‘Walt Disney is not Mickey Mouse’: The modern creator career path, from full-time to founder
The business of being a creator isn’t a solo show. They have become full-on productions.
In the two decades since YouTube’s debut, creators such as Smosh’s Ian Hecox as well as Mythical Entertainment’s Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have helped to map out the path to becoming full-time creators. They have built out teams and eventually entire companies around themselves.
Now other creators like Dhar Mann and Savanah Moss are following suit by erecting what are effectively the new generation of Hollywood studios and production companies. Meanwhile, the likes of McLaughlin, Neal and Hecox are charting the next phases of the creator career trajectory, as covered in the video below.
More in Future of TV
Future of TV Briefing: How AI agents will figure into this year’s upfront negotiations
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at the conversations that upfront sellers including Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are looking to have with advertisers regarding incorporating AI agents in ad buys.
Digiday+ Research: The marketers’ 2026 guide to a shifting CTV landscape, including YouTube, Peacock and Roku
Digiday+ Research’s fifth annual report analyzes the state of ad-supported streaming and the challenges those companies pose to marketers.
Future of TV Briefing: The upfront is overtaking streaming’s programmatic marketplace
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how major TV and streaming ad sellers are seeing upfront deals represent a larger share of their programmatic businesses.