Earned: Unlocking the Power of the Creator Economy

In Ep. 114 of Earned, Conor sits down with Ahmet Mercan, the CEO of Red Bull's premium fashion line AlphaTauri. First, we dive into why the beverage brand decided to foray into fashion, and hear how innovation is the throughline across the Red Bull family of brands. Ahmet details his experience building the AlphaTauri brand from the ground up, and shares why he believes the brand has been successful amid a challenging market. Ahmet explains why, despite AlphaTauri's impressive accomplishments over the last few years, he never lets his team get complacent, and constantly encourages them to push the boundaries of innovation. We then switch gears to the world of F1 racing, and discuss how AlphaTauri's involvement in F1 helped fast-track the brand's growth, as well as how AlphaTauri overcame the challenge of being known as a racing brand rather than a fashion brand by hosting memorable brand activations. Next, explore the differences of marketing a luxury brand, before learning how technology plays a major role in AlphaTauri's product development. To close the show, Ahmet shares the challenges and opportunities that have come with expanding the European brand's footprint into the U.S. market. In this episode, you will learn: The strategies and challenges of launching a premium fashion brand within a well-known beverage company (Red Bull). The differences of marketing a luxury fashion brand compared to brands with lower price points, and the importance of adopting a customer-centric approach. How AlphaTauri prioritizes innovation and leverages technology in its product development. Resources: AlphaTauri - https://alphatauri.com/en-int/ Connect with the Guest: Ahmet's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmet-mercan-805301160/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Episode 113 of Earned, we sit down with Sarah Gibson Tuttle, the Founder and CEO of Olive & June—the industry leader holding the No. 1 spot in the nail category. To start, we dive into the overall journey of Olive & June, with Sarah explaining how she got her inspiration for the original business model from Drybar, the premium blow-out hair salon. To reach the full potential for what Olive & June could do, Sarah reveals that her goal was an affordable and accessible salon manicure in whatever time the customer had to spend. Next, we explore how the brand navigated the pandemic and pivoted into becoming a product-driven company. Sarah explains how mindful the team at Olive & June is about holding their consumers in the highest regard, and keeping their focus on delivering the right product to the right market at the right price. While unpacking her 10 year finance career, Sarah shares that she's a firm believer in the idea that you only get to live your life once, and then imparts the wisdom to dig deep and make a change when you know something isn't right, or could be better. We learn about Olive & June's approach to the influencer space, and how the brand's goal is to solve consumer pain points, which leads to a philosophy of only launching products that fulfill actual customer needs. Sarah emphasizes that today's beauty consumer wants REAL recommendations from real people, which is why creating stellar products is key to success. In her own publishing journey, Sarah prides herself on being very authentic—showing her audience that relationships aren't always transactional, while still protecting her own boundaries. To close the show, Sarah speaks to her goals of eventually taking a more active role in investing in other female-founded brands, which she hopes will break down barriers for women to come. In this episode, you will learn: The value of creating durable, long-lasting products and knowing your consumer. How understanding consumer behaviors and creating intentional distribution strategies can help you become the top-performing brand in major retailers. The balance of authenticity and privacy in influencer marketing, and how leading with product quality can foster genuine connections with your consumers. Resources: Olive & June - https://oliveandjune.com/ Connect with the Guest: Sarah's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gibsontuttle/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In the 112th episode of Earned, we sit down with Christiane Pendarvis, Co-CEO of Pattern Beauty and former Co-President of Savage X Fenty. To start, we dive into what it was like for Christiane as she came into the top role at Pattern: CEO. After years of working in the fashion industry, the jump to beauty was daunting, but Christiane explains how she took a humble approach and understood that listening would help to build a solid foundation. Next, Christiane shares her advice to not lose sight of the clarity you once had on the outside of an organization, as it can quickly dissipate once you're immersed in the day-to-day. We explore Christiane's strategy of urgency awareness, which she uses to decide if the situation is mission-critical and requires a clean slate, or whether it requires smaller levels of change. Unpacking the success factors behind Rihanna's brand Savage X Fenty, Christiane explains that the market was "ripe" for this brand, which promotes confidence, inclusivity, and fearlessness for women. We then learn about how a brand's foundation, product assortment, and perfect-storm opportunities can lead to massive success. Christiane emphasizes the importance of a founder being ingrained in the brand's story, which she has seen firsthand with both Tracee Ellis Ross (Pattern Beauty) and Rihanna (Savage X Fenty). When people are genuine and authentic in their product and brand creation, it translates into opportunities that consumers can relate to, and products they want to buy. Christiane then reveals her own pivot to passion- and purpose-driven brands, and shares that as she's progressed in her career, the quality of an idea has become increasingly important. To close the show, Christiane speaks to the growth of the gaming industry, and where she (and her children) think it's headed next. In this episode, you will learn: The secrets behind transitioning to a brand that's making waves with authenticity and purpose. The importance of balancing brand position and cultural timing. Personal career insights from Christiane Pendarvis highlighting the shift from working with large global brands to more purpose and product driven companies. Resources: PATTERN Beauty - https://patternbeauty.com Connect with the Guest(s): Christiane's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianependarvis/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

