AJR’s Adam Met, Million Dollar Listing’s Ryan Serhant, Community’s Yvette Nicole Brown, and brands such as Fanatics, Adobe, Shoprite, Comic Relief all have one thing in common - It’s No Fluke they found success. We explore the big ideas, the ups and downs in creative work and life, the inner workings of storytelling through thought-provoking and culturally relevant conversations with the most prominent and diverse voices, from creators to brands and the greatest minds of our time. Episodes drop each Tuesday morning. Stay tuned!
Dani Newman is a Creator economy operator. She has spent over a decade at the intersection of Creator communities and the platforms that serve them. She currently leads Creator Growth at GigaStar, serving YouTubers across 20M+ subscribers and 250M+ monthly views. At GigaStar Dani specializes in building the automations and playbooks behind millions raised for Creators from fans and investors. Dani started her career as an early hire at Tumblr and spent nearly a decade at GIPHY, where she launched its first creative studio for brands like Converse, McDonald's, and Warner Bros, and scaled its 0-to-1 Creator program to 20,000+ Creators. She holds a Master's in Human Computer Interaction and Design and is endlessly curious about how technology enables communities to connect and sustain through monetization. Follow Dani on LinkedIn.
Lauren Ridgley is the CEO of Left Hand Agency, a boutique independent full-service media agency based in Portland specializing in CPG brands. Her team plans and buys across the full mix, including retail media networks, paid social, OOH, CTV, programmatic, and paid search, spanning both performance and brand investment. Left Hand isn't a performance-only shop or a digital agency; the team's differentiation is knowing how to balance brand and performance investment for long-term growth, not just short-term response. Before founding Left Hand, Lauren spent years as a marketing director in TV and entertainment. She's deeply versed in the Byron Sharp and Ehrenberg-Bass frameworks around mental and physical availability, and Left Hand has been known to send clients copies of How Brands Grow to make the case. Lauren is a regular voice in industry conversations, having appeared on multiple podcasts and panels, including a past panel with Indie Agency News. She's active in the Pacific Northwest marketing and creative community through NextNW (formerly Portland Ad Fed), and writes the CPG-focused High Five newsletter series.
The brain behind billions of views at Crocs, Duolingo, Smosh, TV and more. Sarah Whittle is an award-winning Director, Producer and Strategist that's worked across television, entertainment, tech, and CPG brands. In 2024, she was honored on AdAge's 40 Under 40 list and is currently building her own empire (Unicorn Social) consulting, directing and creating… You can see her (and her cats) on the internet @rudeunicorns and her internet expert musings on LinkedIn and her newsletter .
Bryan Smiley is CEO of Hard Carry Media (HCM), a digital-first media company dedicated to building multi-platform brands and IP specifically for Gen Z men. Under Smiley's leadership, HCM bridges the content gap for this demographic with plans to create and acquire a portfolio of digitally native brands for every stage of Gen Z male life across verticals, including sports, entertainment, comedy, and lifestyle. A veteran Hollywood executive with nearly two decades of experience spanning content development, production, and studio leadership, Smiley has a proven track record of scaling global media powerhouses. At HCM, Smiley oversees a seasoned team responsible for the company’s core offerings in development, sales, audience analytics, and in-house production out of its 20,000 SF studio in Los Angeles. HCM’s flagship entertainment brand, Full Squad, is one of YouTube’s leading variety and social entertainment channels for Gen Z with more than 11 million followers and 260 million monthly views. Prior to HCM, Smiley served as President & Chief Content Officer of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, where he oversaw more than $500 million in production and helped grow the company into a global studio with hits across TV, film, audio and digital for partners including Netflix, Peacock, Audible, and SiriusXM. Prior to that, he held an executive role at Columbia Pictures, where he led talent-driven deals including Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media and a multi-picture pact with Issa Rae. He has also consulted for Fox Digital Studio, 20th Century Fox’s digital arm for early web-first series and films with social influencers.
Joseph Marchese is Executive Vice President of Creator Partnerships at Studio71 a Fixated Company, where he leads the company's creator partnerships, podcast, and strategic growth initiatives. With more than 15 years of experience across digital media, creator economy, and entertainment, Joseph has helped hundreds of creators, brands, and media companies grow their audiences, expand revenue streams, and build sustainable businesses. Throughout his career, he has worked at the intersection of content, technology, and monetization, leading partnerships across YouTube, podcasting, connected TV, and emerging digital platforms. He is passionate about helping creators navigate the evolving media landscape while developing innovative strategies that drive long-term success.
