present level assessments, progress monitoring tools, daily data, strategies for teachers/parents, a therapy scheduler, and a customizable goal bank.Lisa Kathman and Sar...
2020-08-261h 12upsideRootine // Personalized daily health using DNA, blood levels, and lifestyle data [UP076]Interview begins: 6:52Debrief: 44:32Rachel Sanders is the co-founder and CEO of Rootine.Rootine was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2018 and creates custom daily vitamins based on your DNA, lifestyle, and blood level data.Follow Rachel Sanders: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-soper-sanders/Website: https://rootine.co/Key Points:The genius behind Rootine 8:53Fads and the underlying truth 9:55What makes Rootine? 11:52Rootine personalizing your vitamins 16:53Results with Rootine 20:20Rootine earning as a business 21:14Commercializing Rootine 26:51Raising capital for Rootine 27:44Data...
2020-08-191h 01upside.CLUB // exclusive rights to sell a generic top level domain name [UP075]Interview begins: 7:12Debrief: 48:41Colin Campbell is the founder and chairman of.CLUB Domains, a domain registry that owns the generic top-level domain rights to .club domains. Colin took two internet company's public in the heat of the 1990s and is a wealth of knowledge on all things internet. Domains are released by ICANN irregularly with the last offering in 2012, and Colin was able to secure the rights to.CLUB..CLUB Domains was founded in 2011 and based in Ft...
2020-08-121h 03upsideXendoo // personalized bookkeeping for small businesses [UP074]Interview begins: 6:03Debrief: 48:54Lillian (Lil) Roberts is the founder and CEO of Xendoo.Xendoo is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting service focused on small business owners. By harnessing technology we give our accounting teams more time to work directly with clients and their individual business needs. Xendoo offers a low, flat monthly rate with unprecedented service and response.Xendoo was founded in 2016 and based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.Key Points:Discovering entrepreneurship 9:33Getting interested to sales 12:06...
2020-08-051h 00upsideDave Sachse // investing in venture funds and startups as a family office [CC060]Interview begins: 6:49Debrief: 35:17Today we're talking with Dave Sachse, the founder, and managing partner of the Sachse Family Fund.The Sachse Family Fund is a family office venture capital fund based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.In today’s episode, we’re finally exploring the family office investing model!Key Points:Family office beginnings - 5:46Family offices and VCs - 8:33Branding for family offices - 13:02Pros and cons - 15:38Collaboration between family offices - 22:57Follow Dave...
2020-07-2941 min
Creator ScienceMICK – The early days of being a DJ, building relationships, failing micro, and future-proofing your brand.MICK is a Brooklyn-based DJ, style influencer, tech investor, speaker, music curator, and brand consultant. Inc Magazine referred to MICK as a “combination of Gary Vaynerchuk and Questlove.”MICK has spun private events for some of the world’s most prominent celebrities and brands including HBO, NBC, Fast Company, Hillary Clinton, Instagram, Jay Z, LeBron James, Michelle Obama, and Prince.In this episode we talk about the early days of being a DJ, running a college radio station, building relationships, and why his brand has helped him build his multi-hyphenate career.Transcript and show n...
2020-07-2850 minupsideWill Price of Next Frontier Capital // bringing venture capital to the rocky mountain region [CC059]Interview begins: 6:36Debrief: 48:89Today we're talking with Will Price the Founder and General Partner of Next Frontier Capital. Will founded Next Frontier Capital to partner with mission-driven, talented entrepreneurs to build Montana technology companies of impact, utility, value. Will’s career spans venture capital investing as well as operational, transactional, and advisory roles at both public and private companies. They focus on leading seed to early-stage Series A financings in the Rocky Mountains, with a preference to invest in rounds of $2-4m.
2020-07-2259 minupsidePeter Livingston of Unpopular Ventures // early stage investing through a syndicate [CC058]Interview begins: 5:16Debrief: 43:55Unpopular Ventures is led by Peter Livingston, whose experience is almost entirely in startups - as both an operator and investor. He was the first engineer at iRhythm (IPO 2016) and was the founder/CEO at Lifesquare (backed by Kleiner Perkins).He has been angel investing since 2013, made >150 investments to date, and has produced investment returns well within the top decile of VC industry performance.Peter founded Unpopular Ventures to keep investing in startups - but with a bigger family, bigger checks, and bigger...
2020-07-1554 minupsideCC057: Saurabh Sharma of Jump Capital // Series A and B capital for cloud infrastructure and enterprise softwareInterview begins: 6:08Debrief begins: 37:58Today we are talking with Saurabh Sharma He is a partner at Jump Capital, a thesis led sector-focused and operating centric venture capital firm specializing in series A and B in growth-stage investments, Jump Capital invest in data-driven technology companies within the FinTech, B2B SaaS, IT data infrastructure and media sectors.Saurabh has a diverse background in investing, operations & product management and leads Jump's efforts in Enterprise Software and IT Infrastructure, his career as a High-Performance Computing researcher at French National Institute...
