Slow Upload by Slow Upload Team

Gol(ai)th's Growing

By Slow Upload · Sept. 27, 2023 11:34 AM PDT

At this point, AI headlines have become almost trite, but last week’s news was an exception. Many of the announcements directly affect both creators and consumers, as the technology’s becoming deeply integrated into existing incumbent tools and user workflows / activities. Operative word: existing. YouTube: At their “Made on YouTube”... At this point, AI headlines have become almost trite, but last week’s news was an exception. Many...

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The New Storytellers

By Slow Upload · Sept. 20, 2023 9:18 AM PDT

Last week, we attended “The Meeting Aspen,” a small gathering of outdoor enthusiasts, creators, and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of adventure, technology, and media. At the registration table, two copies of Outside Magazine, the event’s main sponsor, caught our eye. The most recent issue was titled The New Storytellers: meet the... Last week, we attended “The Meeting Aspen,” a small gathering of outdoor enthusiasts, creators,...

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Power Players and Honey Deuces: The Real Grand Slams

By Slow Upload · Sept. 13, 2023 1:22 PM PDT

Last week, New York was electrified by the US Open. Those lucky enough to attend (and the rest of us via TV or TikTok) watched tennis greats battle on court, saw an astonishing number of celebrity cameos, and witnessed a sea of Honey Deuces consumed. Though this year’s event seemed to attract more attention and coverage than ever, the US... Last week, New York was electrified by the US Open. Those lucky enough to attend (and the rest of...

By Slow Upload · Sept. 6, 2023 1:31 PM PDT

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What Would Jimmy Buffett Do?

By Slow Upload · Sept. 6, 2023 1:31 PM PDT

Over the weekend, we were sad to learn that famed singer, Jimmy Buffett, had passed away at 76. Buffett was known for his island-inspired music, which provided dedicated fans and casual listeners alike a much needed respite from humdrum life in hit songs like “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” and his collaboration with Alan Jackson... Over the weekend, we were sad to learn that famed singer, Jimmy Buffett, had passed away at 76....

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How To Invest In Community

By Slow Upload · Aug. 30, 2023 1:09 PM PDT

Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed the emergence and prevalence of vertical communities. They’re digitally native, composed of highly engaged members, anchored in a (shockingly large) niche, and usually built around an individual personality who leverages content as firepower. When done right, we believe these communities can produce billion... Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed the emergence and prevalence of vertical communities. They’...

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Alex Cooper's Not Unwell

By Slow Upload · Aug. 23, 2023 9:42 AM PDT

We’ve always imagined a world where creators borrow from the franchise playbook to extend their reach or, as discussed last week, to provide a service in lieu of a physical product. A few months ago, we wrote:“Top creators can offer knowledge, operational expertise, and a larger brand platform to smaller creators in exchange for their “local”... We’ve always imagined a world where creators borrow from the franchise playbook to extend their...

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Creators, At Your Service

By Slow Upload Team · Aug. 16, 2023 9:11 AM PDT

Chamberlain Coffee, Feastables, Prime, Summer Fridays, Kylie Cosmetics – just a few brands that have become fixtures of the modern consumer landscape. In the last decade, we’ve witnessed an explosion of creator brands, and we expect many more to come to market in the next few years. Notably, nearly all the big successes (and even the majority of... Chamberlain Coffee, Feastables, Prime, Summer Fridays, Kylie Cosmetics – just a few brands that...

By Slow Upload · Aug. 9, 2023 12:40 PM PDT

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The World's Biggest Book Club

By Slow Upload · Aug. 9, 2023 12:40 PM PDT

If you’ve been to a bookstore recently, you’ve likely seen a #BookTok sign atop a pile of novels popularized by the internet community. With over 130B views, this corner of the web is where creators and their audiences share book reviews, recommendations, and drive meaningful sales of the titles discussed. According to a recent study, 62% of... If you’ve been to a bookstore recently, you’ve likely seen a #BookTok sign atop a pile of novels...

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$5K for an Outfit Of The Day

By Slow Upload · Aug. 2, 2023 9:41 AM PDT

We love discovering niches that are 1) surprisingly big and 2) surprisingly important to people (and uncovering why). Last week, we encountered a WSJ article about the rise of sorority rush consulting firms, which offer preparation services for potential new members in exchange for… a few thousand dollars. The WSJ’s deep dive into this booming... We love discovering niches that are 1) surprisingly big and 2) surprisingly important to people...

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$ODD Man Out... For Now

By Slow Upload · July 26, 2023 10:13 AM PDT

Last Wednesday, Oddity Tech, a beauty and wellness company, closed their first trading day at a ~$3B market valuation. The company, which operates two brands (Il Makiage and SpoiledChild) and has a third on the way, did $166M in net revenue and $20M in net income (with 71% gross margins) in Q1’23 – up from $90M in net revenue year over... Last Wednesday, Oddity Tech, a beauty and wellness company, closed their first trading day at a...

