How We Built the List
In every era, tectonic culture shifts are driven by a new class of cutting edge tastemakers. As SXSW 2026 approaches, we set out to answer a deceptively simple question: who are the innovative thinkers influencing the most powerful decision makers across major categories including tech, music, film and tv, media, marketing, and social impact right now? With our friends at Palette Media, a talent management and creator marketing agency, we polled executives across these categories to understand who they’re subscribing to to stay at the top of their knowledge base.
Welcome to the SXSW Visionary Voices list showcasing the 33 experts rewriting the rules of influence from their phones, newsletters, and feeds through thoughtful craft and transformative storytelling tactics. Some have serious followings while others have small audiences with serious clout. The unifying thread is their institutional knowledge and dedication to their respective industries, lending their unique insights to bring various sectors to brand new heights.
Individuals marked with an asterisk* will be in attendance at SXSW 2026.
In every era, tectonic culture shifts are driven by a new class of cutting edge tastemakers. As SXSW 2026 approaches, we set out to answer a deceptively simple question: who are the innovative thinkers influencing the most powerful decision makers across major categories including tech, music, film and tv, media, marketing, and social impact right now? With our friends at Palette Media, a talent management and creator marketing agency, we polled executives across these categories to understand who they’re subscribing to to stay at the top of their knowledge base.
Welcome to the SXSW Visionary Voices list showcasing the 33 experts rewriting the rules of influence from their phones, newsletters, and feeds through thoughtful craft and transformative storytelling tactics. Some have serious followings while others have small audiences with serious clout. The unifying thread is their institutional knowledge and dedication to their respective industries, lending their unique insights to bring various sectors to brand new heights.
Individuals marked with an asterisk* will be in attendance at SXSW 2026.
How We Built the List
In every era, tectonic culture shifts are driven by a new class of cutting edge tastemakers. As SXSW 2026 approaches, we set out to answer a deceptively simple question: who are the innovative thinkers influencing the most powerful decision makers across major categories including tech, music, film and tv, media, marketing, and social impact right now? With our friends at Palette Media, a talent management and creator marketing agency, we polled executives across these categories to understand who they’re subscribing to to stay at the top of their knowledge base.
Welcome to the SXSW Visionary Voices list showcasing the 33 experts rewriting the rules of influence from their phones, newsletters, and feeds through thoughtful craft and transformative storytelling tactics. Some have serious followings while others have small audiences with serious clout. The unifying thread is their institutional knowledge and dedication to their respective industries, lending their unique insights to bring various sectors to brand new heights.
Individuals marked with an asterisk* will be in attendance at SXSW 2026.
headline
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Music
Music
Entertainment
Entertainment
Creator Media
Creator Media
Journalism
Journalism
Tech
Tech
Wellness
Wellness
Strategy
Strategy
Social impact
Social impact
Music
Entertainment
Creator Media
Journalism
Tech
Wellness
Strategy
Social impact
Music
Dan Runcie
Trapital
Dan Runcie doesn’t just analyze the music business: he reverse-engineers it. As the founder of Trapital, he’s built a platform that treats hip-hop, streaming economics, and venture capital as parts of the same cultural engine. He’s fluent in artist strategy and boardroom calculus, equally comfortable unpacking Beyoncé’s touring model as he is breaking down Spotify’s margin pressures. He positions artists as founders, fandom as infrastructure, and culture as an investable asset class.
Music
Dan Runcie
Trapital
Dan Runcie doesn’t just analyze the music business: he reverse-engineers it. As the founder of Trapital, he’s built a platform that treats hip-hop, streaming economics, and venture capital as parts of the same cultural engine. He’s fluent in artist strategy and boardroom calculus, equally comfortable unpacking Beyoncé’s touring model as he is breaking down Spotify’s margin pressures. He positions artists as founders, fandom as infrastructure, and culture as an investable asset class.
Music
Dan Runcie
Trapital
Dan Runcie doesn’t just analyze the music business: he reverse-engineers it. As the founder of Trapital, he’s built a platform that treats hip-hop, streaming economics, and venture capital as parts of the same cultural engine. He’s fluent in artist strategy and boardroom calculus, equally comfortable unpacking Beyoncé’s touring model as he is breaking down Spotify’s margin pressures. He positions artists as founders, fandom as infrastructure, and culture as an investable asset class.
Music
Jimmy Stone
Leveling up
Jimmy Stone is the founder of Alderbrook and the substack Leveling Up, where he examines the crossroads of music, capital, and culture. Through his newsletter, he dives into the mechanics of the modern music business, exploring everything from catalog strategy and fan monetization to the evolving role of independent artists in a tech-powered world. His writing often spotlights forward-thinking companies like Pophouse Entertainment and SoundCloud, unpacking how they are reshaping ownership, community, and creative opportunity. Jimmy has a knack for translating industry complexity into simple insights that invite fans, artists, executives, and investors into the same conversation. With an upbeat and generous vibe, he champions a music ecosystem where innovation fosters sustainability and everyone has a seat at the table.
Music
Jimmy Stone
Leveling up
Jimmy Stone is the founder of Alderbrook and the substack Leveling Up, where he examines the crossroads of music, capital, and culture. Through his newsletter, he dives into the mechanics of the modern music business, exploring everything from catalog strategy and fan monetization to the evolving role of independent artists in a tech-powered world. His writing often spotlights forward-thinking companies like Pophouse Entertainment and SoundCloud, unpacking how they are reshaping ownership, community, and creative opportunity. Jimmy has a knack for translating industry complexity into simple insights that invite fans, artists, executives, and investors into the same conversation. With an upbeat and generous vibe, he champions a music ecosystem where innovation fosters sustainability and everyone has a seat at the table.
