Hellooo and happy last Wednesday of October!

I feel like spooky season just started and now it’s already ending, where are the weeks going?! Speaking of time flying, today is my 27th birthday, and you know what that means: introspection time! 🎉 

It’s been a crazy year full of a bunch of crazier changes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From evolutions in my professional life to my personal, the only constant has been change, and I’m not mad about that.

Whether it be cross-country moves or overseas travels, I’ve had so many interesting experiences this year that make me insanely excited for the year to come.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the coolest creators in the space, we’ve been developing CreatorPad into being the best resource for creators that it can possibly be (massive update coming VERY soon), and to top it off, I think I’m finally coming to terms with calling myself a creator (imposter syndrome fam stand up!).

Buckle up, cause I’m about to get corny, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say this; I want to thank all of you readers. Writing this newsletter has literally become one of my favorite things to do, and it’s something that I look forward to every week. Without you incredible readers, I wouldn’t be doing this and I truly don’t think I would be able to call myself a creator.

Being a creator is something that I’ve always wanted to do and identify as, but I never felt I had the experience or voice to actually call myself one. Through writing this newsletter every week, I began chatting with readers, receiving feedback, praise, critique, tips, suggestions, and SO much more. These interactions have made me feel like a true creator, and feel that my content is bringing something to the table rather than just being sent into the ether.

So readers, thank you from the bottom of my (now old man) heart. I can say with confidence that I may have given up on this if it wasn’t for all of you. If you’re reading this right now, you’re the reason I keep going, and the reason I am feeling fulfilled on my birthday this year. You guys are the best gift I could possibly ask for. ❤️ 

“Shut up old man!” - Yeah, yeah. I hear you; let’s jump into creator news!!

Creator Economy News 🚨

• There were plenty of updates to come out of TwitchCon, but there’s one standout that takes the cake. “Simulcasting” aka the ability to live stream to multiple platforms has finally come to Twitch! But Twitch won’t let you just run wild, there are a few guidelines. First, your stream has to be of the same quality on Twitch as it is on other platforms, that includes replying to chat. Second, you’re not allowed to prompt users to go to another platform to watch the stream, that would be like LinkedIn banning me for prompting people to my newsletter via email. Third, you can’t use third-party programs that show other platforms’ activity, essentially, don’t show that YT live chat on your Twitch stream. I like the ability, but this definitely shows that Twitch is a bit self-conscience when it comes to its competitors.

• YouTube is getting a bit of a facelift for users with the rollout of several new feature updates. Some of these updates include the like and subscribe buttons “lighting up” when a creator mentions those words in a video, they’re making video speed easier to navigate, they’re introducing a “stable volume” feature so you don’t blow out your eardrums, they’re even adding a Shazam-like feature where you can play, sing, or even hum a song and YouTube will find it for you.

• Although YT is rolling out some new features, TikTok seems to be positioning itself to be an even bigger competitor with another new update. TikTok is apparently testing long-form, giving certain users the ability to upload 10-15 minute videos. To be honest, if the algorithm allows for long-form creators to be discovered like short-form, this could be a really massive play for budding creators who are struggling to break through the notoriously difficult YouTube algorithm.

• While it may already feel like you can’t escape TikTok, they’re making sure that you’ll see them or their advertisers… pretty much everywhere. The program, dubbed “Out of Phone” will be rolling out advertising campaigns for partnered brands to “billboards, movie screens and venues like bars, restaurants, airports, gas stations and retail stores.” This is fine, as long as Subway Surfers or GTA gameplay is in the bottom 2/3rds of the ad. 😂

You should see these 👀

• For anyone confused about how X pays out creators, I’m dropping a simplified breakdown below! To hit the point of a payout, there are a few simple things for you to know and look out for. First, you can only get paid out if the people seeing and engaging with your tweets are paid users, simply put, more paid users = more paid creators. Second, if you’re not making as much as you thought you should, you likely don’t have a target audience that advertisers are trying to reach. Third, your content may not be a good fit for ads, meaning, you should probably play by the same rules that YouTube requires for monetization. Are any of you readers monetizing your X content?

• Speaking of payment on X, don’t expect to get people to your Patreon through the platform. X is reportedly pushing down posts and slowing links that attempt to bring you to platforms like Patreon, WhatsApp, and more. While links were “only” delayed by an average of 2.5 seconds, that’s still a significant amount of time when it comes to making a decision to continue on that link or stay on the original platform. Patreon said it best, “It’s another big tech company trying to squash little guys—or, in their attempts to squash bigger guys, squashing little guys like us.”

• Uhhhhh Netflix are you ok? The trailer for the actual Squid Games gameshow has come out, and I feel like Netflix missed the point of the show. But then again…

• Did someone say new entertainment? Comedy troop Please Don’t Destroy is set to launch a full-blown movie on Peacock. I’ve been a fan of the trio for years (this is legit one of my favorite skits of all time), and watching them blow up has been incredible to see. From their early days on YouTube to more recently getting their skits on SNL, the group is crushing it and continuing to push the envelope. 👏 

Creator Spotlight 🔦

Meet Kariza Santos, better known as Life of Riza!

Riza’s content is beautiful, soothing, and some of the most relatable videos that I’ve seen in years. Her vlog-style content is captivating and leaves you thinking about your own life, making you feel not so alone on the journey of pursuing your passions.

Riza speaks clearly and calmly, sharing her personal perspectives on her life and experiences while capturing gorgeous scenes. If I had to describe her content in one word, it would be tranquil.

Riza’s cool, calm, and collected vibe hasn’t only captured my attention; she’s gained hundreds of thousands of subscribers in the last few months! While Riza is now getting the love and attention she deserves, her videos transparently break down the reality of being a creator.

The reality is that it’s tough to find success, to say the least. Riza even says in one of her videos, “There really is no such thing as overnight success. But there is preparation meets opportunity.” Simply put, keep creating, keep posting, keep iterating, and you will continue to put yourself in a position that is steps closer to where you want to be.

I believe that Riza and her content are the most raw and authentic versions of the creator journey, and seeing her find success while being her true self gives me so much motivation and hope for my own creation.

So if you’re a creator looking for a little bit of inspiration and motivation, be sure to go check out Riza’s channel, and as you’re on your journey be sure to remember this quote from Riza’s 100k subscriber video: “The sooner you can be you, the sooner people looking for you, will find you.”

Thank you to Riza for being incredible motivation for myself and all creators across the board.

PS - Huge thank you to Jamie Lim for responding to the last issue of the newsletter and sharing Riza, it’s been such a refresher diving into this type of content, and I can see why you love her channel. Shout out to you, Jamie! 😌 

Want to go even further? 🚀

If you’d like to keep learning about topics like the ones shared above, stick around! But more importantly, check out the links below to further your development as a creator. 😎

1. Sign up for CreatorPad

2. Join our free creator community

3. Find a personal mentor to learn from