The Content Business

If you're looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness (Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)ABOUT THE EPISODE: Sergi Galiano was employee number one at Supercar Blondie, the world's largest car channel with over 185 million followers. He helped build it from the ground up, and then walked away. In this episode, he sits down with Ash and Kane to break down exactly how viral content is made, why almost every brand and creator is doing social media wrong, and how he turned 20 years of trial and error into a consulting business teaching creators to grow organically.KEY TAKEAWAYS:The algorithm rewards thousands of small signals, getting them all right is what separates viral from invisibleMost people start too niche with visual content; cast wide first, then get specific as your audience buildsWatch time is the number one metric every platform actually cares aboutFollowers matter less than they ever have, a 30K channel can outperform a 1M channel right nowBig brands are some of the worst at social media because they don't understand the game yetThe hook is the hardest part, always film two or three versions before committing to oneGoing solo from a big brand is a business decision, not a personal one, know when you've stopped growingBEST MOMENTS:00:00:51 "I felt like I wasn't learning anymore. I wanted to go and make content for myself."00:08:55 "We went to bed and the next day we just saw this spike, 9 million followers from the Philippines in one day."00:16:11 "Almost everyone is doing social media wrong, especially big brands."00:20:01 "The overwhelming majority of people consume social media on mute. Is your video understandable without any audio?"00:25:26 "You can spend so much time talking about hooks. Even at Supercar Blondie we could argue for hours about how to start a video."00:26:39 "The number one thing the algos care about is watch time."00:35:09 "Now is probably the best time ever for a new content creator to get started."00:42:19 "That video got 60 million views and it generated around $13,000. And there was no edit on that."01:08:16 "My teacher almost failed me for suggesting you could get better results by making a viral video on YouTube."LINKS: Sergi: https://www.instagram.com/sergi.galiano/ Website: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspod Email: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTS: Hosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They've worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

If you're looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness (Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)ABOUT THE EPISODE:Ebrahim is a mindset coach and hypnotherapist who's worked with everyone from struggling entrepreneurs to billionaires and the thing blocking all of them is the same: imposter syndrome. For content creators, it's the invisible reason you haven't posted, haven't pitched, haven't backed yourself. In this episode, he sits down with Ash and Kane to break down exactly why that fear is there, and how he removes it in minutes using hypnosis.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Imposter syndrome doesn't disappear with success, billionaires deal with it tooMost fear is rooted in a specific childhood moment, not a general personality traitHypnosis works on the subconscious, which is where the real blocks actually liveFear of failure and fear of success are two sides of the same coin, both kill momentumCreating a safe space for people to open up is the foundation of any real transformationThe fastest way to change is to rip the bandaid, slow change is harder not easierPricing yourself at the top end makes people respect and implement your advice moreAlways ask "what's my next 10x move?" then identify what needs to come off your plate firstBEST MOMENTS:00:00:11 "I was the biggest imposter my entire life."00:02:06 "They want a life not just of success, but of fulfilment."00:48:16 "You should not play in the middle."00:51:36 "The change does happen in an instant."00:48:33 "There's always a 10x move that you can make in your business or your life."LINKS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebrahim/Website: https://www.podpartnerships.comEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTS:Hosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships. They've worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy. Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, supporting them to start, scale and monetise their podcast.

If you're looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness (Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)ABOUT THE EPISODE:In this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane draw on years of running creator sponsorship campaigns at Pod Partnerships to break down the red flags that tell you, before you spend a penny, whether a creator is actually worth working with. They unpack why refusing a performance incentive is a warning sign, why withholding backend data often means the audience isn't real, and the counterintuitive reason you should walk away from a creator who already worked with your competitor and did well. The conversation also gets into why vanilla, fence-sitting creators consistently underperform for brands, why opinionated creators with smaller audiences will almost always outconvert them, and the three angles every brand needs to understand before spending on creator marketing: conversion, brand awareness, and association.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Refusing any performance incentive signals a creator who doesn't back their own audienceWithholding backend data (traffic source, location) is a major warning sign, often hiding bots or a poor-quality audienceMore than two mid-rolls on an hour-long podcast means your ad will be ignoredIf a competitor already ran on that channel and it worked, the audience has been spent, move onA creator demanding a full script doesn't know their audience well enough to sell to themOpinionated creators with strong views have diehard fans, vanilla creators don't convertAssociation is the highest-value sponsorship angle once a creator is truly trustedThe best partnerships go far beyond a fixed slot and a 60-second readBEST MOMENTS:"If you back what you're selling, you should make a whole lot more money doing it that way.""If someone won't share their stats, I immediately don't trust you.""You want a virgin podcast, one that hasn't been dated yet.""Savers are losers. That's his opinion, so don't put him in front of a savings account.""Run for the hills if they need a full script. They just don't give a damn."LINKS:Website: https://www.podpartnerships.comEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTS:Hosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships. They've worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy. Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, supporting them to start, scale and monetise their podcast.

