Influencer Business: A podcast by Trove

In our very last episode of Season 5, we sit down with Lindsay Alesso to discuss the intricacies and tactics of affiliate marketing. Lindsay is a Senior Client Development Manager at CJ Affiliate who has worked with global brands in the travel, retail, fashion, and sportswear space on their marketing objectives to create and execute short and long-term affiliate strategies. She's been a panelist for many affiliate events that are focused on the value of content, and has received recognition and accolades for her own work in content strategy.Some Takeaways from our time together: Platforms change and that changes the way creators interact with their followers (which is important for the brand to know)To understand how strong your commission structure is, ask content creators!Before starting any campaign, before deciding any platforms you want to activate on, Define your goals and what your KPIs are for your efforts. For more on Lindsay:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayalesso/ For more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Amy Romfo (of @thecoastal oak) is a DIY blogger and content creator based in Charleston, SC. She talks candidly about pursuing content creation full-time with three young kiddos underfoot, flipping furniture, and pursuing home construction projects, all while taking her audience along for the ride (including the flops!). In this episode, Amy and I talk through: The makeup of a compelling reelHer reel that went viralThe downsides of viral contentThe value of being able to reach your audience outside of social and direct them to a platform that you ownWhy you have to be prepared to change your content strategy And moreFor more on Amy:@thecoastaloakthecoastaloak.com.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Molly Fienning is the co-founder and CEO of Red Clay, a fast-growing, Southern food business, crafting delicious hot sauces, hot honeys and specialty salts. And when I say fast-growing, they have grown 3-4X year over year in gross revenue these past three years and have rolled Red Clay out to The Fresh Market, Whole Foods Market, Publix, Food 52 and more. Incredibly impressive! Prior to Red Clay, Molly was Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Babiators, one of Forbes' 100 Most Promising Companies and the leading sunglasses brand for babies & kids (with 4+ million pairs sold). In this episode, Molly shares her experience and advice for the marathon that is starting and successfully growing a product-based business. We cover: The different avenues for starting a business and the one thing they all have in commonWhy the “Irrational Offer” worksRaising capital and the different ways to view itWays Red Clay pivoted quickly to reach their revenue goals during the pandemic and how they ended up surpassing themHer most valuable advice to early stage entrepreneurs...And so much more (as always)!For more about Molly:@mollyfienning @redclayhotsauce redclayhotsauce.com @babiators  babiators.com For more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Austin (Host) and Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.com

Equilibria is the premium CBD brand that you've likely seen scrolling through your Instagram. While still a young company (not even 3 y/o yet!), they have seen incredible growth during their lifespan, in large part due to their partnerships with content creators. Bonnie Knobloch, the Head of Business Development at Equilibria, joins us for a transparent conversation about their highly relational approach to influencer marketing. We talk about: Their generous commission structureWhy she would rather invest in influencer marketing than Facebook ads  Their recent advisory board and how they lean on influencers to help with efforts from product development to marketing Why content creator account size isn't everythingAdvice for brands who are just beginning to work with content creators...and so much more (as always)!Before joining Equilibria as one of their first employees, Bonnie was the Senior Director at Beauty Counter. She has 15 years in the beauty industry and is passionate about mission driven brands and products that create a cleaner, safer, and healthier society.For more about Bonnie:@bonnieknoblochFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

We continue our streak of a dynamite Season 5 guest line-up with Emily Chan, Director of Affiliate Marketing at Our Place (@ourplace). Before heading up affiliate at Our Place, Emily traveled the country—and the world—working in PR in the music, hospitality, food and fashion verticals. She's worked with content creators at Sole Society and has led affiliate marketing at Everlane. In this episode, we discuss how Our Place approaches influencer marketing and what content creators can do to create a successful brand pitch. Emily shares: What she looks for in a content creator The common mistake influencers make when pitching to work with Our PlaceWhy Our Place employs a multi-month campaign approachAdvice for brands who are just beginning to work with content creatorsKPIs for a successful influencer partnership...and so much more!For more on Emily:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilydchan/For more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Trove Partner Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

