Lindsey Lee Lugrin

Hot take 🔥: Though it may seem like every hip CPG brand is making money and going to the moon... a lot of them aren't 👇 1. A lot brands will continue to go out of business due to over-selling and making long-shot investments in thin margin/ROI marketing efforts and channels with long payback time horizons. P.S. Don't give the farm away to get on the shelf or reach your customers. 2. Cost of capital is really expensive right now. I've seen a lot of brands not taking lender UCC filings / foreclosure seriously. I've seen 2 brands in last year foreclosed on by lenders. No, lenders don't want to foreclose on your assets and operate your CPG business... But they will. ___________ If you’re an executive, owner, or investor and want to understand what value you should be getting out of your finance team or learn better corporate cash planning techniques, download my free book linked in my bio 📕✌️

3

💼🚀Invest in Newsmax Today!🌟 Now’s your chance to invest in Newsmax Media, Inc.! The SEC requires investors to be Accredited Investors, and you can qualify with one of the following: 1️⃣ Income of $200,000+ in previous two years ($300,000 for joint income)   2️⃣ Have a net worth of over $1 million Invest now to be part of this fast-growing news network! 📈 Get qualified and join the future of news today! 👇 https://lnkd.in/eiKFAGH5 #Newsmax #GoingPublic #InvestmentOpportunity #IPO #NewsIndustry #BusinessUpdate #FinancialGrowth #InvestInNewsmax #PublicListing #InvestorNews This is a paid advertisement for Newsmax’s Regulation D Offering. Additional information on the company and risk factors related to the offering can be found in the offering circular.

2

INTERVIEWS OF 2024 SXSW PITCH WINNERS: Dhavel Patel of Lotus Every March in Austin, 50 of the world's most impactful startups showcase their talents at SXSW Pitch. Today we begin a series of short interviews with some of the category winners from the 2024 event. Founder and CEO Dhaval Patel has been growing Lotus for three years. At this year's SXSW Pitch, his San Jose based startup emerged as the winner of the "Smart Cities, Transportation & Sustainability" category. Patel's short answers to our questions are below. SXSW: What is Lotus?  Patel: A wearable ring that controls objects at home by pointing. See https://www.getlotus.com/ SXSW: What community does Lotus serve? Patel: Folks with limited mobility -- older adults, veteran soldiers, people with disabilities.  SXSW: Who is your all-time favorite entrepreneur? Patel: Warren Buffett. SXSW: Best startup-related advice you have received? Patel: Don't start building first, find the need first. SXSW: Current entrepreneurial trend that excites you the most? Patel: Desire for tech that is intuitive and simple. SXSW: Fail fast or perseverance? Patel: Persevere in failing fast repeatedly. SXSW: Favorite VC? Patel: Andreessen Horowitz. SXSW: Favorite gadget or device? Patel: Apple AirPods. SXSW: Government can best support startups by Patel: Moving faster. SXSW: Most over-hyped technology at present? Patel: AI. SXSW: Most under-hyped technology at present? Patel: Consumer hardware. SXSW: What did you enjoy most about your experience at SXSW? Patel: The people -- each person wanting to make the world a better place. SXSW: What is your best trait as an entrepreneur? Patel: Simplifying complex problems. SXSW: What is your best advice for other startups? Patel: Focus (say "no" to more). Learn more about Dhaval Patel of Lotus plus other 2024 SXSW Pitch winners by listening to the audio of their session at this year's event. See https://lnkd.in/gHtwQB8n Applications for SXSW Pitch 2025 will open in late summer. See https://lnkd.in/gE2hcVPK #sxsw, #sxsw2024, #startups, #founders, Chris Valentine, Dhaval Patel, SXSW, #venturecapital, #entrepreneur, #entrepreneurs, #startup, #founderstories, #sxswpitch, Lotus (Techstars'23), #techstars, #Austin, #ATX, #creativity, #innovation, #hardware, #consumerhardware, #pitch, #accessibility,

54

3 Comments

New Episode! The Non-Negotiable for Scaling to Multi-Millions in Revenue on Building Your Empire Podcast with SophieZo on The Word of Mom Radio Network. In this power-packed episode of Building Your Empire with SophieZo, digital marketing expert Sophie Zollmann reveals why social media marketing is essential for businesses aiming to reach and surpass the $2 million revenue mark. Key topics covered: 1. The Power of Strategic Reach 2. Cost-Effective Brand Building 3. Real-Time Optimization Perfect for business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals looking to leverage social media for significant business growth. Learn why successful businesses aren't asking if they should be on social media, but how to better leverage these platforms to accelerate their growth. Join us for Building Your Empire with SophieZo anytime and connect with Sophie at SophieZo.com, schedule a free digital success session, follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Please support UnsilencedVoices.org a global 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers survivors. We thank Smith Sisters and the Sunday Drivers for our theme song, "She is You". WordofMomRadio.com - sharing the wisdom of women, in business and in life. #BusinessGrowth #SocialMediaMarketing #DigitalStrategy #MarketingROI #BusinessScaling #LeadGeneration #BrandBuilding #MarketingStrategy #BusinessSuccess #DigitalMarketing

