Latest news with #VidCon
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Rise Of The Creator Economy As An Investable Asset
Focus on the camera and microphone used by a woman recording a video tutorial from home The creator economy is no longer a scrappy side hustle or a chaotic collection of one-person operations filming videos in basements. Today, it's a maturing industry drawing serious interest from private equity firms, investment banks and capital providers. At a panel at the annual creator event VidCon, in Los Angeles last week, a common theme emerged: the creator economy is growing up and investors are helping to professionalize it. Breaking Down Misconceptions Liz Zavoyskiy of MEP Capital, a firm that has deployed $100 million into video-first businesses since 2018, was unequivocal: "We really look at the creator economy the same way that we'd look at any other asset in the space." Despite lingering misconceptions that creator content is low-quality or volatile, Zavoyskiy emphasized that if you find the right types of content, it can be both high quality and highly investable. "YouTube has been monetizing since 2007. That means you have decades of data that can help you analyze opportunities." The Challenge of Educating New Investors Chris Erwin, whose firm RockWater advises on M&A in the space, highlighted how new entrants are struggling to keep up. "We're seeing hundreds of new strategic and financial buyers. These are companies that haven't done deals in the space. They don't know the business models. They need a lot of education. It's good for the space, but it is taxing," he said. He urged caution around the hype: "M&A is considered sexy and exciting, but it's usually not the best thing to do." Smart Capital for Smart Creators Alex Kaplan, founder of Breeze, provides fixed-cost funding to YouTube creators. His goal? Provide right-sized capital that creators can actually afford. "Creators have gotten a little bit smarter and a lot more sophisticated on what they look for," he said. "Before, they made it feel like a brand deal 'I just get money.' Now, they understand, 'No, you have to pay that money back. There's a fee.'" Kaplan emphasized the importance of aligning capital with a creator's actual needs. "It's not about the biggest check. It's about what makes sense for their growth plan," he noted. Breeze has focused on giving creators flexible funding terms, often tailored to the scale of their AdSense revenue. "We ask: how much can you afford and how will it help you grow? That's where our deal gets shaped." This shift is helping reduce risky over-leveraging and introduces a more sustainable approach to scaling creative businesses. As creators become more sophisticated, so too must the financial products that serve them. Kaplan envisions a future where capital providers support not just YouTube earnings but also multi-platform strategies, merchandising, memberships and more. Asset or Illusion? Investors Seek Substance Jay Kirsch of Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips brought a broader investment banker's view: "The barriers to entry for having a company in this space are essentially zero. It can look like you've got a great business, but there's no real asset there." This, he argued, has made some investors wary, especially those from larger private equity firms seeking scale and structure. What Investors Are Looking For To attract serious capital, creators and their partners need to think like business operators. Zavoyskiy shared her framework: look for multiple monetization streams, valuable back catalogs and predictable revenue decay. Key person risk is also critical; can the business survive if the creator takes a break? "We really try to keep things very simple," she said, emphasizing that complexity doesn't always mean quality. The maturing market has also forced dealmakers to reconsider their strategies. Erwin noted: "Know what buyers are looking for: growth, margins, IP, business model, strategy. How do you stack up against your peers? Know what the market valuations are. Are your business goals aligned with where the market precedents are at?" Kaplan added that the evolution of the capital environment has helped weed out bad actors. "There was a gorilla in the room that used to just write a blank check to crazy multiples that never made sense. That doesn't happen anymore. We've right-sized the deal. We know how to price risk better." Creators Becoming Founders This professionalization is also visible in creators themselves. Billy Parks, a venture partner at Slow Ventures, noted a shift from transactional brand relationships to deeper business building. He added, "When you look at creators doing $5 to $10 million in revenue with a million subscribers, a lot of agencies aren't even looking at them. The future is in identifying creators who can leverage their audience into scalable products." Creators are moving beyond influence to infrastructure. They are hiring teams, building operations and making decisions based on cash flow and ROI. Many are modeling themselves after tech startups: data-driven, process-oriented and structured to scale. As Parks pointed