Music
Jimmy Stone
Leveling up
Jimmy Stone is the founder of Alderbrook and the substack Leveling Up, where he examines the crossroads of music, capital, and culture. Through his newsletter, he dives into the mechanics of the modern music business, exploring everything from catalog strategy and fan monetization to the evolving role of independent artists in a tech-powered world. His writing often spotlights forward-thinking companies like Pophouse Entertainment and SoundCloud, unpacking how they are reshaping ownership, community, and creative opportunity. Jimmy has a knack for translating industry complexity into simple insights that invite fans, artists, executives, and investors into the same conversation. With an upbeat and generous vibe, he champions a music ecosystem where innovation fosters sustainability and everyone has a seat at the table.
Music
Zachary Lipez
Abundant Living
Zachary Lipez is a writer and musician whose work blends music criticism with personal, culture-driven storytelling. In his newsletter Abundant Living, he writes about his favorite albums, punk’s legacy, and the "feeling of being part of something bigger in music." His essays on bands like Geese and reflections on punk history show his deep love for genres that shaped him. Lipez has also written about music for outlets like CREEM Magazine, VICE, and The Wall Street Journal, bringing his perspective to wider audiences. His voice carries credibility because he comes from the worlds of punk and indie culture, and he writes with a real and inviting style that's easy to digest and sounds like a real person. That blend of lived experience and thoughtful commentary helps shape how others think and talk about indie and underground music today.
Music
Zachary Lipez
Abundant Living
Zachary Lipez is a writer and musician whose work blends music criticism with personal, culture-driven storytelling. In his newsletter Abundant Living, he writes about his favorite albums, punk’s legacy, and the "feeling of being part of something bigger in music." His essays on bands like Geese and reflections on punk history show his deep love for genres that shaped him. Lipez has also written about music for outlets like CREEM Magazine, VICE, and The Wall Street Journal, bringing his perspective to wider audiences. His voice carries credibility because he comes from the worlds of punk and indie culture, and he writes with a real and inviting style that's easy to digest and sounds like a real person. That blend of lived experience and thoughtful commentary helps shape how others think and talk about indie and underground music today.
Music
Zachary Lipez
Abundant Living
Zachary Lipez is a writer and musician whose work blends music criticism with personal, culture-driven storytelling. In his newsletter Abundant Living, he writes about his favorite albums, punk’s legacy, and the "feeling of being part of something bigger in music." His essays on bands like Geese and reflections on punk history show his deep love for genres that shaped him. Lipez has also written about music for outlets like CREEM Magazine, VICE, and The Wall Street Journal, bringing his perspective to wider audiences. His voice carries credibility because he comes from the worlds of punk and indie culture, and he writes with a real and inviting style that's easy to digest and sounds like a real person. That blend of lived experience and thoughtful commentary helps shape how others think and talk about indie and underground music today.
Music
Colin Young & Bo Lueders
Hardlore
Musicians Colin Young & Bo Lueders host HardLore, a podcast that explores the roots of underground music through storytelling that predates online message boards. They draw from careers that helped shape modern hardcore music and their episodes feature popular people behind the mic and dissect music culture like few others can. Their guest list reaches beyond hardcore, welcoming creative voices like Matty Matheson to explore how heavy music influences culture at large. With humor, humility, and a playful attitude all wrapped in myriad tattoos, they make underground music history accessible to longtime fans and first-time listeners alike. Colin and Bo are not just documenting a genre, they are strengthening the connective tissue to the broader music community.
Music
Colin Young & Bo Lueders
Hardlore
Musicians Colin Young & Bo Lueders host HardLore, a podcast that explores the roots of underground music through storytelling that predates online message boards. They draw from careers that helped shape modern hardcore music and their episodes feature popular people behind the mic and dissect music culture like few others can. Their guest list reaches beyond hardcore, welcoming creative voices like Matty Matheson to explore how heavy music influences culture at large. With humor, humility, and a playful attitude all wrapped in myriad tattoos, they make underground music history accessible to longtime fans and first-time listeners alike. Colin and Bo are not just documenting a genre, they are strengthening the connective tissue to the broader music community.
Music
Colin Young & Bo Lueders
Hardlore
Musicians Colin Young & Bo Lueders host HardLore, a podcast that explores the roots of underground music through storytelling that predates online message boards. They draw from careers that helped shape modern hardcore music and their episodes feature popular people behind the mic and dissect music culture like few others can. Their guest list reaches beyond hardcore, welcoming creative voices like Matty Matheson to explore how heavy music influences culture at large. With humor, humility, and a playful attitude all wrapped in myriad tattoos, they make underground music history accessible to longtime fans and first-time listeners alike. Colin and Bo are not just documenting a genre, they are strengthening the connective tissue to the broader music community.
Entertainment
Richard Rushfield
The Ankler
Richard Rushfield's accolades precede him. He has written for major outlets like Vanity Fair, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, plus he has held top editorial roles at places like Gawker and BuzzFeed. He's also published two books and won a SoCal Journalism Award from the LA Press Club. But his influence doesn't just lie in the past—it's his opinion on modern day entertainment right now that separates him from the herd. He headlines a team at The Ankler, which breaks down Hollywood's “latest business headlines, power struggles, and trends shaping the future of entertainment" through podcasts, newsletters, and videos. Through his various mediums, Rushfield embodies a deep trustworthiness that few other media examiners can and delivers thoughtful and digestible analysis backed up by a long career in the entertainment world.
