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Forbes Top Creators Show

Forbes

The Forbes Top Creators Show, hosted by Steve Bertoni, brings you unrivaled access behind the brands and businesses of the internet's most watched (and highest earning) creators. Each episode uncovers the incredible stories behind their success, and offers unmatched insights to the next wave of inspiring creators.

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Yesterday · 39 min
Why 'Your Rich BFF' Spent $1M Building An App To Disrupt Personal Finance
How do you go from a broke 22-year-old Wall Street trader whom no financial advisor would touch to building a multi-million dollar media empire, selling a scripted television show to Amazon MGM Studios, and bootstrapping a seven-figure financial technology startup? In this episode of The Forbes Top Creator Show, host Steven Bertoni sits down with financial educator, 2x New York Times best-selling author (Rich AF, Well Endowed), and entrepreneur Vivian Tu (Your Rich BFF). Vivian breaks down her evolution from a one-woman financial content engine into a FinTech founder with the launch of her app, Ask Dolly. She shares why she turned down venture capital to self-fund over $1,000,000 of her own capital, how she's turning her book Rich AF into a scripted television show currently in development with MGM Studios and Amazon, and her prescription for Gen Z's growing "financial nihilism." #YourRichBFF #VivianTu #AskDolly #ForbesTopCreators Learn more about Ask Dolly:https://www.askdolly.com/?appstore=1 0:00 Meet "Your Rich BFF" Vivian Tu 1:03 Best Sellers, Hollywood Deals & Launching The Ask Dolly App 4:30 Tackling Student Loan Debt & Government Confusion 5:43 Partnering with Tech Leadership & Assembly Mechanics 7:57 Monetization Strategy: B2B Enterprise & Marketplace 10:08 Self-Funding $1M+ & Turning Down Venture Capital 14:07 Beta Testing Ask Dolly & Facing Live Feedback 16:46 Fixing Gen Z "Financial Nihilism" & The 50/30/20 Budget 20:35 How "Rich AF" Became a Scripted MGM Drama 26:40 Advice to Legacy Media: Attention vs. Focus 28:23 Starring in SoFi Commercials & Visual Storytelling 32:27 Vivian’s Portfolio & Why Prediction Markets Are Gambling 35:17 The Death of Audio Podcasts: Why Everything is a Vodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 29 · 49 min
How Gabby Golf Girl Gets 300+ Million Views A Month
How do you go from getting bribed with quarters to play golf at two years old to hitting 300 million views a month, beating Steph Curry in a 1v1 match, and outperforming the PGA Tour on social media? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni takes the show out of the studio and onto the fairway at Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City to chat with creator, athlete, and entrepreneur Gabby DeGasperis (Gabby Golf Girl). Gabby breaks down her incredible origin story, starting when her mom created the @gabbygolfgirl account when Gabby was just six years old to showcase her trick shots. She opens up about being bullied in eighth grade, taking a six-month bet to post every single day, and dropping out of traditional school at age 14 the moment her newest video generated three million views overnight. Gabby delivers a masterclass on sports content creation, detailing how she overcame closed doors as a young female outlier in a male-dominated sport by adopting a "First Ever" content strategy. She reveals the logistics behind her 38-million-view trick shot, her straight-up match against NBA superstar Steph Curry, and why social media golfers often pull vastly more engagement than traditional tour pros. Finally, Gabby pulls back the curtain on the Gabby Golf Girl business model—explaining how she generates 70% of her revenue from brand deals, why Instagram pays zero dollars in ad revenue, and how hiring her former "blind date" allowed her team to post 60 times a day on Facebook to dominate short-form distribution. 00:00 Meet GabbyGolfGirl: Live from Liberty National Golf Club 01:19 Starting Golf at Age 2 & Playing for Quarters 04:32 Launching "Gabby Golf Girl" at Age 6 06:00 - Dropping Out of High School at 14 to Go Full-Time 09:58 Facing Gatekeeping & Sexism in Golf Media 14:28 Why Creator Golf Gets More Views Than the PGA Tour 26:01 Trick Shot Demo & The 56-Hour Shot Attempt 31:02 Monetization Blueprint: Brand Deals vs. Ad Revenue 35:29 Beating Steph Curry 1v1 in a Match Play Chip-Off 42:03 The 60-Posts-a-Day Distribution Engine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 1 · 28 min
Why Typical Gamer Says Short Form Is The Ultimate Hack For New Streamers