out, "They're not just creators anymore; they're CEOs." This shift is prompting agencies and management companies to evolve as well. Traditional talent managers are now becoming investors, consultants and co-founders. The new standard is long-term alignment, not just deal facilitation. What's Next: Consolidation and New Revenue Models Looking forward, the panelists predicted more consolidation and continued growth in professional services around creators. Zavoyskiy expects more YouTube channel aggregators to emerge, while Erwin is enthusiastic about new revenue streams like educational content services. Creators are also tapping into underserved verticals. For example, businesses helping creators monetize through courses, digital products, or fan memberships are gaining traction. As Erwin described, "We're working with a client who turns Kajabi creators making $50,000 a year into million-dollar businesses through smart funnels and professional marketing." The capital stack is expanding too. Beyond VC and ad revenue, creators are exploring revenue-based financing, private equity, and even private credit. These new instruments reflect the maturing economics of digital creativity and offer more tailored, flexible solutions than traditional funding. With traditional M&A slowing and public markets hard to access, the next wave of growth will likely be driven by smart partnerships, strategic consolidations, and a relentless focus on profitability. In my view, M&A activity in the creator economy is poised to increase. Market conditions, evolving investor sophistication, and the sheer volume of scalable creator-led businesses all point to a growing wave of deal-making. For creators who've built something significant but are unsure how to grow further, or who are simply ready for a change, now may be a smart time to explore a sale. Remaining Challenges in Valuation and Scaling But there are still challenges. Kirsch pointed out that valuation remains a puzzle: "It's hard to value companies in this space. There's not a ton of history of public multiples." Still, there is optimism. As Kaplan summarized, 'The reality is that over time, you should see more capital flowing to creators. Everyone getting smarter on the access to capital, how they can grow their business, what the use cases are, that will open the door for more opportunities.' In short, the creator economy is graduating. The capital is more sophisticated, the stakeholders are more educated and the businesses are becoming more resilient. What was once a digital Wild West is now a structured, data-driven frontier attracting a new class of capitalists. The creator economy's next chapter is being written by those bold enough to invest in its future and I'm proud to be one of them.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
They've been famous since they were kids. They wouldn't have it any other way.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Onstage with other social media stars who became extremely famous before they were adults, Avia Colette is the only person looking back on that time. She's 20 now, but the other creators sitting beside her are still kids. Colette reflects on her child stardom with fondness — especially here at VidCon, a convention for members of the creator economy. She feels nostalgic, having attended in the past as a content creator, where she first began to realize she was well-known enough to have fans. Now she's speaking on a panel titled 'Famous Before 18.' Colette was once a part of the Shaytards — a family of seven considered to be the pioneers of family vlogging. Her parents, Shay Carl and Colette Butler, launched their channel in 2009 when she was about 4 years old. 'If life's worth living then it's worth recording!!!' the account's description reads. 'Growing up [vlogging], it never felt not normal. It was just kind of what I always knew … I was just living life, and my dad recorded it,' Colette said onstage. 'That's where it started, and it's been a lot of fun ever since.' Colette is sitting beside Ava Ryan, a 15-year-old who became famous as a toddler when her mom posted short clips of her saying now-iconic lines like 'I smell like beef' and 'it's fricken bats' on the now-defunct platform Vine. Ryan, whose dry wit shines through in her answers, is quick to admit she only posts sporadically — but maintains more than 1 million followers on Instagram. One seat over is Like Nastya, whose real name is Anastasia Radzinskaya, an 11-year-old who's among one of the most popular YouTubers in the world. She has 128 million subscribers. Her mom first posted videos of her reviewing toys, and as Nastya has grown up, her content has evolved into highly produced skits. She's shy and humble about her unprecedented fame, still in the middle of figuring out what that means for her. None of the three panelists can really remember life before content creation. For many of the people also attending VidCon this week, that's the dream. I'm in the audience with dozens of young people who are drinking up every word these influencers say as if they'll be quizzed on it later. To my left, a gaggle of teenage boys are wearing shirts