Rohan walks us through how he went from a COVID-era college grad pestering Colin & Samir weekly to running content strategy for one of the biggest creators on the planet, what he learned posting hundreds of videos before finding a playbook, and why most brands are still approaching TikTok completely wrong.

We get into the real mechanics of virality: the single image you want stuck in people’s brains, why manufactured moments beat creative briefs, how he pulled off a live 8-hour Kevin from The Office stunt for Ramp, and why giving creators “creative control” is mostly a cop-out.

If you’re a CMO, founder, or marketer trying to figure out what actually works in 2025, this is the playbook.

Timestamps:

]6:09 — How Rohan got started in the creator economy post-COVID

07:28 — Annoying his way into Colin & Samir (and why it worked)

08:30 — Getting introduced to Jimmy and joining MrBeast

10:17 — Learning TikTok from scratch: 100 videos, run the data, iterate

11:24 — Making Jimmy feel like a TikToker + why brands still aren’t trying right

16:49 — Why brands need to be inside the community, not above it

17:39 — Breaking down the Ramp x Kevin from The Office live activation

22:03 — The “image in the brain” theory: designing content to get clipped

26:37 — Streaming, clipping, UGC: Innovator’s Dilemma for creators

30:00 — Why influencer marketing needs moments, not just creative briefs

33:03 — CMO advice: post daily, nail your hooks, budget reality check

Andrew walks through exactly how Arrow hit 100K users with slideshow content, why most founders focus on trends instead of building marketable products, and how Scratch AI scaled quickly using influencer-owned distribution.

We dive into the real differences between organic vs influencer growth, how to design app UI that doubles as marketing, and why “posting first, building later” can save months of wasted work.

If you’re building a consumer app, or thinking about it, this episode is a tactical breakdown of what actually works in 2026.

Timestamps

00:00 — Why you should post before you build

10:42 — Discovering TikTok slideshows

14:26 — Why faceless content is dying

22:11 — Designing UI for virality

26:01 — Validating ideas with content

27:50 — Surviving organic highs + lows

32:09 — Pros & cons of organic growth

34:29 — Scratch AI + influencer strategy

38:16 — Why obvious ads convert

43:22 — Creators building products

This webinar breaks down how we run UGC at scale (10M+ views/month), but if you want to actually build this system yourself, I’m taking it one step further.

Starting February 9, I’m hosting a free 10-day UGC Bootcamp where we’ll build a fully functioning in-house UGC program together.

What we’ll cover:

• Creator sourcing, approvals, and onboarding

• Briefing creators + approving videos

• Launching and optimizing live content

• Turning everything into a repeatable system

You’ll get:

• Live office hours with me twice a week

• Async Looms + clear homework each step

• Slack access to ask questions in real time

• Accountability from others building alongside you

The bootcamp is hosted in the Trackr Slack and open to the Trackr community.

I’m opening free access to the first 40 people so I can keep it hands-on.

👉 Join Trackr at ugctrackr.com, join Slack, and DM me once you’re in.

Join Trackr

Tech UGC became the dominant distribution model for consumer apps in 2025.

It’s cheap, relatively easy to kickstart, and a great way to test hundreds of video concepts, top-of-funnel messaging, and acquire new users at scale.

The playbook is simple: find a few creators, brief them, replicate top performing videos. Easy, right?

Here’s what no one talks about:

The operational mess that happens behind this simple funnel: hundreds of DMs, thousands of videos to track, community building, task management, approvals, timelines, the list goes on.

Luckily, we spent an entire year operationalizing our flow at Playkit and now I'm sharing exactly how we pump out 8k videos/month & 10M+ views/week with 150+ creators.

Now, I'm going over how we do this live. In this webinar, you’ll learn:
- how we structure UGC campaigns
- how we use tasks and tooling to keep output high
- leaderboards, incentives, and accountability that actually work
- how we review and iterate on hundreds of videos a day

If you’re running (or about to run) a serious UGC program and want to scale without chaos, burnout, or hiring a massive team, this session will show you exactly how we do it at Playkit.

We get into everything from why TikTok’s algorithm has a “short memory,” the exact strategies behind Lore’s viral TikTok and Twitter moments, why leading with the problem (not the solution) built insane trust, and how their Discord quietly became a cult-like community that now powers the product itself.

If you’re a consumer founder, marketer, or anyone thinking deeply about the future of social media, fandom, and community-led growth, this episode is a masterclass in building something people feel emotionally invested in before it even exists.