How do you go from streaming to an empty chat room with a cheap, second-hand eBay capture card to signing historical streaming deals and building a 25-person game development studio? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni decodes the business of gaming and streaming with pioneer, creator, and entrepreneur Andre Rebelo—AKA Typical Gamer. In this episode, Typical Gamer opens up about his 16-year journey in digital media, starting on Justin.tv in 2009 long before the word "streamer" was even a viable career path. He shares the emotional reality of dropping out of college twice—first for computer science and then for business marketing, after realizing his 80-year-old professor was teaching a textbook version of social media that Typical Gamer was actively living out in real time. TG reflects on his upbringing as the son of Portuguese immigrants, highlighting how his father went from growing up on a farm with pigs on the floor to seeing his son sign the first-ever exclusive YouTube gaming streaming contract in 2015. Andre breaks down the highly strategic business behind Typical Gamer. He reveals the logistics of live-streaming his wedding to his fellow creator wife, Samara Redway (complete with a Fortnite drone show, "Forever Duo" vows, and her grandfather's hilarious "Gandalf" officiant slips). He also deep-dives into his game development company, JOGO, explaining why he refuses to take a single dollar of profit from the business so they can supercharge Fortnite UGC map building. Finally, he shares his three rules of creator success, his hot takes on Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), and why short-form content is the only way for modern creators to escape the fatal cycle of streaming to an empty chat. #Typical Gamer #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #GamingIndustry Check out the Forbes Top Creator List:https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Meet Typical Gamer / Andre Rebelo 01:16 The Biggest Misconceptions of Professional Gamers 01:42 Live to Work: TG's Daily Stream and Meeting Schedule 03:09 The Justin.tv Origin Story and Scrappy Capture Cards 04:07 From Red Dead Tutorials to Handling Condescending Friends 04:57 Pigs on the Floor: The Portuguese Immigrant Family Backstory 05:56 Dropping Out of College Twice 07:45 The Walmart Days and the Game-Changing GTA 5 Launch 09:50 Making History: Signing the First Ever YouTube Gaming Contract 12:01 Live Streaming a Fortnite wedding to Samara Redway 14:35 Launching JOGO Game Development 16:51 The Superpower of Delegation 17:59 Three Golden Rules for New Streamers 19:43 Why Streaming to Zero Viewers Does Nothing 20:29 Managing a Tailored 10-Person Operations Team 23:38 A Bold Prediction for GTA 6 24:27 Why AI Game Making is Over-Hyped 25:02 The Next 5 Years: The Future of Gaming and Content Creation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 25 · 26 min
How Logan Moffitt Turned A Simple Cucumber Into A Global Viral Sensation
How do you go from working as a local barista slicing cucumbers for crepes to running a massively popular financial food brand as the internet's undisputed cucumber king? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni decodes the business of influence with food creator, communications specialist, and entrepreneur Logan Moffitt. In this episode, Logan opens up about the powerful transition from his grueling 12-year competitive swimming background to social media stardom, proving how the discipline, endurance, and routine of the pool perfectly prepared him for the creator grind. He details his early days at U Ottawa studying communications while balancing two jobs, and how he spent almost two years posting four videos a day on TikTok before finally finding his audience. Logan shares how he cracked the short-form food algorithm by abandoning hyper-produced, extravagant tutorials in favor of raw, curiosity-sparking snacks. He breaks down his simple, phone-only production setup, his impulse-driven creative process, and why he chooses to build long-term, high-trust partnerships with produce brands (and the Mushroom Council) rather than chasing fleeting algorithmic trends. Finally, Logan shares his bold plans for future-proofing his career through long-form podcasts, a YouTube transition, and the early development of a "chill" cookbook where exact measurements are strictly banned. #LoganMoffitt #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #FoodCreator Check out the Forbes Top Creator List: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Meet Logan Moffitt 00:54 How the Cucumber Salad Was Born 02:14 Stepping Away from Complex Meals to Simple Snacks 02:53 Falling in Love with Cooking & Studying on YouTube 04:37 Swimming, Communications & Goggles: Life Before the Fame 05:24 The Barista Days: Slicing Cucumbers for Crepes 06:31 The Kimchi Breakthrough and Building a Food Community 07:15 The Secret to Cracking Short-Form Food Videos 08:31 Impulse Creation: The Bare-Bones Phone Setup 10:23 When Your Audience Tells You to Make Bun Bo Hue 10:43 Decoding the Business: Long-Term Brand Partnerships 11:24 The Cucumber Contract & The Mushroom Council 12:50 The Biggest Mistake: Hiding Your True Voice 13:24 Why Following Trends Is a Short-Term Trap 14:12 Future-Proofing: Transitioning to Long-Form Content 15:57 The Ultimate Accomplishment: Writing a 'Chill' Cookbook 18:18 French Ragu Pasta and the Dream Pork Belly Soju Meal 20:05 Olympic-Level Work Ethic: Posting 4 Videos a Day for 2 Years 21:56 Day One Directive: Spontaneity Beats Perfectionism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 18 · 44 min
Why 'Boring Businesses' Will Outlast Most High-Paying Jobs | Codie Sanchez
