Founders figure out they need content in year one. Creators figure out they need a business in year three.

👋 Welcome back to Content to Commas, the weekly playbook for turning content into money and authority.

I had lunch with my friend Tobi yesterday, the kind of lunch where the conversation was better than the food.

We spent most of lunch talking about our paths, businesses, and when people ask us for advice, they usually show up as one of two people.

There’s the creator who just realized the audience is supposed to become a business.

Then there’s the founder who just realized the business is supposed to have an online presence.

By the end, you'll see your content through both sets of eyes, founder & creator.

📍 In this issue:

Let's get to work.

Brandon Smithwrick

^{a message from our friends at Relay}

People love to debate whether Cannes Lions is worth it, so this year I pulled the real number. 

One week cost me $8,384.59. 

The reason I can hand you that to the penny is that every charge sorted and categorized itself automatically inside Relay, my new business banking platform. 

No random credit statement or spreadsheet at tax time. 

You cannot judge the ROI on anything you do not actually track. Know your numbers and every decision gets easier.

_{this is an advertisement — all clicks support the newsletter}

Person one: You've been posting for 3 years, the comments are great, someone even recognized you when you're out. But the last few months of income came from one client that has nothing to do with your content.

You're starting to suspect building this "audience" is a job you volunteered for.

Person two: You run a company. The product works, customers renew, and nobody outside your pipeline has heard of you. Every deal starts from zero because your name carries nothing, and you feel like a stranger in your own industry.

Both people need help, but they tend to ask different questions…

The creator asks, "What do I sell?"

The founder asks, "What do I say?"

It's almost like they have the same goal but are starting from opposite ends.

🤔

so… basically the creator is asking for founder brain, and the founder is asking for creator speed.

When a founder looks at a content business, they don't really see the posts. They see what the posts change.

it feels like you found a cheat code to business, and now you're playing on easy mode.

Easier deals, easier intros, easier trust.

If you're reading this from the founder side, this is also your sign to start before it feels necessary.

Trust takes years to build, and you can't rush it in the exact moment you need it.

Look at all the founders killing it right now.

They prioritize their health more than anything, but they're also building their personal brand and see content as a building block that not only pushes them and future ventures but pushes the bottom line of their core business.

The creator lens catches something the founder lens misses completely, people can feel the difference between someone who cares and someone who's marketing at them.

It's why a company with a full team can post every day and stay invisible, while one person with a phone can feel like a friend.

Care doesn't come from a brief. It shows up or it doesn't.

One lens watches what the work does. The other watches who it touches.

Neither one is wrong, and on their own, neither one is enough. Which brings me to the part of this issue I actually wrote it for.

No matter where you begin, I believe the similarities between the two can really enhance both sides.

if you take one thing, it's this…

If your goal is to build a business, then focus on creating content.

if you're creating content, use it to boost your business.

I need to give you homework this week, so there are some things you have to act on yourself.

1. What has your content made easier?

Forget views for a second and count opportunities.

2. Who would actually miss you if you stopped?

This is your creator lens, and it's also the honest answer to "is my audience too small." If the names exist, it isn't.

3. What could they pay for that helps them and keeps you here?

One thing. The question people keep asking you is usually the answer. Give it a real price this week.

If people would miss you, people would support you. They just need something to buy.

That's what Tobi and I were really circling at lunch.

Run the homework, then hit reply with the thing you're putting a price on.

I read every one. See you next Saturday.

Each week, I share content on social, branding, and growth strategies. Catch up in case you missed anything.

The tools, equipment, and systems that power my content.

Thanks for reading!
If this newsletter helped you? I want the receipt
Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Subscribe here
Interested in advertising? Get in touch