Entertainment
Richard Rushfield
The Ankler
Richard Rushfield's accolades precede him. He has written for major outlets like Vanity Fair, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, plus he has held top editorial roles at places like Gawker and BuzzFeed. He's also published two books and won a SoCal Journalism Award from the LA Press Club. But his influence doesn't just lie in the past—it's his opinion on modern day entertainment right now that separates him from the herd. He headlines a team at The Ankler, which breaks down Hollywood's “latest business headlines, power struggles, and trends shaping the future of entertainment" through podcasts, newsletters, and videos. Through his various mediums, Rushfield embodies a deep trustworthiness that few other media examiners can and delivers thoughtful and digestible analysis backed up by a long career in the entertainment world.
Entertainment
Richard Rushfield
The Ankler
Richard Rushfield's accolades precede him. He has written for major outlets like Vanity Fair, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, plus he has held top editorial roles at places like Gawker and BuzzFeed. He's also published two books and won a SoCal Journalism Award from the LA Press Club. But his influence doesn't just lie in the past—it's his opinion on modern day entertainment right now that separates him from the herd. He headlines a team at The Ankler, which breaks down Hollywood's “latest business headlines, power struggles, and trends shaping the future of entertainment" through podcasts, newsletters, and videos. Through his various mediums, Rushfield embodies a deep trustworthiness that few other media examiners can and delivers thoughtful and digestible analysis backed up by a long career in the entertainment world.
Entertainment
Hunter Harris
Hung Up
Hunter Harris is a critic and screenwriter whose voice has helped shape how people talk about pop culture today. She built Hung Up, her Substack newsletter, into a community of more than 180,000 readers by writing thoughtful and funny takes on movies, celebrities, TV, and internet culture. Before going independent, she was a staff writer at Vulture and New York Magazine and her work has appeared in The New York Times, GQ, and Esquire. Harris has also written for TV, including 10 episodes of Gossip Girl, and even appeared on the show as herself. She brings both sharp criticism and a welcoming tone that invites her audience to laugh, think, and feel alongside her about the media that surrounds us. Her blend of insider credibility, wide curiosity, and playful voice makes her one of the most engaging cultural commentators in the biz today.
Entertainment
Hunter Harris
Hung Up
Hunter Harris is a critic and screenwriter whose voice has helped shape how people talk about pop culture today. She built Hung Up, her Substack newsletter, into a community of more than 180,000 readers by writing thoughtful and funny takes on movies, celebrities, TV, and internet culture. Before going independent, she was a staff writer at Vulture and New York Magazine and her work has appeared in The New York Times, GQ, and Esquire. Harris has also written for TV, including 10 episodes of Gossip Girl, and even appeared on the show as herself. She brings both sharp criticism and a welcoming tone that invites her audience to laugh, think, and feel alongside her about the media that surrounds us. Her blend of insider credibility, wide curiosity, and playful voice makes her one of the most engaging cultural commentators in the biz today.
Entertainment
Hunter Harris
Hung Up
Hunter Harris is a critic and screenwriter whose voice has helped shape how people talk about pop culture today. She built Hung Up, her Substack newsletter, into a community of more than 180,000 readers by writing thoughtful and funny takes on movies, celebrities, TV, and internet culture. Before going independent, she was a staff writer at Vulture and New York Magazine and her work has appeared in The New York Times, GQ, and Esquire. Harris has also written for TV, including 10 episodes of Gossip Girl, and even appeared on the show as herself. She brings both sharp criticism and a welcoming tone that invites her audience to laugh, think, and feel alongside her about the media that surrounds us. Her blend of insider credibility, wide curiosity, and playful voice makes her one of the most engaging cultural commentators in the biz today.
Entertainment
Lorraine Ali*
TV & Media Criticism (Los Angeles Times)
Lorraine Ali is news and culture critic of the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she was television critic for The Times covering media, breaking news and the onslaught of content across streaming, cable and network TV. Ali is an award-winning journalist and Los Angeles native who has written in publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone and GQ.
Entertainment
Lorraine Ali*
TV & Media Criticism (Los Angeles Times)
Lorraine Ali is news and culture critic of the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she was television critic for The Times covering media, breaking news and the onslaught of content across streaming, cable and network TV. Ali is an award-winning journalist and Los Angeles native who has written in publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone and GQ.
Entertainment
Lorraine Ali*
TV & Media Criticism (Los Angeles Times)
Lorraine Ali is news and culture critic of the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she was television critic for The Times covering media, breaking news and the onslaught of content across streaming, cable and network TV. Ali is an award-winning journalist and Los Angeles native who has written in publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone and GQ.
Entertainment
Amanda Nelson
Amanda's Mild Takes
Amanda Nelson is an amateur historian and political content creator behind Amanda’s Mild Takes, a media brand that uses history, political science, and civics to explain how power actually operates in the United States. She publishes daily political analysis and action ideas for an engaged audience of over a million people who want historical context, not just headlines.
Entertainment
Amanda Nelson
Amanda's Mild Takes
Amanda Nelson is an amateur historian and political content creator behind Amanda’s Mild Takes, a media brand that uses history, political science, and civics to explain how power actually operates in the United States. She publishes daily political analysis and action ideas for an engaged audience of over a million people who want historical context, not just headlines.
Entertainment
Amanda Nelson
Amanda's Mild Takes
Amanda Nelson is an amateur historian and political content creator behind Amanda’s Mild Takes, a media brand that uses history, political science, and civics to explain how power actually operates in the United States. She publishes daily political analysis and action ideas for an engaged audience of over a million people who want historical context, not just headlines.
