Season 7 Kickoff: AI, Creators, and What Comes Next

As the creator economy, AI, and consumer behavior are evolving faster than ever before, are you keeping up?Welcome to season 7 of the Partnership Economy. Hosts Dave Yovanno and Todd Crawford are back alongside an exceptional lineup of industry leaders who are navigating these shifts in real time—sharing the strategies, insights, and partnerships shaping what comes next. From brand trust to AI-driven discovery, this season explores the forces redefining growth in today’s digital landscape. Follow along and get ready, this season brings the conversations you need to stay competitive and ahead of the curve!This podcast trailer was produced by Quill.

Once upon a time, ad agencies ruled with glossy spreads and TV spots. Then came social, creators, and platforms rewrote the rules. So what can you learn from this dramatic evolution?In this episode, Dave Yovanno sits down with Sam Kimmel, Senior Director of Co-Marketing Partnerships at Hello Sunshine, for a conversation on the evolution of advertising and what it means for the future of partnerships. With a career that started in the agency world and later took her to Pinterest and TikTok, Sam offers a firsthand look at how these platforms operated, the metrics that mattered, and what it took to make content resonate. Now at Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s mission-driven media company, she shares their unique approach to brand partnerships, where experiential marketing comes into play, and why creating a sense of belonging is a brand’s best practice. Tune in for insights on today's top platforms, the underrated social metric that matters more than likes, and why the most impactful partnerships are the ones built to last.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

We all know the creator economy is evolving — but when done right, what does it look like in its ideal form? In this episode, Dave Yovanno is joined by Lindsey Gamble, an Influencer Marketing Advisor, Founder of Lindsey Gamble Media, and creator himself. Lindsey puts on his consultant hat to offer advice to both brands and creators, drawing from his first-hand experience on both sides. From the brand perspective, he outlines how the struggle to maintain control is a hurdle companies must overcome, why diversification will always be a winning strategy, and tackles industry myths. Shifting focus to creators, Dave gets Lindsey’s take on the importance of a personal touch and fair compensation, with Lindsey’s ideal structure being a blended model designed for scalability. Finally, they cover the top trends: TikTok Shop, modern metrics, algorithms, and why great content will always be king. Tune in to take notes and get inspired by Lindsey’s dual perspective.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

AI this, AI that… but what about the creator economy!? With all the buzz around artificial intelligence, it’s time to connect the dots to creator marketing. In this episode of The Partnership Economy, Todd is joined by Brian Klais, Founder of URLgenius, to explore how AI is transforming the creator landscape. Brian kicks things off with a holistic view of the industry, reflecting on the trends he’s observed across his 20+ years in digital marketing. He shares how those trends helped shape the mission behind URLgenius and how their mobile-first approach to commerce set the stage for the company’s breakout success. From there, the conversation turns to AI. While many creators are embracing automation for administrative tasks, Brian highlights the very real concerns around using AI for content creation. Still, he shares the huge potential: from brand-creator matching to optimizing campaign structures and even enabling dynamic commission models based on performance. If you're ready to blend trends, tech, and the creator economy, this one's for you! Mentioned in the episode: Creators Tap AI Superpowers to Thrive in a Changing Economy, Finds New URLgenius SurveyWhat Brand Marketers Look for When Partnering with Creators

Understanding Gen Z might feel like navigating uncharted territory, but what if your brand's success depends on it? In this episode, Dave Yovanno sits down with Ben Harms, Chief Growth Officer at Archrival, a creative agency built to help brands truly connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Ben shares what it takes to meet these audiences where they are, from understanding their behaviors and mindset to embracing community-led storytelling, active social listening, and bold, culture-driven risks. Drawing from his experience at Tommy Hilfiger, and working with brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Adidas, Ben explains why traditional tactics no longer cut it, and how legacy brands can pivot, if they’re willing to evolve. He and Dave cover everything from Gen Z’s distrust of institutions and the power of peer-driven content to finding the right creators and letting go of control. This episode is a masterclass in building trust with the next generation and why it just might be time to rethink the old playbook.Check out Archrival’s latest thought leadership pieces here: Gen Z broke the marketing funnelState of CommunityLoving this show? Explore impact.com's other podcasts packed with insights:The Publisher's PlaybookThe Advocacy Channel