with their varying YouTube handles printed on the front, some with QR codes for easy scanning and subscribing to their respective accounts. To my right, a Lululemon-clad mom with perfect posture monitors her son, who can't be older than 10, as he hunches over his iPhone. Colette took up the family business, breaking out with her own YouTube channel as a teenager, where she vlogged her way through high school and homecoming. She still posts lifestyle content there weekly, both because it's fun for her and because she hopes it could boost her acting career. She's bubbly and well-spoken, prepared to answer questions about the negative reputation that family vlogging has faced since Ruby Franke, who posted videos with her family on their YouTube channel, 8 Passengers, was convicted of child abuse, and Piper Rockelle's mom-manager, Tiffany Smith, was accused of creating an abusive environment involving children. Colette speaks with kindness and empathy for her parents, who put her in front of a camera at a young age but did their best to hide her personal information — including her name, calling her Princess Tard instead — from their ever-expanding audience. They were just figuring things out in front of their kids, and the whole internet was watching. 'I think that my parents did a good job at not letting us see hate comments, but I remember one time me and my cousins went and scrolled, and I highly regretted it,' Colette said onstage. 'Being in this industry, you kind of have to be OK with being misunderstood.' When the moderator solicited questions from the audience, dozens of children and their parents raced to line up in the aisles to grab hold of the microphone, eagerly asking for advice on breaking into the industry. One mother who creates content with her young son said that she sometimes feels pushy trying to keep him on a strict publishing schedule, since the algorithm favors weekly uploads. One time he got very upset about a negative comment. 'I love that you guys are talking about it. I think … let him know that the comments aren't real, and whatever [commenters] are saying, that's not who they are. If the person commenting doesn't have a profile picture, they're not the ones putting themselves out there … they don't realize how hard it is to do that,' Colette responded from the stage. 'I'm glad he's saying how he feels about it. Just keep doing that. And if he wants to quit, let him.' After a few more questions about dealing with fame and setting boundaries at home, I had to leave early, having coincidentally curated the most sobering double feature possible. At my next panel, titled 'The New Rules Reshaping Family Content,' child star turned activist Alyson Stoner and leaders within the kid influencer industry discussed protections for the young and famous. From what I could tell, there weren't any hopeful young content creators in the audience. Being a child star in traditional entertainment is notoriously fraught — people are constantly arguing about how kids should get pay, in what ways they need protection and how mass perception can warp them psychologically. Online fame is even more difficult to regulate, though people are certainly trying. Some question whether it's ethical to post as a child on the internet at all. At her panel, Colette said that she thinks that as long as parents make sure that kids are OK with showing their faces online and keep lines of communication open, it's all good. But how can kids know what they're OK with if they've never done anything else? 'If the person commenting doesn't have a profile picture, they're not the ones putting themselves out there'Avia Colette As Stoner, who uses they/them pronouns, explained onstage minutes later, it's not up to the kids to protect themselves — or even just the parents to protect their kids. That's part of it, but there needs to be intervention at the 'institutional level and broader legislative level' as well. 'We need some kind of stopgap — some kind of preventative frontline resource where parents, guardians and young people can understand what they're participating in,' Stoner said. 'There's an overarching myth in policy that parents are always the best decision makers, and in reality, for a lot of young people, that's simply not the case.' 'It doesn't mean their parents don't love them and don't have their best interest in mind — it's that we don't know what we don't know,' they added. Journalist Fortesa Latifi, who has written for Yahoo News, has been studying this ecosystem for years. Onstage with Stoner, she explained that the cultural conversation has shifted to be particularly critical of kid influencers lately, but she doesn't think putting kids online is 'inherently evil.' 'We want to listen to the people who have had these experiences, some of them are sharing, 'Hey, this is actually really great,' or 'Maybe we could have done this a little differently,'' Latifi said. Not every case is extreme. When I spoke with Colette after her panel, she told me that her greatest hope is that people who create content, whether it's with their parents or kids or on their own, do so out of genuine passion, not just in search of success. Her advice to kids who hope to get famous the way she did was to be consistent — not with their upload schedules but with who they are. 