We're already nearly halfway through Season 5! Up until now, we've talked with content creators, product-based businesses, a social media strategy expert, and a director of influencer and brand partnerships at a major affiliate company. All amazing guests! And we're continuing that trend with today's guest. In this episode, we're sitting down with Jackie Thomson, a partner at Leapfrog PR to talk about what, exactly, a PR agency can do for brands and the value they bring to that partnership. We talk about:•  The multi-faceted, personalized PR approach Leapfrog implements•  The simple but very important questions to ask brands at the beginning of a partnership•  How long it takes to see the success of working with a PR firm and what that investment looks like•  How brands know they're ready to hire a PR firm like Leapfrog•  ..And so much more!Jackie has extensive experience and wide-ranging interest in fashion and lifestyle brands that drives Leapfrog's expertise in the fields of fashion, interiors, retail and wellness. She promotes both established brands and new talent, and through her wide network, adeptly organizes events that connect entrepreneurs, influencers and designers around the US. Beyond traditional PR, Jackie enjoys honing brand strategy, creating content for owned media and directing market positioning with long-term clients. For more on Jackie:@jtthomsonwww.leapfrogpr.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork)! CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Corinne Travis, the Director of Influencer & Brand Partnerships at CJ Affiliate joins us on the podcast to dive into affiliate marketing...its value, what it looks like at CJ, and how to approach it successfully (as an influencer and brand). We talk about what brands look for in sponsored influencer campaigns, the power of using data to pitch to brands, and so much more!As the Director of Influencer & Brand Partnerships at CJ Affiliate, Corinne helps influencers maximize monetization through affiliate and demystifies influencer marketing for top tier brands. She created, and now leads, the successful VIP Campaign solution at CJ after noticing brands and influencers were consistently looking for ways to create meaningful long-term partnerships. Corinne brings incredible experience and valuable insight into the content creation and affiliate landscape.For more on Corinne:@corinne.travishttps://www.linkedin.com/in/corinne-travis-57197b3/For more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Long-time content creator Ashley Brooke (of Ashley Brooke Designs) talks candidly about her path to reinvention and what it means to run a small business as a content creator. For anyone curious about what it looks like to treat a blog as a business and what it means to be a good influencer partner for brands, this is for you! AshleyBrooke.com is a creative brand and lifestyle blog dedicated to celebrating life's big moments and every day adventures. For more than 10 years, Ashley has worked to create a space on the internet that provides a breath of fresh air, beauty, and inspiration with content that is equal parts aspirational and accessible. For more on Ashley:@ashleybrookeashleybrookedesigns.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Sisters Neely and Chloe Burch of the accessories line Neely and Chloe join us to talk about the early days of building a product-based business, their very successful first ever special collaboration launch with a well-known influencer, and how they've found success in partnering with influencers to bring their brand to life in a different and unique way. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Neely and Chloe designs are understated and timeless, meant to be worn season after season. The silhouettes and craftsmanship of their pieces are simply stunning and everything is created with the consumer in mind. For more on Neely and Chloe:@neelyandchloeneelyandchloe.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Kelly Stumpe of The Car Mom (@the_car_mom) talks about all the things in this episode!...Her vision and mission for The Car Mom, her accidental influencer status, and her explosive growth. She grew from zero to 140k+ on Instagram in just one year and over 1M YouTube views in less than 6 months! Through honest car tours from a mom's perspective and car-related content, Kelly empowers people to make more informed car purchasing decisions. Kelly is sharp, authentic, hilarious, and totally relatable. She's also part of Gush & Grow's talent roster. But becoming The Car Mom hasn't come without challenges. Kelly talks openly about the wins and surprises that have come with having influence. For more on Kelly:@the_car_momthecarmomofficial.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Kar Brulhart (kb_brandmarketing) helps overwhelmed entrepreneurs grow on Instagram. In this episode, she shares how she grew on Instagram by 15k followers in just 31 days—all organically. Kar has years of experience working at innovative startups and has created marketing campaigns for well established brands like Michael Kors, Google, and the UN. She left corporate life at the beginning of the pandemic when she was 9 months pregnant to pursue her dream of supporting small business owners. She is well-researched and her strategies are informed by Instagram's ever-evolving features and content prioritization fluctuations. Kar has won many international awards for her work, and she joins this episode to share how small business owners can grow strategically on Instagram. This episode is for you if you want to learn how to create content that engages your ideal audience! For more on Kar:@kb_brandmarketingkbbrandmarketing.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Food blogger and third-time author Jessica Merchant of @howsweeteats joins this episode to talk about how she's nailed her voice and shares unpopular opinions on what it takes to get better at writing. Jessica openly talks about her weaknesses, her favorite parts of the job (and least favorites!), and how staying true to her brand has helped her make better decisions.She's as relatable as she is fun and we were so thrilled to have her join us for a very lively conversation.For more on Jessica:@howsweeteatswww.howsweeteats.comFor more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.comA big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Austin Munhofen is the founder of Gush and Grow, a talent management and brand education company, Trove partner, *and* the new host of the Influencer Business podcast! She shares her non-linear path to influencer management and her take on the most exciting industry developments that are still to come. We cover a lot in this episode, including when you might be ready for talent management, her number one advice to content creators, and, finally, we introduce her as the new host of the podcast! As someone who sits at the nexus of brands and influencers and works with both of them on a day-to-day basis, Austin will take the podcast to new heights and we’re excited you’re here for it!For more on Austin:Website: gushandgrow.comInstagram: @gushandgrow