Drumroll please…today's guest is Terence Reilly, president of TikTok's favorite water bottle brand, Stanley 1913. While the brand went mega-viral in November for replacing a woman's car after her Stanley cup survived a fire, it's enjoyed remarkable growth over the last few years, jumping from $70M in annual revenue in 2020 to $750M in 2023. We start the episode by unpacking Stanley's explosive growth in recent years, and Terence explains why he has a bias for action. Of course, we then dive into the brand's decision to buy Danielle a new car, and Terence shares why he believes more brands can—and should—take similar action. Next, we take a step back and discuss how the 110-year-old brand appealed to a new consumer base by repositioning from "male, green, and hot" to "female, colorful, and cold," thanks largely to early endorsements from The Buy Guide and Terence's learnings from his time as CMO at Crocs. Terence then discusses the brand's increased investment in building out its community of consumers and social media advocates, and reveals how Stanley's rapid rise in popularity allowed the business to expand beyond DTC and take up entire walls of shelf-space at top retailers. We learn about Terence's approach to collaborations with other brands and creators, like Post Malone x Crocs and Stanley x Lainey Wilson, before hearing his guiding principles to brand building and leadership—and whether he wants to continue being the face of Stanley. Resources: Stanley 1913 - https://www.stanley1913.com/ Connect with the Guest(s): Terence's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/terence-reilly-193198/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In the 110th episode of Earned, Conor sits down with Lilly Ghalichi, social media star and founder of creator favorite brand, Lilly Lashes. To start, we dive into the founding of Lilly Lashes, and hear the story of why Lilly classifies it as 'accidental.' A lawyer by trade, Lilly explains that it was her love of all things glam that led her to creating the brand. Next, Lilly shares that in the world of founders, what you'll be remembered for is what succeeds, and all you need is one winning idea. We explore Lilly's three secrets to winning with a social media business, which she definitely should've charged us for. Unpacking Lilly's approach to strategy for Lilly Lashes, we start with her founding principle that the product was disruptive. We then learn about how Lilly utilized the organic conversation from high profile makeup artists to track sales, and how she came to the conclusion that this posting led to a surge in sales. Lilly emphasizes the acceleration we've all seen in the creator community, as well as the importance of investing in the right people to forge relationships that will propel your brand forward. With increased competition and greater saturation of brands, we explore the diverse ways that companies can bring creators into their brand development. Lilly reveals her own Instagram journey, shares her thoughts on the two kinds of influencers, and explains how she intentionally chooses what to focus on. To close the show, Lilly shares her dream to eventually build a brand with her daughter—so keep an eye out! In this episode, you will learn: How Ghalichi utilized strategic creator partnerships that combine genuine content with deep community relationships to drive brand visibility and sales. The significant impact of product quality, targeted pricing, and the importance of a cohesive team in achieving long-term success in the competitive social marketing landscape. How Lily balanced her professional achievements and personal fulfillment and how she evolved from business-focused to family-prioritized. Resources: Lilly Lashes - https://www.lillylashes.com/ Lilly Lashes on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lillylashes/ Connect with the Guest(s): Lilly's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilly-ghalichi-a93654139/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 109 of Earned, we sit down with David Neyman, Global Lead of Talent and Content at Logitech. We dive into Logitech's innovative approach to marketing, and David explains how the brand builds "cultural cachet" with consumers by partnering with talent (like Lizzo) on creative campaigns. David emphasizes the importance of aligning internally and externally on the purpose and goals of a creator partnership, and striving for the right balance of art and science when determining brand partners and initiatives. Conor and David discuss how Logitech actually sits at the center of technology and lifestyle by connecting consumers to their favorite digital experiences with best-in-class tech. We also hear how Logitech tailors its product marketing to resonate with its diverse, target demographics, from software engineers to social media creators. David shares why Logitech is looking to expand its creator strategy from brand awareness to conversion, and unpacks the challenge of identifying the "holy grail" creators that can actually influence purchase intent. Next, we explore Logitech's participation in the metaverse, and David reveals the origins of the brand's Song Breaker Awards activation with Roblox, which aimed to shine a light on impactful yet underrecognized creators, before learning how Logitech co-created the "Own The 8 Count" short film about choreographer JaQuel Knight. To close the show, Conor asks David about his predictions for the future of VR. In this episode, you will learn: How Logitech builds "cultural cachet" with consumers by partnering with relevant celebrities and creators. How Logitech tailors its product marketing to resonate with its diverse, target demographics, from software engineers to social media creators. The story behind Logitech's innovative initiatives like the Songbreaker Awards with Roblox and "Own The 8 Count" short film about JaQuel Knight. Resources: Logitech - https://www.logitech.com/ Logitech on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/logitech Connect with the Guest(s): David's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-neyman Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