Entertainment
Ryan Koo*
No Film School
Ryan Koo has spent his career democratizing the tools of filmmaking. As the founder of No Film School, he built a digital hub where aspiring directors and cinematographers could access knowledge once locked behind industry gates. He bridges indie sensibility with entrepreneurial pragmatism, encouraging creators to think like both artists and operators.
Entertainment
Ryan Koo*
No Film School
Ryan Koo has spent his career democratizing the tools of filmmaking. As the founder of No Film School, he built a digital hub where aspiring directors and cinematographers could access knowledge once locked behind industry gates. He bridges indie sensibility with entrepreneurial pragmatism, encouraging creators to think like both artists and operators.
Entertainment
Ryan Koo*
No Film School
Ryan Koo has spent his career democratizing the tools of filmmaking. As the founder of No Film School, he built a digital hub where aspiring directors and cinematographers could access knowledge once locked behind industry gates. He bridges indie sensibility with entrepreneurial pragmatism, encouraging creators to think like both artists and operators.
Creator Media
Sam Ogborn
Platform Culture & Trends
Sam Ogborn is an adjunct marketing professor and content creator who writes the 2X substack, exploring how AI, culture, and human psychology are colliding to create entirely new consumer behaviors. With the complete shift in consumer behavior in the new age of AI, Ogborn provides fresh perspectives on how technology is rewiring how people fundamentally make decisions.
Creator Media
Sam Ogborn
Platform Culture & Trends
Sam Ogborn is an adjunct marketing professor and content creator who writes the 2X substack, exploring how AI, culture, and human psychology are colliding to create entirely new consumer behaviors. With the complete shift in consumer behavior in the new age of AI, Ogborn provides fresh perspectives on how technology is rewiring how people fundamentally make decisions.
Creator Media
Sam Ogborn
Platform Culture & Trends
Sam Ogborn is an adjunct marketing professor and content creator who writes the 2X substack, exploring how AI, culture, and human psychology are colliding to create entirely new consumer behaviors. With the complete shift in consumer behavior in the new age of AI, Ogborn provides fresh perspectives on how technology is rewiring how people fundamentally make decisions.
Creator Media
Eugene Healey
Brand Building & Digital Strategy
Eugene Healey is an educator, brand strategy consultant, and content creator who analyzes culture through the brand lens. He brings a producer’s sensibility to every project, balancing timing, talent, and platform with instinctive precision. His work often spotlights emerging voices while aligning them with larger distribution engines.
Creator Media
Eugene Healey
Brand Building & Digital Strategy
Eugene Healey is an educator, brand strategy consultant, and content creator who analyzes culture through the brand lens. He brings a producer’s sensibility to every project, balancing timing, talent, and platform with instinctive precision. His work often spotlights emerging voices while aligning them with larger distribution engines.
Creator Media
Eugene Healey
Brand Building & Digital Strategy
Eugene Healey is an educator, brand strategy consultant, and content creator who analyzes culture through the brand lens. He brings a producer’s sensibility to every project, balancing timing, talent, and platform with instinctive precision. His work often spotlights emerging voices while aligning them with larger distribution engines.
Creator Media
Joel Marlinarson
Coldest Creative
Joel Marlinarson is a content creator and social strategist who examines media ecosystems like a systems thinker with a creative streak. He studies how distribution models, audience behavior, and technology intersect and where leverage hides inside that overlap.
Creator Media
Joel Marlinarson
Coldest Creative
Joel Marlinarson is a content creator and social strategist who examines media ecosystems like a systems thinker with a creative streak. He studies how distribution models, audience behavior, and technology intersect and where leverage hides inside that overlap.
Creator Media
Joel Marlinarson
Coldest Creative
Joel Marlinarson is a content creator and social strategist who examines media ecosystems like a systems thinker with a creative streak. He studies how distribution models, audience behavior, and technology intersect and where leverage hides inside that overlap.
Creator Media
Rachel Karten*
Link In Bio
Rachel Karten is a social media consultant based in Los Angeles and previously led the social media team at Bon Appétit and Epicurious. Her popular Substack, Link in Bio is one of the top business newsletters on Substack and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Grub Street, Slate, CNBC, and more.
Creator Media
Rachel Karten*
Link In Bio
Rachel Karten is a social media consultant based in Los Angeles and previously led the social media team at Bon Appétit and Epicurious. Her popular Substack, Link in Bio is one of the top business newsletters on Substack and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Grub Street, Slate, CNBC, and more.
Creator Media
Rachel Karten*
Link In Bio
Rachel Karten is a social media consultant based in Los Angeles and previously led the social media team at Bon Appétit and Epicurious. Her popular Substack, Link in Bio is one of the top business newsletters on Substack and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Grub Street, Slate, CNBC, and more.
Creator Media
Casey Lewis*
After School
Casey Lewis is a journalist and trend researcher who has become a trusted interpreter of youth-driven trends with her substack, After School, which provides trends and analysis with an emphasis on Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers. If your professional success relies on understanding the younger generations and “BuzzBallz Biggies and Personality Mogging” or “Breadcrumbing and Jestermaxxing” means nothing to you, we suggest giving her a follow.
Creator Media
Casey Lewis*
After School
Casey Lewis is a journalist and trend researcher who has become a trusted interpreter of youth-driven trends with her substack, After School, which provides trends and analysis with an emphasis on Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers. If your professional success relies on understanding the younger generations and “BuzzBallz Biggies and Personality Mogging” or “Breadcrumbing and Jestermaxxing” means nothing to you, we suggest giving her a follow.
