From Bars to Billion Dollar Brands

Dive into the Bay Area Creator Economy: Conor Begley’s inspiring story, holiday party details, events, jobs, and community updates in this newsletter issue!

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Bay Area Creator Economy
December 03, 2024

Hello, Bay Area Creator Economy! Welcome to the fifth issue of our new biweekly newsletter, your go-to destination for the latest events and developments you should know taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area’s creator economy.

If you’ve received this newsletter, then you are either subscribed or someone forwarded it to you. If the latter – and you want to subscribe, get it HERE and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this issue’s latest Community Spotlight, we hear from inspiring industry trailblazer and Lafayette resident Conor Begley, CreatorIQ’s Chief Strategy Officer, on his storied career journey.

🎉 We also have updates to share about our upcoming community holiday party on Thursday, December 19th, at Dovetail’s San Francisco office. Please RSVP by Thursday, December 5th, to attend if you haven’t already.

Finally, we highlight upcoming events taking place inside and beyond the Bay Area, select news stories relevant to our community, hot Bay Area-based jobs and this issue’s “Hella Bay Area” creator pick.

Let’s dive in!

– The Bay Area Creator Economy Community Team

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Meet Conor Begley: An Influencer Marketing Trailblazer

Monica Khan, Contributor

Conor Begley is a trailblazer in influencer marketing and the current Chief Strategy Officer of CreatorIQ, where he oversees relationships with industry giants like Disney, Amazon, and Google. 

As the co-founder of Tribe Dynamics—acquired by CreatorIQ—Conor played a pivotal role in transforming how brands measure the impact of organic influencer content. 

With roots in the tech-rich Bay Area and a career that blends innovation, entrepreneurship, and deep expertise in the creator economy, Conor has become a thought leader in his field. 

From consulting for breweries in Australia to building a 350+ employee company, his journey reflects a unique ability to identify untapped potential and craft groundbreaking solutions. 

In this interview, Conor shares the inspirations, challenges, and insights that have defined his remarkable career.

Discovering the Power of Influence
For Conor Begley, inspiration struck in an unlikely place—a brewery in Australia. While consulting for the burgeoning business, he realized something profound: local bars were their influencers.

"Back then, this was pre-Instagram," Conor recalls. "These bars had Facebook fan pages with maybe 1,000 followers. But bartenders, owners, and locals were incredibly influential within their communities."

Conor and his team engaged with these bars, interviewing bartenders and publishing their stories. The results were remarkable. Sales at these bars increased as bartenders enthusiastically recommended their products.

“That’s when I started to see the shift,” Conor says. "Everyone was becoming a publisher—brands, retailers, individuals. It felt like a seismic change. That realization was the foundation for starting Tribe Dynamics."

The Role of Tech in Shaping a Career
Growing up in the Bay Area, technology was woven into the fabric of Conor’s life. His father, an electro-magnetic engineer, contributed to the stealth capabilities of the B2 aircraft, giving Conor early exposure to innovation.

"After school, I joined a software company," he shares. "Watching it grow from 30 to 300 employees in just a few years was exhilarating and solidified my interest in tech startups."

This experience became the springboard for founding Tribe Dynamics in 2012. The company grew rapidly, a testament to Conor’s ability to recognize and capitalize on the potential of the creator economy.

Challenges of Scaling Success
Having sold Tribe Dynamics to CreatorIQ and built out the combined company with 350+ employees, Conor now grapples with the next big question: How do you scale beyond that?

"What does it take to grow from 350 employees to 1,000+?" he wonders. "It’s a challenge of culture, operations, and vision—one that requires constant adaptation."

Debunking Misconceptions About Influencer Marketing
One of Conor's missions is to educate others about the true nature of influencer marketing.

“People think it’s about paying someone like Kim Kardashian to promote your brand and then tracking clicks and conversions," he explains. "But 96% of influencer-generated content about brands is organic. That’s where you should focus 96% of your effort.”

This perspective underscores the value of building genuine relationships with influencers rather than treating them as transactional marketing tools.

Lessons Learned Along the Way
Looking back, Conor emphasizes the importance of thoughtful communication, especially as a leader.

"Words matter," he says. "Praise publicly and criticize privately. Early in my career, I made the mistake of not following this principle enough, and I learned the hard way."

The Bay Area Advantage
The Bay Area has been a cornerstone of Conor’s personal and professional growth.

"I feel like I was born in the ideal place for my skill set," he says. "It’s a hub of intelligence, ambition, and serendipity."

On his ideal day off, Conor would head to Napa for wine tasting—a perfect way to unwind and recharge.