How do you go from writing stories about human trafficking on the US-Mexico border to building a multi-million dollar business media empire? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni decodes the business of influence with former journalist, Wall Street investor, and serial entrepreneur Codie Sanchez. In this episode, Codie opens up about her intense early days as a border journalist, winning the John F. Kennedy Award for print journalism, and the searing realization that it is nearly impossible to assert your will on the world when you are broke. She details her transition into high finance—climbing the ladder at Vanguard, Goldman Sachs, and State Street—and why she walked away from private equity after realizing she didn't want to end up like her corporate peers. Codie delivers a true masterclass on building Contrarian Thinking, a powerhouse holding company that uses social media to drive 130 million monthly views into venture capital, franchise brands, and advisory services. She breaks down her daily routine of waking up at 6:00 AM, skipping the cold plunges to go down TikTok rabbit holes, and enforcing a checklist of doing "one hard thing" and having "one hard conversation" every single day. Finally, Codie shares her core investment thesis: why "boring" physical businesses like plumbing, HVAC, car washes, and laundromats are the ultimate path to financial freedom in the age of AI, and why they will outlast traditional knowledge workers like accountants, attorneys, and graphic designers. She also reveals her biggest creator mistake—getting "murdered" by the internet over a typo, and her three commandments for finance creators: "bring your weird way better than boring," fight the "sloppification" of content, and obsess over serving just one person. #CodieSanchez #ForbesTopCreators #ContrarianThinking #CreatorEconomy Check out the Forbes Top Creator List:https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Meet Codie Sanchez 01:32 What Makes a Podcast Worth an Hour of Your Life 03:13 From Walter Cronkite School to the US-Mexico Border 06:11 The City of Death: Why Money Equals Leverage 08:31 Winning the John F. Kennedy Journalism Award 10:52 From Valley Forge to the Goldman Sachs Rotational Program 13:06 Why I Quit Wall Street: "Third Wife, Lots of Lamborghinis" 15:03 Coronado and Launching the Contrarian Thinking Newsletter 16:20 Leaving the Inbox: Transitioning to Video and Short-Form 18:24 Going Viral with Laundromats 20:04 The Contrarian Holding Company Business Model 21:41 Top of Funnel: Serving 99.9% of Your Audience for Free 24:19 Mel Robbins and the Secret to Growing a Top Podcast 27:21 Daily Routine: TikTok Rabbit Holes, Heavy Workouts & Electrolytes 29:17 The Core Daily Habit: One Hard Conversation a Day 31:22 Why "Boring" Businesses Outlast Accountants & Lawyers 34:40 The Baby Boomer Key Hand-Off and Small Business Investing 36:57 Breaking the Mainstream: Less Corporate, More Off-The-Cuff 39:01 My Biggest Mistake: A Typo 40:45 Day One Directive For New Creators Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 11 · 29 min
Why Erika Kullberg Turned Down A $100,000 Brand Deal To Build Trust With Her Audience
How do you go from working grueling 100-hour weeks as a corporate M&A lawyer to building an audience of over 20 million followers and running a multi-faceted financial media business? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni decodes the business of influence with attorney, financial creator, and entrepreneur Erika Kullberg. In this episode, Erika opens up about the heartbreaking turning point that led her to quit her big-firm corporate law job after her boss refused her time off to see her dying grandfather. She details her transition from $200,000 in student debt to launching her startup, Plug and Law. Erika delivers a true masterclass on how she systematically studied YouTube and TikTok like an M&A deal, writing down over 100 viral hooks to decode the rhythm of the algorithm. She reveals the $1,000 daily-posting bet that forced her onto TikTok, her legendary 30-second Nike shoe refund video that gained 1 million followers in 24 hours, and why she turned down a massive $100,000 brand deal in her second month to protect audience trust. Finally, Erika breaks down her 90/10 investment rule, how to bypass algorithm suppression, and how she used her massive platform as a "selfish" backdoor to interview her business heroes on her hit podcast, Erika Taught Me. #ErikaKullberg #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #PersonalFinance Check out the Forbes Top Creator List: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Meet Erika Kullberg 01:29 Quitting the 100 Hour Corporate Law Grind 03:01 Shifting to Entrepreneurship & Launching Plug and Law 04:23 The M&A Method: How to Study Viral Hooks Like a Deal 08:05 Gaining 5 Million Followers in 30 Days From a $1,000 Bet 09:20 Why Erika Turned Down a $100,000 Brand Deal to Protect Trust 10:26 Organizing a 100,000-Person Live Investing Workshop 12:22 The Business of Erika Kullberg: Diversifying Revenue Streams 14:12 Launching Erika Taught Me and Meeting Her Heroes 17:46 The Truth About Short-Form vs. Long-Form 18:47 Why You Absolutely Should NOT Start a Podcast 19:29 Bypassing the Algorithm with Owned Email Lists 21:17 Erika's Three Commandments of Personal Finance 21:42 The 7-Day Rule: Overcoming Impulse Buying 23:10 Financial Nihilism & Erika's 90/10 Investment Strategy 24:23 From Splitting Tissues in Law School to True Wealth 26:32 If Your Content Isn't Shareable, What's the Point? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 4 · 45 min