If you’re looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness(Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)In this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane sit down with Jack Whettingsteel, CEO of the Simon Squibb personal brand and HelpBnk, to unpack how they built a 20 million follower personal brand machine rooted in free education.Jack shares the journey from working night shifts at Sainsbury’s and living off a student loan to helping scale one of the largest business-led media brands in the UK. Together, they break down how HelpBnk was built to provide free support to entrepreneurs, why turning down large crypto sponsorships protected long-term trust, and how mission-first thinking compounds faster than chasing short-term revenue.The conversation dives into the mechanics behind building reach at scale through Simon Squibb, expanding internationally, monetising through aligned sponsorship and affiliates, and why the real asset isn’t salary, it’s equity in a long-term ecosystem designed to outlive the founder.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Reach and views are currency. Followers are vanity• Free education builds trust faster than paid courses• Long-term brand equity beats short-term cash• Consistency compounds more than viral moments• International distribution unlocks exponential scale• Equity is more valuable than early salary• Purpose increases audience loyalty and retention• Attention creates investment and partnership leverage• Not all revenue is aligned revenue• A personal brand should evolve beyond the personBEST MOMENTS“A lot of luck, to be honest with you.”“I actually kept it going just to get the student loan to fund my business.”“It took me 30 sales calls to sign my first client.”“Do you want to do that and make a bit of money or do you want to change the world?”“We haven’t missed a day of posting in I don’t know how many years.”“Reach and views is literal currency.”“Followers is vanity.”“There are a million ways to make money.”“Your reputation is all you have.”“Everyone deserves the chance to be free.”LINKSJack: https://www.instagram.com/jackwhettingsteelWebsite: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

In this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane sit down with Ahmed Faid, founder of Dose of Society and Dose of Emirates, to unpack how he built a 6 million+ follower media company through street interview content without becoming the face of the brand.Ahmed shares how starting in 2017 with no blueprint, pitching Snapchat with 4,000 followers, and embracing risk allowed him to turn a simple street interview concept into a global content business operating across the UK, US, and Middle East.The conversation dives into why he deliberately chose faceless content, how introducing the branded microphone changed everything, how COVID forced a pivot to Zoom interviews, and the business mechanics behind scaling a street interview format into a recognisable, monetisable global media brand.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Starting early in an emerging format can create long-term category leadership• Faceless brands scale faster because they are not dependent on one personality• Investment buys time, not just growth• Introducing a recognisable visual asset can transform short-form performance• Street interview content can evolve into a global media format• Building infrastructure first makes international expansion easier• Brand trust increases when the message stays consistent regardless of guest status• Consistency and volume matter more than perfectionBEST MOMENTS“We pretty much start out in 2017, so there’s not many people doing the kind of street interviews.”“I do place everything down to timing.”“Took me four hours to speak to one person.”“It sometimes just takes that one yes to change everything.”“Two years later, we got our first bit of money from Snapchat.”“I wanted to build something that lives beyond me.”“What does the mic stand for? Hope.”“You don’t have to go too crazy and think of something unique.”“The celebrity stuff is always kind of surreal.”LINKSAhmed: https://www.instagram.com/doseofsocietyWebsite: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