Creator Media
Casey Lewis*
After School
Casey Lewis is a journalist and trend researcher who has become a trusted interpreter of youth-driven trends with her substack, After School, which provides trends and analysis with an emphasis on Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers. If your professional success relies on understanding the younger generations and “BuzzBallz Biggies and Personality Mogging” or “Breadcrumbing and Jestermaxxing” means nothing to you, we suggest giving her a follow.
Creator Media
Ryan Broderick
Garbage Day
Ryan Broderick is the founder of Garbage Day media, which includes the award-winning Garbage Day newsletter and podcast, Panic World. Since 2019, Garbage Day has reported on and provided commentary on current events, from tech to politics to TikTok trends. For anyone trying to understand the cultural stew we’re all currently getting cooked in, Broderick’s coverage provides the appropriate mix of doom and absurdist humor to survive every fresh moral panic.
Creator Media
Ryan Broderick
Garbage Day
Ryan Broderick is the founder of Garbage Day media, which includes the award-winning Garbage Day newsletter and podcast, Panic World. Since 2019, Garbage Day has reported on and provided commentary on current events, from tech to politics to TikTok trends. For anyone trying to understand the cultural stew we’re all currently getting cooked in, Broderick’s coverage provides the appropriate mix of doom and absurdist humor to survive every fresh moral panic.
Creator Media
Ryan Broderick
Garbage Day
Ryan Broderick is the founder of Garbage Day media, which includes the award-winning Garbage Day newsletter and podcast, Panic World. Since 2019, Garbage Day has reported on and provided commentary on current events, from tech to politics to TikTok trends. For anyone trying to understand the cultural stew we’re all currently getting cooked in, Broderick’s coverage provides the appropriate mix of doom and absurdist humor to survive every fresh moral panic.
Creator Media
Lia Haberman*
ICYMI
Lia Haberman is a consultant and the voice behind ICYMI (In Case You Missed It), a popular substack that keeps track of weekly platform updates, brand social and creator marketing news, and audience insights. She teaches social media and influencer marketing at UCLA Extension and has created custom lectures for students at USC, Zhejiang University, SKEMA Business School and ESIC University. She provides essential reporting and analysis on the creator economy, informing marketers, platforms, and digital talent managers.
Creator Media
Lia Haberman*
ICYMI
Lia Haberman is a consultant and the voice behind ICYMI (In Case You Missed It), a popular substack that keeps track of weekly platform updates, brand social and creator marketing news, and audience insights. She teaches social media and influencer marketing at UCLA Extension and has created custom lectures for students at USC, Zhejiang University, SKEMA Business School and ESIC University. She provides essential reporting and analysis on the creator economy, informing marketers, platforms, and digital talent managers.
Creator Media
Lia Haberman*
ICYMI
Lia Haberman is a consultant and the voice behind ICYMI (In Case You Missed It), a popular substack that keeps track of weekly platform updates, brand social and creator marketing news, and audience insights. She teaches social media and influencer marketing at UCLA Extension and has created custom lectures for students at USC, Zhejiang University, SKEMA Business School and ESIC University. She provides essential reporting and analysis on the creator economy, informing marketers, platforms, and digital talent managers.
Journalism
Peter Kafka
Channels
Peter Kafka has long held a front-row seat to the evolving media and tech landscape. On his podcast, Channels with Peter Kafka, he explores where media and tech are inherently intertwined by speaking with industry leaders, upstarts and observers to translate the impact on people and our culture at large.
Journalism
Peter Kafka
Channels
Peter Kafka has long held a front-row seat to the evolving media and tech landscape. On his podcast, Channels with Peter Kafka, he explores where media and tech are inherently intertwined by speaking with industry leaders, upstarts and observers to translate the impact on people and our culture at large.
Journalism
Peter Kafka
Channels
Peter Kafka has long held a front-row seat to the evolving media and tech landscape. On his podcast, Channels with Peter Kafka, he explores where media and tech are inherently intertwined by speaking with industry leaders, upstarts and observers to translate the impact on people and our culture at large.
Journalism
Evan Shapiro
Media War & Peace
Known as the “Media Cartographer,” Evan Shapiro’s impactful substack is a 30,000 foot view of the media industry. He infuses data visualizations to shape how executives understand the attention economy and the key players and challenges shaping it.
Journalism
Evan Shapiro
Media War & Peace
Known as the “Media Cartographer,” Evan Shapiro’s impactful substack is a 30,000 foot view of the media industry. He infuses data visualizations to shape how executives understand the attention economy and the key players and challenges shaping it.
Journalism
Evan Shapiro
Media War & Peace
Known as the “Media Cartographer,” Evan Shapiro’s impactful substack is a 30,000 foot view of the media industry. He infuses data visualizations to shape how executives understand the attention economy and the key players and challenges shaping it.
Journalism
Loren Grush*
Reporting (NYT / Bloomberg / etc.)
Loren Grush is a space reporter for Bloomberg, where she covers everything from NASA, human spaceflight, and the booming commercial space industry to distant stars and planets. The daughter of two NASA engineers, she literally grew up surrounded by space shuttles and rocket scientists. Her reporting focuses on the space industry, NASA, and the cosmos.
Journalism
Loren Grush*
Reporting (NYT / Bloomberg / etc.)