Daniel Labelle started using TikTok to help his photography business, but 12 months later he has morphed into a full-time content creator thanks to his nearly 15 million fans. His comedic takes on everyday life have catapulted him into a new career and he shares what that ride has been like. The highs, the lows and nearly wanting to quit. Daniel shares how he has maintained perspective on the crazy ride and how he is thinking about the future. In addition, he dispenses some invaluable advice to other creators on how they should approach social media and creating content. For more on Daniel Labelle:TikTokInstagram

Kathleen Barnes (@kathleen_barnes) joins this episode of Influencer Business to talk about how to handle the holidays (and avoid burnout), building her business while moving all over the country and dealing with tough times while you have a public profile. Kathleen doesn't pull any punches and is very transparent about what really goes on behind the scenes of an influencer business.Kathleen started her blog after her dreams of being a journalist were put into question by a difficult economic point in history. Even as she moved around the country she continued to grow her audience and build her business. Her content and style evolved, but she has always made sure that her connection to her followers remained her primary focus.For more on Kathleen:@Kathleen_Barnes (IG)CarrieBradshawLied.com (Web)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Katie Rodgers (@katierodgers) is an artist who left New York in early 2020 (before COVID) after over a decade in the Big Apple. She had found incredible success in Manhattan and had built a great business and massive following, but something was missing. Katie had hit a point where she was not feeling inspired, so she went looking for inspiration.She found it in New Mexico where she has lived a very different life, still creating, but also working on a farm and getting involved in the local community. In this episode of influencer business, Katie shares her journey to rekindling the magic of creating art and how it took an unconventional approach to get there.For more on Katie:@KatieRodgers (IG)KatieRodgers.co (Web)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Li Jin is an investor who focuses on the Passion Economy, a term that she coined herself that means this new economy where individuals monetize their skills. Li has been interested in and an active participant in the Passion Economy for years now. She embraced early blogging platforms and has recently launched a podcast of her own.With a degree in statistics from Harvard and work experience in strategy at Capital One and product management at Shopkick, Li had a well-rounded background that took her to Andreessen Horowitz where she invested in early stage consumer tech companies and developed her thesis around the Passion Economy. She recently left to start her own firm (Atelier Ventures) where she could focus exclusively on early stage founders in the Passion Economy.Li has an incredible perspective on the industry and a very different vantage point than most of the people we have on this podcast. She is able to look at the industry from a ten thousand foot view and share learnings that she has gleaned from her work with entrepreneurs across all verticals. Bottom line, Li dispenses incredible advice and this is a must-listen episode for anyone in or interested in the Passion Economy. (That means you creators).For more on Li:Subscriber to her newsletter (https://li.substack.com/)Learn more about about Atelier VenturesFollow her on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ljin18)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Makeda Saggau-Sackey is an OG influencer. She started her blog Glamazon Diaries back in 2007 when she was working on Capitol Hill and wanted to flex her creativity. Her blog grew rapidly and has taken her from wanting to work at Vogue to actually appearing in the magazine! In this episode, Makeda shares her journey as an influencer (that has taken her from DC to NYC to TX) and why you need to focus on the followers you have, not on likes, comments or growth. We also get into planning a wedding ... in Europe ... during COVID and a whole host of other things (including a fan account that she runs, can you guess who it is?!?!).It's a great conversation from an influencer who has been around and has seen it all!For more on Makeda:@GlamazonDiaries (IG)GlamazonDiaries.com (Web)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

We look back at the first sixty episodes of Influencer Business and highlight some of the top episodes via superlatives. You remember superlatives from high school right? "Most likely too...." Well we had our audience send in which superlatives they would like us to share from the show and this is the result. We will be sharing which interview was the funniest, which had the best story, which provided the most insight and much much more. It is a great way to look back at some of the amazing guests we've had on the show and share some things you might not have known.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Elizabeth Holmes (@eholmes) is a journalist who has created an incredible instagram stories series called So Many Thoughts (SMT), focused on British Royal Style. In a few short years, Elizabeth went from writing features for the Wall Street Journal to putting her thoughts on IG story slides. And what started as an instagram phenomenon has led to in-real-life events and, finally, a book that is shipping in November (but you can buy it now).In this episode, Elizabeth shares her journey as a journalist, how she came to land her book deal and what the process has been like. She did not go looking to become an influencer, but she has created an incredible franchise that lovers of the royals cannot live without. She shares the ups and downs of the process and how she has dealt with all twists and turns.Elizabeth gives a masterclass in how to do "it" the right way, so if you ever want to offer a product to your followers, this is a must-listen.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more on Elizabeth:@EHolmes (IG)Her New Book! (Web)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Julie Nolke (@JulieNolke) is a Canadian actor, comedian and YouTuber who went viral at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, growing her subscriber base from 50K to over 500K in a few short months. We cover a range of topics including: why going viral isn’t about one video, how she transitioned her YouTube channel and her career aspirations as an actor, writer and creator. Julie went to school to become an actor and when she didn’t have success right out of college, she turned to blogging as her creative outlet. Soon she started a food YouTuber channel to hone her craft in front of the camera. But when she was only receiving calls for food hosting gigs and was losing the excitement around creating food content, she pivoted her channel toward her true calling: comedic sketches. She lost 25% of her subs initially, but over a year later she had built her content library up and went viral with a video during her pandemic. Julie shares her path as a creator and her trials and tribulations along the way. She has seen a lot and has a great perspective for content creators both young and old.

Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) is a two-time Olympian in the 800 meters and now runs Run Gum as the CEO, while also building a big YouTube following. As someone who has always connected with a broad audience, when Nick was retiring from running professionally, he did not want that connection to end. So he turned to YouTube with the same focus and commitment with which he approached his running career. Though he did not see immediate success, he kept at it and is now closing in on 250K subscribers. Not only that, but his success as a YouTuber has had a massive impact on Run Gum's success as well.In this episode of Influencer Business we cover a lot of ground with Nick. From his start as a professional runner, to his founding of Run Gum, to building his YouTube channel and everything in between, Nick shares his mindset, insights and reflections. It is a great conversation with a consummate competitor that you don't want to miss.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more on Nick:@NickSymmonds (IG)Nick Symmonds (YT)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Joy Navon (@joynavon) a natural hair, beauty and lifestyle influencer joins us on this episode of Influencer Business to tackle some important topics. We discuss how she got her start, why representation matters, how influencers can help themselves get paid on time and what it was like to postpone her wedding due to the COVID pandemic.Joy got her start because there were no influencers who could help her make the transition to natural hair. Despite being an introvert, she just started documenting her hair journey and created a wonderful community in the process. As she grew her platform she started to notice that she would often be the only person at conferences that looked like her, either because of the color of her hair or the color of her skin. We dive into this topic of representation, why it matters, how the landscape has changed and what she is looking to see going forward.Joy also shares the story behind her postponed wedding, the significance of the date they chose and advice on how to handle moving the biggest day of your life.A great conversation with a thoughtful business woman!A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more on Joy:@joynavon (IG)JoyNavon (YT)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Courtney Quinn (@colormecourtney), the queen of color, joins this episode of influencer business to chat about her (colorful, duh) new collection with Rent The Runway, using her platform to highlight underrepresented creators, the most common questions she gets and a whole lot more.Courtney is the ultimate content creator. She has TWO accounts on Instagram, not to mention her blog, TikTok and many more. She is always testing out new types of content, new series, and collaborations with other influencers. Not only that, she is always looking to highlight other creators, especially those who are underrepresented in the industry. We dive into how she does this both via exposure, but also through paid work.Courtney is very thoughtful and intentional about how she approaches her platform and her partnerships. She brings years of hard work and incredible insights to this episode, giving our listeners a ton of can't-miss advice.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more on Courtney:@colormecourtney (IG)@colormemagic (IG)ColorMeCourtney.Com (Blog)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Rachel Zoe (@rachelzoe) and Rodger Berman (@rbermanus) join the podcast to share their story and secrets from three decades of building businesses and brands.Rachel Zoe is a designer, stylist, entrepreneur and style icon whose career has spanned nearly thirty years. Her husband, Rodger Berman, is an entrepreneur, businessman and investor who has been innovating since the internet first entered the public domain. Together they share their career paths, from their early days where Rachel worked for pennies as a stylist and journalist and Rodger put in eighty hour weeks at an investment bank, to their work together on a innumerable projects that make up the Rachel Zoe brand in fashion and media.On this episode, this power couple shares the tips and secrets that helped them maintain an incredible level of success over decades, the differences between building a brand and a following, balancing work and family and so much more. It is jam packed with incredible advice from a couple who has done it all.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more on Rachel & Rodger:@rachelzoe (IG)@rbermanus (IG)Shop Rachel Zoe (Brand)Box of Style (Subscription Service)For more about Mary:@maryorton (IG)Memorandum (Website)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Christine "Snaps" woke up one morning to her phone blowing up. She had just gone viral on TikTok and had 250K new followers. In less than seven days, she had 1 million followers. She now has more than 3 million!Christine joins us today on this episode of influencer business to share the story behind the video that sent her viral and how she has approached content since (spoiler alert: her approach has not changed). We also dig into her background, why she has always been interested in comedy, weird messages she has received, her inspiration and tips for the people looking to build an audience.It is a a fun and funny conversation with an emerging comedian.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more about Christine:christines_snaps (TikTok)@christines_snapss (IG)Christines Snaps (YouTube)For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

In this episode we share what Trove is doing to help the Black community and why we believe that every influencer and content creator with a platform should be contributing to this movement. We also include a few shoutouts to some content creators who have touched us personally with their content in recent weeks.

