In an exclusive interview, Sarah McNabb, the Chief Marketing Officer at GigaStar, a visionary platform poised to democratize the creator economy, reveals how GigaStar empowers YouTube creators and fans to join forces as partners. Discover how GigaStar’s innovative approach, technology, and dedication to fostering creativity are helping shape the future of the creator economy.

Empowering The Future Of Creativity: An Interview With GigaStar’s CMO, Sarah McNabb

Can you please start by introducing yourself and giving us an overview of GigaStar?

Meet Sarah McNabb, the Chief Marketing Officer at GigaStar, a trailblazing force with a 20-year career in financial technology marketing. “I’ve had a career in fintech marketing for over 20 years in the securities brokerage, trading software, and financial agency spaces,” Sarah shares. 

Founded in 2022 by serial entrepreneurs renowned in the financial technology and YouTube creator realms, GigaStar officially launched in April 2023. “Our mission is to fuel human creativity by empowering creators and fans to grow as partners in a shared success,” Sarah reveals.

Central to GigaStar’s innovation is its flagship platform, GigaStar Market. “Fans can invest in their favorite YouTube creators to join their journey as strategic investors, support their growth, and share a percentage of their channels’ potential future revenue,” Sarah explains. Investors should familiarize themselves with the risks of loss, including liquidity risks and the potential loss of their investment.

The bond formed is symbiotic. Fans relish exclusive perks from creators, while creators amplify fan engagement and mutual success sharing. 

Ultimately, as channel revenues swell, creators and fans mutually prosper. “When the channel’s revenue grows, creators and fans have the potential to both earn more and become partners in YouTube revenue success,” Sarah concludes, encapsulating GigaStar’s inspiring vision.

Can you tell us about the vision behind GigaStar and how it aims to revolutionize the creator economy?

“We’re a growth engine within a megatrend,” says Sarah, describing GigaStar’s ambition to create a fresh asset class in the 100 billion dollar creator economy. The goal? Lower the barrier to entry for individuals and institutions to invest in the creator economy. A step that could help push the creator economy towards a trillion dollars by 2027.

GigaStar Market shines in this vision. YouTube creators offer fans and investors future revenue as securitized revenue share units as part of an SEC Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) offering. Revenue shares are digitally represented by Channel Revenue Tokens (CRTs), available in different tiers with creator-exclusive perks. Investors can participate during a ‘drop’, the window of time when a creator’s private offering accepts public investments.

“After a creator’s listed offering successfully closes, CRTs are distributed to investors,” Sarah explains, emphasizing that fan-powered promotion by an excited army of strategic investors has the power to amplify a creator’s reach.

GigaStar’s planned secondary market is a pivotal step. “Our engineering team is developing GigaStar’s secondary market, which is planned to launch in 2024,” Sarah reveals. This platform will be an environment for the trading of these revenue shares. A transaction fee will result from each trade. That fee will be divided between the creator and GigaStar, forming a potential new revenue stream.

With GigaStar’s completion of its first set of YouTube creators’ partnerships, what advantages does it offer for both Creators and Fans?

“Over 50 million independent content creators make up this new generation of micro-entrepreneurs,” Sarah highlights, underlining the funding and engagement challenges many face to compete and evolve in the fiercely competitive content landscape.

GigaStar targets YouTube creators who aspire to reach the heights of megastars like Mr. Beast but who may lack opportunities in traditional funding or strategies to deepen fan connections. Sarah points out that GigaStar addresses these gaps by enabling creators to “innovate fan engagement, build an army of promoters, raise capital, and potentially develop long-term recurring revenue.”

The pressure to innovate fan engagement is felt across the creator spectrum, from emerging talents to established YouTube successes. GigaStar empowers established YouTube creators with innovative ways to share success, foster loyalty, and unlock additional potential revenue.

Sarah explains, “On GigaStar Market, YouTube creators maintain 100% of their sponsorship revenue and raise funds to use however they need by monetizing a portion of their future revenue.” Fans take on an active role in helping a channel grow while receiving monthly YouTube revenue payouts and exclusive perks tied to the creators’ offerings.

