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Business Insider
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Marc Benioff-backed influencer agency Whalar Group is buying a creator startup for $20 million as M&A ramps up
Influencer agency Whalar Group is expanding its education tools and offerings for creators by acquiring the platform Business of Creativity in a deal worth $20 million, the company told Business Insider. The acquisition is the influencer marketing and talent management company's first since Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and other investors bought a stake in the company at a $400 million valuation earlier this month. Whalar Group has not disclosed the size of that investment. Business of Creativity hosts online courses run by marketing and advertising industry leaders. The UK-based startup was founded in 2022 by Ben Lee, Immy Groome, and advertising veteran John Hegarty, who is an investor in Whalar Group and has been its chairman since 2017. The broader creator economy recorded a flurry of mergers and acquisitions since 2024. Publicis Groupe announced in July that it was buying influencer marketing company Influential and earlier this month acquired a similar company, Captiv8. VidCon, one of the creator industry's largest events, was bought by the UK media firm Informa in 2024. In October, Whalar Group also acquired Sixteenth, a talent management firm. Business of Creativity is Whalar Group's third acquisition to date. "It feels like our industry has gone from the fringe to a boardroom priority," Whalar Group co-CEO Neil Waller said about the creator economy. "It's just part of mainstream culture now, given the level of professionalism, the level of consumption, the level of impact that it has on building and shaping culture." Waller said he expects more M&A deals in the creator economy as the space matures and consolidates further. Whalar Group's acquisition of Business of Creativity is meant to help the company roll out more courses and events, particularly in the US. "We've done things with creators in the past, but primarily our audience has been speaking to businesses," Business of Creativity's CEO Ben Lee said. "As we roll out future courses, there's definitely going to be one specifically around best practices, how large companies can work with creators." Lee pointed to a recent example of an event Whalar Group and Business of Creativity hosted at Whalar Group's Los Angeles-based creator hub, The Lighthouse, where chief marketing officers and creators got together. Waller thinks that education, through courses and other events, will have a lasting impact on the sustainability of the creator economy. He described the Lighthouse as a "college campus that we built to help creators learn," which has brought in partners from brands to Hollywood to athletes. "Through this, we gain learnings of how creators could potentially also build their own courses for their audiences," Waller said. "We're learning about this side of the business as well."
Epoch Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
6 Expert Tips to Travel Smart and Stay out of Debt
Ana Staples Traveling for vacation gets expensive fast. It's no wonder more than half of U.S. adults (54 percent) are planning to skip travel altogether this summer, according to Bankrate's Summer Travel Survey. And of those who do plan to travel, almost a third (29 percent) are expecting to go into debt to pay for it. Many Bankrate experts have a rule not to carry a credit card balance, but we sure love to travel. And I'm going to share with you our favorite tips on how we make vacations happen without going into debt. Plan Far in Advance It's such a romantic notion to fly somewhere on a whim. I'd love to be that person who suddenly decides on a Friday night to spend the weekend in Spain and then simply does it. Sadly, that would put me in the kind of debt I can't afford. If that's true for you too, plan as far in advance as you can, says Bankrate's credit cards writer Ryan Flanigan. 'You can often get better prices or availability the further out you book,' Flanigan explains. 'Also, you can budget how much you need to save or make a plan to earn the miles and points you need for your trip.' Use Credit Card Rewards Speaking of rewards credit cards, I would be able to afford very little travel without them. For that reason, I try to book flights and hotels for every trip with points and miles. Related Stories 5/5/2025 1/21/2025 Sarah Gage, Bankrate's credit cards managing editor, does the same. 'That way, my only expenses are food (outside of what I can get for free at the hotel), transit and excursions,' she says. 'It's not always doable—we're going to VidCon this year, and there's no way to do the hotel on points, for example—but it makes a major difference in the overall number and quality of trips we can take.' Besides, travel credit cards, as well as hotel and airline loyalty programs, sometimes offer extra perks. For example, I greatly enjoy expedited airport security and lounge access that comes with my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Bankrate senior writer Katie Kelton earns her points with Southwest. Doing so gets her some free travel as well. 'Lately, my boyfriend and I have been making good use of the Southwest Companion Pass!' she says. 