Full Circle Moment: How the Creator Economy Is Changing Everything

I honestly can't describe how surreal it was sitting in the audience for Colin and Samir’s panel at Cannes Lions this year. I’ve been watching their videos on the creator economy since I had less than 100 subscribers on YouTube, back when I was making $0 from content and figuring it all out alone, from my bedroom.

I used to listen to their podcast at my day job, literally manifesting the day I could call myself a full-time creator.

I actually found out about Cannes because of them. I saw them speak here last year and knew I’d find a way to go one day.

The biggest thing I took away from their talk is the reminder that “The audience is your boss.” This hit me because everything I’ve built online, 24k subscribers later, exists because of the people who show up for me. The algorithm doesn’t cut the checks. The audience does. Knowing this taught me that brand deals only work if the audience can genuinely gain value and enjoyment from my videos.

Other things that I took away from the talk are:

YouTube is dominating connected TV. It’s one of the few platforms where creators can really build something sustainable. People are watching YouTube on their TVs now, so production value is going up to keep up.

Knowing the difference between an “influencer” (talent) and a “creator” (showrunner) matters. A creator is essentially running a weekly show.

And my favorite line:

“A great TikTok feels like you’re on FaceTime with a friend.”

That’s what people connect with.

A Bigger Shift

This panel just confirmed everything I’ve been feeling, the creator economy is a real business.  Creators aren’t just making videos; we’re building businesses, brands, and entire careers off community.

And at the end of the day, one thing will always stay true: The audience is the boss.