How 200+ Failed Videos Led To A Meme With Over 7 Billion Views | Steven He
How do you go from losing your biggest commercial acting break to creating a viral meme that has been viewed over 7 billion times? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni decodes the business of influence with comedian, filmmaker, and "recovering actor" Steven He. In this episode, Steven opens up about his unique Chinese-Irish upbringing and the harsh realities of trying to survive as a traditional actor in New York City. He reveals the exact strategy he used to pivot into social media, grinding through 220 failed comedy sketches before finally hitting his first million-view spark on video 221. He breaks down the chaotic, uncontrollable 7-billion view success of the "Emotional Damage" meme, and frankly discusses his biggest business failure: investing massive amounts of time and money into a highly-produced show that alienated his audience and tanked his channel's revenue by 90%. Steven delivers a true masterclass in how to pivot your YouTube strategy, shifting content just 10% at a time to successfully launch his new 30-minute action-comedy series, James Bao, and why your failures just might be your greatest asset. #StevenHe #ForbesTopCreators #EmotionalDamage #CreatorEconomy Check out the Forbes Top Creator List:https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Meet Steven He 01:11 From A Chinese-Irish Upbringing To The NYC Acting Grind 03:00 Heartbreak: Losing A $34,000 Big Break To The Pandemic 04:39 The Turning Point: Grinding Through 220 Failed Videos 08:57 The 7 Billion View Accident: The "Emotional Damage" Phenomenon 11:41 The Ultimate Fail: How A Massive Budget Tanked 90% Of Views 14:52 Boiling The Frog: The 10% Pivot Strategy 21:56 Taking Power Back From The Bullies 25:38 The Next Flex: Competing At The Box Office With James Bao 31:36 The Mic Drop: Why Your Failures Forge You Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 28 · 35 min
Why Radical Vulnerability Beat Viral Fame: Rebecca Zamolo's Blueprint For True Community
How do you pivot from chasing empty viral trends to building a fiercely loyal community of over 40 million followers? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with creator and entrepreneur Rebecca Zamolo. In this episode, Rebecca reveals her biggest career mistake: focusing entirely on viral videos and realizing her massive audience didn't actually know her. She opens up about shifting her strategy to true vulnerability, sharing her battle with a severe, life-altering illness and an isolating two-year struggle with infertility. Rebecca explains why she downsized her production crew from 20 people to just 5, leaning into the philosophy that high-retention storytelling on a $5,000 budget can successfully compete with bloated, multi-million dollar productions. She also details her obsessive process of A/B testing up to five different thumbnails per upload, and her unique strategy of targeting different demographics on each platform: treating TikTok like the "cool kids" for viral trends, using Instagram for deep connections with moms, and building elaborate story-driven videos for YouTube. #RebeccaZamolo #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #YouTubeStrategy Check out the Forbes Top Creator List:https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Meet Rebecca Zamolo 01:18 The Biggest Mistake: Viral Videos vs. True Community 04:16 The Origin Story: Facing Surgery and Opening Up Online 07:02 Content Strategy: Building Backyard Bunkers and Waterparks 09:37 The Masterclass: The Science of A/B Testing 15:45 Balancing Boundaries and Vlogging for 500 Days Straight 21:24 Running a 15-Person Mini-Studio 24:33 Platform Strategy: YouTube vs. TikTok vs. Instagram 28:34 Multiple Revenue Streams 29:08 Launching Molo Wellness 31:58 What's Next: Expanding Beyond the Camera Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 21 · 33 min
How Anwar Turned 6-Second Videos Into A Multi-Million Dollar Business
How do you go from running a "cash for gold" shop and hiding your content from your family to becoming an 83-million follower comedy powerhouse? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with short-form sketch comedy legend and entrepreneur Anwar in his first podcast appearance ever! In this episode, Anwar reveals his journey from being the class clown to avoid getting bullied, to accidentally going viral by stopping freeway traffic with a fake magic trick involving a loose toilet. He opens up about dropping out of college, hiding his early success from his traditional Middle Eastern family, and eventually moving into 1600 Vine—the legendary Hollywood apartment building where he lived and collaborated with creators like King Bach, Lele Pons, and Logan Paul. Anwar breaks down his highly optimized downtown studio production process, his strategy of continuously repurposing 10-year-old videos, and his strict boundaries on turning down lucrative brand deals to protect his credibility. Finally, he discusses taking his comedic inspiration from legends like Jim Carrey and Edgar Wright to fuel his ambitious pivot from 6-second clips to writing and directing a feature film. #Anwar #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #ComedySketches 00:00 Anwar's First Podcast 01:37 The Origin Story: Using Comedy to Avoid Bullying 04:14 The First Viral Hit: A Magic Trick With a Loose Toilet 06:32 Dropping Out of College To Create 08:40 Inside Anwar's Production Studio and Creative Process 10:39 The Strategy Behind Repurposing 10 Year Old Videos 18:35 Moving to 1600 Vine: The Creator Incubator 24:24 Protecting Credibility 29:17 The Next Step: Directing Feature Films Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 14 · 45 min