Melanie Love makes tools so pain relief doesn't have to hurt. Love is the founder of unwind body works. Out of necessity, she created the (un)Block™, a stable, no-roll alternative to foam rollers and massage balls. And developed the unwind body works method, which uses four at a time to balance the body left to right, top to bottom, protecting the spine while giving Type A multi-tasking efficiency. The necessity? Nerve damage in her low back from Bertolotti Syndrome, an unfused S1 vertebrae, combined with hypermobility. She went from walking 18 holes of golf to crawling out of bed in pain in under 6 months. She built the tool she needed but couldn't find. Unwind integrates neurobiology for a fresh, self-directed, cringe-free approach to tight, sore muscles that works for practitioners and their patients. Better mobility work at home makes for better stability work at the clinic. Unwind offers (un)Blocks, group and 1:1 sessions, practitioner PD training, and at-home video content. Love writes about trauma recovery on her Substack, which is how she learned about the nervous system and how much more it influences than most people realize, including pain relief. Learn more at unwindbody.works or reach out on socials at @innatelymelanie
John Mathieu serves as Vice President and Creative Director at Pearpop, leading the company's creative and strategic direction across its portfolio of global brand partners. With nearly 13 years of experience spanning advertising and creator marketing, he partners with brands including Microsoft and Progressive to modernize how brands approach creator marketing. Prior to joining Pearpop, John developed integrated campaigns across broadcast, digital and social for brands including the CDC's national anti-smoking campaign, Ocean Spray, Jack Daniel's, Hasbro and Sallie Mae. Among his work, he created Hacked , a YouTube series for Sallie Mae that earned the 2023 Shorty Award for Best Video Series.
Joy Osinloye is the Vice President of Customer Success, North America at CreatorIQ, where she leads Customer Success across enterprise, mid-market, and agency segments. She oversees retention, expansion, and long-term value creation and realization for a diverse portfolio of high-growth global brands. Partnering closely with revenue, marketing, and executive stakeholders, Joy equips the CreatorIQ customers with the necessary tools and insights to ensure their creator programs drive true measurable business impact. Before joining CreatorIQ, Joy led influencer and integrated marketing initiatives for global brands including Airbnb, Huggies, L’Oréal, Adobe, and Kellogg’s. That brand-side experience now informs her approach to customer success by helping organizations operationalize creator marketing as a scalable, revenue-aligned growth channel rather than a series of one-off campaigns. Joy is particularly focused on building resilient customer relationships, strengthening adoption at scale, and aligning creator investments to durable revenue outcomes. She is also a passionate advocate for people-first leadership and mentors emerging leaders across the marketing and technology ecosystem.
Jacob Wallach is a creator and strategist with a background in social media, creator marketing, and consumer insights. He previously worked at TikTok, advising Fortune 500 brands including Mars, Hershey’s, and Campbell’s on creator-led and social campaigns, and began his career at Nielsen, where he developed a foundation in consumer analytics and data-driven storytelling. He later founded Social4TheWin, a creator and brand community that connected hundreds of creators with marketers, agencies, and companies through events and partnerships. Across his work, Jacob blends creative judgment, cultural fluency, and analytical thinking to understand how brands earn attention in modern media.
Sam Nebel is the Co-Founder and King of All Wipes of goodwipes, a bold and eco-conscious hygiene company revolutionizing how people wipe their butts. With a mission to break taboos and elevate the toilet paper aisle, Goodwipes offers flushable wipes that empower people to feel fresh, clean, and GOOD. Prior to launching the company, he was a franchisee at Complete Nutrition, the fastest-growing wellness retail chain in the U.S. He also co-founded Party Degree, a collegiate nightlife agency that brought marquee EDM and hip-hop talent to campuses across the Southeast. A graduate of Florida State University with degrees in Finance and Entrepreneurship, Sam has scaled goodwipes from a grassroots idea into a nationally distributed brand, now on shelves in Target, Walmart, Kroger, and many more. He is also an active industry advocate, serving on the board of the Responsible Flushing Alliance, where he champions sustainability and product standards for flushable wipes. Beyond the brand: Sam is an award-winning ceramist, occasional trail runner, and spearfisherman. He’s a proud FUNCLE to his nephew Noah and niece Lila, an enthusiastic home cook (beta), and a lifelong learner who brings energy and curiosity to everything he does.
