About Gigi Robinson

In December 2023, Gigi Robinson, an accomplished content creator and founder, launched Hosts of Influence, a unique initiative aimed at empowering creators by enhancing their personal branding, offering services ranging from website development to public speaking and media training.

With a rich background in photography and digital content creation dating back to 2016, Robinson identified a critical gap in how creators present themselves and their work to the world. “I understood from a young age that you really should put all of your work in a nice packaged portfolio for people to view that is not just based on your numbers and metrics,” she states, underscoring the importance of substance over surface-level appeal. 

With Hosts of Influence, Robinson aims to equip creators with the tools to market themselves effectively and establish a presence that attracts investment beyond mere viewership numbers. “The main mission is to empower creators to build a personal brand that will outlive them if and or when social platforms die down,” she articulates, emphasizing the importance of a sustainable and evolving business model that remains resilient in the face of changing social media trends. 

Elevating Creators: The Multifaceted Services of Hosts of Influence

“I really hope that Host of Influence is going to be able to help creators define themselves more as thought leaders, and not just in a way that’s going to help them grow their influence but their business and their partnerships too,” she says. 

One of the main services Hosts of Influence offers is Creator Advisory and Consulting, tailored for entities ranging from nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies seeking deeper insights into the creator economy without necessarily engaging in influencer campaigns. “We connect creators to those brands and nonprofits that are seeking creator advisors,” Robinson explains.

This unique service offers a perspective that diverges from traditional social media management, focusing instead on understanding trends and virality through the lens of active creators. The advisory role extends to conducting focus group sessions with strategy teams and acting as in-house strategists, this involves working closely with organic social brand accounts and influencer teams on campaign ideation, ensuring that strategies are not only aligned with current trends but are also innovative and effective. 

Another service offered by Hosts of Influence is creator web design. “Almost every creator I go to just has a link in bio, and it drives me nuts,” Robinson shares, underscoring the lost opportunity for creators to showcase their work comprehensively. By assisting creators in building personalized websites, Hosts of Influence aims to not only enhance their personal branding but also open up avenues for increased traffic and monetization opportunities through a centralized online portfolio.

The final pillar of Hosts of Influence’s approach is focused on storytelling and professional optimization. Robinson conducts one-on-one sessions with creators and brand strategists to refine their storytelling skills, ensuring that their narratives resonate more deeply with their audience. Additionally, she helps creators optimize their LinkedIn profiles and other professional platforms, enhancing their ability to advocate for themselves and their work in a variety of online contexts.

Defining Success in the Creator Economy: The Hosts of Influence Impact

Robinson ties the success of Hosts of Influence not only to her professional achievements but also to the organic growth and development of her peers within the creator community. “It is inherently tied to me and the work that I do on an individual level, as well as the content that I make,” she explains.

The feedback Robinson receives from those she has helped serves as a testament to the effectiveness of her approach. Creators have seen tangible benefits from adopting her advice, from garnering compliments on their polished online presence to securing repeat partnerships with brands. “They tell me that they always get compliments and that’s why brands come back to them,” Robinson shares, illustrating the value of a well-curated personal brand.

In Robinson’s view, the true measure of success in the creator economy is found in the quality of partnerships and the authenticity of audience engagement, rather than in sheer numbers or virality. She champions the idea that impactful collaborations need not achieve millions of impressions to be considered successful. Instead, success is measured by the resonance of the partnership with the target audience and the meaningful interactions that result from it. “Success is just every happy customer, every happy partnership,” Robinson asserts,.

Navigating Challenges in the Creator Economy with Hosts of Influence

Robinson sheds light on the significant challenges creators have encountered, especially in the fluctuating landscape of brand investments in creators. “There’s been this market correction of how much brands are investing in creators these days and partnerships on an individual level,” she notes, pointing out the direct correlation between brand deals and creators’ willingness to invest in themselves. This change poses a conundrum; without consistent brand deals, creators are hesitant to allocate funds toward courses or coaching that could potentially enhance their careers.

Robinson emphasizes the importance of education and negotiation skills for creators, highlighting that merely accepting commission-based work without understanding the full scope of their worth and the effort involved is a disservice to their talent. “Part of the work we do at Hosts of Influence is about teaching creators what they need to know to negotiate better contracts, and better rates,” she asserts, addressing the need for creators to be compensated fairly for their contributions, beyond the uncertainties of commission-based earnings.

To overcome these challenges, Robinson advocates for the development of a robust personal brand and a versatile skill set. She believes in the power of adaptability—being able to pivot and embrace various roles, from photography to public speaking and graphic design, as essential to thriving in the evolving creator economy. 

Uncharted Territories: Elevating the Creator Economy with Personal Branding and Advocacy

“I’m super excited about this niche of personal branding and storytelling, as well as public speaking,” she shares, emphasizing the shift towards digital products as a sustainable income source beyond the ephemeral nature of brand deals. This approach not only underscores the creator’s identity but also their capacity to engage and inspire audiences on a deeper level.

Robinson’s advocacy work, including collaborations with notable non-profits like the Alliance of Eating Disorders and the Jed Foundation, serves as a testament to the power of leveraging one’s platform for greater causes. “If you talk about mental health, partner with the Jed Foundation, like I’ve done,” she recounts, illustrating the symbiotic relationship between personal advocacy and professional opportunities. Robinson believes such strategic alliances not only amplify the creator’s voice but also open doors to corporate sponsorships and collaborations with dream companies.

The realm of public speaking emerges as a frontier ripe for creator exploration, with Robinson pointing to the successes and limitations of current creator representations at major conferences. “Obviously, we have seen big breakout creators talk on stages… But what I will say is… you want somebody who’s an expert who might teach you something, not a viral creator telling you the key to going viral is consistency,” she critiques, advocating for a shift towards more substantive contributions from creators in public discourse. 

Looking ahead, Robinson envisions a future where creators are not only present at significant marketing conferences but are recognized as thought leaders, contributing valuable insights from the creator economy. “I even think at some bigger marketing conferences, we might start seeing creators be more present there, not only from a content creation perspective but from an insights perspective,” she predicts. 

Cultivating Longevity: The Distinct Approach of Hosts of Influence

“There’s dozens of creator coaches out there,” Robinson acknowledges, but she quickly points out the distinction in her approach. It’s not about fitting every creator into a predetermined mold but understanding that “not everybody is going to be a fit for your business.” This realization is pivotal, underscoring the importance of alignment between a creator’s vision and the strategic guidance provided by Hosts of Influence.

Robinson draws a parallel between the patience required in brand building and the often impatient desire for quick fixes in the creator economy. “A lot of times, people with creator businesses are looking for somebody to quickly solve a problem,” she observes. However, she argues that building a brand “takes time, energy, and a lot of thought and dedication,” a philosophy at the core of Hosts of Influence’s mission.

What truly distinguishes Hosts of Influence is its emphasis on crafting a long-term narrative for creators. “I don’t focus on numbers and analytics, that’s the least interesting thing about you,” Robinson states, challenging the conventional wisdom that equates a creator’s worth with their follower count. “That’s not interesting anymore… and that’s quite frankly not going to be enough to get creators to sustain themselves over time,” she concludes. Her vision is clear: to shift the creator economy towards a model where longevity, storytelling, and personal branding are the keystones of a creator’s success and sustainability.

Expanding Horizons: Upcoming Initiatives at Hosts of Influence

Looking ahead, Robinson is excited about a slate of initiatives designed to empower creators with practical tools and workshops aimed at enhancing their professional skill set. From LinkedIn optimization workshops, which have seen considerable interest among creators eager to tap into LinkedIn’s monetization potential, to digital products and one-on-one coaching tailored to amplify a creator’s presence on professional networks. “I have a couple of resources on my website…I’ve been hosting monthly webinars to help creators really understand and learn how to optimize their LinkedIn profiles,” she shares.

Beyond technical workshops, Hosts of Influence is fostering a community of creators through monthly events covering a wide range of topics, from vision board meetings to business planning sessions. Robinson herself credits part of her success to the practice of visualizing goals, a technique she eagerly shares with her community. “I put the White House on my vision board and it happened…I really do feel like a big part of my success was because I knew I was capable of it. I just had to build the roadmap,” she reflects, emphasizing the power of visualization coupled with action.