2020-07-0842 minupsideCC056: Chetan Parekh of P&G Ventures // identifying and developing the next generation of billion-dollar brandsInterview begins: 6:08Debrief begins: 42:55Today our guest is Chetan Parekh. Chetan is the Senior Brand Director & Innovation Portfolio Leader at P&G Ventures. He leads a multi-disciplinary team in charge of creating new businesses and building partnerships to serve the aging consumer and their caregiving ecosystem. His portfolio focuses on building brands behind innovative technologies and business models to shape the rapidly emerging at-home aging space. In this episode, we’re talking about the Startup Studio within Procter & Gamble Ventures. Chetan has been on the leadership team at P&G V...
2020-07-0150 minupsideJE017: "Test City, USA" official releaseWe've been waiting for today for a long, long time.Last summer, we filmed and produced a full-length documentary about the startup ecosystem in Columbus, Ohio. The film is called Test City, USA and is now available for you to watch online.The film premiered at Film Festival of Columbus in September 2019, and was the subject of our third issue of The Update. The film took home "Best Ohio Feature" at that festival, and we began throwing our hat in for other festivals.With festivals going virtual, we are pulling back. We participated...
2020-04-2711 minupsideCC047: Elias Torres of Drift // opening offices outside of silicon valley (live from Embarc Collective’s grand opening)Interview begins: 5:29Elias Torres is the co-founder and CTO of Drift.Jay recently had the chance to talk to with Elias Torres at Embarc Collective in Tampa Bay. Having worked in software all his life, Elias has been a part of impressive businesses, including IBM and Hubspot, and has founded two software based companies.A Nicaraguan native, Elias discusses his story of immigrating to America and the opportunity he commits to in other LatinX founders and in his home town, Tampa Bay. With his extensive experience, he leaves us with valuable tips in...
2020-03-1839 min
Creator ScienceTrailer – Creator ScienceCreator Science explores how to succeed as a professional content creator.Each week, Creator Science digs into the details of how creators are finding success today. Not what worked 2, 5, or 10 years ago, but specific strategies and tactics that are working TODAY.You’ll hear conversations with some of today’s top professional creators including James Clear, Ali Abdaal, Tim Urban, and Codie Sanchez.You'll also hear firsthand experiments and actionable advice from the host, Jay Clouse. Jay is the founder of Creator Science and he documents how he earns more than $500,000 per year as a...
2020-03-1002 minupsideCC041: Bryan Darr of Ookla // demystifying the 5G revolution (from CES 2020)Interview starts: 7:25Debrief starts: 38:48Bryan Darr is the Executive Vice President of Smart Cities at Ookla, the company behind Speedtest.net.Bryan began his career in wireless communication back in 1985 selling car phones. Through his sales, he gathered information and began writing roaming guides. These guides ultimately led him to start his own business, American Roamer, eventually known as Mosaik, and now owned by Ookla. Today, along with providing internet speed tests, Ookla tracks cellular coverage all over the world.We discuss:Ad: Finding experienced employees for your new business with...
2020-02-1045 minupsideJE014: the update issue three // Test City, USA previewA short episode this week discussing our latest issue of the update. The update is a quarterly publication that usually features editorials, trends, and stories happening outside of Silicon Valley.We had big plans for this issue of the update, namely sharing our documentary, "Test City, USA" with you. But, complications arose and timelines changed, so the update issue three is a "skinny" version of itself.Tune into the episode to hear more and read the update issue three for a full behind-the-scenes look at how we produced a documentary in less than four months...
2019-09-2508 minupsideCC026: matching top talent with startups between the coasts // a coffee chat with Kaleb Dumot (Integrity Power Search)Interview begins: 07:06Debrief begins: 43:11Kaleb Dumot is the founder and CEO of Integrity Power Search.Integrity Power Search (IPS) is a recruiting agency focused on connecting amazing people to world class technology companies in the middle of the country. Since 2012, they have conducted 600+ searches for 84 portfolio companies, which have raised a collective $2.5B in venture capital financing.IPS was founded in 2012 and based in Ohio.Email Kaleb: kaleb@integritypowersearch.comLearn more about Integrity Power Search: https://integritypowersearch.com--Follow upside on Twitter: https...
2019-08-1251 minupsideLibrary Magic Pt. 2 // Jay's one year reflectionHey guys, welcome to part two of Library magic.Eric and I are celebrating one year of upside, and as he mentioned last week in part one, we were particularly struck by Monique Villa’s comment in our fifth Coffee Chat:“It’s sort of like novelists, whenever you read a book, you’re getting the benefit of someone’s life’s work that they’ve put into book form. And I really think of founders that way. Anytime I meet a founder, I’m absorbing something that they’ve been working on...
2019-05-0808 minupsideLibrary Magic Pt. 1 // Eric's one year reflectionOn upside, failure hasn’t really been the default. Most initiatives have come naturally and been met with, at worst, mildly positive reception. For the last few months, Jay and I have been struggling to find to an appropriate way to commemorate one year. We planned a multi-week festival of podcasts. Too much. We reached out to Steve Case. Nothing. We interviewed each other. That felt wrong. Today, we’re going to try something different. I’m going to speak to you host to listener, one to one, on my takeaways from one year of up...
2019-05-0107 min