E54: Many content creators struggle with building a dedicated audience and effectively monetizing their content. Despite having quality content, they often lack the strategic framework to captivate and monetize an audience in a landscape saturated with creators. So, how do you sift through the noise? On today's episode, host Yong-Soo (@YongSooChung) has a very special guest, Joe Casabona (@jcasabona) , the host of the popular podcast 'How I Built It.' Joe talks about his S.M.A.S.H. framework for creators, which highlights all the monetization channels a creator has at their disposal. On today’s episode, you’ll learn: - Creator Monetization Strategies - Why Sponsorships Don't Always Work - S.M.A.S.H. Framework and its Components - How to Master the Art of Audience Building If you're a content creator looking for ways of monetizing your content, this episode is a must-listen! *** SPONSORS: Castmagic - Enjoy an exclusive 30% discount for your first 3 months with the code FOUNDERS30. GrowthJet - Work with a boutique third-party logistics provider (3PL) for your e-commerce brand that'll pick, pack, and ship your orders hassle-free. *** EXCERPTS: Premium Content: "What I tell people for this is you don't need a big audience, but you need a loyal audience. People who are really love your content or conversely really hate ads, like, I know people who pay for my show just because they hate ads, the value proposition for them is that you're providing them with a little extra." — Joe Casabona (17:43) The Power of Podcasting: "A podcast can be a great way to get people to know, like, and trust you faster."  — Joe Casabona (28:23) *** LINKS: How I Built It Podcast Podcast Liftoff JOIN: First Class Founders Premium Membership DOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free) *** FOLLOW / REVIEW: - Follow - Leave 5-star review *** CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO: - X - Threads - LinkedIn - Newsletter *** First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, and more. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Brad Stulberg, Clint Murphy, Andrew Warner, Chenell Basilio, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Additional episodes you might like: Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at Beehiiv From Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry ...