The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
Build a network of 100+ creators producing monthly content about your product
SMB tool founders with products that have clear, demonstrable value propositions
6-12 months to reach 50+ creators on retainerWhat Success Looks Like
100 creators posting monthly videos about your product with directly trackable ROI and viral spillover effects
Steps to Execute
Search YouTube for creators in your niche with 4-20 minute videos from last month
Scrape 100+ creator emails using manual extraction or API tools
Send outreach: 'paid collaboration' subject, ask for 3-video package + 30% affiliate
Send 10 follow-up emails over time to increase response rates
Compare all pricing responses to identify underpriced creators
Test with 10 cheapest creators, provide affiliate tracking links
Identify top 2-3 performers based on affiliate revenue after 6-8 weeks
Convert top performers to monthly retainer agreements
Repeat entire process with new creator cohorts
Scale to 100+ creators producing monthly content
Checklist
Inputs Needed
- $125-500 for email scraping
- Product with clear demonstrable value
- Affiliate commission budget (30% recommended)
- Video budget ($200-2000 per creator for 3 videos)
- Time for relationship management
Outputs
- Database of 100+ creator contacts in your niche
- Performance data on creator ROI and conversion rates
- Network of 50-100 creators on monthly retainers
- Viral content multiplication through creator networks
- Predictable monthly content calendar
Example
“A time-tracking app for freelancers contacts 100 productivity YouTubers, finds 10 who price 3-video packages under $1000, tests all 10, discovers 2 who drive $3K+ monthly revenue each, puts them on $400/month retainers, then repeats process monthly”