“We believe this is a win-win scenario,” Sarah asserts, encapsulating GigaStar’s mission to enhance both creators’ and fans’ experiences through a pioneering partnership model.

Could you walk us through the process of selecting and onboarding these creators? What criteria were considered to ensure a successful collaboration?

Providing a step-by-step walkthrough of how GigaStar selects and onboards creators, Sarah explains the framework for setting up a successful collaboration.

“Creators who complete the Apply for a Drop form on the GigaStar website must meet five key thresholds for initial acceptance to list with us,” Sarah explains.

• Channel Minimum Threshold: A YouTube channel assessment gauges criteria such as a minimum of 12 months’ revenue, $30,000 minimum annual YouTube revenue over the past year (excluding sponsorship revenue), and at least 25,000 channel subscribers.
• Creator Interview: A personal interview helps understand the creators’ goals and plans to consistently create content that meets YouTube’s monetization guidelines.
• Financial Verification: Financials are cross-verified against the creator’s YouTube channel, ensuring accuracy.
• Bad Actor Check: A background check is required by crowdfunding regulations aimed at regulatory compliance.
• Integrity Check: A comprehensive review to ensure regulatory requirements are met. 

Once creators successfully pass these checkpoints, they begin onboarding, a process that generally takes 2-3 weeks before an offering is made live. Sarah emphasizes, “We provide concierge-style white glove service to creators every step of the way.” GigaStar streamlines the complexity of setting up a privatized revenue share offering for creators.

Can you share some specific metrics or creator success stories that highlight the positive impact of this collaboration? 

Sarah provides a vivid success story highlighting the transformative impact of the GigaStar partnership through the ClearValue Tax YouTube channel, created by YouTuber Brian Kim. 

“Brian Kim, the creator of the ClearValue Tax YouTube channel, wanted to engage his fans as partners and strategic investors,” Sarah explains. Brian’s vision involved offering “10% of his channel’s future revenue”, a move fueled by the channel’s popularity in delivering financial advice.

During the drop – April 6th to April 27th, 2023 – the funding target was set at “$60,000 based on a $600,000 valuation, with a multiplier of 1X,” Sarah elaborates. The results that followed were a testament to the strategy’s success:

• The drop sold out and raised $60,000 in just an hour, meeting its funding goal.
• 885 unique investors participated, leading to the opening of 7,700 new GigaStar Market investor accounts.
• The high demand even accumulated an additional $310,000 from an investor waitlist, totaling 500% of the initial goal.

According to Brian Kim, following the drop, the ClearValue Tax YouTube channel experienced a 10% surge in watch time, showcasing a tangible audience engagement uplift. Brian Kim’s enthusiasm remains high, underscoring the powerful impact of the collaboration on his channel and brand visibility. He is currently preparing to list a second offering on GigaStar Market

The creator economy has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years. How do you see GigaStar contributing to the sustainability and growth of this ecosystem for content creators?

“We strive to be a source of sustainability and growth of the creator economy,” Sarah explains. “By fostering a partnership between creators and fans, we empower creators to transform their YouTube channel ambitions into investible assets, with fans becoming their strategic investors.”

She elaborates, “Through GigaStar Market, along with our GigaStar Portfolio product where investors can track revenue performance, and our upcoming secondary market, we are lowering the barriers of entry for individuals to more easily invest in creators they believe in. Additionally, we believe institutions will find GigaStar Market an attractive means of gaining exposure to the creator economy, pursuing YouTube creator offerings as alternative investments.”

With an increasing number of platforms and agencies catering to influencer marketing, what sets GigaStar apart in terms of value proposition and service offerings?

“What sets GigaStar apart is our ability to simplify the complex process of getting creators set up with what is essentially their own IPO – to offer privatized revenue shares publicly. We’ve streamlined what has historically been a laborious process that has discouraged many creators we’ve spoken with from pursuing this avenue on their own.”

Sarah emphasizes, “Creators shouldn’t be burdened with more work, and that’s why we provide a white-glove onboarding and ongoing service experience. We offer step-by-step transparency, compliance guidance, and continous support to YouTube creators.”

The creator economy is ever-evolving. What trends do you foresee shaping the industry in the next few years, and how is GigaStar preparing to adapt to these changes?