Loren Grush is a space reporter for Bloomberg, where she covers everything from NASA, human spaceflight, and the booming commercial space industry to distant stars and planets. The daughter of two NASA engineers, she literally grew up surrounded by space shuttles and rocket scientists. Her reporting focuses on the space industry, NASA, and the cosmos.
Journalism
Loren Grush*
Reporting (NYT / Bloomberg / etc.)
Loren Grush is a space reporter for Bloomberg, where she covers everything from NASA, human spaceflight, and the booming commercial space industry to distant stars and planets. The daughter of two NASA engineers, she literally grew up surrounded by space shuttles and rocket scientists. Her reporting focuses on the space industry, NASA, and the cosmos.
Journalism
Bob Safian*
Rapid Response
Bob Safian is the former Editor in Chief of Fast Company and podcast host of Rapid Response, a podcast that explores the pace of unprecedented change in our culture and what is most important to pay attention to when striving to innovate, create, and lead. Safian dives into insightful conversations with today’s top business leaders who are navigating real-time challenges.
Journalism
Bob Safian*
Rapid Response
Bob Safian is the former Editor in Chief of Fast Company and podcast host of Rapid Response, a podcast that explores the pace of unprecedented change in our culture and what is most important to pay attention to when striving to innovate, create, and lead. Safian dives into insightful conversations with today’s top business leaders who are navigating real-time challenges.
Journalism
Bob Safian*
Rapid Response
Bob Safian is the former Editor in Chief of Fast Company and podcast host of Rapid Response, a podcast that explores the pace of unprecedented change in our culture and what is most important to pay attention to when striving to innovate, create, and lead. Safian dives into insightful conversations with today’s top business leaders who are navigating real-time challenges.
Tech
Ben Thompson
Stratechery
Ben Thompson has shaped how an entire generation of operators understands platform economics. Through Stratechery, he has introduced concepts like aggregation theory that have reframed debates about digital monopolies and competitive advantage. His analysis blends historical context with financial acumen. Founders and executives regularly cite his thinking when making strategic bets.
Tech
Ben Thompson
Stratechery
Ben Thompson has shaped how an entire generation of operators understands platform economics. Through Stratechery, he has introduced concepts like aggregation theory that have reframed debates about digital monopolies and competitive advantage. His analysis blends historical context with financial acumen. Founders and executives regularly cite his thinking when making strategic bets.
Tech
Ben Thompson
Stratechery
Ben Thompson has shaped how an entire generation of operators understands platform economics. Through Stratechery, he has introduced concepts like aggregation theory that have reframed debates about digital monopolies and competitive advantage. His analysis blends historical context with financial acumen. Founders and executives regularly cite his thinking when making strategic bets.
Tech
PJ Vogt
Search Engine
PJ Vogt is the voice behind Search Engine, co-created by PJ and Sruthi Pinnamaneni, the podcast that tries to answer the questions that keep you up at night. A podcast made by humans that provides human answers. His storytelling style blends investigative depth with personal vulnerability, turning niche internet phenomena into deeply human stories. He understands that curiosity is contagious when it’s sincere.
Tech
PJ Vogt
Search Engine
PJ Vogt is the voice behind Search Engine, co-created by PJ and Sruthi Pinnamaneni, the podcast that tries to answer the questions that keep you up at night. A podcast made by humans that provides human answers. His storytelling style blends investigative depth with personal vulnerability, turning niche internet phenomena into deeply human stories. He understands that curiosity is contagious when it’s sincere.
Tech
PJ Vogt
Search Engine
PJ Vogt is the voice behind Search Engine, co-created by PJ and Sruthi Pinnamaneni, the podcast that tries to answer the questions that keep you up at night. A podcast made by humans that provides human answers. His storytelling style blends investigative depth with personal vulnerability, turning niche internet phenomena into deeply human stories. He understands that curiosity is contagious when it’s sincere.
Tech
Shreyas Doshi
Product Leadership
Shreyas Doshi has become a widely referenced voice in product management and leadership circles. His thought leadership provides insights around hard-won lessons from scaling teams and building software. His writing emphasizes clarity of thought, disciplined execution, and accountability.
Tech
Shreyas Doshi
Product Leadership
Shreyas Doshi has become a widely referenced voice in product management and leadership circles. His thought leadership provides insights around hard-won lessons from scaling teams and building software. His writing emphasizes clarity of thought, disciplined execution, and accountability.
Tech
Shreyas Doshi
Product Leadership
Shreyas Doshi has become a widely referenced voice in product management and leadership circles. His thought leadership provides insights around hard-won lessons from scaling teams and building software. His writing emphasizes clarity of thought, disciplined execution, and accountability.
Tech
Amy Webb*
Future Today Strategy Group
Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist and the founder and CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group. She has established the field’s foundational methodologies that guide today’s leaders, organizations, and governments in anticipating disruption, shaping the future, and securing long-term growth. She challenges organizations to think beyond incremental change and consider systemic shifts.
Tech
Amy Webb*
Future Today Strategy Group
Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist and the founder and CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group. She has established the field’s foundational methodologies that guide today’s leaders, organizations, and governments in anticipating disruption, shaping the future, and securing long-term growth. She challenges organizations to think beyond incremental change and consider systemic shifts.
Tech
Amy Webb*
Future Today Strategy Group
Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist and the founder and CEO of the Future Today Strategy Group. She has established the field’s foundational methodologies that guide today’s leaders, organizations, and governments in anticipating disruption, shaping the future, and securing long-term growth. She challenges organizations to think beyond incremental change and consider systemic shifts.
