Unicorner - 🦄 creator now: YouTube creator school

🦄 Unicorner Startup of the Week: creator now

✍️ Notes From The Editors

Happy Monday! In today’s cover, we’re taking a look at YouTube. We also reached out to a friend of Unicorner and six-time creator now participant, Espree Devora, to learn about her experience with the program. We're excited to share her response—check out today's bonus content to see our Q&A!

- Ethan and Arek 🦄

YouTube creator school

creator now is an online learning platform and community for aspiring YouTubers, co-founded by YouTuber Airrack. A total of 300 participants participate in a six-week program where they are encouraged to publish a total of six videos. Participants meet creators in their niche, attend workshops with “YouTube experts,” gain access to collaboration opportunities, and more.

🔗 Check them out: creatornow.club

💰 Business Model

The six-week online program costs $250 per attendee, according to Tubefilter. The company is so confident in its program, that in the event an attendee is unsatisfied, it promises to pay them 110% of their money back.

📈 Traction and Fundraising

Raised $3 million seed round from Upfront Ventures, YouTuber Casey Neistat, YouTubers Colin and Samir, Patreon co-founder Jack Conte, and Twitch co-founder Justin Kan
Currently in its seventh season

👫 Founders

Eric Decker (Airrack): Currently YouTuber @ YouTube; Previously Co-Founder @ Flint & Steel Studios, Business Marketing, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services @ University of North Georgia
Zack Honarvar, CEO: Currently Founder @ One Day Entertainment, Co-Founder @ Fan of a Fan; Previously Senior Enterprise Account Executive @ Shopify Plus, BizDev @ SparkGig, Economics & Financial Management @ Wilfrid Laurier University
Kate Ward: Currently Director of Operations @ One Day Entertainment; Previously Founder & Content Partner @ By Kate Ward, Economics and Political Science @ UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics

💼 Opportunities

Sign up for the next cohort

🔮 Our Analysis

Over time, being a “YouTuber” has become a more and more feasible career choice. Given this change in attitude, and the quality and effort of production of YouTube videos increasing since the company’s founding in 2005, it’s no surprise there’s a market to teach aspiring YouTubers how to create videos. Just like traditional industries, having connections as an online creator is extremely useful. Having people to call on for experience and collaborations can accelerate the growth of a channel. By taking a community-driven approach, creator now is offering participants value they might have a hard time finding otherwise. Instead of sitting in classrooms, participants learn by doing, meaning they can take what they learn during the cohort and apply their knowledge after it has ended. We’re excited to see creator now grow and see which up-and-coming creators participate in the program.

📚 Further Reading

Airrack Launched An Online Course For Aspiring YouTubers After Nabbing 1 Million Subscribers In A Year [Tubefilter, 2021]

Written by the editors

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🎁 Bonus Content!

We asked Espree the following questions:

Tell us about who you are and what you do.
What would a typical day and a typical week look like in the program?
As someone who has participated in multiple creator now cohorts, what aspects of the program make the experience valuable and keep you coming back?

Hi 👋 my name is Espree Devora, aka "the girl who gets it done". I am a podcaster, founder, community builder, and backpacker having traveled to over 100 countries visiting startup communities around the world. In a couple months I'll be keynoting with Richard Branson all from being a podcaster! I helped LA become a top tech city producing over 400 community events, was the face of the Clubhouse app, and my podcasts have been featured on the homepages of Apple and Spotify.

Human connectivity is my art. I create content and events to be an artist of people. A little known fact is I am an introvert, so I only enjoy facilitating the connection and then take a step back to let others do the talking.

I have 2 podcasts WeAreLATech and Women in Tech. “WeAreLATech" spotlights Los Angeles tech companies and talent. Listeners quickly immerse themselves into the LA startup culture. My second podcast, "Women in Tech Show,” celebrates women in tech globally so listeners walk away feeling "If she can do, it so can I."

Being creative is why I do everything I do. Part of my creative journey is joining the YouTube accelerator creator now founded by Eric Decker (Airrack), Zack Honarvar, and Kate Ward. I was lucky to be in their first cohort and have done several more of their cohorts since, 6 in total.

creator now is about being in a connective community of creators who take YouTube seriously. We are all heart driven and genuinely care about one another winning. For most members it is their dream to do YouTube full time. Several have gone from just a couple hundred subscribers to over 100,000 after being a part of creator now. It's really inspiring to see their consistency, camaraderie, and dedication. This includes Ellie Marie, who crossed 100k, Michael Balingit who passed 200k on TikTok, Tyler Blanchard who's almost at 400k, Dara Tah approaching 200k, and honorable awesome mention to Manuel Boza who just hit 40k.

If there's one piece of advice I'd give others it's "your intuition is your oracle" and to "follow your curiosity and detach from the outcome," plus one more from Mom: "every No is one step closer to a Yes". Okay, so that's 3 haha. Being a full time creator means I get to create the rules for my life.

Connect with me on Twitter / Instagram

My new YouTube channel all about podcasting, https://www.youtube.com/c/espree

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Unicorner - 🦄 creator now: YouTube creator school

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