To start, we dive into the unique story behind the founding of Chubbies, and learn about what sets Chubbies apart from the competition. Next, Preston shares what went into a couple of Chubbies' creative marketing programs, such as its tailgate tour and "koozie palooza." With the goal of maintaining "human to human friendship" versus becoming a corporate company selling to faceless customers, we unpack how Chubbies utilizes short- and long-term strategies to build resilience for its business. Preston emphasizes the role of institutional inertia, as well as the importance of remaining patient while deploying longer-term strategies. Additionally, we explore how Chubbies evolved based around the notion that the best creative constraint is a limited budget, which allows for the highest quality in idea selection. Preston reveals how Chubbies uses its metrics, and explains why he finds surveys to be the best indicator of customer temperature. To close the show, Preston encourages us to put on a show, have a little bit of fun, and most of all, be memorable. In this episode, you will learn: 1) How leveraging authentic, relatable content over polished advertising brought Chubbies into a brand synonymous with fun and inclusivity. 2) The '95-5 rule' in marketing and how rethinking your approach can lead to memorable campaigns that truly connect with consumers. 3) How remaining patient when it comes to a longer-term marketing strategy can have higher payoff than impatiently deploying several simultaneously. Resources: Chubbies - https://www.chubbiesshorts.com/ Connect with the Guest(s): Preston's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonr/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

It's clear that creators have become an integral component in successful marketing strategies. But what does good creator marketing really look like? Who's doing it well? And how do you measure success? For today's episode of Earned, we're sharing one of the most popular sessions from our blowout CreatorIQ Connect event in October titled "What Does Good Creator Marketing Look Like?", hosted by Conor Begley himself. Conor shares why it's important to foster growing creator communities, invest early in creators' careers, and prioritize long-term relationships to see long-term gains. He also dives into the impressive performance of successful brands including Fashion Nova, SKIMS, MLB, Celsius, Rare Beauty, and Amazon, and reveals how your brand can see similar results with the right strategies and support. Resources: Watch Conor's full session here - https://www.creatoriq.com/connect2023-what-good-looks-like Watch more session content from CreatorIQ Connect - https://www.creatoriq.com/event/connect Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In Ep. 107 of Earned, we sit down with Stephanie Fried, CMO of the world's largest fan wiki platform, Fandom. To start, we dive into Stephanie's personal favorite fandoms and hear about the content that's shaped who she is. We learn about Fandom's mission and vision, and discover what makes it the world's best resource for fans. Next, Stephanie shares what went into Fandom's branding process, and explains Fandom's goal of being the fan's first choice for community and experience. Switching gears, we unpack how Fandom uses a multitude of social media platforms to maximize the value consumers are receiving. Stephanie emphasizes the importance her team places on creating new features and functionality that can "bring life" to new fans. Additionally, we explore how Fandom celebrates the idea of fan identity via in-person events that create meaningful connections for individual fandoms. Stephanie also reveals how Fandom works with entertainment companies on both data and content to meet users where they're at. To close the show, Stephanie leaves us with some insightful advice on how to engage and retain audiences in cost-effective ways. In this episode, you will learn: How Stephanie leveraged her background in research and insights to develop a user-centric approach, optimizing platform design and audience interaction at Fandom. The unique challenges of managing multiple brands and competitors across Fandom's diverse set of offerings. How the different social platforms uniquely contribute to Fandom's marketing strategies, and how the brand engages and retains audiences in cost-effective ways. Resources: Fandom - https://www.fandom.com/ Connect with the Guest(s): Stephanie's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniefried/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In today's episode of Earned, Conor has the pleasure of sitting down with two incredible guests: Rose-Marie Swift, veteran celebrity makeup artist and founder of RMS Beauty, and her partner in crime for 15+ years, Chief Strategic Officer Elaine Sack. To start, we hear why Rose-Marie was inspired to disrupt the industry and create her own clean beauty line after years of being a professional makeup artist to the stars, while Elaine shares why she decided to join the brand 15 years ago. Next, we discuss the recent explosion of expert-founded brands, and the reasons why Rose-Marie and Elaine believe these brands will stand the test of time. We unpack RMS Beauty's impressive EMV growth over the last year and hear about the brand's approach to working with creators, then learn why Rose-Marie herself decided to get on—and take over—TikTok. (#RoseMarieSwift has over 20M views!) Rose-Marie then shares why she believes her unfiltered content resonates across generations on the platform. We switch gears to discuss Rose-Marie and Elaine's "husband and wife" working relationship, and how it has evolved over the last decade. The pair shares their rationale for bringing on financial partners, and why Highlander Partners and current CEO David Olsen were the perfect fit for them. To close the show, Rose-Marie, Elaine, and Conor discuss their craziest "middle-of-the-night" ideas for their companies. In this episode, you will learn: Why Rose-Marie Swift started RMS Beauty, and how her relationship with Chief Strategic Officer Elaine Sack has evolved over the last 15+ years How Rose-Marie's TikTok stardom has helped RMS Beauty reach and resonate with different generations How Rose-Marie and Elaine successfully navigated the challenging process of bringing on a financial partner while remaining true to their brand's mission and values Resources: RMS Beauty - https://www.rmsbeauty.com/ Connect with the Guest(s): Rose-Marie's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-marie-swift-38a6b010/ Elaine's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-s-614a542/ Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