'It's very oversaturated these days … there are so many people who have altered who they are that I think being yourself is the most important thing,' she told Yahoo Entertainment. 'There's no one else that is you. I feel like that genuine essence of being yourself makes your content attract more … if you have good intentions, you're going to be good.' It seems like Colette was born to be a YouTuber. She loves putting on a show, and she's very comfortable in who she is. I even paused after the interview to ask which crimping tool she uses on her hair because it looked so effortlessly flawless. Because of this, she said her life can sometimes come across more glamorous than it really is. 'I try to be open with my followers about my mental health. But … it's challenging living life for the first time,' she said. 'Sometimes I am stressing out about coming up with ideas or crying over hate comments. It's not always perfect, but at the end of the day, it's what you love. You just have to let people misunderstand you.' The following day, I was rushed into VidCon's press room for an interview because my subjects had been 'swarmed.' They had to enter through a back door because everywhere they went, mobs of people came up to them asking for videos. It probably didn't help with subtlety that part of their schtick is being as loud as possible. AJ and Big Justice, known to some as the Costco Guys, are a father-son duo who blew up on TikTok after participating in a trend, speaking loudly with thick New Jersey accents. Now, they assign things ratings based on a 'boom or doom' scale, with the best things receiving multiple 'booms.' The outspoken Italian Americans often create content with 9-year-old Christian Joseph, who's known online as the Rizzler. He sadly missed VidCon to attend the sports convention Fanatics Fest. Big Justice, whose real name is Eric Befumo, is 12 years old. He told Yahoo Entertainment that he doesn't really miss life before fame. 'Maybe [I miss] baseball sometimes because I got to play more days a week,' he said. 'But I still get to play baseball, so not really. And I love being famous!' Andrew Befumo, who goes by AJ, told Yahoo Entertainment that 'there is so much good that comes out of the content world.' 'We got a lot of comments that I'm not doing the right thing for my son and all that. But we've opened up doors that are unimaginable for Big Justice,' he said. 'And listen, as a father, it's always my job to keep him safe, whether he's living what we'd consider a normal life, or whether he's living life as a famous 12-year-old.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yahoo Entertainment (@yahooentertainment) He advised parents to give their kids 'room to grow.' They're both working on chasing their dreams in other ways, having gained an audience through social media. Eric loves making music — he suggested I check out their newest release, 'Believe in Boom' — and AJ is training for a big wrestling match in July with All Elite Wrestling. 'Lead with plenty of love, give a lot of hugs and give room to grow and support as much or as little as your son wants every step of the way,' AJ advised. Eric's advice for other kids hoping to be famous is that 'you just have to try.' He shouted out to his friend Joaquin, whose consistent publishing schedule recently got him to 20,000 followers. 'Joaquin gets a big BOOM!' AJ said, with Eric joining in to punctuate the final word with him in unison. They gave several people and media outlets big booms — including Yahoo, which received five big booms — before leaving again through the secret door. That's just the price of viral fame. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yahoo Entertainment (@yahooentertainment)
Forbes
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Inside The Week That Split The Creator Economy In Two
CANNES, FRANCE - JUNE 17: Atmosphere at Spotify Beach during Cannes Lions 2025 on June 17, 2025 in ... More Cannes, France. (Photo byfor Spotify) Last week, the creator economy faced a pivotal moment, not because of a new algorithm, platform or monetization model, but because of a calendar clash. Cannes Lions and VidCon, now under the same parent company, unfolded during the same week for the second time in three years. And while they were meant to celebrate creativity in all forms, what they revealed instead was a growing split in the industry itself. As creators increasingly move from the margins to the center of brand strategy, this week underscored a truth that marketers and media can no longer ignore: creators are no longer the next big thing - they are the thing. A Split Screen for the Creator Economy Cannes Lions has long been the playground of legacy brands, creative agencies and media powerhouses. This year, it leaned further into its identity as the pinnacle of polished, brand-driven storytelling. VidCon, on the other hand, remained a grassroots, creator-first gathering defined by high energy, direct fan engagement and chaotic innovation. While both events