From Living In A Car To 140M Subscribers: Inside The Stokes Twins' Success & New Netflix Deal
How did The Stokes Twins go from living out of their car and sneaking into Costco for free samples to running a 70-person production company with more than 30 billion views, and soon a new series on Netflix? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with the masterminds of YouTube retention, Alan and Alex, The Stokes Twins. In this episode, the brothers open up about dropping out of medical school and moving to LA with no plan, facing homelessness, and relying on a scuffed Costco card just to eat. They share how a single viral video ("What It's Like to Be a Twin") gained 10 million views in a week and changed their lives forever. The twins break down their obsessive, highly analytical approach to studying their audience, why they believe 90% of the work is in the core idea, and how they scaled from a two-man team editing on iMovie to a massive 70-person production operation. They also reveal exclusive details about their most expensive video to date (a $1 million Squid Game recreation featuring VFX artists from Endgame and Avatar), a surprise phone call from MrBeast, and a sneak peek into their massive new unscripted competition series coming soon to Netflix. #StokesTwins #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #YouTubeSuccess 00:00 Meet The Stokes Twins 01:58 The Origin Story: Making Videos Since Age 10 04:24 The First Viral Hit: "What It's Like to Be a Twin" 05:51 Living in a Car & Sneaking into Costco 12:36 Scaling the Business & Analyzing the Algorithm 22:01 Spending $1 Million on a Squid Game Video 27:05 YouTube Heroes & Getting a Call From MrBeast 31:43 Building a 70-Person Production Team 38:52 The Next Level: Creating a Netflix Original Series Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 9 · 43 min
How Katie Fang Turned Her Viral Tears Into A Social Media Empire
How do you turn a silent GRWM video of yourself crying before a dreaded restaurant shift into a full-time, highly lucrative career? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni records live from the Cannes Lions festival for a special two-for-one episode featuring Forbes Under 30 creator Katie Fang and Adobe’s Head of Social Media, Jared Carneson. (Produced in partnership with Adobe.) In this episode, Katie breaks down her explosive growth from 800 followers to 1 million in a single month and how she leveraged her relatable "get ready with me" content into massive, long-term brand deals. Together, Katie and Jared dissect the current state of the media landscape, diving into why Gen Z has ditched traditional news for 30-second TikTok clips and the rising necessity of "clip farming." Jared shares profound insights on why AI "generates a repository of the predictable," and explains Adobe's pivot from traditional ads to scripted workplace microdramas. Finally, Katie shares her strategy for maintaining long-term audience credibility, revealing exactly why she isn't afraid to say "no" and turn down massive brand paydays. #KatieFang #Adobe #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #SocialMediaMarketing Check out the Forbes Top Creator List: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/ 00:00 Live from Cannes Lions 01:13 Katie Fang’s Viral Origin Story: Crying on TikTok 02:45 Jared Carneson: From Mommy Bloggers to Head of Social Media 04:15 Heart Over Tools: What Actually Makes Content Successful? 05:26 Katie’s Breakthrough Kit with Glow Recipe 06:44 AI Hype & The Gossip Goblin 08:39 What are Microdramas? The New Face of Entertainment 11:30 Why Gen Z Ditched TV News for TikTok 14:21 The #1 Mistake Brands Make with Creators 17:26 Inside Katie's Long-Term Deal with Pink 20:34 Dealing with the Hamster Wheel of Content Pressure 23:30 Katie’s Ultimate Secret to Staying Relatable 29:22 Traditional Media vs "Clip Farming" 36:02 Turning Down Massive Brand Deals (Katie Spills the Tea!) 38:20 Future Outlook: What to Expect at Cannes 2027 41:20 How Gen Z Students Actually Use AI at NYU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 7 · 42 min
Brooke Monk’s Viral Strategy: Posting Every Day For 6 Years