ABOUT THE EPISODEIn this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane sit down with Tim Ruscica, software engineer and tech creator, to break down how he went from coding at 12 years old to building one of the largest programming YouTube channels in the world.Tim shares how posting at extreme volume helped him scale to nearly 2 million subscribers, why he dropped out of university after landing a Microsoft internship, and how his YouTube channel has generated over $5 million through brand deals, courses, and partnerships.The conversation explores AI in content creation, how technical credibility creates leverage with brands, why most creators undervalue their expertise, and the difference between building a content business and building a real business.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Volume was the single biggest growth driver in the early days• Teaching something is the fastest way to master it• Searchable content compounds long after it’s published• AI is best used for orchestration, not replacing personality• Technical expertise allows creators to charge premium brand rates• Small creator businesses often become short-term cash injections• Building a company is different from monetising attention• Professionalism and speed win brand renewalsBEST MOMENTS“I started coding when I was like 12 years old.”“I’m gonna wake up every morning at 5:30 a.m. and film three YouTube videos.”“If you post 400 videos in a year, a few of them are going to do well.”“I now have a backlog of 500 videos.”“The manual coding of me sitting there and writing lines is completely removed.”“I instantly have access to funding.”“I’ve done YouTube for a really long time.”“I can make a video that gets 20,000 views and make more than $20,000.”“Money loves speed.”“You can have so much more value as a creator than purely driving conversions.”LINKSTim: https://www.youtube.com/@TechWithTimWebsite: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

In this episode of The Content Business, Ash sits down with Nick Bradley, former private equity partner turned founder and host of Scale Up with Nick Bradley, to unpack how a highly niche, audio-first podcast has generated eight figures in value.Nick shares the story of walking away from high-stakes private equity deals after a personal turning point, and how starting a podcast as a form of therapy evolved into a serious business engine. What began as solo episodes talking into a microphone is now a multi-layered ecosystem of advisory, equity, speaking, and partnerships.The conversation explores the true power of niche positioning, why sponsorship was never the goal, how 20,000 loyal listeners can outperform millions of passive views, and why depth on one platform often beats being everywhere.KEY TAKEAWAYS• A small, high-value niche audience can outperform mass reach• Audio-only podcasts can generate serious enterprise value• Sponsorship is not always the smartest monetisation route• Authority compounds when you consistently teach one thing• Equity can outperform fees when you create real business impact• Reverse engineering exits changes how you build a company• Most founders leave tens of millions on the table at exit• Depth on one platform often beats shallow omnipresenceBEST MOMENTS“I had been in private equity doing really cutthroat deals.”“It is tens of millions at least that is getting left on the table.”“The podcast went to number one in the UK pretty quickly.”“It’s like eight figures.”“From the podcast? Nothing.”“I never had sponsorship. I didn’t do ads.”“If you help enough people get what they want in life, you will have everything that you want and need in life.”“I needed some way of telling my story.”“Most business owners don’t even know how to just do the basics.”LINKSScale Up with Nick Bradley: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scale-up-with-nick-bradley/id1476270201Website: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

ABOUT THE EPISODEIn this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane sit down with investor, creator, and educator Jason Graystone to break down how giving everything away for free became the foundation of an eight-figure content business.Jason explains how a single 2.5-hour YouTube video generated over $12 million by prioritising generosity, long-form trust, and a carefully designed value ladder rather than ads, hype, or aggressive sales tactics. He shares the exact mechanics behind the funnel, why low-priced entry products outperform high-ticket offers, and how YouTube’s algorithm rewards creators who focus on depth, not hooks.The conversation also explores mental freedom, hustle culture, authenticity in an AI-driven world, and why most entrepreneurs chase numbers without understanding what they actually want from money or success.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Giving everything away for free can outperform gated content and ads• Long-form content builds more trust than short viral clips• Most YouTube revenue comes from selling your own products, not ad revenue• Small, incremental offers convert better than high-ticket jumps• YouTube rewards creators who drive meaningful viewer actions• Authenticity and congruence are becoming more valuable as AI content grows• Mental freedom matters more than financial milestones• Selling access and hand-holding often matters more than new informationBEST MOMENTS“I gave everything away for free.”“We made $1.6 million in three months from one video.”“In ten months, that video made $12 million.”“Information is worthless. It’s all on ChatGPT.”“You don’t need me anymore. You’ve got everything.”“Most people won’t do anything with information.”“YouTube works for me. I don’t work for YouTube.”“Money and freedom are two totally different skills.”“Mental freedom is the most important freedom.”“Haters only hurt when they’re right.”LINKSJason: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonGraystoneWebsite: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