Cynthia Andrew wears many hats: Attorney, Writer, Compliance Professional, Digital Content Creator, Brand Ambassador, Traveler, Home Renovator and (soon-to-be) Mother! In short, she is many things and has been keen on challenging the norms of what it means to be a litigator, a Black woman in travel, a digital content creator and what it means to balance them all.On this episode of Influencer Business, we cover a lot of these different aspects to Cynthia’s life. She shares what it was like traveling when COVID hit, a few crazy stories from her pregnancy journey, renovating her home during COVID and how she balances her legal career with being an influencer. It is an awesome episode full of great stories from an amazing woman.A big thank you to our sponsor Shopstyle Collective, if you are in influencer marketing check them out at www.shopstylecollective.com.For more about Cynthia:@simplycynhttp://www.simplycyn.com/For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Tezza (@tezza) and Cole (@cole_herrm) join us on this episode of Influencer Business to share how they built the wildly popular Tezza App, what it takes to be successful and how to work together as a married couple. They also share exciting new updates just released in the app, so if you don't have it already make sure you check it out on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.The Tezza photo and video editing app has generated over 5M downloads and has been shooting up the the Apple app store charts. Though it is now incredibly successful, Tezza and Cole share the app's humble beginnings and all the hard work that went into just getting the first version live. It is a rare look into the world of technology and product development from the perspective of a creative photographer (Tezza) and a developer (Cole), who are both creative but have very different skill sets. Tezza and Cole also share details around how they work together as a married couple and how they extend the learnings from their own endeavors with the Tezza brand to the way in which they collaborate with brand partners. It's a great conversation where we get both of their perspectives and dig deep on what it takes to be successful. For more about Tezza, Cole and the Tezza Brand: Tezza: @tezzaCole: @cole_herrmTezza App: @tezzaapp Tezza Brand: @bytezzahttps://www.shoptezza.com/For more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

In the final episode of this three part mini-series, Keiko Lynn (@keikolynn) and Bobby Hicks (@thisfellow) join us on the podcast to share what it's like to live and work together during the Covid crisis. Keiko and Bobby were actually roommates before they started dating, so they have lived together for a long time and know each other pretty well. Even still, being cooped up in their apartment full-time is a new challenge for them. This is a fun conversation where we dive into quirks and pet peeves, while also digging into how to maintain a strong relationship with this degree of separation (or lack thereof). It's a lot of fun with many laughs and more than a few great insights.For more about Keiko: @keikolynnwww.keikolynn.comFor more about Bobby: @thisfellowwww.thisfellow.com@fellowfilmproductionswww.fellowfilmproductions.comFor more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Bobby Hicks (@thisfellow) joins us on the podcast to chat about why you have to hustle, how investing in people is the best thing you can do and how you can get better at video. He also dives into what quarantine has been like for him as a competitive athlete and how he is getting his training in. Bobby actually moved from Florida to NYC, as he describes it, "without any real skills." He found a job at the Soho Grand Hotel and after years of working 2-3 jobs, put himself in a position where he could pursue life exclusively as a content creator. Since then he has continued to teach himself the finer points of photography and video production and been able to work on projects with companies like Bose, Audi, Speedo and more. He recently launched his own production company, @fellowfilmproductions and shares with us what it is like to manage that during the crisis. A great conversation with a self-made creator who is always looking to get better and bring a smile to the faces of his audience.For more about Bobby: @thisfellowwww.thisfellow.com@fellowfilmproductionswww.fellowfilmproductions.comFor more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Keiko Lynn (@keikolynn) joins us on the podcast to discuss creativity during the pandemic, what it's like in NYC, sewing facemasks for healthcare workers and dealing with negative comments. Keiko is an OG influencer who has been blogging in some capacity for the past 20 years, so she has seen the industry evolve dramatically, especially in the past few years. Her platform has evolved into a mix of style, beauty and very personal, intimate aspects of her life. Through this evolution she has developed very unique perspective on the connection with your following and the responsibility that influencers / content creators have to their followers and the community at large. Both of these are particularly poignant given the time that we are in right now.For more about Keiko: @keikolynnwww.keikolynn.comFor more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.podcast.trovebusiness.com