'It's gotten us to Hawaii and Montana just this year.' Have a Separate Savings Account It's best to save cash for everything that you don't pay for with rewards. Think the portion of the hotel costs you don't have enough points for, food, entertainment, shopping, and anything else you want to do on your vacation. I like to keep my travel fund separate from my emergency savings. This is the money I save specifically to spend on vacations without feeling guilty for touching my rainy day fund. It helps to compartmentalize and keep things structured. For both my emergency fund and travel fund, I have high-yield savings accounts. This type of account tends to offer much higher returns than a traditional savings account. Be Open-Minded on Destination Certain places are more expensive to go to than others. But spending less money doesn't mean you'll leave with fewer amazing memories. 'I'm a fan of letting the deal plan the trip,' says Brooklyn Lowery, a senior editor on Bankrate's credits cards team. 'We have some places we know we want to go, but we're also just travel-curious. If I spy a great flight deal—either points or cash—I'm likely to say, 'Let's go there!' and figure out the details later.' Lowery notes that such an approach doesn't always lead to the cheapest option overall, but the random destinations they've been to have never been disappointing. Liza Carrasquillo, a credit cards editor for Bankrate, also likes to rethink destinations. 'I can't afford to go to Japan to see the cherry blossoms right now, but I can take a long drive to Washington, D.C.,' she says. Be Flexible With Timing It helps to be flexible with where you're going—as well as when you're going there. For example, traveling during any kind of major holiday might save you some paid time off. The problem is, many people have the same idea. This causes increased travel demand and, as a result, higher airfare prices. Kelton also suggests traveling during the offseason, 'like eyeing Portugal in the early winter.' It also matters what day and time you're traveling, notes Carrasquillo. 'Flying super early or on red eye flights, as well as flying out during the week, can save money,' she says. Seek Ways to Bring Costs Down Finally, there are ways to bring your traveling budget down that go beyond flights and accommodations. Kelton offers some examples. 'I also often book with Turo because it's cheaper and has better options than traditional rental car companies,' she says. 'And I opt for Airbnbs because you can find unique, cool stays for as good or better prices than hotels.' I also like to get creative when it comes to saving on travel. For instance, I went to Germany for nine days last year and spent under $500. I used public transport and walked a lot, ate like a local and shopped for groceries. It was as unforgettable as it was inexpensive. The Bottom Line A vacation can be a tough thing to afford if you're hoping to travel. Plenty of people are even willing to go into debt for it—but it doesn't have to be that way. From planning far in advance to using credit card rewards and staying flexible, there are steps you can take to make your vacation happen without running a balance. Safe travels! Copyright 2025 Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
iJustine Recalls Being Made Fun for Early YouTube Content. How She Managed to Get the Last Laugh 19 Years Later (Exclusive)
Justine Ezarik has been making content on YouTube for almost as long as the platform has been around. The video sharing platform first launched in 2005, and Ezarik posted her very first video on her iJustine channel on May 12, 2006. While many other popular YouTubers from that time have since stepped back from their channels, Ezarik is still dutifully uploading content for her seven million subscribers. 'Years before [YouTube], I ran a daily random photo site all through middle school, high school and into college. And then when video became a thing, I was like, 'Oh, this is so cool.' So I had been posting everywhere,' Erzarik recalls of her early video days to PEOPLE. 'When I found YouTube, it was interesting because it was the first place that I saw comments and a bunch of responses from people. And it was weird because I was just uploading to show my friends.' A lover of tech, the moniker iJustine was inspired by her love of Apple products – which have been heavily featured on her channel throughout the years. Her early videos (all still available on her channel) are seldom more than a minute and a half long, initially short sketches meant to be shared among friends. One of Ezarik's earliest videos posted to her channel was of the original iPhone, uploaded within a week of Apple's first smartphone being unveiled. Fittingly, her first viral video was a minute-long flipthrough of her nearly 300-page AT&T bill following the smartphone's release, detailing every text message, email and data transfer conducted during the billing cycle. The video, which currently sits at 3.5 million views on YouTube, ultimately altered the way the cell phone provider billed customers. Ezarik says about two years into making YouTube content, she decided to quit her full-time job. Though she was still freelancing as a graphic designer on the side, around this time she says she started making an income from the site. 'I would say probably around like 2008, 2009 is when I started actually making real money and starting to get sponsors,' she recalls. 'I think leading up to that it was sort of just taking meetings. I moved to LA in 2007 with no friends and no house – basically nothing.' Related: YouTube Star iJustine Recalls 'Difficult' Recovery from Blood Clot That Left Her 'Basically Bedridden' It wasn't long before she was able to build a sustainable following and Ezarik found herself among other popular channels of the 2000s. She had a guest appearance on the Annoying Orange channel as Passion Fruit, met Justin Bieber as his career skyrocketed and even attended the first-ever VidCon. 