E330: EuropeanKid: The $32B Future of Influencer Marketing

Mar 22, 2026

Aris Yeager, founder of Storytime and creator known as European Kid, builds a platform that connects brands with nano- and micro-creators. He discusses scaling influencer campaigns by automating gifting and measurement. Short local activations, AI-driven creator matching, and prioritizing authenticity over follower counts are highlighted.

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INSIGHT

Nano and Micro Creators Will Replace Celebrity Posts

The future of influencer marketing is nano and micro creators rather than celebrity endorsements.
Activating hundreds or thousands of small creators who already love a brand yields more authentic reach and better ROI than one big paid post.

ADVICE

Use Hyperlocal Gifting To Activate Creators

Use hyper-local gifting to convert nearby creators into authentic promoters with low-cost offers like a cup of coffee or a free class.
Joe and the Juice can reach thousands of local creators to post simple stories in exchange for redeemable offers.

ANECDOTE

Creator Founder Solved The Marketplace Chicken Egg

Aris leveraged his creator background and network to seed Storytime and solve the marketplace chicken-and-egg problem.
He reached out to founders of Sweetgreen, Oakberry, and others to get product feedback and early traction.

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What if influencer marketing isn’t about chasing mega-followers, but activating the creators who already love your brand? In this episode, I sit down with Aris Yeager, Founder of Storytime, to explore how he built a platform connecting brands with nano and micro creators to run highly targeted campaigns at scale. A creator himself known online as European Kid, Aris leverages his own social experience to help businesses automate gifting, engage loyal audiences, and measure campaign effectiveness while focusing on authenticity over follower count.

Highlights:

How Storytime turns influencer marketing into a scalable, data-driven platform
Why nano and micro creators often drive more authentic engagement than celebrity influencers
The power of activating hyper-local creators to reach targeted markets efficiently
How AI is used to optimize campaigns and match creators to brands
Why authenticity and alignment with a brand matter more than sheer reach
The shift from traditional advertising spend to rewarding everyday brand advocates
How Storytime reduces inefficiency in influencer campaigns for SMBs and large chains
The strategy behind building a network effect through creator trust and community
Why founder-led brands are better positioned to take creative risks on social
Lessons from scaling from SMBs to larger national brands while maintaining authenticity

Guest Bio:

Aris Yeager is the Founder of Storytime, a platform that connects brands with nano and micro creators to run targeted influencer campaigns at scale. A creator himself known as European Kid, Aris built a substantial social following before launching Storytime, and he focuses on helping businesses automate influencer gifting, activate loyal audiences, and run campaigns that prioritize authenticity and data-driven results over sheer follower count.

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Sponsor:

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Stay Connected with Aris Yeager:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arisyeager/

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Disclaimer:

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. Nothing in this episode should be interpreted as an offer to buy or sell any securities or to participate in any investment strategy. All opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the views of Weisburd Capital. Participants may hold positions or have financial interests in the companies, funds, or investments discussed. Any references to specific investments are for illustrative purposes only. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of capital. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Any third-party data or opinions have not been independently verified. Listeners should conduct their own research and consult their own advisors before making any investment decisions.

(0:00) Why Distribution Is Everything in Modern Business (1:08) What Storytime Actually Does (1:46) Why Micro Influencers Beat Big Creators (3:42) Solving the Chicken-and-Egg Problem in Marketplaces (5:04) The Unfair Advantage of Being a Creator-Founder (6:23) Turning Influence Into a New Currency (8:15) Why Authenticity Wins in Influencer Marketing (10:54) The Broken, Manual World of Influencer Marketing (13:01) Why Brands Need to Be Daring on Social (19:16) The Most Underrated Skill: Delegation