The Making Of: Jay Clouse

10/02/24 • 84 min

Jay Clouse is the founder of Creator Science, a media company centered on helping professional creators grow their businesses. With a combined audience of 200,000+, Jay is a powerful voice and thought leader in the creator economy.

From his early love of video games to his time as a reporter shaping his storytelling skills, Jay shares how these experiences paved the way for his entrepreneurial ventures, the strategies he used to scale his business, and how to provide real value to your audience. He also opens up about balancing business and personal life, navigating the competitive world of content creation, and how fatherhood has reshaped his approach to time and priorities.

If you’re ready to grow your creative business while staying focused on what matters most, this conversation is for you!

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Young Jay

02:42 Influence of Video Games and Teaching

07:51 Lessons from Jay's Experience as a Reporter

13:23 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship

19:30 Building Unreal Collective and Joining SPI Pro

27:43 Navigating the Challenges of Leadership

36:26 Hiring and Balancing Business and Personal Life

38:21 Growing a Newsletter: Providing Value and Refining Content

43:56 Membership Communities: Recurring Value and Direct Communication

57:21 Content Creation as a Competitive Sport: Focus on Engagement and Uniqueness

01:02:15 The Role of AI in Content Creation

01:06:26 Efficiency and Removing Single Points of Failure for Business Success

01:11:26 Interview with Aurora Lucas

You can connect with Jay here (https://creatorscience.com/) and learn more about The Lab here (https://join.creatorscience.com/).

This episode also features a special story from a member of The Lab, Becky Pierson Davidson. Becky is a community driven product strategist helping brands and businesses leverage community to grow their impact. You can connect with Becky here: https://www.beckypierson.com/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

If you’re ready to grow your creative business while staying focused on what matters most, this conversation is for you!

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Young Jay

02:42 Influence of Video Games and Teaching

07:51 Lessons from Jay's Experience as a Reporter

13:23 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship

19:30 Building Unreal Collective and Joining SPI Pro

27:43 Navigating the Challenges of Leadership

36:26 Hiring and Balancing Business and Personal Life

38:21 Growing a Newsletter: Providing Value and Refining Content

43:56 Membership Communities: Recurring Value and Direct Communication

57:21 Content Creation as a Competitive Sport: Focus on Engagement and Uniqueness

01:02:15 The Role of AI in Content Creation

01:06:26 Efficiency and Removing Single Points of Failure for Business Success

01:11:26 Interview with Aurora Lucas

You can connect with Jay here (https://creatorscience.com/) and learn more about The Lab here (https://join.creatorscience.com/).

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Previous Episode

The Making Of: Jo Franco

Jo is a multilingual content creator, entrepreneur, and TV host who’s spent a decade building a global community through powerful storytelling.
With 600+ videos and 1.3M+ YouTube subscribers, she speaks to the multicultural, multi-hyphenate generation. As CEO of JoClub, a journaling community, and host of Netflix’s World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, Jo empowers others through curiosity, connection, and growth.

In this episode, Jo opens up about how childhood experiences shaped her empathy, navigating business challenges, and the importance of aligning your career with your values. Tune in for insights on scaling a business, creating spaces for vulnerability, and trusting your instincts.

Topics include:

The impact of childhood experiences have on empathy and emotional intelligence
Navigating the emotional challenges of parting ways with a business partner
Insights on scaling a business and creating spaces for vulnerability and connection
The importance of embracing fear, trusting your instincts, and personal growth through taking risks

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Childhood

07:16 Curiosity and Connection

17:35 Inception of the Damon and Jo Youtube Channel

27:01 Growth of Shut Up and Go

30:52 Dissolving a business and Mental Health

35:54 Transitioning to a New Career

37:43 Creating a Safe Space for Vulnerability

45:30 Scaling a Business and Delegating

52:24 The Power of In-Person Retreats

58:58 Trusting Your Instincts for Growth

01:03:11 Interview with Aurora Lucas

You can connect with Jo personally here (https://www.instagram.com/jo_franco/) and learn more about JoClub here (https://joclub.world/).

This episode also features a special story from a member of JoClub, Aurora Lucas. Aurora is an educator and advocate for marginalized communities, with a passion for healthcare equity shaped by her own journey as a lung cancer survivor. You can connect with Aurora here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/auroralucas/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Next Episode

The Making Of: Sean Cannell

In this episode, Sean Cannell, CEO of Think Media and co-founder of Video Influencers, shares his inspiring journey to becoming one of the world’s leading online video experts and YouTube strategists. With over 3 million subscribers and 100 million views across his channels, Sean’s insights are essential for creators and entrepreneurs alike.

Sean reflects on his early days as a creative teenager in Seattle, discussing how his passion for skate culture and music evolved into a career in video production, starting with his involvement in church media. He delves into pivotal moments, such as going all-in with Think Media after losing freelance clients, and how resilience and adaptability played a crucial role in his success.

The conversation also explores the importance of providing value to an audience, building a legacy, and the diverse revenue streams fueling Think Media’s growth. Sean also discusses whether college is necessary for aspiring entrepreneurs (spoiler alert.. it’s not!).

Episode chapters:

00:00 The Early Years of Sean Cannell
05:00 The Transition to Video and Creativity
12:41 Building a Career in Social Media
16:20 Going All In: The Birth of Think Media
24:06 Navigating Challenges and Finding Clarity
31:53 Revenue Streams and Business Growth
49:27 Stewardship in Business
54:18 Building a legacy beyond yourself
1:04:24 Interview with Denise Jordan

You can connect with Sean here (https://www.seancannell.com/) and learn more about Think Media here (https://www.thinkmedia.video/) or their Youtube channel here (https://www.youtube.com/thinkmediatv).

This episode also features a special story from a student of Think Media’s youtube courses, Denise Jordan. As a 73 year old woman with over 50 years of homemaking Experience, she wanted to teach young homemakers tips on cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and laundry. Her channel now has over 80,000 subscribers. (https://www.youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise)

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.