The Druski Netflix deal will bring the comedian’s semi-scripted series “Collect & Praise” to the service December 1. Announced November 2, the multiyear partnership includes
Steven Bartlett and Authentic Brands Group have announced OBSN, a creator business venture targeting up to $400 million in funding over several years. The partnership combines media operations with brand development. Its structure, existing business foundations and unresolved funding timetable explain what the announcement means for creators seeking commercial support. Key Takeaways OBSN brings together Bartlett’s holding company, Steven.com, and Authentic Brands Group. The proposed funding totals up to $400 million, with deployment planned over several years. Steven.com will oversee media, technology and data, while Authentic handles brand development and licensing. The number of creators receiving funding remains undetermined. Steven.com will lead the media, technology and data functions, while Authentic contributes brand development and licensing expertise. The announced scope includes products and global distribution. Bartlett framed the partnership around coordination. “Is it possible to have a truly integrated partner?” he said at the launch, according to Business Insider. “We believe there is.” That statement expresses the founder’s rationale rather than evidence of operating results. The proposed combination places content development and commercial expansion within a shared structure, although the announcement alone cannot establish how individual creator relationships will work. The approach intersects with broader creator brand strategy, where responsibilities
By: LaRecya Dunn, PR Representative, BBMgmt PR Agency HOUSTON, TEXAS. A powerful community partnership is taking shape in Houston as Attorney Terry Peden and CoolxKids, led by Unique Simmons, come together with a shared commitment to equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and practical tools to navigate some of life’s most challenging situations. The initiative is rooted in a simple but important belief: young people deserve to understand the world around them before they are forced to learn its lessons the hard way. Beginning right here in Houston at Cullen Middle School, this collaboration is designed to reach young people who may be considered at risk and provide them with meaningful education surrounding what is commonly referred to as “Street Laws”, the real-world knowledge young people need to understand their rights, responsibilities, choices, and consequences when encountering situations that may involve law enforcement. Rather than waiting until a young person finds themselves in a difficult situation, the goal is to prepare them beforehand. Knowledge Can Change the Outcome For many young people, interactions with police or other authority figures can be stressful and confusing. Without an understanding of how to respond appropriately, communicate effectively, make responsible decisions, and understand
Jewelry can hold so much meaning. It can also just be an accessory that ties other pieces of an outfit together. A ring could be a gift from a grandmother, or simply something cute you saw in a market. The reason you wear the jewelry matters as much as how you wear it. Fortunately, the trend is no longer forced minimalism, nor is it in-your-face maximalism. The trend now is to wear what you want, as long as it looks intentional. No matter where you got your jewelry, it tells a story. Curated fine jewelry brings together the things you love in a way that feels personal, not overly planned, but that’s also where layering gets tricky. The goal isn’t to make every ring, bracelet, earring, and chain match perfectly. Doing that can make the whole look feel too planned. What usually works better is choosing the item you want people to notice first, then letting everything else build around it. For Katherine Paul, founder and creative director of Mera Jewelry, that approach makes sense both from a design standpoint and from the way people actually collect jewelry. Paul is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America, where she
Jewelry can hold so much meaning. It can also just be an accessory that ties other pieces of an outfit together. A ring could be a gift from a grandmother, or simply something cute you saw in a market. The reason you wear the jewelry matters as much as how you wear it. Fortunately, the trend is no longer forced minimalism, nor is it in-your-face maximalism. The trend now is to wear what you want, as long as it looks intentional. No matter where you got your jewelry, it tells a story. Curated fine jewelry brings together the things you love in a way that feels personal, not overly planned, but that’s also where layering gets tricky. The goal isn’t to make every ring, bracelet, earring, and chain match perfectly. Doing that can make the whole look feel too planned. What usually works better is choosing the item you want people to notice first, then letting everything else build around it. For Katherine Paul, founder and creative director of Mera Jewelry, that approach makes sense both from a design standpoint and from the way people actually collect jewelry. Paul is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America, where she
The 2026 U.S. Open credentialed about 100 influencers, nearly twice the number from 2025, giving creators such as Justin Morelli and Alyssa La Spisa access to produce social-first coverage. Their work included interviews, food reviews, fashion challenges and tennis content created across the tournament grounds. Key Takeaways The U.S. Open credentialed about 100 influencers in 2026, compared with 54 in 2025. Justin Morelli of The ShotClock returned to cover the tournament with a production team. Alyssa La Spisa produced interviews and food-focused content during her credentialed days. The USTA said credentialed creators are vetted before acceptance into the program. The creator credential program does not provide guaranteed payment or guaranteed content opportunities. U.S. Open Expands Its Creator Credential Program The U.S. Open credentialed about 100 influencers for the 2026 tournament, nearly doubling the 54 creators who received credentials in 2025. The credentialed creators were given access to produce content around the tournament for their own social audiences. The creator access formed part of the tournament’s effort to work with influencers who can produce coverage outside traditional match reporting. The creators profiled included Justin Morelli, the founder and voice of The ShotClock, and lifestyle influencer Alyssa La Spisa. The USTA vets