Tech
Rana el Kaliouby*
AI Commentary & Keynote Speaking
Rana el Kaliouby is an AI scientist, entrepreneur, scientist, thought leader, and author of the memoir, Girl Decoded, an intimate view of her call to humanize our technology and how we connect with one another. Her contributions in emotion recognition technology sparked necessary conversations about ethics, bias, and empathy in machine systems. She advocates for inclusive teams building emerging tech, arguing that who designs AI shapes how it behaves.
Tech
Rana el Kaliouby*
AI Commentary & Keynote Speaking
Rana el Kaliouby is an AI scientist, entrepreneur, scientist, thought leader, and author of the memoir, Girl Decoded, an intimate view of her call to humanize our technology and how we connect with one another. Her contributions in emotion recognition technology sparked necessary conversations about ethics, bias, and empathy in machine systems. She advocates for inclusive teams building emerging tech, arguing that who designs AI shapes how it behaves.
Tech
Rana el Kaliouby*
AI Commentary & Keynote Speaking
Rana el Kaliouby is an AI scientist, entrepreneur, scientist, thought leader, and author of the memoir, Girl Decoded, an intimate view of her call to humanize our technology and how we connect with one another. Her contributions in emotion recognition technology sparked necessary conversations about ethics, bias, and empathy in machine systems. She advocates for inclusive teams building emerging tech, arguing that who designs AI shapes how it behaves.
Tech
Ian Beacraft*
Signal & Cipher
Ian Beacraft is considered one of the top voices in AI and the future of work, advising some of the world’s most innovative companies. Beacraft is the founder and Chief Futurist of Signal and Cipher, leading a strategic foresight and development agency guiding companies through the rapidly changing technology landscape to find meaningful routes to innovation that impact the bottom line, inspire cultural change, and create new products and services.
Tech
Ian Beacraft*
Signal & Cipher
Ian Beacraft is considered one of the top voices in AI and the future of work, advising some of the world’s most innovative companies. Beacraft is the founder and Chief Futurist of Signal and Cipher, leading a strategic foresight and development agency guiding companies through the rapidly changing technology landscape to find meaningful routes to innovation that impact the bottom line, inspire cultural change, and create new products and services.
Tech
Ian Beacraft*
Signal & Cipher
Ian Beacraft is considered one of the top voices in AI and the future of work, advising some of the world’s most innovative companies. Beacraft is the founder and Chief Futurist of Signal and Cipher, leading a strategic foresight and development agency guiding companies through the rapidly changing technology landscape to find meaningful routes to innovation that impact the bottom line, inspire cultural change, and create new products and services.
Tech
Mark Roberge*
Stage 2 Capital
Mark Roberge is known for bringing data-driven scientific rigor to the art of scaling revenue. He helped champion scalable frameworks that blend analytics with human relationship-building. His approach reframes sales from hustle mythology to repeatable system design. By sharing insights with founders and growth leaders, he’s shaped how startups think about revenue infrastructure.
Tech
Mark Roberge*
Stage 2 Capital
Mark Roberge is known for bringing data-driven scientific rigor to the art of scaling revenue. He helped champion scalable frameworks that blend analytics with human relationship-building. His approach reframes sales from hustle mythology to repeatable system design. By sharing insights with founders and growth leaders, he’s shaped how startups think about revenue infrastructure.
Tech
Mark Roberge*
Stage 2 Capital
Mark Roberge is known for bringing data-driven scientific rigor to the art of scaling revenue. He helped champion scalable frameworks that blend analytics with human relationship-building. His approach reframes sales from hustle mythology to repeatable system design. By sharing insights with founders and growth leaders, he’s shaped how startups think about revenue infrastructure.
Wellness
Kasley Killam*
Social Health Labs
Kasley Killam, a.k.a. “your social health guide” has elevated social health into a measurable and actionable pillar of wellbeing. She argues that connection isn’t a soft luxury, but the foundational infrastructure to create thriving and resilient communities. Her work bridges research, policy, and practical design, encouraging institutions to prioritize belonging. In a world grappling with loneliness, her perspective feels both urgent and hopeful.
Wellness
Kasley Killam*
Social Health Labs
Kasley Killam, a.k.a. “your social health guide” has elevated social health into a measurable and actionable pillar of wellbeing. She argues that connection isn’t a soft luxury, but the foundational infrastructure to create thriving and resilient communities. Her work bridges research, policy, and practical design, encouraging institutions to prioritize belonging. In a world grappling with loneliness, her perspective feels both urgent and hopeful.
Wellness
Kasley Killam*
Social Health Labs
Kasley Killam, a.k.a. “your social health guide” has elevated social health into a measurable and actionable pillar of wellbeing. She argues that connection isn’t a soft luxury, but the foundational infrastructure to create thriving and resilient communities. Her work bridges research, policy, and practical design, encouraging institutions to prioritize belonging. In a world grappling with loneliness, her perspective feels both urgent and hopeful.
Wellness
W. Bryan Hubbard*
Wellness Advocacy
W. Bryan Hubbard has played a visible role in reshaping conversations around drug policy and public health. With a rich law, public policy, and community engagement background, he has consistently tackled some of society's most pressing challenges and is committed to creating, reforming and improving human systems to accelerate progress for everyone. His advocacy emphasizes harm reduction, pragmatic reform, and cross-partisan dialogue through common ground rooted in data and lived experience. His bridge-building approach expands who participates in the conversation by engaging policymakers, healthcare leaders, and community advocates alike.