If you’re looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness (Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)ABOUT THE EPISODEIn this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane explore how AI is rapidly reshaping content creation, media distribution, and monetisation across podcasts, YouTube, and social platforms.They break down the rise of AI voice licensing, multilingual dubbing, AI-generated influencers, and how businesses are already monetising attention at scale. The conversation focuses on what these developments actually mean for creators, media businesses, and anyone trying to build and monetise an audience in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.Ash & Kane also discuss whether attention spans are actually shrinking, why YouTube-style content is outperforming traditional media, and how AI tools are lowering the barrier to creating, repurposing, and distributing content globally.KEY TAKEAWAYS• AI voice licensing is turning personal brands into long-term digital assets• AI dubbing allows creators to scale content into global markets without re-recording• AI-generated influencers are already monetising attention at scale• Loneliness and attention are becoming monetisable business models• AI tools are dramatically reducing the cost and friction of content creation• YouTube-style content is increasingly replacing traditional TV consumption• Content creators now outperform traditional media at capturing attention• Distribution and attention matter more than production qualityBEST MOMENTS“Your voice could now be an asset.”“AI dubbing completely changes global distribution.”“They’re monetising loneliness.”“AI girlfriends are already making serious money.”“YouTube content is replacing traditional TV.”“I don’t think attention spans are ruined, content is just better.”“Creators are better at holding attention than TV producers.”“Distribution matters more than production quality.”LINKSWebsite: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.

If you’re looking to record virtual podcasts, live streams and other content in the best possible quality, try Riverside for free here: https://creators.riverside.com/TheContentBusiness (Use code: CONTENT15 for 15% off any plan)ABOUT THE EPISODEIn this episode of The Content Business, Ash & Kane sit down with Michael Smoak, also known as Higherup Wellness, to unpack how authenticity, vulnerability, and conviction have fuelled one of the fastest-growing personal brands in the creator economy.Michael shares how going from corporate sales to full-time content creation in just a few months led to millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram, and why his lack of structure, planning, or polish has actually become his competitive advantage.The conversation dives deep into vulnerability versus performative authenticity, why most creators misunderstand attention spans, how to monetise content responsibly, and how Michael has built multiple income streams while staying aligned with his values and message.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Authenticity and vulnerability outperform polished production• Ideas should be acted on immediately or they disappear• Attention spans are not broken, most content just isn’t good• Entertainment and information must coexist to scale content• Personal conviction creates trust, even when the message is uncomfortable• Most creators make more money selling their own offers than sponsorships• Free value builds goodwill that converts later• Imperfect action beats perfect planning every timeBEST MOMENTS“I’m a dick about health because I watched my best friend die.”“Life is sweeter after trials.”“Everybody has a laundry list of problems until they have a health problem.”“What people are craving is authenticity, relatability, and vulnerability.”“Internet money is real and it’s wild.”“Entertainment and information both matter. It has to be both.”“People don’t have short attention spans. Content is just bad.”“Imperfect action is the thing that changes people’s lives.”LINKSMichael: https://www.tiktok.com/@higherupwellness?_r=1&_t=ZN-931wSrDtEl4Website: https://www.podpartnerships.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontentbusinesspodEmail: hello@podpartnerships.comCreatorsHQ: https://creatorshq.com/ABOUT THE HOSTSHosted by Ashley Morris and Kane Baron, founders of UAE-based content sponsorship agency: Pod Partnerships.They’ve worked with thousands of creators and hundreds of brands, helping both household names and fast-growing startups turn podcast, YouTube, and influencer advertising into a core part of their media strategy.Alongside this, Ashley and Kane have trained over 10,000 podcasters since 2020, going on to directly mentor hundreds of creators to plan, launch, grow, and monetise independent podcasts.