A weak personal credit score has traditionally functioned as an automatic disqualifier for many business owners seeking financing, regardless of how genuinely strong the underlying business actually performs. A more balanced approach, weighing revenue and cash flow alongside credit history rather than letting credit score dominate the decision entirely, offers a genuinely different path forward. Why Credit Score Alone Tells an Incomplete Story Personal credit score reflects a business owner’s individual credit history, but it says relatively little about how a specific business is actually performing right now. A business owner with a modest credit score, perhaps shaped by circumstances entirely unrelated to their current business, might be running a genuinely strong, consistently profitable operation with healthy cash flow and reliable revenue. A credit-score-only evaluation would decline this business owner regardless of that underlying strength, treating a single historical number as more predictive than the business’s actual, current financial health. How Fundivi’s Underwriting Engine Weighs Credit Score Specifically Fundivi, a direct lender and hybrid funding platform, built its self-underwriting engine to evaluate credit score as one of seven factors, clearing at 600 and watching at 500, alongside revenue, time in business, average daily balance, negative balance days, leverage, and open
Robert Montes has built his career around a single question. What happens to a company’s people when their retirement benefits are set up well, and what happens when they are not? As a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor with Nexus Wealth Management in Missoula, Montana, he spends most of his time on employer-sponsored retirement plans, and 401(k) plans in particular. His focus stays practical. He helps organizations review, adjust, and organize their 401(k) plans so that employees have a clearer path toward long-term security. Montes describes his role in plain terms. He sees himself as a steward of assets that other people have entrusted to him, and as an educator first. That second part shapes how he runs client conversations. “Once people have all the facts,” he says, “then they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families.” The logic is simple. Informed employees and business owners ask sharper questions, and sharper questions tend to produce 401(k) plans that fit the workforce they are meant to serve. From Financial Advising to the Army Rangers and Back His path into this work did not follow a straight line. Montes entered financial services in 2006 and spent six years at one
Qualifying for business financing is only half the decision. The other half, often overlooked entirely, is choosing which specific product actually fits how a business operates and what the money is genuinely needed for. A business owner who qualifies for several different products but picks the wrong one can end up with financing that technically works but doesn’t actually solve the underlying problem efficiently. Why Product Choice Matters as Much as Qualification Working capital, bridge capital, a term loan, and a line of credit each serve genuinely different needs. Working capital offers fast, flexible funding for immediate needs like payroll, inventory, or a short-term cash flow gap, and is generally the most accessible and fastest to fund of the four. Bridge capital covers a business until a specific known event, an incoming receivable, a closing, or a larger round of financing, and remains accessible even for businesses facing genuine credit challenges. A term loan provides a lump sum with a fixed schedule and predictable payments, suited to planned investments like equipment or expansion, but generally requires stronger credit and more time in business than the first two options. A line of credit offers a revolving facility a business draws from
Fifty-seven percent of American women aged 18 to 29 say they have gone to social media influencers for health and wellness information. That is ten percentage points higher than young men in the same age group, according to Pew Research Center surveys of more than 10,000 adults conducted across 2025. The finding tends to be reported as a warning about misinformation. The rest of the data suggests something more interesting is happening. Women Are Not Being Fooled Among Americans who get health information from influencers, only one in ten say they trust all or most of it. Around a quarter say they trust little or none. The largest group, roughly two thirds, say they trust some of what they hear. That is not an audience being taken in. It is one treating social media as a single input among several, weighed against other sources. Pew also found medical professionals remain the most common source of health information for American adults. So the question is not why women believe influencers. It is why they are listening at all when they say they do not fully trust what they hear. The Answer Starts In The Exam Room Pew asked people why they
Former CNBC journalist Helen Zhao is developing Immigrant, Not Expat as a social-first media brand focused on Americans moving abroad. The project combines reporting, data, interviews and character-driven video across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Zhao is building the independent audience while continuing her work as a video journalist. Key Takeaways Helen Zhao left CNBC after five years and began developing Immigrant, Not Expat as an independent media brand. The brand uses data, interviews and video reporting to cover Americans moving abroad. Immigrant, Not Expat publishes content across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Zhao’s “Americans Immigrating Abroad” series examines the reasons behind Americans relocating to other countries. The brand is focused on audience growth, while potential brand partnerships are in development. Helen Zhao Develops Immigrant, Not Expat as a Creator News Brand Zhao left CNBC after five years and began developing Immigrant, Not Expat around reporting on migration and expat movement. The project focuses on Americans who relocate abroad and the economic and social factors connected to those moves. The brand is built for social platforms rather than a traditional newsroom distribution model. Zhao publishes video across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, using reporting and data to examine migration stories