'That was a time where we still didn't know what was happening. We all kind of just hung out in the lobbies. I bought t-shirts for everyone there… and we're just passing them out in the hotel lobby, and now a lot of times we can't do these events without security,' she recalls. 'They hide us, they keep us hidden away. There was something so pure and magical about that beginning era before it became all commercialized.' Like most influencers, Ezarik has cycled through different phases when creating content. There was a period of time when she posted daily vlogs, taking her viewers through her everyday life. During another period, she regularly uploaded chaotic cooking videos, using her blender for a variety of recipes that don't traditionally use a blender and disdainfully looking down on the concept of measuring. 'I kind of just shift my content to things that I love,' Ezarik says. 'I think that has been the main reason that I've been able to do this for so long is because I just keep creating things that I like and that I want to see.' As her content has shifted with her interests, her channel is littered with tech videos showcasing unboxings, reviews and first looks – and her love of tech is the only vein of her early content that has continued through her channel's lifespan. As YouTube celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, Ezarik is close to celebrating 19 years of her channel. '[YouTube has] changed more now in that I think people take it seriously, like it is an actual viable platform. This is something that kids now are being born and they're like, 'I want to become a YouTuber,' ' Ezarik says. 'Back then people were making fun of me. People were like, 'Why are you filming and posting online?'" she continues, noting that she eventually got the last laugh in the end as she continued to prosper in her career. "Now it's more like, 'Hey, can we do a collab? We want to work with you.' ' 'I think it's empowering because it's given a voice to people who may otherwise not have had one,' she continues. The influencer landscape has changed greatly since she first started uploading videos. Though Ezarik still considers YouTube her core audience, she's joined just about every other social media platform (all under the same username). She's filmed and produced both long-form and short-form content, adapting as many influencers have to the changing social media landscape. Though YouTube may be where she's most comfortable, she cautions those aspiring to create a platform of their own against getting too comfortable in one space. 'Try all of the apps and definitely diversify yourself,' Ezarik says, acknowledging that growing multiple platforms at once can be 'overwhelming.' 'I still do a lot of my own creating and still edit a lot of my own content… If this is something that you really love, don't quit and also do make content about stuff that you love or you're gonna be stuck making content about something that just is popular at the time that you might not enjoy.' Related: First-Ever YouTube Video Published 19 Years Ago — and It Was All About a Trip to the Zoo! 'But YouTube still does feel like home, and it feels like that's where the largest amount of my audience is,' she continues. 'I feel like it's the best place for me to monetize, but also connect.' Ultimately, it's the freedom YouTube has provided her that's kept her loyal to the platform for her entire career as an influencer – and she has no plans to stop making content. 'I feel like we have this ability to do whatever we want because of YouTube. Like if I wanted to go out tomorrow and film a feature film, I have the gear and I have the content and the knowledge to go do that now,' she says. 'Am I gonna do that tomorrow? Probably not. But just knowing that like that possibility is there for me and so many others is just, it's so freeing.' Read the original article on People
Express Tribune
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Markiplier sparks engagement rumors after fans spot rings on hands of YouTube star and Amy Nelson
YouTube star Mark 'Markiplier' Fischbach and his long-time partner, Amy 'Peebles' Nelson, have sparked speculation about a possible engagement after fans noticed them wearing rings on their left hands in recent photos. Markiplier and Amy have been publicly dating since June 2016, when they first appeared together at VidCon. Over the years, fans have frequently questioned whether the couple had plans to marry, given their eight-year relationship and shared home with their two dogs. The engagement rumors gained traction in February 2025 when fans noticed Markiplier wearing a silver ring in a February 3 Cloak brand video. Around the same time, Amy posted a separate image on social media in which she also appeared to be wearing a ring on her left hand. Naturally, the sighting fueled speculation, with fans flooding comment sections with questions. 'GUYS THE RING IS ON HIS HAND! MARK IS MARRY TO AMY?!' one fan wrote on Instagram, while another added, 'Mark, I'm gonna need an official statement over the wedding band here.' Others, however, dismissed the speculation, noting that wearing a ring does not necessarily indicate an engagement. Neither Markiplier nor Amy has addressed the rumors publicly, leaving fans to speculate about their relationship status. While some believe the couple is keeping their engagement private, others argue the rings may simply be personal accessories. For now, fans are left to wonder if an engagement reveal is on the horizon. In the meantime, Markiplier remains focused on his highly anticipated feature film, Iron Lung.
