#9: Network is the Asset, Future of E-Commerce, TikTok Shop, UGC Creators & Leadership - Mike Rama

"Creators are going to be the future of marketing...[and] the real moat that we're gonna have is the network of creators." - Mike Rama
In this episode Akram interviews Mike Rama from Brands Meet Creators, a company focused on building a network of content creators that accelerate growth for e-commerce brands. Mike believes this is the future of e-commerce marketing. That said, Mike has a unique approach becuase he sees the network as a more valuable asset than immediate monetization. Join me as we dive deep into the the importance of building a network and community, delaying monetization to prioritize value, how Mike is disrupting the space with BMC and the challenges he's faced along the way managing a growing team.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview
01:38 Building a Network of Content Creators
12:42 The Future of E-commerce: Content Creators Selling Products
24:16 Building a Network and Community
26:15 Transitioning from Manager to Leader
27:15 Embracing Unstructured Thinking Time
28:05 Balancing Calls and Other Tasks
29:05 Leadership vs. Management
30:05 Building a Team of Complementary Components
32:31 Understanding Your Values
33:01 Finding People Who Can Do Things Better
34:21 Valuing Deep Connections
37:23 Delaying Monetization for Growth
38:23 Providing Free Value in Unique Ways
43:00 Having Conversations to Build Relationships
46:02 Enjoying the Journey and Having Fun
Keywords
brands, creators, network, marketing, monetization, UGC, TikTok Shop, e-commerce, content creation, network, community, monetization, team management, free value, experiences, conversations, fun