3

2 Comments

The Hidden Cost That's Eating Into Creator Earnings: A $110,000 Wake-Up Call 💸 After building a business reviewing the finances of over 450 creators, I've noticed a critical oversight that's silently eroding creators' revenue: foreign exchange exposure. Let me break this down with a real example. On a £1M payment, the difference between last year's GBP/USD rate high (1.34) and today's low (1.23) is $110,000. That's money creators are potentially leaving on the table by not managing their FX exposure effectively. Here's what every creator earning in USD needs to know: First, open a dedicated USD account. When you receive USD payments into a GBP account, banks hit you twice - with fees AND an uncompetitive exchange rate. It's like paying a premium for the privilege of getting paid. Smart money management means holding your USD when rates aren't favorable. There's no rule saying you must convert immediately. Think of it as waiting for a better deal rather than accepting the first price you're offered. The game-changer? Working with an FX broker. High street banks typically charge an extra 1-2% on exchanges - that's $10,000-20,000 on every million. These aren't small numbers we're talking about. For creators with predictable USD income, consider forward contracts. They let you lock in current rates for future conversions, giving you certainty in an uncertain market. The creator economy is maturing, and it's time our financial practices did too. A few simple changes to how you handle foreign currency could significantly impact your bottom line.

41

10 Comments

In this video, we delve into the legal battle between Don Lemon and Elon Musk after their $1.5 million-per-year X deal took a turn for the worse. Join us as we uncover the details behind this high-stakes lawsuit and the reasons why the deal fell apart. Stay tuned for all the latest developments and analysis on this high-profile case. #news #abcnews #elonmusk #stockmarket #stocks

1

You don’t want to miss this 🔥. 29 signed up so far! RSVP and use coupon “BRANDALLY”at checkout for a free ticket: https://lu.ma/ql5xve61 #seattle #seattlecontentcreator #seattlebloggers #microinfluencer #fyp #meetup #seattlelife #whattodoinseattle #spaceneedle #contentcreator #influencers #marketing #seattleevents

18

2 Comments

Want to make $1k in February—guaranteed? Here’s exactly how to do it: Step 1: Go to YouTube. Search for dash cam videos. Find channels dedicated to dash cam vids that aren’t selling dash cams in their description. Step 2: Create a simple Google sheet. Add columns for: → YouTube Channel URL → Subscribers → Contact Info Step 3: Launch a Shopify store selling dash cams. If you don’t know how, YouTube will walk you through it. OR... Can’t launch a store? No worries. Go to Google. Search for dash cam affiliate programs. Join those programs. Step 4: Go back to your Google sheet. Start reaching out to these YouTubers. Here’s the thing: Most of these channels aren’t making real money with Adsense. They’re hungry for brand deals. You’ll be shocked at the deals you can lock in. Step 5: Buy ad spots in their description boxes. Drop copy like: “Looking for an affordable dash cam? Grab yours here -> [yourstorenamecom].” If the channel drives solid sales, buy it. If you don’t have the cash, pitch a partnership. Make your offer to 100 channels. Reach out. Negotiate. Seal the deal. If you get your link live in 100 channels—you’ll easily clear $1k. If not, DM me. Show me what you did. If you got your store live in 100 channels and didn’t make it, I’ll personally send you $1k. Either way, you’re walking away with $1k and some killer skills. Clock’s ticking. Go.

2

I found my sellable and scalable offer by asking this one question.  One of the hardest things for most coaches to create is their Core Offer. (at least it was for me) The reason is, I was used to doing a thing - and getting paid for that thing. - But you can't scale that.  Like most other people, I felt like throwing in the towel. But I'm sure glad I didn't do that!  It feels like it should be simple - but the fact is most coaches and consultants are too general in what they offer.  This became obvious to me through working with my clients, when asked - "What do you sell?" - it was hard for most of them to articulate it simply.  This might sound simple, but there are many ways to get this wrong.  It wasn't until I heard someone say:  • What is the Core Problem that you Solve for people?  What is a Core Problem? A Core problem is a problem that when solved, the business functions measurably better.  When you fix this ONE THING you create transformation for your client.  For example: If you help people grow their business - this is too general.  - But helping "CPA firms get 20 to 50 new clients per month" is Core. Because having an influx of new clients is a solution that solves multiple problems.  I knew that in 2025 solving general offerings was not going to be enough because people are looking for transformation.  Core offerings should:  1) Offer a meaningful result, (remember transformation - not information) 2) Be easy to understand and speak about and purchase (I'll talk more about that later)  3) Core Offers are NOT designed for “just anyone” - but for a specific market 4) Should repel someone who is not the target market (When you get this - you got it!) #publicspeakingtips #publicspeaker #businesscoach #businesscoaching #businesscoachingtips #videographer #videographersalary #contentcreatortips #contentideas #contentcreationtips

