In this industry-shifting episode, hosts Ceci Carloni and Nii Ahene unpack three stories that show how traditional business is reshaping the creator landscape:

💼 Accenture Makes Its Move: One of the world's biggest consulting firms acquires Super Digital, the influencer agency behind campaigns for Amazon, Apple, and Pinterest. This isn't just another agency deal—it's a signal that influencer marketing has officially entered the enterprise consulting world. We explore what this means for creators when global consulting giants start treating influence as core business strategy.

📺 Private Equity Buys YouTube: PE firms are acquiring entire YouTube channels, swapping out creators for new talent and pushing harder for sponsored content revenue. We debate whether this represents real growth in the creator economy or the beginning of content factory capitalism that could strip away the authenticity that made these channels valuable in the first place.

🍟 McDonald's "Theory of Smalls": The fast-food giant ditches big brand messaging for micro-targeting niche communities through Minecraft, manga, and K-pop collaborations. This new strategy from Cannes suggests brands should focus on small fandoms that drive culture rather than mass appeal. But does going hyper-niche risk alienating the broader audience?

From billion-dollar consulting acquisitions to the financialization of YouTube to McDonald's betting on niche culture—this episode captures how traditional business is fundamentally reshaping the creator economy landscape.

The Big Three by Influence Weekly: 3 Biggest Stories. 1 Essential Conversation.

The Big Three by Influence Weekly: 3 Biggest Stories. 1 Essential Conversation.

In this culture-defining episode, hosts Ceci Carloni and Nii Ahene explore three stories that capture the creator economy's mainstream breakthrough moment:

⏰ TIME Finally Gets It: The iconic magazine drops its first-ever TIME 100 Creators list, featuring Dylan Mulvaney, Keith Lee, and MrBeast. But this isn't just about follower counts—TIME's editor-in-chief calls creators "entrepreneurs who shape our culture." We debate whether this recognition is overdue, who got snubbed, and why today's creators are "what musicians were in the 90s."

📊 YouTube's Data Game-Changer: The platform launches optional creator data sharing, giving brands access to views, watch time, and demographics. This could revolutionize brand partnerships by moving beyond vanity metrics to real performance data. We explore whether this levels the playing field for mid-tier creators or just adds more pressure to an already complex ecosystem.

🤖 AI Influencer Goes Viral: Meet Mia Zelou, the AI creator who "attended" Wimbledon with perfect photos that fooled millions. As AI models become indistinguishable from reality, we dive into whether synthetic influencers represent the future or just a novelty that can't replace authentic human connection.

From mainstream media finally acknowledging creator power to the data transparency revolution to AI blurring the lines of reality—this episode captures the exact moment the creator economy crosses into the cultural mainstream.

The Big Three by Influence Weekly: 3 Biggest Stories. 1 Essential Conversation.

In this power-packed episode, hosts Ceci Carloni and Nii Ahene dive into three stories that showcase how creators are reshaping business, culture, and career opportunities:

💰 The $850 Million Creator List: Forbes drops its 2025 top creators earnings, revealing a 20% year-over-year jump with MrBeast leading at $82 million. But it's not just about the money—we explore how creators like Alex Cooper and Matt Rife are diversifying beyond content into true entrepreneurship, and whether Goldman Sachs is right that "the private funding environment for creators is as strong as I've ever seen."

🎬 Culture Integration Revolution: Olipop's partnership with YouTube's scripted series "Shanked" shows how brands are moving beyond traditional sponsorships to earn seats at the culture table. We break down why this Vice Sports collaboration represents a new era of brand storytelling and whether this model can scale to smaller creators and platforms like TikTok.

☕ The Six-Figure Dream Job: Starbucks just created the ultimate creator opportunity—two full-time Global Coffee Creator roles paying up to $136K to travel the world and document coffee culture. No degree required, just a passport and TikTok skills. We debate whether this is brilliant brand strategy or flashy PR, and if it signals a new trend of brands hiring creators as full-time employees.

From billion-dollar creator empires to innovative brand partnerships to dream jobs that didn't exist five years ago—this episode captures exactly where the creator economy is heading in 2025.

The Big Three by Influence Weekly: 3 Biggest Stories. 1 Essential Conversation.

The Big Three by Influence Weekly: 3 Biggest Stories. 1 Essential Conversation.