MrBeast and Beast Industries have entered a multi-year partnership with Google that will incorporate Gemini and Google Health technology into upcoming video productions. The collaboration includes a September 5 YouTube video featuring Gemini in extreme-environment challenges and extends to Google’s broader creator and marketing initiatives. Key Takeaways Google announced a multi-year partnership with MrBeast and Beast Industries. Gemini will be incorporated into an upcoming MrBeast YouTube production. The September 5 video will feature challenges in a jungle, desert and Arctic environment. MrBeast will use Gemini to help identify hazards and manage elements of the challenges. The partnership also includes Google Health and Fitbit Air integrations. Google Announces Multi-Year Partnership With MrBeast and Beast Industries Google has entered a multi-year partnership with MrBeast and Beast Industries that will place Gemini and Google Health technology inside upcoming creator-led video productions. The agreement connects Google’s AI and health products with one of YouTube’s largest creator operations. The first production tied to the partnership is scheduled for September 5. The video will follow MrBeast and his crew as they take on challenges across three extreme environments: a jungle, a desert and the Arctic. Gemini will be used during the challenges to help the team
Elective medicine has changed in more ways than one. Patients no longer rely only on referrals from family doctors or word of mouth. Many begin their research online, where they compare physicians through websites, interviews, published articles, videos, and patient education materials. Television appearances and public records have also become part of that process. A physician’s public profile is often shaped by several different forms of media rather than by traditional news reporting alone. In cosmetic specialties, visibility can come from educational outreach, conference presentations, legal proceedings, or syndicated announcements. Each serves a different purpose and carries a different level of editorial independence. Healthcare experts have observed that digital communication has influenced how patients evaluate available treatment options. Patients increasingly look for relevant information online before scheduling treatment, especially for elective surgeries. Professional bodies have recommended that patients assess physicians’ qualifications, the quality of consultations, and clinical experience. Medical practitioners have adapted to this trend and have developed educational videos, clinical photographs, and treatment guides to inform patients about procedures that they do not know. Hair restoration provides one example of that broader trend. Because treatment results develop gradually over several months, physicians often rely on photographs, videos, and written
By: Jay Kt Many novels are not abandoned at the beginning. They are abandoned somewhere in the middle. The opening chapters may feel exciting. The characters may seem clear. The story idea may feel powerful. Then, around chapter twelve, the energy disappears, the direction becomes unclear, and the manuscript starts to feel impossible to finish. The problem is often not a lack of creativity. It is usually structured. A strong idea can begin a novel, but only a strong story framework can carry it through an entire manuscript. This is where novel writing services can help. Professional fiction support helps authors develop their ideas into complete stories through planning, character development, structure, drafting, and revision. At Author Path Publishers, we work with authors who need guidance creating a complete fictional world, strengthening their story foundation, or completing a stalled manuscript. A Premise Is Not the Same as a Plot One of the most important lessons in fiction writing is understanding the difference between a premise and a plot. A premise describes a situation. A plot describes what happens because of that situation. For example: Premise: A retired detective moves to a quiet coastal town where a body washes ashore. This
Rolling Stone has placed Druski first in its 2026 ranking of 25 digital creators, ahead of IShowSpeed and a field spanning streaming, education, scripted video, beauty and food. The Rolling Stone 2026 creators list shows how the publication weighed audience size, growth, engagement and editorial judgment across distinct creator formats. Key Takeaways Druski leads the 25-person ranking with 41 million followers across platforms. IShowSpeed ranks second, while Kai Cenat, Ms Rachel and Dhar Mann occupy Nos. 4 through 6. The opening group covers comedy, livestreaming, education, scripted skits, gaming and lifestyle content. Rolling Stone considered follower counts, growth, engagement rates and editorial assessment. Druski, born Drew Desbordes, leads Rolling Stone’s published ranking with 41 million followers. His social-first sketch format ranks ahead of IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, Ms Rachel, Dhar Mann and Markiplier. Druski Leads as Sketch Comedy Reaches Larger Productions Druski built a repeatable online format through character-driven sketches, including his role as the demanding head of fictional label Coulda Been Records. The premise gave his videos a recognizable identity across original posts, reposts, reaction clips and collaborations. Rolling Stone cited his 2026 BET Awards hosting role and work adapting established sketches into longer Hollywood productions. The publication presented those
Creators are taking on broader responsibilities in brand marketing, with companies involving influencers in campaign planning, product development and internal consultation. Examples involving Coach, Laura Mercier and Rhode show creators contributing beyond sponsored content, while industry experts say additional strategic responsibilities require appropriate compensation and authority. Key Takeaways Brands are involving creators earlier in campaign planning and marketing strategy. Coach launched &Coach with Gen Z creators and talent including Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. Laura Mercier created a creator group for internal consultation and external representation. Rhode brought Golloria George and Toni Bravo into product-consulting roles. Industry experts say expanded creator responsibilities should be matched with appropriate compensation, access and authority. Creators Take Expanded Roles in Brand Marketing Creators are increasingly being involved in brand decisions beyond producing sponsored content, with companies using selected influencers to advise on campaigns, products and marketing strategy. The expanded role was evident at the 2026 Cannes Lions festival, where creators participated in panels, meetings, lunches, dinners and other industry activities alongside advertising and marketing executives. Shana Davis, founder of influencer marketing agency Ponte Firm, said the role of an influencer or creator has changed. Caroline Wilson of UTA’s brand advisory group described creators as