2

2 Comments

There must be a better way to pitch stuff to the creator industry. Every day, I'm pitched mind-blowingly amazing stuff, some of which I simply don't have the time to support. One-on-one pitching takes too long, and being COO at Fixated is more than a full-time job. So I'll do 22 of them here. Let me know if you want any intros to these CEOs: 🎰 An iGaming platform that pays referrers a lifetime split on revenue from players they bring to the platform. 🎶 A music platform that pays YouTube Shorts creators far more than ads to include great music in their videos. 👯 A fan subscription platform that uses AI for real-time communication and community management (no more agencies!) 🤖 A cost-per-result marketing company that can get meaningful human app downloads, newsletter sign-ups, etc., for a few bucks each. 🧑🏻‍💼 An insurance and HR company for working content creators 🏠 A real estate investment company where influencers can get their fans to invest along with them as a team 🕸️ A web3 company that does the same thing but for web3 projects ^^^ 🇫🇷 A company that will dub or subtitle your content in another language, launch a new YouTube channel, and handle all metadata for a revenue split. 🗑️ A company that takes unused inbound brand deals and pays you for them. ❤️ An AI-based dating simulator where fans can get personalized text responses and media sent to their phone ✍🏽 A platform enabling live-streamed autograph sessions where they handle all logistics 💸 An investment play where fans can invest in a unit of YouTube AdSense payments so creators have an incentivized fanbase to help them grow. 🎽 A merch company where buyers can also join a fan community with exclusive content 💵 An AI licensing company that will pay you for all of your high-quality video you shot but didn't use (nature stuff, B-roll, movie footage) 🤑 A company that pays you well in advance of your brand or platform deal payment terms for a very low split. 📈 An advisory that helps creator economy companies get acquired 👀 AI that can watch a library of videos and provide deep intelligence, like how many minutes a brand was featured or how many times the word "sports" was mentioned 🎮 A tech that overlays on live streams and makes it easy to play casual games with your audience 📂 An AI that connects to your Google Drive then allows you to ask questions about all of your company's data 🕸️ A web3-enabled social network and ad network with the most effective ads and highest RPMs I've ever seen 🌆 A venture studio building 100 companies in 5 years by backing audacious, frugal, aggressive concepts 💲 More content creator investment companies than I can shake a stick at! Happy to be a connector! Hope I just saved you 11 hours of intro meetings!

85

39 Comments

Turn one event into 2.8+ million impressions? New case study w/ Vin Matano 🐝 and Demandbase out now! - Follow our DICE framework to maximize your event ROI so you don’t have to roll the dice with in-person content. D-esign I-deate C-apture E-dit - DESIGN your event content plan before the event. Factor the RSVP list, influencer partners, and key marketing messaging before the start time. This will inform the topic selection and shot planning during the event. The more homework you do upfront, the easier it is to hit a home run at the event. IDEATE on content topics and thoroughly prepare. Be intentional and formulate a concrete shooting plan. This can include video topics, storyboarding, branding, and questions for the participants. You want to focus primarily on execution during the event, so it’s key to get the preparation in order. CAPTURE your event in a versatile manner. Now that you have your content plan, you can focus on 1) DOCUMENTING the event and 2) CREATING original content at the event. You want a fair balance of both so you can produce versatile videos (short form, interviews, hype video, recap, long form) with original b-roll. EDIT your raw assets into usable content. Think carefully about how you want to distribute the content. Fast-paced short form is great for organic social while more cinematic shots can serve as promotional reel for future events and sponsor activation. DO NOT post anything raw. Create with audience enjoyment top of mind. - Watch the full video for a detailed breakdown. Hosting an event and interested in turning it into a content factory? Hit up EventShark 🦈

48

29 Comments

💡 Substack and Snap Inc. both have open creator program applications right now... but what's the catch? I've been waiting on the creator economy journalist who wants to interview me, but should I speak on the scam vs bucket list benefits of these social platform creator programs? I've participated in creator programs hosted by almost every major platform (TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and multiple Meta/Instagram programs) I have... many, MANY thoughts 😀 #creatoreconomy #creatorprogram #influencereconomy #socialmedia

