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Who is this for?#

This list is aimed at founders, makers, and investors who are interested in building solutions for the creator economy.

If you're an influencer looking to grow your audience or monetize, then this list won't be for you — but if you're interested in understanding this space at a deeper level, then these are the most bang-for-your-buck resources to get you there.

Understanding Creators#

The Definition of a CreatorAs the world discovered that more American kids wanted to become YouTubers than astronauts and that Kylie Jenner became the world's youngest billionaire, the term "creator" entered a pivotal moment: It became the way to define a whole new generation of internet explorers.armthecreators.substack.com
Creators. Not Influencers.Issue No. 2benjamingrubbs.substack.com
Creator Hierarchy of NeedsTackle a lower level need before proceeding to a higher onecreatoreconomy.so

The Passion Economy and the Future of Work#

My advice is to start with Li Jin's work and then branch out from there.

li-jin.coFind information, resources and relevant links for li-jin.co. This domain may be for sale.li-jin.co
The Three Stages of the Future of WorkJob Readiness, Job Discovery, & Job Successdigitalnative.substack.com
Unbundling Work from EmploymentThe internet and rise of micro-entrepreneurshipli.substack.com
The Creator Economy Needs a Middle ClassRight now, the creative economy on platforms like YouTube and Instagram looks a lot like the U.S. economy — there are a few big winners and a lot of people hustling to make a living and barely getting by. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Platforms can be — and sometimes are — the new vehicles for the American Dream, offering a stable, middle-class income and the promise of upward mobility. Fulfill that potential, however, is a choice: Platforms can decide how they dole out exposure and rewards, and whether they broaden users’ exposure or create filter bubbles with rigid hierarchies. The author recommends 10 policies platforms can adopt to broaden opportunity: 1) focus on content types with lower replay value, 2) serve heterogeneity in user preferences & empower niche, 3) recommend content algorithmically with an element of randomness, 4) facilitate collabs and community, 5) provide capital investment to up-and-coming creators, 6) decouple creator payouts from audience demographic, 7) allow creators to capitalize on superfans, 8) create passive (or almost-passive) income opportunities for creators, 9) offer a form of Universal Creative Income (UCI), and 10) provide creator education and training.hbr.org

Mapping the Space#

Credit: Hugo Amsellem
Mapping the Creator EconomyThe Internet is magic. Let’s not forget that just 15 years ago, in order to reach an audience, you had to go through a hyper-selective process where one person had the power to decide if you’d be allowed to speak to the general public.armthecreators.substack.com
Creator Economy Guide: Trends, Tools & MonetizationExplore the creator economy: 50M+ content creators, influencer marketing platforms, creator monetization, Patreon alternatives, finance tools, and trends.www.signalfire.com
pinver.medium.com/mapping-the-future-of-work-startup-investor-ecosystem-2db5049f2c86pinver.medium.com

Business Models#

Super Fan FlywheelA proven way for creator startups to growcreatoreconomy.so
Audience and Wealth, Part IIn today’s analysis, we begin Part I of a series on Audience and Wealth.thegeneralist.substack.com
Audience and Wealth, Part IIThis is Part II in a series on Audience and Wealth.thegeneralist.substack.com
a16z.com/2020/01/08/key-metrics-for-the-passion-economy/a16z.com
5 creator economy VCs see startup opportunities in monetization, discovery and much more | TechCrunchEveryone knows YouTubers and other creators are popular with internet users of all ages. But today, these influencers also have real businesses powered bytechcrunch.com
C.R.E.A.M., Part ICompounders rule everything around methegeneralist.substack.com
li-jin.coFind information, resources and relevant links for li-jin.co. This domain may be for sale.li-jin.co

Understanding Influencers#

The Evolution of the InfluencerEntering the Influencer 2.0 Eradigitalnative.substack.com
influence.co is for sale. Buy it today!Every great idea deserves a great domain. Establish your brand by investing in a quality domain name — Aftermarket.cominfluence.co

Insights#

Source: Peter Yang
Lessons about the Creator Economy from Twitch and SubstackRead this if you want to understand creator businessescreatoreconomy.so
every.to/means-of-creation/the-art-of-unbundling-with-greg-isenberg-904156every.to
Power to the PersonThe Creator Economy, NFTs, and the Rise of the Solo Corporationwww.notboring.co

Thought Leaders#

Follow these peeps if you wanna stay on top of the latest & greatest in the space.

every.to/means-of-creationevery.to
Hugo Amsellem | Substackobsessed with how technology moves culture. Click to read Hugo Amsellem, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.armthecreators.substack.com
Behind the Craft | Peter Yang | SubstackPractical AI tutorials and interviews to help busy people become AI native fast. Click to read Behind the Craft, by Peter Yang, a Substack publication with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.creatoreconomy.so
www.ryangum.com/www.ryangum.com
Digital Native | Rex Woodbury | SubstackWeekly writing about how technology and people intersect. Click to read Digital Native, by Rex Woodbury, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.digitalnative.substack.com
Greg's Letter | SubstackHigh quality insights on internet communities, building products communities love and startups. This weekly email will get your creative juices flowing. Click to read Greg's Letter, by Greg Isenberg, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.latecheckout.substack.com
www.readthegeneralist.com/www.readthegeneralist.com

Disclaimer #

Note: this is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the resources and companies in the Creator Economy, but rather a curated list of the absolute best resources for founders / makers / builders interested in this space to get up to speed fast.

If you know of a resource that should be added to this list (and it's one of the best resources covering the topic), feel free to DM me on twitter and let me know. 👋