Hi,

I’d like to start off by welcoming the new readers. This newsletter is 100% free thanks to contributions from partners and I wouldn’t be able to work with those partners without you tuning in each week - so thank you! You joined in the middle of the series on Creator Market Fit, also known as CMF.

Each week, I break down the elements creators need to find their fit within the market and profile a creator or two nailing it in real-time. Last week, I covered Janelle Monae & their album release blueprint. Click here to view earlier breakdowns on Russ and an overview of the entire series.

Now, let’s talk about:

-LaTecia Johnson

The $100 Billion dollar creator economy is growing.

New predictions show it’s on pace to hit $450 Billion dollars by 2027 with steady expansion in the coming years. In the future, everyone will be a creator in some form or another.

This means that the 50 Million people currently making a go at creating content will triple. If you think it’s hard to stand out now, just imagine when there are 15 creators for every 1 of you.

That’s scary. But it doesn’t have to be.

I’m a firm believer that each creator possesses a unique ability to unlock success for themselves on their own terms, but understanding the keys to what it means for you means venturing into a part of the process that you’re probably not familiar with: the business of being a creator.

Most of us who are born creators spend our youth exploring the elements of our chosen craft. We dedicate ourselves to learning every aspect of our discipline in order to get better at it, setting aside hours on end simply getting lost in the art of creating.

It’s what makes creators stellar at our craft. This ability to lock in is what sets us apart from others in the craft, but it’s also what will unlock the keys to success on the other side.

Business is boring.

I used to think this, too. Then, I launched a solo creative studio in 2016 and learned quickly that I would fail if I didn’t at least make an effort to learn the business side of it. I took that same level of dedication and discipline that I’d devoted to years of learning all of the elements of music from songwriting to reading sheet music to learning my way around a recording studio, and applied it to learning everything I could about running a business.

I figured that the process that enabled me to become a stellar songwriter would also help me to become a stellar business owner; so, I broke my efforts down into 3 key areas:

#1 Practice

As a creator, you have a lot of things that you naturally do well, but at some point, there were one or two areas that you decided to go all in on.
It wasn’t easy at first, but through time spent in practice, you started to improve.

Learning the creator business is a lot like that - there are things that, as a creator, you probably won’t be very good at, but it’s important for you to understand so that when you start to build a team, you know exactly what you need to have taken off of your plate.

Whether that’s sending invoices and setting time aside to follow up or creating a plan, sticking to it, and seeing improvement over time. The creators who are able to nail the art of experience in business are usually the ones who set themselves up for success.

Set aside 1 to 2 hours per week to tackle the aspects of the work that you don’t like to do - this time is what the building blocks of your business rely on.

#2 Performance

The second step is to start implementing what you've learned from practicing. Execute your plans, knowing that the initial steps might be challenging, and that's okay. Just as you once had your first performance or published your first piece, these first steps in your business performance may feel unpolished, or even scary.

Take note of what works and what doesn't.

Learn from every interaction, every failure, and every win. The performance isn't about being perfect from the get-go; it's about constant improvement, refinement, and building resilience.

#3 Measure of Success

Finally, it's crucial to define your measure of success. In the creative world, success can be applause, a dope review, or the satisfaction you feel when you've created something truly unique. In the business world, success often looks more tangible – it's revenues (the money you make), customer satisfaction (how people connect to your product), and growth metrics (if people are sharing it with their friends).

As you venture into the business side, decide what success looks like for you. Is it financial stability? The ability to scale your operations? Perhaps, it's the freedom to spend more time on your craft while your business runs smoothly. Defining this will give you a clear goal to work towards, a light at the end of the 'boring tasks' tunnel.

To stand out in the creator economy, you need more than just creative skills. You need to venture into the 'boring' and non-scalable aspects of the business. By applying the discipline and dedication you've honed in your craft, you can unlock unparalleled success.

Remember, as a creator, you have already mastered the art of dedication, practice, performance, and measuring success in your craft. You can use the same formula for your business.

There are so many moving pieces to the creator economy with more and more things shifting every day. Here’s a list of things that crossed my desk this week that made me stop and think or get inspired and dream.

Formless is reshaping the internet with WEB3 → The FORMLESS team recently graduated from a16z’s Crypto Startup School and shared the pitch video + insights on what was learned through the process.

Ambré releases Muse - Freestyle → the perfect blend of chill vibes and sultry r&b to kick off summer.

Spill releases iOS app → The Twitter competitor started by former employees promises all the things we loved about the other platform with none of the issues. But it’s still in private beta nS the only way to access is through an invite code. May the odds be ever in your favor.

Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

​​​1. Book a call to work with me directly to scale your creator-led business or high-growth startup to $150K and beyond.
2. Subscribe to my podcast to Grow + Expand Your Mindset alongside 10,000 other creators
3. Promote yourself to 15k+ subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter and podcast (Booking into October 2023)

​​​Love + Light,

​​​LaTecia

​​​Want more? Follow @lateciarising and let me know how I can help you scale as a creator. Want to support this newsletter and get featured? Drop me a line & I’ll be happy to collaborate.