How do you go from finishing high school early to amassing 50 million followers and self-funding your own beauty brand using just an iPhone stuck to a window? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni decodes the business of influence with master of short-form and long-form, Brooke Monk. In this episode, Brooke breaks down her explosive growth, revealing her obsessive consistency of posting nearly every single day by 1:00 PM for six years straight. She explains how she analyzes audience data down to the caption length, her DIY setup with zero production crew, and how she confidently cold-pitches massive brands on LinkedIn. Brooke also shares the story behind self-funding her new eyelash company, Doting Beauty, and why true authenticity will always beat a strict brand script. From moving out at 18 to running the London Marathon and speaking at Oxford, Brooke proves that treating content creation like a highly-optimized business pays massive dividends! #BrookeMonk #ForbesTopCreators #CreatorEconomy #ContentCreator 00:00 Meet Brooke Monk 01:35 The Homeschool Hustle 04:17 The Viral Spark: Super Long Lashes and TikTok Fame 07:18 Moving Out at 18: Turning a Hobby Into a Career 09:54 The Blueprint: Posting Every Day by 1:00 PM 14:05 Algorithm Secrets: TikTok vs. YouTube Strategy 16:47 The Art of Cold-Pitching Brands on LinkedIn 23:00 Self-Funding Doting Beauty 27:33 Brooke Monk's Advice for Aspiring Creators 31:37 The One-Woman Studio: Why Brooke Still Shoots on an iPhone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 23 · 54 min
1.8 Billion Views A Month: Inside Dhar Mann’s Massive Creator Studio
How do you go from facing eviction at 30 years old to running a massive digital production studio that pulls in more daily views than the Game of Thrones finale? Welcome back to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with the ultimate storytelling mogul, Dhar Mann, for an inside look at a modern creator-led studio. In this episode, Dhar opens up about his lowest point—completely starting over at age 30 after years of chasing paydays in industries he wasn't passionate about. He shares his early, agonizing struggles on social media where his videos couldn't even break 250 views, how he almost threw in the towel, and the exact moment where a last-minute napkin script unexpectedly unlocked 100 million views on Facebook. Dhar breaks down how a strict lack of budget forced him to build a cheap classroom set, accidentally tapping into a massive, highly engaged global YouTube audience that skyrocketed his monthly views to 500 million within two years. Today, his 250-person team operates out of a staggering 125,000-square-foot studio space, pumping out five hours of scripted content every single week. Discover the secrets behind their lightning-fast 21-day "script-to-screen" turnkey workflow and how they are currently bypassing traditional AdSense reliance. Dhar reveals how less than 20% of his studio's revenue now comes from YouTube, thanks to groundbreaking distribution deals like a dedicated streaming channel reaching 100 million global households on Samsung TV, and an explosive new partnership with Fox to produce 40 "vertical drama" films for the MyDrama app. Finally, Dhar pulls back the curtain on how major brands are moving past transactional ad reads to co-create massive cultural moments. He details serving as the NFL's "Chief Kindness Officer" during a Super Bowl activation that generated over 1 billion impressions, orchestrating the world's largest creator bootcamp with Adobe, and why he is actively breaking traditional Hollywood norms by offering 401(k) matching and corporate equity to his actors and employees. #DharMann #CreatorEconomy #Forbes #VerticalDramas #Hollywood #Entrepreneurs 00:00 Dhar Mann: Digital Storytelling Mogul 01:16 Billions of Views: The Shocking Scale of Dhar Mann Studios 03:18 Turning 30, Completely Broke, and Facing Eviction 07:55 The Napkin Script That Smashed 100 Million Views 12:19 Inside a 125,000-Square-Foot Content Factory 14:39 Scaling Beyond AdSense: Shifting Revenue Away From YouTube 16:43 Exploding the US Market: The $100B Phenomenon of Vertical Dramas 21:34 Partnering With Fox: 40 Films in 18 Months 25:02 Going From Script to Screen in 21 Days 31:48 How a Cheap Classroom Set Accidentally Unlocked YouTube 38:17 Becoming the NFL’s "Chief Kindness Officer" at the Super Bowl 42:06 Partnering with Adobe for the World's Largest Creator Bootcamp 44:45 Betting Big on the Creator Economy: Moving Into a Studio 3X the Size 46:00 Breaking the Hollywood Mold: Actor Equity & 401(k) Matching 47:33 The Ultimate Mindset Shift: Stop Worrying, What If It Works? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 12 · 43 min
Why A Former OnlyFans CEO Is Building The 'HBO Of Social Media'
From launching the first cannabis cafe in West Hollywood to running OnlyFans, Ami Gan is risking it all to build a brand-new 18+ social network! Welcome back to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with Ami Gan, the former CEO of OnlyFans and the visionary founder behind Vylit. Ami shares her jaw-dropping professional evolution, detailing what it was really like taking the helm at OnlyFans, scaling a borderless empire to 4 million creators with staggering 50% profit margins, and managing it all from home.Her next disruptive venture, Vylit, has been dubbed the "HBO of social media." Ami breaks down how Vylit fills the massive white space between traditional, heavily censored apps and adult platforms, their strict content boundaries ("freeing the nipple, but not the rest"), their creator-first 80/20 revenue split, and how she raised $2.7 million to get it off the ground with a lean team of her closest