The Moment When Everything Changes

CREATOR NEWSLETTER


As Florida took its latest hurricane battering yesterday (you can donate to the Red Cross here), a man in a boat on Tampa Bay was busy becoming the internet’s latest main character. Meet Lieutenant Dan, the one-legged skipper who went from trying to ride out a hurricane on a boat, and ended his day with a streaming deal and the promise of a new $50k+ vessel. Not a bad turnaround.

It remains to be seen if the streaming contract will be lucrative, if the new boat will materialize, and if Lieutenant Dan can parlay his newfound attention into a sustainable career as a creator. At best, he can do a tour of late night shows and buzzy podcasts, spin up a formidable podcast a la Talk Tuah, and maybe sign a multi-year spokesperson deal with Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

At worst, he’s getting inundated with offers and contracts he can’t make sense of, he could feel a sense of imposter syndrome (he’s certainly not the only ex-convict living on a boat in Tampa), and he may not know where to turn next to turn his 15 minutes into something more lasting. Does he get a manager? An agent? A lawyer? Business manager? All of the above? None?

For anyone trying to make it as a creator, it’s important to think about that moment when everything changes before it happens. Do you have a lawyer you could call in a jam to review a manager contract? If a brand reaches out, do you have a sales-minded friend who can help negotiate your rate? All the biggest creators have a great team of people around them helping with all this stuff, and it’s so much easier to find (and trust) those people before you have your viral moment, not during it.

So give it a think. If you went viral tomorrow, who would you call to help you navigate the influx of opportunities and attention? If you’re scratching your head, that’s fine too. It’s actually one of the reasons why we started our Discord, so at the very least you could talk to us and each other about where to turn next.

We wish Lieutenant Dan the best in his newfound career as a creator, and offer our primary advice: Never sign anything without talking to a lawyer you’re paying for first (remember, other people’s lawyers are not working for you). Also: Strike while that iron is hot!


CULTURE

TikTok Could Help Free Lyle and Erik Menendez

Menedez Brothers

An advertisement for Teachable shows a man typing on a laptop, choosing between the options course, download or coaching for creating a new product

Transform your creator business — on your own terms.

With Teachable, you can turn your expertise into fully customizable digital products. Whatever your passion, share it with others in exactly the way you want with courses, community, downloadable content, and more.


IN THE BIZ


TOOLS REVIEW

The Camp Snap Camera Was Designed for Kids but Is an Addictive Alternative for Creators Tired of Modern Perfection

The Camp Snap camera is a LoFi delight for creators sick of perfection.

By John-Michael Bond, Passionfruit Contributor

Camp Snap 1.3 camera review

PLATFORMS

Gavel over hand holding phone with tiktok app and tiktok background

13 States Sue TikTok Over Child Safety

‘TikTok claims that their platform is safe for young people, but that is far from true.’ 

By Charlotte ColomboPassionfruit Contributor


JOB BOARD


YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

Content for Creators.

News, tips, and tricks delivered to your inbox twice a week.

Newsletter Signup

Latest Newsletters

  • Squid Game Season is Here Again

    Squid Game Season is Here Again

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #190 | November 30, 2023 There’s something so disingenuous about the holidays for creators. Like oh, your Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales are a whole 16% off? Thanks, but I was so busy live-streaming on Twitch during Thanksgiving weekend to even clock it; I’d been hoping to earn enough in tips to fly…

  • Stranger Than UnFiction: Why Creators Should Care About ARGs

    Stranger Than UnFiction: Why Creators Should Care About ARGs

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #189 | November 28, 2023 If there’s one thing we love about the Internet, it’s how weird it is, and how deeply passionate fans of subcult followings tend to be. (Although, arguably, this is also why the Internet is the worst place?)  Which is why I’m so obsessed with unfiction: the genre…

  • Passionfruit’s Cyber Monday Creatorpalooza

    Passionfruit’s Cyber Monday Creatorpalooza

    PASSIONFRUIT FINDS November 27, 2023 You know what they say about creators: it’s where the money’s at. Every parent wants their kid to grow up to be a doctor, lawyer and the third best job of making content on the Internet. What’s not to love? It’s glamorous, you definitely get to be your own boss…