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The Process of Partnership

By Slow Upload · July 19, 2023 8:21 AM PDT

In past Slow Uploads, we’ve discussed elements of our investment process: our approach to sourcing – leveraging frameworks inspired by traditional consumer investing – and our valuation method(s), which is often a sum of the parts exercise. But we’ve never shared our perspective on diligence, a key step that helps us get to know the creator and... In past Slow Uploads, we’ve discussed elements of our investment process: our approach to ...

By Slow Upload · July 12, 2023 8:09 AM PDT

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The HoldCo We're Sliving For

By Slow Upload · July 12, 2023 8:09 AM PDT

If you ever owned a juicy tracksuit, you know that Paris Hilton was early 2000s pop culture. For many years, she was a staple of magazine covers, elite nightlife, and reality television…and then, the Paris we thought we knew took a step back from the spotlight. Her 2020 documentary, “This is Paris,” was a powerful reintroduction; she... If you ever owned a juicy tracksuit, you know that Paris Hilton was early 2000s pop culture. For...

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A Fourth of July Musing

By Slow Upload · July 5, 2023 2:34 PM PDT

Short letter this week due to the July Fourth holiday… When we were first introduced to the creator world, we were struck by the hustle, grit and entrepreneurial spirit possessed by many of the creators we were meeting. Since then, the novelty of their ambition has worn off – not because the creators are any less driven (likely the opposite... Short letter this week due to the July Fourth holiday… When we were first introduced to the...

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A Midyear Check In

By Slow Upload · June 28, 2023 8:15 AM PDT

Last week, we joined 55,000 creators, industry execs, and fans in Anaheim, CA for VidCon. Over the course of an eventful three days (and despite sobering headlines around decreased funding and exec departures), the conference provided a forum for thoughtful discussion about the current and future state of the creator economy. People largely... Last week, we joined 55,000 creators, industry execs, and fans in Anaheim, CA for VidCon. Over...

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MrBeast & The Paltrowian Reality

By Slow Upload · June 21, 2023 11:46 AM PDT

Over the weekend, Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast) tweeted that he’s moving on from MrBeast Burger, a ghost kitchen concept launched during the pandemic. Initially intended to help with restaurant profitability, the effort has grown to include 2,000 restaurant partners and has expanded into owned brick and mortar – its first physical outpost opened... Over the weekend, Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast) tweeted that he’s moving on from MrBeast Burger,...

By Slow Upload · June 14, 2023 9:29 AM PDT

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Teach A Man To (Fly)fish

By Slow Upload · June 14, 2023 9:29 AM PDT

As we continue to refine our own framework for creator- and individual-first investing, we are often informed and inspired by existing models. We’ve discussed Donald Glover’s holding company and incentive structure, have drawn inspiration from Mr. Beast’s efforts, will soon explore Paris Hilton’s holdco, and, today, will dive into VCR Group –... As we continue to refine our own framework for creator- and individual-first investing, we are...

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Digital Cults (The Long Tail)

By Slow Upload · June 7, 2023 9:46 AM PDT

Last week, we examined the “cult of Taylor” – a fascinating case study of the internet’s power to marshal, cohere, and monetize larger-than-life communities around individuals. In fact, these leaders foster an audience passionate enough (in the case of Swifties) to experience blackouts in their presence. While we are card-carrying members of the... Last week, we examined the “cult of Taylor” – a fascinating case study of the internet’s power to...

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Digital Cults (Taylor's Version)

By Slow Upload · May 31, 2023 2:38 PM PDT

It’s been a long time coming, but…over the weekend, a few of us were lucky enough to attend the Taylor Swift Eras Tour. And it was amazing. Some likened it to a religious experience, while others found it more reminiscent of a scene from Lord of the Flies. The ~3.5 hour stadium concert delivered to 70,000 euphoric fans has been analogized to... It’s been a long time coming, but…over the weekend, a few of us were lucky enough to attend the...

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Creators & The Question of Algorithm Neutrality

By Slow Upload · May 24, 2023 12:26 PM PDT

Section 230, which shields online platforms from liability for user-published content, was enacted in 1996. Since then, lawmakers have faced increasing pressure to narrow the Code’s scope of protections. Companies like Twitter, Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, and Google’s YouTube have been central to this discussion given the role they play (or... Section 230, which shields online platforms from liability for user-published content, was...

By Slow Upload · May 17, 2023 9:24 AM PDT

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Content Is The New CAC

By Slow Upload · May 17, 2023 9:24 AM PDT

In the late 2010s, the world became aware that many direct to consumer companies – which promised higher margins by eliminating the retail and wholesale middlemen – were encumbered by a different operating expense in the form of customer acquisition cost, or CAC. So born was the phrase “CAC is the new rent.” A pithy description of the realities... In the late 2010s, the world became aware that many direct to consumer companies – which promised...