Key insights

• Creator Business Models and Intrinsic Success

  • 📽️ Different types of businesses for creators: high foot traffic vs. loyal repeat customers, and YouTube New Wave creators focusing on long-form documentaries and building a strong community
  • 🔑 The important lesson of knowing and trusting what you want as a creative person, and success being intrinsic and meaningful, not defined by external metrics

• Patreon's Vision and Evolution

  • 🎨 CEO's vision of building a better internet for artists and communities, moving beyond a membership platform to provide an all-in-one solution for media, community, and business
  • 🤝 Patreon's evolution from a membership platform to an all-in-one solution for media, community, and business, introducing new tools and products to focus on energized fandoms, commerce, and free membership

• Impact of Subscription Platforms and Social Media Dynamics

  • 💻 Starting Patreon 11 years ago, creating a subscription platform for fans and creators
  • 📉 Shift in internet dynamics with platforms introducing ranking, affecting creators' reach, and how Tik Tok's 'for you' feed disrupted the subscription-based model
  • 🔄 Challenges in building community and business on social media platforms, and the focus on deeper connections and direct-to-fan business models by emerging companies

• Building a Following and Meaningful Interactions on YouTube

  • 🔔 The Subscribe button on YouTube transforming the platform into a way for creators to build a following around their work
  • 💬 Building a following allowing for ongoing communication, connection, and community with fans
  • 📣 Examples from the creator's experience demonstrating the impact of building a following, such as gaining subscribers and engaging with fans through merchandise and collaborations

• Evolution of the Internet and Impact on Music Career

  • 🌐 The evolution of the internet from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and its significance for creators
  • 🎵 Challenges faced by the speaker in reaching an audience as a musician
  • 📹 Discovery of YouTube as a platform for sharing music and the speaker's innovative content creation approach
  • 📈 Early success and audience engagement through YouTube, transitioning from playing empty bars to reaching people through online videos
  • 👥 The power of a dedicated fan base and the concept of 'one thousand true fans' revolutionizing the approach to music and business

Q&A

• What lesson is highlighted for creators?

  The video emphasizes the importance for creators to know and trust what they want as a creative person. It also underlines that success should be intrinsic and meaningful, not defined by external metrics, and recognizes different types of businesses for creators, such as high foot traffic versus a loyal customer base.

• How is Patreon expanding its offerings beyond memberships?

  Patreon is expanding its offerings beyond memberships to create a better fan and creator community on the internet, emphasizing the importance of true fans, quality connections, and creating meaningful content.

• What is Patreon's vision and focus?

  Patreon aims to build a better internet for artists and communities by evolving from a membership platform to an all-in-one solution for media, community, and business. It emphasizes new tools and products focused on energized fandoms, commerce, and free membership to cater to different fan preferences.

• What was the impact of changes in social media platforms on creators?

  Changes in social media platforms, such as the introduction of ranking and disruption of subscription-based models, have led to challenges in building community and business for creators. This shift may weaken creator communities, but emerging companies are focusing on deeper connections and direct-to-fan business models.

• What was the transformative impact of a dedicated fan base on the speaker's music career?

  A dedicated fan base transformed the speaker's music career, leading to successful live shows, direct sales on iTunes, unique fan engagement strategies, and substantial revenue. The concept of 'one thousand true fans' revolutionized their approach to music and business.

• How did the Subscribe button on YouTube impact creators?

  The Subscribe button on YouTube transformed the platform into a way for creators to build a following around their work. It allowed for ongoing communication, connection, and community with fans, leading to meaningful interactions and support from fans.

• How did the evolution of the internet impact creators?

  The evolution from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 brought significant changes for creators, providing new opportunities for reaching and engaging audiences through platforms like YouTube. It allowed creators to transition from playing in empty bars to reaching people through online videos.

• What does the video discuss?

  The video discusses the speaker's early experiences as an artist, the impact of platforms like YouTube on their career, the power of building a following, the transformational impact of dedicated fan bases on their music career, changes in internet dynamics, challenges faced by creators on social media platforms, and Patreon's evolution and offerings for creators and communities.

• 00:00 The speaker discusses the evolution of the internet, their early experiences as an artist trying to reach an audience, and the impact of platforms like YouTube on their career.
• 05:12 The Subscribe button on YouTube gave creators a way to build a following and distribute their work. Building a following allowed for ongoing communication, connection, and community with fans. Examples from the creator's experience showcase how the following resulted in meaningful interactions and support from fans.
• 10:40 The power of a dedicated fan base transformed the speaker's music career, leading to successful live shows, direct sales on iTunes, unique fan engagement strategies, and substantial revenue. The concept of 'one thousand true fans' revolutionized their approach to music and business.
• 16:37 Started Patreon 11 years ago, created subscription platform for fans and creators. Shift in internet dynamics: Facebook introduced ranking, affected creators' reach. Other platforms followed suit with ranking, e.g., YouTube, Twitter, Instagram. Tik Tok's 'for you' feed disrupted subscription-based model. Impact on creators' visibility and reach.
• 22:42 People are experiencing challenges in building community and business due to changes on social media platforms. This shift may lead to the weakening of creator communities, but new emerging companies are focusing on deeper connections and direct-to-fan business models.
• 28:29 The CEO of Patreon aims to build a better internet for artists and communities, moving beyond a membership platform to provide an all-in-one solution for media, community, and business. The new tools and products include a focus on energized fandoms, commerce, and free membership to cater to different fan preferences.
• 34:18 Patreon is expanding its offerings beyond memberships to create a better fan and creator community on the internet, emphasizing the importance of true fans, quality connections, and creating meaningful content.
• 39:54 Different types of businesses for creators: high foot traffic vs. loyal customer base. YouTube New Wave creators focus on long-form documentaries and build a strong community. Important lesson: Know and trust what you want as a creative person. Success should be intrinsic and meaningful, not defined by external metrics.