Exploring the Creator Economy with Forbes 30 Under 30 Marketer Christian Brown

What we talked about.

In this episode of the Sunny Ray Show, Sunny talks with Forbes 30 Under 30 marketer Christian Brown, co-founder and CMO of Gluey, an influencer marketing platform that works as a two-sided marketplace connecting creators with e-commerce brands and consumer apps. Christian recounts launching his streetwear label OKAY at 16, learning how a friend's followers can turn into product sales, and noticing while studying advertising at DePaul that large media budgets had not yet reached influencers. He explains how he and partner Dylan started Gluey as COVID began, building the creator side first to solve the chicken and egg problem. The conversation covers the early mistake of trying to be everything for everyone, the value of narrowing to a niche, and how Gluey turns influencer content into ad creative that works across the whole funnel. Christian walks through the full deal flow, from campaign launch and creator applications to contracts, escrow, and instant payouts. He also addresses how long form creators fit in, how education helps the platform scale, and what his go-to-market approach and ideal customer look like.

A founder who started selling hoodies at 16 explains how Gluey pays creators instantly and turns influencer posts into ads that drive revenue.

The questions, and the answers.

What problem are you solving, and what solution are you bringing to market?

Gluey is an influencer marketing platform, and marketplace is the best word for us. On the creator side, I want better deal flow and a way to monetize an audience by partnering with brands they love. On the brand side, we handle discovery, contracting, compliance, communication, hiring, payments, and even tax forms, all in one back office platform.

You started an e-commerce company at 16. What was it, and what did it teach you?

My first company was OKAY, a lifestyle brand that started as a streetwear label. We made hoodies and patchwork pieces and screen printed hundreds of shirts in basements and dorm rooms. It let me build e-commerce stores, partner with friends online who happened to be influencers, and learn digital advertising and entrepreneurship firsthand. That is where I saw how powerful a creator's audience can be.

How did you decide to build a double sided marketplace, and where did you start?

A marketplace has a chicken and egg problem. We were 22 and didn't know many brands, but we knew creators. So we built the iOS app for creators first, grew from hundreds to thousands, then emailed over a million people in our first year to reach tens of thousands. Once we had that supply, we built the brand side and begged friends to try $50 deals.

What did you get wrong early that you would warn another founder about?

We wanted to be everything for everyone. We chased shiny objects and built features for every type of market, whether marketplace, database, or agency. Success came when we niched down to influencer marketing for consumer brands and consumer apps. I'd tell founders to pick a market, build for just that, be the best at it, and only then go horizontal.

How does a brand and creator go from first match to a paid deal on Gluey?

A brand enters its website and product, and our platform helps shape the campaign. Creators get a notification in the iOS app and apply, often within seconds. The brand reviews applicants, presses hire, and a contract is auto generated. Funds sit in escrow, the creator posts and submits the link, and we validate it. The creator is then paid within a minute, with no net 30 or 60.

Are long form creators shut out of this model?

Not at all. The short form video is the most common example, on Instagram, TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts. For a long form creator, the best placement is a 30, 45, or 60 second ad read within a longer YouTube video. Brands usually know what they want, so they search for long form creators with a specific audience and request a one minute read.

How do you turn influencer marketing into something that drives revenue for brands?

Traditional influencer marketing sits at the top of the funnel for awareness. Through our integrated ad process, ad buys, and digital marketing integration, we push it into the middle and bottom of the funnel. Some campaigns return two, three, four, or five times on revenue. That took years of trial and error, and proving ROI is what brings more spend and more pay for creators.

What does your best customer look like, and what is your go-to market approach?

Our best customer is a consumer brand or consumer app running at least $20,000 a month in Meta spend, so they understand digital marketing and need more creative. For go to market, we use inbound like Google ads, plus outbound. The biggest word in go to market is go. I'm out seven days a week at dinners, events, panels, and conferences.