“We’re keeping a close eye on how the creator economy is evolving. Our approach to adapting and scaling our technology is driven by this data,” Sarah shares. “GigaStar’s secondary market will enable investors to trade Channel Revenue Tokens (CRTs), generating transaction fees for creators and for GigaStar with each trade, similar to royalties.”

She elaborates, “Our roadmap involves expanding our team to accelerate the secondary market while also blueprinting an ecosystem of resources to continuously support creators. I believe the secondary market will be a significant stage in further evolving the creator economy.”

Building a strong community around content creators is essential for sustained success. How does GigaStar foster a sense of community and support among the creators it works with?

“Building a strong community is critical to success,” Sarah emphasizes. “We foster community among the creators we work with, and we help creators to strengthen community with their fans. When creators list a drop on GigaStar Market, we offer the optional perk of setting up a private Discord channel for their offering.”

She explains, “This private channel houses their new shareholder community. It provides CRT holders with special access to the creator and creates a close-knit community where fans can engage and interact with the creator and other CRT holders on a more intimate level.”

Can you share some insights into the regions or industries you are targeting for future partnerships and collaborations?

“Currently, our focus is on US-based YouTube creators,” Sarah responds. “As we grow, we will include global creators. However, fans and investors from anywhere in the world who are aged 18 or older can invest in creators on GigaStar Market.”

How does GigaStar incorporate micro-influencers into its strategies, and what advantages do they bring?

“YouTube creators are some of the strongest influencers out there,” Sarah explains. “By partnering with them, we harness their marketing power. Their word is by far the most authentic and effective means in driving fans to explore their offering as well as other creator offerings on GigaStar Market.”

She adds, “Our platform has a growing built-in database of ready-made investors who are invited to participate in every creator drop. This leads to a multiplying network effect where fans from one YouTube channel drop offering are investing in others.”

Sarah also highlights the advantage of this strategy. “Micro-influencers bring a sense of authenticity and relatability that resonates with their audience,” she says. “Their engagement with fans and their ability to foster genuine connections create a strong foundation for successful collaborations on our platform.”

GigaStar’s mission is to Fuel Human Creativity. How do you see this mission influencing the way influencer marketing evolves in the years to come?

Sarah passionately emphasizes, “Without creativity, there can be no innovation,” she asserts. By empowering creators to become investable assets, GigaStar is enabling sustainable growth within the creator economy. “As we evolve and adapt, our commitment to fostering creativity involves building out an ecosystem of creator resources; GigaStar strives to be a strategic partner for creators to grow their channels and do what they love,” Sarah adds.

Finally, as the Chief Marketing Officer at GigaStar, what is your personal vision for the future of the creator economy, and how do you envision GigaStar’s role in shaping that future?

Sarah envisions a thriving future for the creator economy, one that is deeply intertwined with the synergy of YouTube and blockchain technology. “We want to shape a future where investors in the creator economy benefit from decentralized efficiencies and reduced-cost opportunities,” she explains. These efficiencies are made possible through cutting-edge technologies like tokenization and smart contracts, which ultimately serve to enhance the creator-fan relationship. 

Sarah sees GigaStar as a pioneering force in realizing this vision: “I believe GigaStar is at the forefront of shaping this future.” 

About GigaStar

GigaStar fuels human creativity by bringing YouTube Creators and Fans together as partners in revenue-sharing securities. Fans can invest in YouTube Creators to support their channel’s future, unlock special perks, and share in the Creator’s journey. GigaStar leverages blockchain technology to give Creators streamlined access to funding, a new way to innovate Fan engagement, and the potential to bolster channel growth by transforming thousands of their fans into an army of promoters. Learn more at https://gigastar.io and join the GigaStar Discord at https://discord.gg/gigastar. Learn about GigaStar Market at https://gigastarmarket.io/. 

Creator Networks, Inc.(dba GigaStar). GigaStar is the Parent Company of GigaStar Portal, LLC (dba GigaStar Market), an SEC registered funding portal member of FINRA, and GigaStar Technologies LLC, offering blockchain and smart contract solutions via GigaStar Portfolio. Investment offerings are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk, including the risk of loss of your entire investment. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.