Party people, I'm coming to the end of my summer trip, so if you're in NYC let's grab a coffee before I head back to LA. If you're not in NYC but want to connect, shoot me a note!

Top Clicks: The top clicks in the last send were Kyra's TikTok trend report, The Weeknd's investment into Songfinch, and a step-by-step approach to invest in creators.

Today's Highlights:

• Substack makes the move into the podcast game
• Who wins the creator economy
• YouTube rolls out creator tipping
• Lebrons SpringHill is a bet on the creator economy

Talking Creators

SpringHill is a bet on the creator economy

Despite the poor Rotten Tomato ratings, SpaceJam's sequel was well-received amongst Lebron fans (don't quote me on the data) which is a win across the board. Especially as SpringHill (Lebron's media company) gears up for an acquisition at a $750M valuation. Acquiring SpringHill isn't just acquiring a media company. It's acquiring the reach, connections, and distribution of Lebron's influence.


More on creators

• As incumbents copy startups and startups scale horizontally, who are going to be winners of the creator economy?
• Creating content is great but it's no longer enough to just be a great content creator. A creator's ability to be a great curator is a surefire way to retain their audience.
• Deadumau5 crowdsources his next music video through a video game.

Talking Social & Platforms

Substack moves into the podcast game

With an original focus on writers and journalists, Substack marches its way into podcast territory with their latest investment into 5 new podcast shows. As Niel of CreatorScape mentions, "Substack is attacking the core Patreon's customer base.

YouTube rolls out creator tipping

The creator wars are in full swing and it's becoming clear that no one is safe. While YouTube is the biggest giant when it comes to creator payouts, they fall short on monetization abilities outside of CPM earnings. That changed with memberships and continues to change with their feature to allow creators to receive tips.


More on creators

• HBO definitely doesn't want the same fate as Quibi but they're testing mobile programming with their latest partnership with Snapchat.
• Amazon is launching a publishing market for serialized fiction called Kindella Vella.
• TikTok updates its policy to stop creators from promoting crypto.

Gems

• Gamify everything: Last week Netflix announced they're getting into gaming. Next up is Peloton.
• Disarm the rebels: Keith Rabois (yes, that Keith) is out to disrupt Shopify with OpenStore. A platform buying up Shopify stores and gearing to roll them up into their consumer product.
• Crypto Pokemon: Packy M is back with another hit but this time it's covering the fast-growing and play-to-earn game know as Axies.

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