celebrated creators, the paths they charted for the future of influence diverged significantly. Who Went Where and Why The overlapping schedule highlighted a strategic fork in the road. Creators and companies had to choose: high-concept panels and yacht-side brainstorms at Cannes, or poolside networking and creator-led activations at VidCon. Only a select few managed to brave the jet lag and bridge both worlds. For creators whose brand partnerships, agency ties, or corporate sponsors aligned more with global campaigns and marketing strategy, Cannes was the natural fit. These individuals were drawn by the opportunity to sit alongside CMOs, speak on main stages and get facetime with the biggest names in advertising and tech. Creators making waves on connected TV or pioneering AI integrations had a strong presence here. Meanwhile, creators focused on building community, testing new monetization tools, and cultivating their audience relationships were more likely to choose VidCon. The Anaheim event provided a space for emerging and mid-tier creators to engage deeply with fans, discover new tech platforms and make IRL connections that rarely happen online. VidCon also served as a proving ground for innovation at the grassroots level. This divide not only exposed the contrasting nature of the two events but also underscored the broader segmentation within the creator economy itself: scale vs. intimacy, polish vs. presence, spectacle vs. spontaneity. VidCon Demonstrated The Chaos of Creativity VidCon 2025 saw a shift in tone under new leadership. Gone was the Creator Hotel, and in its place, creators spilled across Anaheim's Marriott and surrounding venues. The unstructured setting led to organic conversations, spontaneous collaborations and authentic relationship building. One standout was Viewws' Dink + Smash pickleball activation, which perfectly captured the event's ethos: creator-first, participatory and wildly engaging. Among the creators making waves were Dhar Mann and VidCon co-founder Hank Green, both of whom exemplified the event's commitment to accessible, grassroots creativity. Creators engaged with fans, brands and each other on a human level. Yet, despite these strengths, there were murmurs that VidCon's influence may be waning in some circles, with fewer brand booths and less corporate luster. Cannes Was The Theatre of Brand Power Meanwhile, Cannes Lions delivered its usual spectacle. From AI-driven installations to glittering panels on future creativity, it was a showcase of brand investment and storytelling prowess. What stood out in 2025 was the increasing role of creators as core participants. Notable figures like Amelia Dimoldenberg, Steven Bartlett and Grace Beverly brought sharp cultural insight and strategic depth to panels and conversations, cementing their roles as vital players in brand storytelling. YouTube's 20th anniversary celebration exemplified this shift, with creators headlining discussions on format innovation, fandom culture and AI-powered content. AI was the buzzword of the week, but the most resonant message was about synergy: human creativity amplified by technology. Panels underscored that brands succeeding today are those embracing authenticity and building trust through creator-led narratives. Two Sides of the Same Coin Despite the differences, both events showcased the critical role creators now play. VidCon focused on the day-to-day realities of creators: monetization, burnout and business strategy. Cannes emphasized creators as cultural architects, capable of steering brand identity and global conversation. VidCon offered lessons in community and hustle; Cannes in vision and scale. Together, they painted a picture of an economy maturing into two distinct but complementary modes: one rooted in connection, the other in prestige. What This Means for the Industry Across both Cannes and VidCon, creators shaped the themes, challenged norms and drove engagement in ways no other stakeholder group could match. Their influence is no longer limited to follower counts or short-form content; they are shaping business models, cultural narratives and future media formats. The rise of creators as thought leaders, collaborators and innovators means that future industry conversations, whether they take place on yachts or in convention halls, will be incomplete without them.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: Date, time, how and where to watch