friends. Finally, Ami reveals how Vylit integrates human-trained generative AI tools to eliminate creator burnout without flooding the web with "artificial slop," tells the story behind their viral aerial banner stunt that caught the eye of Alix Earle during Miami's F1 weekend, and shares her ultimate advice for overcoming imposter syndrome by channeling "blind confidence." #AmiGan #Vylit #OnlyFansCEO #CreatorEconomy #TechStartups #Forbes 00:00 The Business of Influence 01:43 From West Hollywood Cannabis Cafes to OnlyFans HQ 04:13 Joining Tech’s Biggest Disrupter During the Pandemic Boom 07:10 Stepping Up as CEO: Heavy-Duty Lessons in Platform Safety 09:32 Athleisure & Zoom Disguises: The Un-Glamorous Reality of a Tech CEO 14:25 Launching Vylit: The "HBO of Social Media" Explained 18:57 Vylit's 80/20 Creator Split & Human-Trained AI Tools 22:03 Capitalizing on the "Messy Middle" of 18+ Social Media 24:53 The Playbook for Raising $2.7M & Starting a New Network 29:33 Going Viral: The "Free the Nipple" F1 Miami Marketing Stunt 32:39 The Future of AI & Why Humans Will Always Win 40:02 The Cure for Imposter Syndrome: Channeling "Blind Confidence" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 29 · 49 min
How PlaqueBoyMax Became The First Streamer Nominated For A Grammy
How did PlaqueBoyMax go from making a 30-slide PowerPoint presentation to convince his parents to let him pursue streaming, to entertaining 50,000 live viewers a day and producing Grammy-nominated music?Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with the multi-hyphenate creator, musician, and streamer, PlaqueBoyMax. Max breaks down his "disruptive" approach to content, blending IRL streaming, comedy, and live music production in ways that haven't been done before. He opens up about the intense reality of entertaining thousands of live viewers, why live streaming creates a community connection that traditional YouTube videos simply cannot replicate, and the mental toll of managing a high-speed live chat for hours on end. Max also discusses how he manages his expanding business team, why he turned down a multi-million dollar gambling sponsorship to protect his younger audience, and how he organically incorporates top brands like Nike and Bose into his streams. Finally, Max reveals the incredible story behind linking up with Fred again.. and Skepta to produce the track "Victory Lap"—a collaboration born on his stream that made history by earning a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Record. 0:00 Meet PlaqueBoyMax 1:30 "Disruption": Blending Streaming, Music, and IRL Content 5:18 Rage Bait, Smashed Tables, and Live Stream Chaos 7:56 The Mental Toll & Psychology of Streaming 11:07 Why Live Streaming Creates Deeper Connections Than YouTube 15:41 The 30-Slide Presentation to Skip College 20:33 Managing the Creator Economy 25:07 Making Music Live on Stream with Top Artists 33:13 Unpacking the $30,000 IRL Streaming Backpack 36:42 Authentic Brand Deals & Turning Down Millions 43:31 Making History: A Grammy Nomination for "Victory Lap" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 27 · 30 min
How The Dogist Built A 12+ Million Follower Brand With Squeaky Toys And Knee Pads
How do you go from getting laid off from a brand strategy job in New York City to photographing 50,000 dogs, hitting the New York Times bestseller list, and doing a "panthoot" with Jane Goodall in Central Park? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with Elias, the street photographer and creator better known as The Dogist. In this episode, Elias breaks down his 13-year journey of putting on knee pads, carrying squeaky toys, and capturing the joy of dogs in a way no one else had. He shares how his project evolved from a "Sartorialist for dogs" concept into a massive, 7-million-follower media brand that brings joy and profound connection to the internet. Beyond the photos, Elias talks about the power of writing his New York Times best-selling books, what it's like taking dogs into prisons with the Puppies Behind Bars program, and facilitating a heartwarming meeting between a terminally ill dog named Kygo and the actual DJ Kygo. Finally, Elias shares details on his new "Dogs on YouTube" show featuring celebrities like Bill Murray and Zooey Deschanel, and why fostering in-person community meetups is the future of his brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 15 · 44 min
The Satire Account Followed By Billionaires: How The Gstaad Guy Built a Luxury Empire