Katie Sturino (@katiesturino) an influencer, activist and entrepreneur joins us on this episode of influencer business to share what her life has been like during the crisis. Katie runs four different businesses, including the innovative beauty brand Megababe that sells hand sanitizer, one of the most sought after products during the pandemic. Katie gives us an inside look at what it is like dealing with the demand and why she decided to give a lot of hand sanitizer away instead of maximizing profits. She also dives into what it was like to see 2/3 of her projected income evaporate in a matter of days and how she is dealing with that. And finally, we talk TikTok and why it is giving her so much anxiety. It is a wide-ranging conversation covering a lot of topics with a woman who is really doing it all.For more about Katie & Megababe: MEGABABE is an innovative beauty brand offering non-toxic, solution-oriented products that allow people to feel more comfortable and confident in their own skin.Find Katie on Instagram: @katiesturinoFind MEGABABE on Instagram: @megababeFor more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Lindsay Jerutis, the GM of Shopstyle Collective (@shopstylecollective), joins us to talk about the current state of the influencer marketing industry right now. We discuss what consumers are purchasing right now, how Shopstyle Collective helps influencers build their businesses, how influencers should be approaching their community and why brands should be investing in influencer marketing right now. In addition to leading Shopstyle Collective, Lindsay has two decades of media and publishing experience having served as an executive at top tier publications like Time, People, InStyle and many more. She brings her wealth of experience to this episode and provides some interesting insights into why she is so excited about the future of influencers.For more about Shopstyle Collective: The premiere influencer monetization platform. Shopstyle Collective powers over 20,000 influencers as they monetize their content across blogs and social channels.Sign up as an influencer: www.shopstylecollective.comSign up as a brand: www.shopstylecollective.com/brandsFind them on Instagram: @shopstylecollectiveFor more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Kate Bryan (@k8_smallthings) joins Influencer Business to discuss how the pandemic has affected her personal life and her business as an influencer. As someone who has been blogging for nearly ten years, Kate has some exceptional insights and tips on how to manage this unique moment in history. Though she has the same anxieties and concerns as everyone, she has set up a framework and boundaries that allow her to navigate those more effectively. This is especially important because not only does she have a family to take care of, but also a large following to think about as well. Kate also shares a number of tips on how to use this time to clarify your work as an influencer and connect with your audience. She is a wealth of knowledge and her practical, thoughtful approach to this pandemic will provide a steady guiding hand to any influencer looking for help during this crisis.For more about our guest Kate:@k8_smallthingswww.thesmallthingsblog.comFor more about Trove:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Jamie Beck (@jamiebeck.co), a photographer and visual artist, joins us to talk about her #IsolationCreation movement and what she has learned about herself as an artist during this crisis. When the world went into lockdown, Jamie had to cancel an exhibition that she had been working on for a year and lost a year’s worth of commercial projects. Instead of falling into despair, Jamie committed to taking back the power from the virus and decided she would create one piece of art every day while she was in quarantine. She named this movement #IsolationCreation and since she posted her first piece, the movement has generated over 165K posts from artists around the world and brought inspiration and hope to millions. In the process Jamie has learned an immense amount about herself, both as a person and as an artist, which she shares with us on this episode.Find her work at:@jamiebeck.cowww.jamiebeck.cowww.annstreetstudio.comFor more:@trovebusinesswww.trovebusiness.com

Reesa Lake a partner at dba, a leading influencer talent agency, joins the podcast to give us an update on what is going on in the industry and to dispense invaluable advice. We cover a range of topics including:What Reesa is seeing in the marketplaceThe advice dba is giving it's influencersHow dba is approaching ratesWhat dba is telling their brand partnersThe launch of @smallbusinessbiginfluenceThis episode covers a tremendous amount of ground and gives answers to a lot of the questions that you are asking yourself as an influencer and small business owner.Big thank you to Reesa for joining us and please make sure to check out @smallbusinessbiginfluence, a great initiative that they are leading.For more, find us on instagram at @trovebusiness or head to our website www.trovebusiness.com.

Money is on everyone's mind right now. With the markets dropping and unemployment rising rapidly, everyone is thinking about about their personal finances. Cameron Rogers, CFA, a Private Wealth Manager at Ellevest joins us to talk about how to manage your personal finances during a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. Cameron shares what she is seeing in the market right now and how she approaches it with her clients. She gives practical tips for how you should think about your personal finances both now and when things improve. An industry veteran, Cameron provides listeners with a strong framework and pragmatic approach that is easy for anyone to follow.If you have questions or want more information:Cameron Rogers: crogers@ellevest.comEllevest: https://www.ellevest.com/If you have questions or topics you want us to cover send us an email:team@trovebusiness.com

In this episode, Trove CEO Rich Scudellari talks about how influencers should approach the current state of affairs given the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic. Included in the discussion are the responsibilities influencers have to their audience and partners, information on what is happening in the industry and tactical steps you can take to prepare your business.Trove is also launching a texting service to help influencers and content creators during this tough time. If you need advice, have a question or just want to chat, text (917) 540-6046 and Trove will be there to help you.FOR HELP WITH YOUR BUSINESS TEXT (917) 540-6046

