Level Up Creators is bringing Silicon Valley’s recurring revenue model to individual content creators. 

Co-founded by CEO Amanda Northcutt, a seasoned executive with a background in membership communities and software as a service, the startup empowers creators — particularly women and those from marginalized groups — to build sustainable, profitable businesses.

Level Up Creators offers a two-sided approach: a high-touch consulting firm and an accessible online school. 

Both services aim to equip creators with the comprehensive skills needed to thrive in the digital marketplace, with a strong emphasis on building and optimizing recurring revenue streams. 

They focus on creator-owned revenue streams rather than traditional brand deals, departing from the influencer-driven model that has dominated the space.

In an exclusive interview with Net Influencer, Amanda reveals her vision of Level Up Creators shaping the future of digital entrepreneurship and transforming how content creators approach business.

Rethinking Wealth Creation

Amanda’s journey to co-founding Level Up Creators was shaped by personal experience. 

After a health crisis forced her to leave a high-paying corporate job, she moved to fractional executive work in Silicon Valley and beyond. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted further reflection.

“I do not want to spend the rest of my career just making wealthy people wealthier,” Amanda recalls. 

She realized she could combine her recurring revenue experience from membership communities in the early 2000s and Silicon Valley software as a service (SaaS) and launch a new, best-of-both-worlds creator-centric venture.

In early 2023, she co-founded Level Up Creators with Erin Horner, Bruno De Figueredo, and Natalie Veis Williams. 

The company’s name reflects its mission. “Our job is to level up their business chops,” Amanda tells us, referring to creators who have “gathered an audience around [their] topic” of expertise. 

Level Up Creators targets thought leaders on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, distinguishing itself from influencer-focused services.

Empowering Diverse Digital Voices

Level Up Creators is filling a gap in the creator economy by empowering individuals to monetize their expertise through digital products and services. 

“We help individuals with expertise build their businesses through digital products and services like courses, paid newsletters, membership communities, and group coaching programs,” Amanda explains.

Despite initial success, she faced an unexpected challenge: the startup’s consulting services primarily attracted male clients despite targeting women and individuals from marginalized groups.

In response, the company accelerated the launch of Level Up Creator School, a more accessible platform designed to reach a broader, more diverse audience.

The move has already shown promise. 

“It’s still a small community,” says Amanda. “We’re building slowly and sustainably, but it’s a diverse global community. We have people from all walks of life in different stages in their creator journies.”

Amanda’s vision for Level Up Creators stems from a long-held belief that many individuals possess valuable knowledge but lack the business and technical skills to monetize it effectively.

Comprehensive Solutions for Content Entrepreneurs

Level Up Creators offers a dual-purpose approach to help content creators transform their expertise into profitable businesses. 

The first arm of the business is a high-touch consulting firm. “We are the business end of a thought leadership, content creation business,” Amanda explains. 

This service is tailored for creators who have built an audience around their area of expertise and passion and are ready to monetize in a way that feels authentic. 

The consulting team handles everything from building email lists and email marketing automation to crafting copy and implementing technical infrastructure.

The second offering is Level Up Creator School, a subscription-based platform Amanda describes as a “business school for creators who are thought leaders.” 

For a monthly fee, members can access courses, a peer network, and regular live sessions with Amanda and her team. 

“We are helping you build and optimize your business,” she states. “This is a never-ending process. Business is a marathon, not a sprint. And it’s inherently complex, which is why Creator School includes all the resources you need, but more importantly, an expert for every area of your business, there to help you, one-on-one.”

Both services aim to provide comprehensive solutions. As Amanda says, “You don’t need to join Creator School and six other programs. It’s one-stop shopping for running every facet of your business.”

The company also offers free resources to help creators get started. These include a mini-course on transitioning from creator to CEO, a creator business blueprint, and an AI guide with custom prompts for individual businesses. 

Additionally, Level Up Creators publishes a free weekly newsletter focused on running a successful recurring revenue business.

Amanda explains the depth of their offerings: “We know there’s lots of straightforward, basic, lightweight information all over the internet. Even with our free resources, we’re offering many levels up from that.”

According to the entrepreneur, the ultimate goal is to help creators achieve financial independence and create a generational wealth cycle for their families. 

Fostering Creator Independence

Level Up Creators focuses on sustainable, creator-owned revenue streams rather than traditional brand deals. 

Amanda elaborates on their unique approach: “We do not focus on brand deals. We want to help you control your revenue.”

She emphasizes the inconsistency and potential exploitation in brand partnerships and advocates for creators to develop their products and services instead.

Amanda envisions a future where “knowledge creators own their products and services” and use their platforms to promote their offerings rather than those of other companies.

According to her, Level Up Creator School’s comprehensive approach makes it stand out: “Creator School is not based on one person’s opinion or experience. It’s my top consultants from Level Up Creators—each expert brings tremendous value and expertise to the table, every day.” 

We have an expert for everything—marketing, sales, technology, strategy, operations, content creation,” Amanda adds.

The Art of Brand Deal Negotiation for Creators

“Never take the first offer given to you by a brand,” she advises, pointing out that creators often underestimate their market value.

“People’s affinity for their favorite five creators is about to surpass or eclipse that of our affinity for iconic brands like Apple, Nike, Patagonia, Lululemon, etc.,” Amanda explains. She argues that while marketers know this shift, many creators have yet to fully grasp their leverage.

The executive encourages creators to advocate for their worth, stating, “You have so much leverage that you are not aware of, and you are not using it to your advantage or for the elevation of the entire creator economy.” 

She urges creators to push back against lowball offers, reiterating the value they bring through their cultivated audiences.

Shaping the Future

Amanda offers insights into how her company stays ahead of trends and envisions the future of the creator economy. 

The firm’s consulting and implementation work provides a real-time window into creators’ needs and market demands. This lets them stay current with tools and technologies essential for running successful creator businesses.

”The breadth and depth of our consulting work with a small group of prominent creators keeps our skills razor sharp–and we bring all that knowledge into Creator School.” Amanda reveals.

Looking ahead, Amanda sees AI as a major driver of growth in the creator economy. She envisions personalized GPTs as a potential game-changer, allowing creators to offer AI-powered versions of themselves to their audience. 

Amanda believes AI will lower barriers to entry for creator businesses by simplifying complex tasks like marketing automation but also acknowledges the challenge of remaining authentic while leveraging AI tools.

“Your followers can spot GPT-created content from a mile away. AI will never replace creators, but rather, it should be used ethically and viewed as just another form of leverage to run your business,” she states.

As for Level Up Creators’ future role, Amanda sees her company as “a primary driver in shaping the economy’s future as it pertains specifically to thought leaders.” 

Expanding Horizons

Level Up Creators is set to release standalone courses while focusing on improving its flagship Level Up Creator School.

“We are focusing our resources and efforts on improving Level Up Creator School and listening to our founding members,” Amanda explains, adding that this customer-centric approach refines the “success path” for creators at various stages of their journey.

The company plans to maintain a balance between asynchronous resources and high-touch support. 

“We will always provide a very high level of access to myself and my team in Creator School–that’s our special sauce,” Amanda told us.

Amanda concludes by expressing her passion for empowering women in the creator economy. 

“Women are so unbelievably capable and have not even come close to reaching our full potential in the business world and marketplace,” she asserts, encouraging potential leaders to reach out.