Creator Playbooks

Get a breakdown of James' frameworks in my free newsletter: https://bit.ly/48JKUaa Apply to work with me: https://bit.ly/48sQY8d James Smith is one of the few creators willing to say the quiet part out loud. Despite building an audience of over 4 million followers and generating more than a billion views, James explains how chasing virality nearly destroyed his business and why deliberately stagnating his follower growth, ended up doubling (nearly tripling) his income. From seven-figure coaching businesses and bestselling books to a fast-scaling drinks brand and high-leverage mentorships, James breaks down what actually makes creator businesses work behind the scenes. In this episode, we dive into the real economics of content creation and how to turn content into clients; instead of clout. We also unpack James’ philosophy on strong opinions, calling out bad actors, audience capture and the psychological cost of fame. This is one the most honest conversations about money, status and content you’ll hear. Listen on your podcast player: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/creatorplaybooks Follow Callum on socials: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecallumc/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@heycallum X - https://x.com/mcdonnellcallum LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell Produced by 7xContent - make your own podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com Follow James: LinkedIn - https://www.instagram.com/jamessmith/ Timestamps (accurate + true to transcript): 00:00 Introduction to James Smith's Success 00:38 James Smith's Content Creation Strategy 01:38 Building a Lifestyle Business 04:37 Monetizing Content and Business Ventures 07:25 The Importance of Client-Centric Content 14:55 Pricing Strategies for Coaches and Trainers 25:25 The Value of High-Quality Mentorship 27:53 James Smith's Social Media Journey 30:03 The Illusion of Vanity Metrics 32:19 The Allure of Status in Content Creation 34:40 The Complex Ecosystem of Content Creation 37:55 Balancing Fame and Privacy 50:06 The Ethics of Calling Out Competitors 55:19 Chaos in Content Creation 01:02:18 The Importance of Being Able to Speak Off the Cuff 01:02:32 The Benefits of Scripting vs. Improvisation 01:02:45 Live Events and Audience Engagement 01:02:54 The Hypothetical Bird Becky and Utility of Deprivation 01:03:36 The Impact of Alcohol on First Dates 01:04:33 Creatine Video and Audience Engagement 01:04:53 Balancing Scripting and Improvisation 01:05:49 YouTube Strategies for Content Creators 01:11:25 Instagram vs. YouTube: Platform Differences 01:15:53 Building a Content Creation Team 01:22:26 Launching Nut Tonic: From Idea to Execution 01:28:36 Future Goals and Strategic Investments 01:29:56 Conclusion and Future Discussions