The fifth (and final) installment of our second influencer masterclass: Working with Brands.We sat down with five influencer marketing experts to learn what agencies, consultants and brands care about when running influencer marketing campaigns. Our experts spend their working lives developing successful relationships between brands and influencers and running campaigns. So they have seen it all and they shared it with us. What originally was going to be a single episode, turned into a five installment mini-series that contains the greatest collection of advice and insights for anyone looking to build a business as an influencer.Installment 5: RecapIn this final installment, Trove CEO, Rich Scudellari, recaps what we have learned from our experts over the course of the masterclass on how to work with brands.A big thank you to our expert contributors:Aleksandra Chojnacka, Senior Director of Business Development at ShopStyleSydney Fazende, Vice President of Digital at LaFORCECarly Hill, Social Media and Influencer Account Executive at Alison Brod Marketing & CommunicationsLauren McGrath, VP of Studio and Strategy at ACTIVATEAngie Niles, Independent ConsultantHead to www.trovebusiness.com to check out the full article on this masterclass.Mixed by Pete Crimi: https://www.petecrimi.com/.

The fourth installment of our second influencer masterclass: Working with Brands.We sat down with five influencer marketing experts to learn what agencies, consultants and brands care about when running influencer marketing campaigns. Our experts spend their working lives developing successful relationships between brands and influencers and running campaigns. So they have seen it all and they shared it with us. What originally was going to be a single episode, turned into a five installment mini-series that contains the greatest collection of advice and insights for anyone looking to build a business as an influencer.Installment 4: Being A Better PartnerIn this fourth installment, we pose two questions to our contributors:How can influencers be better partners to brands?How can brands be better partners to influencers?What can influencers do to work with more brands?Make sure you take a listen and stay tuned for the next 2 installments as well!A big thank you to our contributors:Aleksandra Chojnacka, Senior Director of Business Development at ShopStyleSydney Fazende, Vice President of Digital at LaFORCECarly Hill, Social Media and Influencer Account Executive at Alison Brod Marketing & CommunicationsLauren McGrath, VP of Studio and Strategy at ACTIVATEAngie Niles, Independent ConsultantHead to www.trovebusiness.com to check out the full article on this masterclass.Mixed by Pete Crimi: https://www.petecrimi.com/.

The third installment of our second influencer masterclass: Working with Brands.We sat down with five influencer marketing experts to learn what agencies, consultants and brands care about when running influencer marketing campaigns. Our experts spend their working lives developing successful relationships between brands and influencers and running campaigns. So they have seen it all and they shared it with us. What originally was going to be a single episode, turned into a five installment mini-series that contains the greatest collection of advice and insights for anyone looking to build a business as an influencer.Installment 3: The Good, The Bad, The UglyIn this third installment, we pose two questions to our contributors:What is the WORST thing you have seen out of influencers?What is the BEST thing you have seen out of influencers?Make sure you take a listen and stay tuned for the next 2 installments as well!A big thank you to our contributors:Aleksandra Chojnacka, Senior Director of Business Development at ShopStyleSydney Fazende, Vice President of Digital at LaFORCECarly Hill, Social Media and Influencer Account Executive at Alison Brod Marketing & CommunicationsLauren McGrath, VP of Studio and Strategy at ACTIVATEAngie Niles, Independent ConsultantHead to www.trovebusiness.com to check out the full article on this masterclass.Mixed by Pete Crimi: https://www.petecrimi.com/.

The second installment of our second influencer masterclass: Working with Brands.We sat down with five influencer marketing experts to learn what agencies, consultants and brands care about when running influencer marketing campaigns. Our experts spend their working lives developing successful relationships between brands and influencers and running campaigns. So they have seen it all and they shared it with us. What originally was going to be a single episode, turned into a five installment mini-series that contains the greatest collection of advice and insights for anyone looking to build a business as an influencer. Installment 2: Trends and BudgetsIn this second installment, we pose two questions to our contributors:What trends are you seeing in the industry?What are brands' budgets doing? Are they increasing? Decreasing? Staying flat?Make sure you take a listen and stay tuned for the next 3 installments as well!A big thank you to our contributors:Aleksandra Chojnacka, Senior Director of Business Development at ShopStyleSydney Fazende, Vice President of Digital at LaFORCECarly Hill, Social Media and Influencer Account Executive at Alison Brod Marketing & CommunicationsLauren McGrath, VP of Studio and Strategy at ACTIVATEAngie Niles, Independent ConsultantHead to www.trovebusiness.com to check out the full article on this masterclass.Mixed by Pete Crimi: https://www.petecrimi.com/.