Wellness
W. Bryan Hubbard*
Wellness Advocacy
W. Bryan Hubbard has played a visible role in reshaping conversations around drug policy and public health. With a rich law, public policy, and community engagement background, he has consistently tackled some of society's most pressing challenges and is committed to creating, reforming and improving human systems to accelerate progress for everyone. His advocacy emphasizes harm reduction, pragmatic reform, and cross-partisan dialogue through common ground rooted in data and lived experience. His bridge-building approach expands who participates in the conversation by engaging policymakers, healthcare leaders, and community advocates alike.
Wellness
W. Bryan Hubbard*
Wellness Advocacy
W. Bryan Hubbard has played a visible role in reshaping conversations around drug policy and public health. With a rich law, public policy, and community engagement background, he has consistently tackled some of society's most pressing challenges and is committed to creating, reforming and improving human systems to accelerate progress for everyone. His advocacy emphasizes harm reduction, pragmatic reform, and cross-partisan dialogue through common ground rooted in data and lived experience. His bridge-building approach expands who participates in the conversation by engaging policymakers, healthcare leaders, and community advocates alike.
Strategy
Brian Morrissey
The Rebooting
Brian Morrissey interrogates the business of media with pragmatic optimism through his substack which spotlights how to build a sustainable media business. His commentary focuses on durable strategy over vanity metrics. By spotlighting founders and independent builders, he amplifies alternative paths forward to long term success in an otherwise turbulent industry.
Strategy
Brian Morrissey
The Rebooting
Brian Morrissey interrogates the business of media with pragmatic optimism through his substack which spotlights how to build a sustainable media business. His commentary focuses on durable strategy over vanity metrics. By spotlighting founders and independent builders, he amplifies alternative paths forward to long term success in an otherwise turbulent industry.
Strategy
Brian Morrissey
The Rebooting
Brian Morrissey interrogates the business of media with pragmatic optimism through his substack which spotlights how to build a sustainable media business. His commentary focuses on durable strategy over vanity metrics. By spotlighting founders and independent builders, he amplifies alternative paths forward to long term success in an otherwise turbulent industry.
Strategy
Rohit Bhargava*
Non-Obvious Insights
Rohit Bhargava has built a reputation for identifying non-obvious trends before they become conference buzzwords. Influence through his lens comes from seeing around corners and inviting others to do the same. His work encourages marketers and brand strategists to look beyond surface-level data and examine human behavior and distills complexity into frameworks that teams can actually use.
Strategy
Rohit Bhargava*
Non-Obvious Insights
Rohit Bhargava has built a reputation for identifying non-obvious trends before they become conference buzzwords. Influence through his lens comes from seeing around corners and inviting others to do the same. His work encourages marketers and brand strategists to look beyond surface-level data and examine human behavior and distills complexity into frameworks that teams can actually use.
Strategy
Rohit Bhargava*
Non-Obvious Insights
Rohit Bhargava has built a reputation for identifying non-obvious trends before they become conference buzzwords. Influence through his lens comes from seeing around corners and inviting others to do the same. His work encourages marketers and brand strategists to look beyond surface-level data and examine human behavior and distills complexity into frameworks that teams can actually use.
Strategy
Maureen Polo*
Marketing Leadership Content
Maureen Polo operates at the intersection of brand strategy, communications, and cultural intelligence, helping organizations articulate not just what they do, but identify why it matters right now. She brings a steady, editorial sensibility to brand building, grounding big ideas in audiences insight and lived context. Her influence stems from an ability to translate complexity into narratives that feel both strategic and human.
Strategy
Maureen Polo*
Marketing Leadership Content
Maureen Polo operates at the intersection of brand strategy, communications, and cultural intelligence, helping organizations articulate not just what they do, but identify why it matters right now. She brings a steady, editorial sensibility to brand building, grounding big ideas in audiences insight and lived context. Her influence stems from an ability to translate complexity into narratives that feel both strategic and human.
Strategy
Maureen Polo*
Marketing Leadership Content
Maureen Polo operates at the intersection of brand strategy, communications, and cultural intelligence, helping organizations articulate not just what they do, but identify why it matters right now. She brings a steady, editorial sensibility to brand building, grounding big ideas in audiences insight and lived context. Her influence stems from an ability to translate complexity into narratives that feel both strategic and human.
Social impact
Mahmoud Khalil*
Public Commentary
Mahmoud Khalil is an Algerian-Palestinian activist known for his role as a negotiator and spokesperson in the 2024 Gaza Solidarity Encampment and broader protests in solidarity with Palestine at Columbia University during the Gaza war while he was a graduate student at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, and for his detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025. Khalil represents a generation of student organizers who see campuses as launchpads for global dialogue. His activism centers civic engagement, international awareness, and youth-led accountability.
Social impact
Mahmoud Khalil*
Public Commentary
Mahmoud Khalil is an Algerian-Palestinian activist known for his role as a negotiator and spokesperson in the 2024 Gaza Solidarity Encampment and broader protests in solidarity with Palestine at Columbia University during the Gaza war while he was a graduate student at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, and for his detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025. Khalil represents a generation of student organizers who see campuses as launchpads for global dialogue. His activism centers civic engagement, international awareness, and youth-led accountability.
Social impact
Mahmoud Khalil*
Public Commentary
Mahmoud Khalil is an Algerian-Palestinian activist known for his role as a negotiator and spokesperson in the 2024 Gaza Solidarity Encampment and broader protests in solidarity with Palestine at Columbia University during the Gaza war while he was a graduate student at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, and for his detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025. Khalil represents a generation of student organizers who see campuses as launchpads for global dialogue. His activism centers civic engagement, international awareness, and youth-led accountability.
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