# Creator Economy 101

The best resources for getting up to speed with the creator economy, passion economy, and the goal of building a more fulfilling future of work. No fluff; quality \> quantity.

Canonical URL: https://www.transitivebullsh.it/creator-economy-101

Author: Travis Fischer

Published: 2021-02-12

Updated: 2026-08-24T07:16:00.000Z

Tags: Creator Economy, Passion Economy, Research

![Creator Economy 101](<https://assets.cultural-alignment.com/personal-site/media/68cf4da65be8ba5e573c8012fbe4d1436a3735b82cf3e0c5abdc0855b8e74f40.jpg>)

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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.



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## Understanding Creators

[The Definition of a Creator](<https://armthecreators.substack.com/p/the-definition-of-a-creator>)

As 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.

[Creators. Not Influencers.](<https://benjamingrubbs.substack.com/p/creators-not-influencers>)

Issue No. 2

[Creator Hierarchy of Needs](<https://creatoreconomy.so/p/creator-hierarchy-of-needs>)

Tackle a lower level need before proceeding to a higher one



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## The Passion Economy and the Future of Work

My advice is to start with [Li Jin's work](<https://li-jin.co/2019/10/22/the-passion-economy-and-the-future-of-work/>) and then branch out from there.

[li-jin.co](<https://li-jin.co/2019/10/22/the-passion-economy-and-the-future-of-work/>)

Find information, resources and relevant links for li-jin.co. This domain may be for sale.

[The Three Stages of the Future of Work](<https://digitalnative.substack.com/p/the-three-stages-of-the-future-of>)

Job Readiness, Job Discovery, & Job Success

[Unbundling Work from Employment](<https://li.substack.com/p/unbundling-work-from-employment>)

The internet and rise of micro-entrepreneurship

[The Creator Economy Needs a Middle Class](<https://hbr.org/2020/12/the-creator-economy-needs-a-middle-class>)

Right 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.



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## Mapping the Space

![Credit: Hugo Amsellem](<https://assets.cultural-alignment.com/personal-site/media/a024f2e1ed3c280a5d49af51aba820f2106758f3394689226caa575ea86006c6.jpg>)

Credit: [Hugo Amsellem](<https://armthecreators.substack.com/p/mapping-the-creator-economy>)

[Mapping the Creator Economy](<https://armthecreators.substack.com/p/mapping-the-creator-economy>)

The 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.

[Creator Economy Guide: Trends, Tools & Monetization](<https://www.signalfire.com/blog/creator-economy/>)

Explore the creator economy: 50M+ content creators, influencer marketing platforms, creator monetization, Patreon alternatives, finance tools, and trends.

[https://pinver.medium.com/mapping-the-future-of-work-startup-investor-ecosystem-2db5049f2c86](<https://pinver.medium.com/mapping-the-future-of-work-startup-investor-ecosystem-2db5049f2c86>)



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## Business Models

[Super Fan Flywheel](<https://creatoreconomy.so/p/the-super-fan-flywheel>)

A proven way for creator startups to grow

[Audience and Wealth, Part I](<https://thegeneralist.substack.com/p/audience-and-wealth-part-i>)

In today’s analysis, we begin Part I of a series on Audience and Wealth.

[Audience and Wealth, Part II](<https://thegeneralist.substack.com/p/audience-and-wealth-part-ii>)

This is Part II in a series on Audience and Wealth.

[https://a16z.com/2020/01/08/key-metrics-for-the-passion-economy/](<https://a16z.com/2020/01/08/key-metrics-for-the-passion-economy/>)

[5 creator economy VCs see startup opportunities in monetization, discovery and much more \| TechCrunch](<https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/06/4-creator-economy-vcs-see-startup-opportunities-in-monetization-discovery-and-much-more/>)

Everyone knows YouTubers and other creators are popular with internet users of all ages. But today, these influencers also have real businesses powered by

[C.R.E.A.M., Part I](<https://thegeneralist.substack.com/p/cream-part-i-c80>)

Compounders rule everything around me

[li-jin.co](<https://li-jin.co/2020/02/19/100-true-fans/>)

Find information, resources and relevant links for li-jin.co. This domain may be for sale.



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## Understanding Influencers

[The Evolution of the Influencer](<https://digitalnative.substack.com/p/onlyfans-and-the-evolution-of-the>)

Entering the Influencer 2.0 Era

[influence.co is for sale. Buy it today!](<https://influence.co/>)

Every great idea deserves a great domain. Establish your brand by investing in a quality domain name — Aftermarket.com



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## Insights

![Source: Peter Yang](<https://assets.cultural-alignment.com/personal-site/media/185582963b3e35e2b109fe9c70b00b408e04a9f54f0b1196366ed0c940c3b69c.png>)

Source: [Peter Yang](<https://creatoreconomy.so/p/creator-hierarchy-of-needs>)

[Lessons about the Creator Economy from Twitch and Substack](<https://creatoreconomy.so/p/lessons-about-creator-economy>)

Read this if you want to understand creator businesses

[https://every.to/means-of-creation/the-art-of-unbundling-with-greg-isenberg-904156](<https://every.to/means-of-creation/the-art-of-unbundling-with-greg-isenberg-904156>)

[Power to the Person](<https://www.notboring.co/p/power-to-the-person>)

The Creator Economy, NFTs, and the Rise of the Solo Corporation



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## Thought Leaders

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

[https://every.to/means-of-creation](<https://every.to/means-of-creation>)

[Hugo Amsellem \| Substack](<https://armthecreators.substack.com/>)

obsessed with how technology moves culture. Click to read Hugo Amsellem, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

[Behind the Craft \| Peter Yang \| Substack](<https://creatoreconomy.so/>)

Practical 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.

[https://www.ryangum.com/](<https://www.ryangum.com/>)

[Digital Native \| Rex Woodbury \| Substack](<https://digitalnative.substack.com/>)

Weekly writing about how technology and people intersect. Click to read Digital Native, by Rex Woodbury, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

[Greg's Letter \| Substack](<https://latecheckout.substack.com/>)

High 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.

[https://www.readthegeneralist.com/](<https://www.readthegeneralist.com/>)

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### 
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](<https://twitter.com/transitive_bs>) and let me know. 👋