Thought Leadership

Artists are agents of invention who attempt to change the dominant conventions (although many individuals operating under the rubric of "artist" have much more pedestrian and commercial goals.)

1.9.1 The avant-garde exposes, devalues, and alters existing conventions in search of new cultural arrangements that could provide new aesthetic experiences... See more

Here's the bottom line: building a podcast audience is hard. I'd argue it's the hardest audience to build, but it's also the most valuable audience you can build.

Quantified status also drives entire industries. Influencer marketing is a $24B market growing quickly. The industry is built on status associations. We see this clearly in the 2010s rise of “the lifestyle influencer”—lifestyles are the most obvious markers of status, and the influencer economy is built on aspiration .

You should find and support a scene that resonates with you, whether it's local or virtual. In 1985, you'd play at local bars; in 2024, it might be through Discord. But the essence is the same: you want a community because collective attention is key.

Any enterprising creator can build a business as a curator of products, monetizing her influence. Savvy businesses underpin this new economy. Flagship, one of my portfolio companies at Daybreak, allows anyone with a community to launch their own boutique storefront that showcases their favorite products. They earn ~20% of sales in exchange for dire... See more

“You’re getting worse at [your art], but you’re becoming a great marketer for a product which is less and less good”