Jake Paul is back in the spotlight months after he defeated Mike Tyson via unanimous decision. The social media influencer and professional boxer's anticipated return to the ring after a seven-month hiatus will see him facing off former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Anaheim, California. Here's all you need to know about the upcoming fight: Jake Paul (L) and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (R)(AFP) With a record of 11 wins and one loss, including seven knockout victories, Jake Paul remains a prominent name in professional boxing. His biggest achievement was the victory against Mike Tyson in November 2024. The match ended up being the most-streamed sporting event on Netflix, garnering an estimated 65 million views, USA Today reported. Paul was initially gearing up for a potential fight against Canelo Alvarez. The idea did not work out as Alvarez accepted a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season. Paul is now hoping to take on Alvarez in the long run. On the other hand, Chavez Jr. is set to enter the ring with a successful record, which includes 54 wins, six losses, and one draw. Out of these, 34 victories came through knockouts. The last time he held a major world title was in 2012. Since then, Chavez Jr. has witnessed multiple highs and lows, such as the loss against former MMA champion Anderson Silva in 2021. Ever since his first bout in 2018, Jake Paul has touched gloves with several renowned names over the years. Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: Schedule The fight is set to take place on Saturday, June 28, at 8 PM PT/11 PM ET. The event as a whole kickstarts on the day at 8 PM ET. The bout is taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, which recently hosted the YouTuber convention VidCon. When and where to watch? Fans will be able to watch the fight between Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view at $59.99. Also, they will be required to sign up for a subscription to the combat sports streaming platform that costs $19.99 per month, Dexerto reported. The platform offers a free, 7-day trial for those who wish to try out its services before paying the monthly fee. Tickets to witness the event live at the Anaheim Convention Center are available in the range of $38 to $50. FAQs: 1. What's Jake Paul's record in boxing? He holds an 11-1 record, with his only loss against Tommy Fury in February 2023. 2. When will the Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight take place? The bout is slated for Saturday, June 28. 3. What are the other matches? Other bouts include Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez vs Yuniel Dorticos, Holly Holm vs Yolanda Vega, Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer, Avious Griffin vs Julian Rodriguez, Raul "Cugar" Curiel vs Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez, and Naomy Valle vs Ashley Felix.
Business Insider
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Marc Benioff-backed influencer agency Whalar Group is buying a creator startup for $20 million as M&A ramps up
Influencer agency Whalar Group is expanding its education tools and offerings for creators by acquiring the platform Business of Creativity in a deal worth $20 million, the company told Business Insider. The acquisition is the influencer marketing and talent management company's first since Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and other investors bought a stake in the company at a $400 million valuation earlier this month. Whalar Group has not disclosed the size of that investment. Business of Creativity hosts online courses run by marketing and advertising industry leaders. The UK-based startup was founded in 2022 by Ben Lee, Immy Groome, and advertising veteran John Hegarty, who is an investor in Whalar Group and has been its chairman since 2017. The broader creator economy recorded a flurry of mergers and acquisitions since 2024. Publicis Groupe announced in July that it was buying influencer marketing company Influential and earlier this month acquired a similar company, Captiv8. VidCon, one of the creator industry's largest events, was bought by the UK media firm Informa in 2024. In October, Whalar Group also acquired Sixteenth, a talent management firm. Business of Creativity is Whalar Group's third acquisition to date. "It feels like our industry has gone from the fringe to a boardroom priority," Whalar Group co-CEO Neil Waller said about the creator economy. "It's just part of mainstream culture now, given the level of professionalism, the level of consumption, the level of impact that it has on building and shaping culture." Waller said he expects more M&A deals in the creator economy as the space matures and consolidates further. Whalar Group's acquisition of Business of Creativity is meant to help the company roll out more courses and events, particularly in the US. "We've done things with creators in the past, but primarily our audience has been speaking to businesses," Business of Creativity's CEO Ben Lee said. "As we roll out future courses, there's definitely going to be one specifically around best practices, how large companies can work with creators." Lee pointed to a recent example of an event Whalar Group and Business of Creativity hosted at Whalar Group's Los Angeles-based creator hub, The Lighthouse, where chief marketing officers and creators got together. Waller thinks that education, through courses and other events, will have a lasting impact on the sustainability of the creator economy. He described the Lighthouse as a "college campus that we built to help creators learn," which has brought in partners from brands to Hollywood to athletes. "Through this, we gain learnings of how creators could potentially also build their own courses for their audiences," Waller said. "We're learning about this side of the business as well."