27

18 Comments

"NEWS BRIEF: Three Utah-based, Publicly Traded Microcap Firms Raise a Combined $16.7 Million in Three Separate Offerings." The 3 firms are Salt Lake City-based ▪️ Clene Nanomedicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLNN), and ▪️ SINTX Technologies (NASDAQ:SINT), plus Woods Cross-based Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ), which actually became a publicly traded firm via a Reg A+ offering. For more info on each company (and their respective offerings), I invite you to visit Utah Money Watch to read https://lnkd.in/gcMjsmsr. Additionally, if you find my writeup useful and/or informative, I hope you'll take a moment or two to #repost it, #share it, #comment, and/or #like it. {Doing so is helpful with boosting the social media algorithms, btw.} Last of all, if you have not yet #subscribed to Utah Money Watch, I encourage you to do so today. Simply click here - www.utahmoneywatch.com - then click on a #Subscribe button on any page on the website, then fill in 2 fields. At most, it should take 30 seconds to sign-up. Anyway ... thanks for your continued interest and support. Sincerely, David ("Poppa P") Politis, Publisher, Editor, & Founder, Utah Money Watch #utah #business #monetary #financial #raisingmoney #publiccompanies #goingpublic #initialpublicoffering #IPO #medical #healthcare #energy #recycling

16

3 Comments

Too soon to bring back the billboards? Nah.... Especially when we are having our first ever Black Friday sale. On Black Friday, we're going to send everyone on the pre-sign up list the lowest cost ASOTU CON tickets we'll be offering, period. If you want to be on the list for the discount (or if you just want to be first to know as we start releasing more details), head over to asotucon.com and sign up. Yes, I understand it's in May. Yes, I understand the NADA Show hasn't happened yet. BUT... Yes, 100s of people already pre-signed up and you don't want to be one of the people who either pay full price...or aren't able to get a ticket 😳 Personally, I hope you come jam with us for as little $ as possible. ASOTU | More Than Cars #morethancars #cardealership #automotiveindustry #automotive #ucw #nadashow

20

My agency’s revenue grew by 70% this last calendar year. Here are the 7 highest-value actions I took that enabled this: 1. We set a massive goal of 200 million YouTube views, breaking it into smaller milestones that kept the team motivated. 2. Launched and scaled 3 new YouTube channels. One of them crossed 100K subscribers within 6 months. 3. Invested in leadership and training for the team, covering everything from communication skills to new tools. 4. Dedicated 1 hour each week for 1-on-1s with team leads to align goals, tackle challenges, and connect on a personal level. 5. Read 12 business and leadership books to make better decisions, plan long-term, and lead with clarity. Personal MBA was the best. 6. Focused on one key goal each quarter, which helped drive clarity, align the team, and create measurable progress. 7. Implementing tools like Trello, we saved us 100+ hours every week, reduced bottlenecks, and increased efficiency. Some of these steps felt risky at the time. Others took me many months to implement. But these have been game-changing for NB Media. What are the most high value action you took this year? #highvalueactions #entrepreneurship #growth

60

5 Comments

Invest in Newsmax Today! Now’s your chance to invest in Newsmax Media, Inc.! The SEC requires investors to be Accredited Investors, and you can qualify with one of the following: ​➡️Income of $200,000+ in previous two years ($300,000 for joint income)   ​➡️Have a net worth of over $1 million Invest now  to be part of this fast-growing news network! Get qualified and join the future of news today! https://lnkd.in/gmbJzeY7 #Newsmax #GoingPublic #InvestmentOpportunity  #NewsIndustry #BusinessUpdate #InvestInNewsmax #PublicListing #InvestorNews #newtothestreet This is a paid advertisement for Newsmax’s Regulation D Offering.  Additional information on the company and risk factors related to the offering can be found in the offering circular.

5

1 Comment

One thing I didn't expect with the Your Path to Publish podcast launch this week is how fun it would be to read the review nicknames. Here are some of my favorites. Marketingmislead Utah-801 Money please! Your Auntie M Narhal 25 Grundleman Skippingrocks Eggcelent Educellence Fearless Warrior ThunderCastle SpecialK11 Yokobo1994 #podcastlaunch #podcast #podcastreviews #bookpublishing #bookwriting #author #authorlife

5

1 Comment

Mr. Beast’s internal video content strategies have been leaked. In just 6 years, he has gone from almost 0 to over 200 million subscribers and generated $100 million in revenue through his groundbreaking approach to content creation. I’ve got my hands on this exclusive document that reveals all the behind-the-scenes strategies used by him. If you want it: 1. Send me a connection request. 2. Comment "STRATEGY". This will let me DM you the link. #contentstrategy #MrBeast #youtube

42

16 Comments