In the agency world, your ability to drive success for a brand is make or break. The best in the business have sifted through various options to land on the perfect formula for a winning brand strategy. One of those pros is Amanda Mount, Director of Affiliate Marketing at Monks. In this episode, Todd Crawford is on a mission to learn how Amanda does it, balancing brand authenticity, content strategy, cost-effective partnerships, and the perfect ratio of influencers to affiliates among a myriad of other tactics! They cover a wide range of topics, from the cost-efficiency and built-in trust of nano and micro influencers to the unique value agencies bring through quickly testing and refining strategies for clients. Finally, they explore the foundational values that define standout programs: trust and relationship-building, emphasizing that when it comes to partnerships, that’s what it’s all about! This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

Pack your bags, we’re heading across the pond! In this episode, Todd Crawford sits down with Graeme Boase, Account Director at Growth HQ, to explore how to build an affiliate A-team and the key differences between affiliate marketing in the U.S. and the U.K. To start, they break down how the maturity of each market is shaping the role, influencing everything from affiliate manager salaries to partnership dynamics. Then, Graeme shares what it takes to succeed in the affiliate space today, highlighting essential skills like data fluency and creative content strategy. He also explains why not all affiliates should be compensated equally and how performance analytics can be leveraged to ensure fair and effective partnerships. Todd and Graeme also dive into best practices for agency and in-house collaboration, emphasizing the importance of transparency, adaptability, and avoiding a blame-game culture. To wrap up, Graeme shares his take on career growth in the affiliate industry and the growing opportunities for those who can balance both the analytical and human sides of the role.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

When it comes to trust, it can take years to build and seconds to break. While this might feel like common sense when it comes to consumer-brand relationships, it's possible to overlook how crucial trust is in the brand-creator relationship. With a passion for this topic backed by a deep understanding, Brianna Doe, founder of Verbatim, joins Dave to share her take on building brand-creator trust and how it’s shaping the broader creator economy. As someone who’s worked on the brand, agency, and creator side, she provides a unique perspective on the dynamic between these groups. The conversation begins with a look at content saturation and how promotional overload has amplified the need for authenticity. Dave and Brianna unpack the evolving balance of control in these partnerships as more brands begin to loosen their grip. They also explore how this shift in control is influencing compensation models, with creators now leveraging content control as a bargaining chip. With trust and control so tightly linked to performance, Brianna emphasizes the importance of aligning on KPIs before a campaign begins and why choosing a primary and secondary success metric is a great call. Finally, they close the loop with language. Brianna shares why the words we use can signal how much a brand truly respects its partners and why that distinction matters more than ever.This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

Need to transform your performance partnerships channel, or more dauntingly, build it from the ground up? A certainly big task, but one Natasha Scholnick, Director of Global Partnerships & Influencers at VistaPrint knows incredibly well. In this episode, Todd sits down with Natasha, to explore how the brand has evolved its influencer marketing strategy and integrated it into its broader partnership ecosystem. Natasha shares how VistaPrint structured its program from the ground up, offering practical and unique incentives that kept influencers engaged for the long term. From managing leadership’s expectations to leveraging influencer-generated content across channels, Natasha provides her strategies for brands looking to scale their creator initiatives. Looking ahead, Natasha and Todd conclude with how VistaPrint plans to refine its program, tap into high-priority categories, and turn influencer marketing into a major revenue driver. If you're looking to build, optimize, or scale an influencer program, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!This podcast episode was produced by Quill.

A one-dimensional partnership program won’t cut it anymore. In this episode, Todd sits down with Stephanie Harris, CEO of PartnerCentric, to explore how brands can build a stronger, more diverse partnership strategy by integrating affiliates, creators, and customer advocates. They discuss the opportunities of converging creators with affiliates, the impact of different commission models, and why your most authentic brand advocates might already be your customers. They also discuss how agencies can help optimize and scale these partnerships and why accurate attribution is key to proving ROI across different partner types. Tune in to learn how a diversified, well-attributed partnership mix can maximize growth!To read the survey created URLgenius & impact.com click HERE. This podcast episode was produced by Quill.