Ant Cousins began his journey 25 years ago in technology roles for the British Ministry of Defence but quickly moved to Public Relations where he provided media advice to UK Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan countering Taliban propaganda. This experience led him to roles in Counter-Terrorism for the UK Home Office, where he focused on combatting Al-Qaeda's propaganda, and later to the Middle East during the Arab Spring or ‘Social Media Revolution’. In 2014 Ant started working exclusively in leadership roles in AI-focused startups, resulting most recently in him leading Factmata, an AI startup focused on detecting misinformation, through to an acquisition by the global Comms & PR tech provider, Cision. In May Ant joined Meltwater as VP of Product in charge of AI and Data. Ant is an accredited PR practitioner, member of the UK All Party Parliamentary group on AI, Chair of the Associated for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communications (AMEC) Tech-Hub and featured in PRWeek's 'Dashboard 25' in ‘23, ‘24 and ‘26. Quoted in The Times, Forbes, BBC, TechRound, PRWeek, PRMoment and others on the topic of AI, communications and misinformation.
Steph Lager is the co-founder, CEO, and Executive Creative Director of Mango Creative Co , an award-winning creative agency that helps brands find the sweet spot between powerful, authentic brand storytelling and high-impact performance. Steph has worked as a copywriter, creative director, brand and creative strategist for over 13 years, defining brand voice and leading creative work for some of the world’s most loved startups and billion-dollar brands. Her work has shaped brands like hims & hers, Milk Bar, Yelp, Kindred, Dame, End Well, Hey Jane, Aspen Dental, and Lovet. She also owns an LA-based hat brand, We’ve Hat It , is a Real Time Academy Judge for the Shorty Awards and Shorty Impact Awards, as well as 8x Shorty Award Finalist, Shorty Impact Award winner, and Vetty Award Winner.
Dr. Kristen Wager is PhD-trained consumer insights leader with deep expertise in the food creator economy. Over the past decade, she's led research initiatives at Kellogg Company supporting top CPG brands like Special K, Cheez-It, and Morning Star. Most recently she built research programs for the top 100 food creators at Raptive. That’s where she gained firsthand insight into the food creator ecosystem and the challenges creators face. That experience led to the creation of Recifix , a creator-powered cooking platform that connects home cooks, food creators, and brands within one ecosystem.
Mike Nellis is a leading political strategist, social impact entrepreneur, investor, and the founder of Endless Urgency . Over the past two decades, he has helped elect leaders including Vice President Kamala Harris, Adam Schiff, Gretchen Whitmer, Jon Tester, and Lauren Underwood, while raising more than $1 billion online for campaigns and causes. He also built one of the nation's leading social impact agencies and has earned an unprecedented election win rate for his clients. Drawing on that experience, Endless Urgency is where Mike offers unfiltered analysis of American politics and the Democratic Party and challenging conventional wisdom, demanding accountability, and exploring the ideas and strategies needed to improve people's lives.
Emilia Costa has spent nearly 20 years in media and advertising, watching the digital landscape transform from the earliest days of podcast sponsorships to the rise of AI-enabled platforms. She currently serves as Senior Manager of Member Engagement & Development at IAB, where she works with some of the biggest companies shaping the future of digital media and advertising including TikTok, Pinterest, Reddit, Beast Industries and OpenAI. An optimist at heart with a love for trend spotting, she serves as IAB’s category lead for the Creator Economy and AI member companies, alongside influential publishers, and broadcasters, and has led strategic sponsorships and thought leadership at events like the NewFronts and IAB’s Annual Leadership Meeting (ALM). Before IAB, Emilia spent six years at Vevo leading national integrated marketing and branded entertainment strategy, building campaigns for top advertisers like Apple, Disney, and State Farm with Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, and Billie Eilish. Earlier in her career, she was the first dedicated Online Marketing Manager at SPIN, the iconic music publication, and got her start at NPR working on sponsorships in the early days of podcasting.