How does a digital creator transition from the Apple Pay growth team to designing a 25-unit, limited-edition Bentley SUV? This week on the Forbes Top Creator Show, host Steven Bertoni sits down with the ultimate lifestyle disruptor: The Gstaad Guy. After a 30-second parody video for a friend’s mother went viral on WhatsApp, the creator walked away from a dream role at Apple to build a multimillion-dollar business centered on the archetypes of the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individual. In this episode, we explore the "reverse intention" of satire. By poking fun at the absurdities of the global elite, Gstaad Guy successfully inverted the traditional marketing funnel, accidentally causing sales for brands like Loro Piana to skyrocket. He shares the disciplined business logic behind his 20-hour production workflow for a single minute of content and reveals why the industry's obsession with "authenticity" is a failing strategy compared to the cultivation of true credibility. The conversation dives deep into the shifting landscape of 2026 luxury consumption, contrasting the "snobbery" of old European wealth with the hype-driven spending of the American market. From the launch of his jewelry brand, Pubel, to the creation of the "Chalet on Wheels"—a Bentley Bentayga specced to mirror the elegance of a Swiss chalet, the Gstaad Guy explains how fiction and humor can be effective tools for capturing the attention of the world's most exclusive consumers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 28 · 33 min
How Woody & Kleiny Discovered The 'Formula' For Going Viral
How do you go from juggling soccer balls on Britain's Got Talent to generating 10 billion views a year as a comedy duo? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with Paul "Woody" Wood, one half of the legendary UK creator duo, Woody & Kleiny, recorded live from the World Government Summit in Dubai. In this episode, Woody breaks down their 13-year journey from the early days of Instagram to building an audience of 50 million followers. He shares the brutal reality of their come-up—working day jobs and filming until 1 AM for five years before making a single penny. He also reveals why they turned down their first lucrative brand deals to strategically pivot away from sports content and into mainstream comedy. Expect a masterclass in virality as Woody explains their "T.H.I.S. A.E." framework (Trends, Humor, Inspiration, Surprise, Adventure, Emotion) and how they use the "Disney Effect" to craft compelling narratives in short-form video. Finally, Woody gives a behind-the-scenes look at their content house, their high-volume production schedule, and their upcoming 140-lesson social media course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 22 · 35 min
How A Stand-Up Comedian Became The Millennial Finance Expert | Mrs. Dow Jones
How do you go from stand-up comedy and nannying on the Upper East Side to becoming a millionaire "finfluencer" and author? Welcome to the Forbes Top Creator Show! This week, host Steven Bertoni sits down with Haley Sacks, the financial expert and media mogul better known as Mrs. Dow Jones. In this episode, Haley shares her hilarious origin story, including her pivot from a film and comedy background to pitching a "Finance is Cool" segment to CNBC. She opens up about the wakeup call she had while working for SNL creator Lorne Michaels, realizing she knew nothing about 401(k)s or health insurance, and how getting laid off pushed her to build her own brand. Haley breaks down how she makes investing aspirational—turning a Roth IRA into the ultimate "flex" instead of a Birkin bag. She also dives into the business of being a "finfluencer," her strategy behind using a viral Blue Ivy moment to teach custodial IRAs, and the real reason her generation is facing "financial nihilism." Finally, Haley shares the inspiration behind her new book, Future Rich Person, her top three finance book recommendations, and the biggest financial mistake of her life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
April 20 · 44 min
Why Claire Holt Left Hollywood For A Community Of 13 Million
How does a star of global hits like The Vampire Diaries and H2O: Just Add Water transition from playing iconic supernatural characters to becoming a full-time creator with a social media following built on vulnerability and authenticity? On this episode of the Forbes Top Creator Show, host Steven Bertoni sits down with actress turned entrepreneur Claire Holt to deconstruct her "reverse trajectory": moving from the rigid schedules of traditional Hollywood to reclaiming autonomy as a powerhouse digital creator. Claire opens up about the terrifying but life-changing decision to stop hiding behind the characters she played and share her personal experiences online, and how a post with 40,000+ comments fundamentally shifted her relationship with her audience, transforming 13 million casual fans into a deeply connected community that acts as the primary engine for her business. Beyond content creation, Claire reveals the mechanics behind her new fashion brand, Saint Sirène, co-founded with Madeline Simmer. She explains why she refused outside capital to solve the elusive "perfect white tee" problem, and how she manages a high-velocity schedule that often starts with a 3:30 AM run. Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1 0:19 From Australian Mermaid to Hollywood 3:19 The Power of Supernatural Fandoms 6:19 Using Twitter to Book Acting Gigs 11:43 Quitting Hollywood for Motherhood & Freedom 13:28 The Reality of Being Completely Exposed Online 22:49 The Post That Changed Everything 25:19 The 3:30 AM Routine & AI Scheduling 31:47 Crowdsourcing the Perfect White T-Shirt 38:38 Bootstrapping Saint Sirène 40:47 Why Creators Are the New Hollywood Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more: https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes: http://forbes.com Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 1–20 of 23 episodes