Podcasts, Newsletters, and the Detroit Lions
When it comes to content consumption, Conor is eclectic. He devours industry newsletters like The Information, Morning Brew, ICYMI by Lia Haberman and Creator Logic by Avi Gandhi.

For podcasts, he’s a fan of Planet Money, The Indicator, and All In. But his guilty pleasure? “An obscene amount of Detroit Lions content on YouTube," he admits with a laugh.

Proudest Professional Moment
Conor’s career has been marked by many milestones, but one stands out above the rest: the day Tribe Dynamics was sold.

“Calling our earliest employees to share the good news was incredibly fulfilling,” he reflects. "It felt like a shared victory."

The Future of the Creator Economy
Looking ahead, Conor is optimistic about the creator economy’s trajectory.

"I believe it will grow 10-20x over the next decade," he predicts. "Advertisers are beginning to realize its massive impact—moving trillions of dollars in market cap."

Conor also envisions creators becoming full-fledged businesses, akin to traditional media giants. He cites examples like Mr. Beast, whose operations now rival major publishers.

A Question Worth Pursuing
After over a decade in the creator economy, Conor remains driven by one persistent question:

"How can we better measure the economic outcomes of creator content, both organic and paid?" he asks. "It’s a truth I’ve been chasing for 13 years, and I suspect the pursuit will never end."

Conclusion
Conor Begley’s journey is a testament to the power of curiosity, innovation, and perseverance. As the creator economy evolves, leaders like Conor will continue to shape its narrative, inspiring others to rethink how influence, technology, and storytelling intersect in our digital age.

Upcoming events

Inside the Bay Area

DECEMBER

December 4th
Fintech & AI Panel (hosted by Women in AI Club, Sardine, and Women in Fintech), San Francisco

December 7th
Voice & Video AI Agents Hackathon (hosted by Creators Corner), San Francisco

December 14th
Holiday Fashion Soiree (hosted by Fashion Community Week), San Francisco

HOSTED BY THE BAY AREA CREATOR ECONOMY
1st Annual Community Holiday Party
Get ready to jingle and mingle at our first annual holiday bash! 🎅🏽🕎

Date: Thursday, December 19th
Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Location: Dovetail’s San Francisco Office

Whether you're a solopreneur or part of a large company, everyone deserves a "fun corporate holiday party" so come celebrate with your friends in the Bay Area Creator Economy community.

Expect festive vibes, creative connections and holiday cheer! So far, we have ~170 people confirmed to attend, including:

Marina Mogilko, Founder and Creator, linguamarina and Silicon Valley Girl
Dylan Huey, Founder and CEO, REACH
Terren Tong, CEO, Linus Media Group
Kim Larson, Global MD & Head of YouTube Creators, Google
Zach Blume & Nate Houghteling, Co-Founders, Portal A
Neal Jean & Jesse Zhang, Co-Founders, Beacons
Aaron Day, CEO, Amaze Software & Spring Creator Platform
Sebastian Fung, Co-Founder and Creator, asksebby
Jina Choi, Creator, Jina The Gorgeous
Susanna Yu, Creator, smelly lunchbox
Michelle Hong, Creator, coachmichellehong
Rachel Lee, Creator, eatsbyrachel
Zach Piester, Co-founder, Intrepid
Conor Begley, CSO, CreatorIQ

🎉 ​​And, we are excited to announce our first official sponsor 🎉: 

ERIC FARBER, FOUNDER AND CEO OF CREATORS LEGAL

Eric spent decades working as a sports and entertainment attorney and has represented a variety of artists and entertainers such as the Tupac Shakur Estate. He started Creators Legal to help those in the creator economy get high level, quality contracts and legal solutions at a reasonable price.

Thank you, Eric!

On that note, we are still in search of more sponsors (minimum $1,000 contribution). Please email [email protected] if you are interested in sponsoring ✨✨

RSVP by Thursday, December 5th, to attend.

Beyond the Bay Area

DECEMBER

December 5th
Content To Commerce Mixer & Panel with Shopify (hosted by Creator Economy NYC), New York City

December 12th
ATL Influencer Marketing Holiday Party (hosted by WIIM), Atlanta

December 13-14
Creator Conf, virtual event

Have an event you’d like us to include here? If so, please send the event URL to [email protected].

Community News

Jobs

Have a job you’d like us to include here? Send the job posting URL to [email protected].

“Hella Bay Area” Creator Pick

San Francisco-based fashion and lifestyle creator Ally Chen aka FashionbyAlly takes us to the Filoli Historic House & Garden during the holidays when the estate transforms into a festive wonderland. According to Ally, “it’s the perfect place to get you in the holiday spirit and cozy up by the fire with friends.”

Are you interested in contributing to the community or sponsoring an event? 

Email us at [email protected]