Camille Dagorn, VP of Creator Partnerships, McCann New York, is an award-winning creator and influencer marketing expert with more than a decade of experience building high-impact campaigns for global brands including L’Oréal, Unilever, Pernod Ricard, GoPro, and Mastercard. She is known for scaling social-first programs, designing creator-led brand initiatives, and driving measurable growth across beauty, lifestyle, tech, and consumer verticals. Camille is passionate about creating meaningful, unforgettable moments for creators and audiences.
Margarita Neymark is a brand executive and community builder who operates at the intersection of strategy and human behavior, connecting physical media to the evolving landscape of technology to create experiences that resonate, while benefiting local communities. Having spent the majority of her life building communities from the ground up, Margarita is passionate about reframing soft skills and principles like inclusion, belonging, care, clarity, and compassion as the most essential skills in business. Her current work focuses on bringing more humanity into how we lead, collaborate, and show up for each other. She is presently the Senior Director of Partnerships at Firefly (a mobility media company that supplements the incomes of rideshare and delivery drivers with digital ad displays and car wraps), The San Diego Chapter Lead of Our Third Place (an in-person and online ecosystem designed for women in media, finance, and tech to network in an approachable, accessible community of like-minded peers), and a TED Community Ambassador.
Spy Ninjas Entertainment is a creator-led media company based in Las Vegas, and is home to Spy Ninjas , the longest-running serialized narrative show on YouTube, which has 47M+ subscribers and 18B lifetime views since its launch in 2018. Founded by creators and entrepreneurs Chad Wild Clay and Vy Qwaint, the company recently announced it is investing $25M into its content pipeline and production capabilities, and aims to hire 50 new employees this year. Shelly Soriano is President of Spy Ninjas Studios, part of the creator-led media company, Spy Ninjas Entertainment, which reaches tens of millions of fans, anchored by its eponymous flagship original family entertainment franchise. Spy Ninjas is the longest-running, serialized narrative show on YouTube. With a career rooted in building and scaling digitally native companies, Soriano has transformed emerging brands into breakout businesses through new platforms and content formats, strategic acquisitions, and high-impact partnerships. As COO for Jubilee Media, she helped drive accelerated company growth through collaborations with top brands such as Amazon, Google, Netflix, Spotify, and McDonalds, and original premium content, including the launch of the viral internet series Surrounded .
Travis W. Keyes makes images and films that live in the spaces most people miss. Cinematic, story-driven work that celebrates connection, character, and the beauty of being seen. From film sets to nightclubs, studios to streets, Travis has always chased moments with energy, intention, and story at their core. Based in New York City, he is a cinematic portrait photographer, filmmaker, and content creator whose work now lives under one roof: Travis W Keyes Creative, a creative house spanning photography, film and motion, live events, content creation, and brand partnerships. A proud alumnus of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (BFA, Photography), Travis's path began in film and television production before weaving through entrepreneurial ventures in hospitality across New York, Connecticut, and Miami. His collaborations with Sony, Adobe, NBC, AMC Networks, and Bravo reflect a reputation for imagery that balances polish with honesty and presence with restraint. In 2024, that storytelling instinct moved into motion: Travis produced his first feature film, Bulls, released through Vertical Entertainment, and is currently in preproduction on his second, Happy Hour. He documents the honest, unfiltered road of independent filmmaking on his podcast, Just Make the F*#%ing Movie. No fake polish, no gatekeeping, just the real process. Beyond his own work, Travis is deeply invested in the creative community. He served as New York Chair and later National President of American Photographic Artists through January 2026, advocating for photographers at every stage of their careers. He is an Adobe Ambassador, an AMD Ambassador, a Sony Alpha Camera Advocate, a Harlowe Ambassador of Light, and a member of the NAB Content Creator Council, and previously served on Adobe's Lightroom Advisory Board.
Josiah Hritsko is a leading YouTube strategist trusted by the platform’s top creators and companies, including JesserCo, CrunchLabs, Theorist Media, Home Renovision DIY, Contrarian Thinking, and Blueprint. Over the past decade, he has shaped the ideas and thumbnails behind videos with 4 billion views. Through thousands of rigorous, data-driven A/B tests he has built a reputation around creating banger thumbnails.