The first installment of our second influencer masterclass: Working with Brands.We sat down with five influencer marketing experts to learn what agencies, consultants and brands care about when running influencer marketing campaigns. Our experts spend their working lives developing successful relationships between brands and influencers and running campaigns. So they have seen it all and they shared it with us. What originally was going to be a single episode, turned into a five installment mini-series that contains the greatest collection of advice and insights for anyone looking to build a business as an influencer. Installment 1: How to Stand OutIn this first installment, we pose three questions to our contributors:What do you look for when casting an influencer campaign?What makes an influencer stand out?Do numbers matter?Make sure you take a listen and stay tuned for the next 4 installments as well!A big thank you to our contributors:Aleksandra Chojnacka, Senior Director of Business Development at ShopStyleSydney Fazende, Vice President of Digital at LaFORCECarly Hill, Social Media and Influencer Account Executive at Alison Brod Marketing & CommunicationsLauren McGrath, VP of Studio and Strategy at ACTIVATEAngie Niles, Independent ConsultantHead to www.trovebusiness.com to check out the full article on this masterclass.

Kaya Yurieff, a reporter at CNN Business who covers influencers, joins the podcast to talk about everything that is going on in the space. From the misconceptions of influencers to Instagram hiding likes to CGI influencers, Kaya covers a lot of ground on this episode. She even shares what she is tracking in 2020 (and what you should be tracking too). As someone who sees the industry from a very unique vantage point, Kaya has great insight into the broader trends in the industry and provides incredible insight. Sometimes you need to pull up and take a look at the industry from a 10,000 foot view, which is exactly what Kaya provides.Kaya Yurieff:CNN Business: https://www.cnn.com/profiles/kaya-yurieffInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyurieff/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/kyurieff

Allyson Letteri has spent the majority of her career helping small business owners. Whether she was launching products for Intuit all over the world or helping entrepreneurs grow their revenue at Thumbtack, she has spent thousands of hours working with small businesses and helping them succeed. In this episode, Ally covers a range of game-changing topics for influencers. As a marketing expert, she shares incredible insights on how influencers can drive growth in their businesses by harnessing some key traditional marketing concepts. As someone who lives and breathes small businesses, she dives into the key characteristics of those who make it and those who don’t. Furthermore, she opens up about how she balances her career with being a wife and mother to two children. An excellent operator and an even better person, Ally has amazing advice for anyone building a business or just trying to navigate their own professional life.Allyson Letteri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allysonletteri/

Moti Ankari and Marcel Floruss are two leading men's fashion influencers and in addition to being good friends, they are also business partners. A few years ago they launched Ankari Floruss, a footwear brand. They share the journey from just starting out to their recent rollout with into Nordstrom. Moti and Marcel dig deep into what it takes to build a brand, some mistakes they made early on and how they balance their brand with their work as influencers (and do they wear shoes from other brands?)Ankari Floruss:Website: https://www.ankarifloruss.com/Instagram: @ankariflorussMoti Ankari:Instagram: @motiankariWebsite: https://metroman.com/Marcel Floruss:Instagram: @marcelflorussYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AyJayee

Reesa Lake is a Partner and Executive Vice President at Digital Brand Architects, leading the team's Brand Partnerships Division. Her firm manages influencers, and she herself has always been at the forefront of the influencer industry, watching it develop and evolve. (Remember when it was called blogging?) Her wealth of knowledge in the industry is absolutely invaluable to this community. If you've ever felt the need for advice and guidance, but maybe haven't begun working with a manager yet, this is the perfect episode for you.Connect with Reesa & DBA:Reesa Lake on InstagramDBA

Liz Adams of Hello Adams Family (formerly Sequins & Stripes) is the Chicago-based blogger who started blogging before influencers were even a thing. Her evolution as an influencer is a great example of how bloggers and influencers can (and should) focus on what they are most interested in creating, even if that changes over time. Liz's ability to pivot her platform towards topics that excite her personally and her dedication to creating quality content has enabled her to build a highly engaged audience even as she has evolved. This is a though-provoking episode, must-listen for every influencer as you think through building your own platform.

Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, is a Cosmetic Dermatologist and board-certified dermatologic surgeon to the stars. In addition to treating some of your favorite celebrities, she's completed over 15,000 surgeries during the course of her practice, she's an expert in her field, and she's an influencer herself. Dr. Engelman takes us through her career path and how it naturally flowed into the influencer space, which then led into further unique career opportunities. She's a huge advocate for authenticity, accuracy, and hard work—in every industry.

Stella & Dot CEO and Founder Jessica Herrin is a serial entrepreneur and a mother of two, who considers herself a warrior for women in the world. She champions women having more financial fierceness, choice, flexibility, and freedom in their lives. On this week's episode, she'll walk us through her career path and the (sometimes risky) choices she made that led her to a place of meaningful work and a life she loves. A must-listen for anyone looking to branch their careers into a place of flexibility and freedom.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaherrin/Website: https://jessicaherrin.com/Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-made-podcast/id1458565638Company: https://www.stelladot.com/