00:00 — Going Viral Before Launch

How Lore went viral on Twitter in its first week and what happens when you move fast on shared frustration.

00:11:49 — The Power of Starting With the Problem

Why Lore’s earliest content focused only on frustration, not features or product demos.

00:13:38 — “We Are You” as a Brand Strategy

How shared pain points create trust, camaraderie, and community faster than any feature launch.

00:15:00 — Why Most Founders Market Too Early

The mistake of pushing solutions before trust, and why Lore avoided it.

00:18:42 — The Waitlist Strategy (100K+ Signups)

How Lore tested fandoms, rode cultural moments, and scaled organically.

00:21:26 — 215M Views Without Hard CTAs

Why curiosity beat conversion tactics, and how to subtlety drive massive signups.

00:25:58 — UGC Over Influencers

Why Lore chose everyday fans over big creators, and why that mattered.

00:30:46 — The Discord Flywheel

Adding a Discord button to the waitlist → 14,000 members → organic fandom governance.

00:31:36 — Letting Users Build the Community

Fandom requests, voting systems, mods, and self-sustaining culture.

00:38:19 — The Future of Social Media

Lore as the antithesis to curated personas and infinite feeds, and what comes next.

We get into everything from how Ditto is reinventing social media and why Gen Z needs a new way to share online, to the exact playbook behind Ditto’s IRL college launches. Lillie breaks down their three-school pilot, what they learned from literally living on campus for a week, how to build a campus “cult,” and why most brands fail at college marketing.

If you’re a consumer founder, a marketer, or anyone building for Gen Z, this episode is a masterclass in IRL activations, student psychology, and modern distribution for consumer apps.

00:01:18 — Who Lillie Is & Ditto’s Mission

From scaling brands → raising money → building a more authentic social app.

00:06:20 — What Ditto Actually Is

How a breakup + a Notes app list led to a viral moment and the idea behind Ditto.

00:10:02 — Why They Chose TikTok as the First Channel

The “single-player to multi-player” insight and how TikTok unlocked Ditto’s early users.

00:11:39 — Why Campus? Why Now?

Identifying Ditto as a “best-used-in-groups” product and the strategy behind going IRL.

00:13:15 — Ditto’s Pyramid Strategy

Top: TikTok & reach

Bottom: campus evangelists & tight friend groups

How the two meet in the middle.

00:14:30 — How Ditto Designs Events That Actually Convert

The 4 pillars of campus strategy: events, ambassadors, guerilla marketing, content.

The North Star: create a cult.

00:16:15 — Why Most College Events Don’t Work

The trap of “pretty but useless” activations (free coffee, beer pong, merch) that don’t drive retention.

00:17:04 — Product Education: The Secret Ingredient

How Ditto used a giant LED screen to display live user lists and create “magic moments.”

People competing to get on the screen. Viral content moments. Actual retention.

00:19:02 — What Actually Drives Retained Users

Why small group talks and genuine connection outperform high-budget parties and stunts.

00:20:19 — How to Test Campus Events the Right Way

Pick 3 experiments. Do each one exceptionally well. Then evaluate.

00:21:53 — Becoming an Insider: The Ditto House

Why Ditto lived on campus for a week: classes, libraries, coffee shops, observing behavior, throwing house parties.

Not scalable, but priceless insights.

00:24:12 — Lessons From Going All-In

How being physically present built trust, loyalty, and brand obsession — and why other apps failed when they “tried campus.”

00:29:42 — Why Most Apps Say “We Tried Campus, It Didn’t Work”

Debunking what “trying” actually means — and why most companies quit too early.

00:31:04 — If You’re a Founder Starting an Ambassador Program…

The 3 steps:

1. Define your hypothesis

2. Pick acquisition channels

3. Run tiny but high-quality experiments

00:33:38 — The #1 KPI for Ditto: Build a Cult

How they measure brand desire, DMs, applications, referrals, merch-wearing, and UGC.

00:34:06 — What’s Changing for Semester Two

Scaling from 40 to 300+ ambassadors, shifting from hand-picked to flexible open applications.

00:36:01 — The Many Types of Ambassadors

Why guys are joining, how students spread the app through clubs, Greek life, and fantasy leagues.

00:37:38 — Building an Ambassador Engine

Referral links, flexible tasks, payouts, and turning ambassadors into community.

We get into everything from landing higher-paying gigs, to what separates top UGC creators from the rest, to the real difference between influencer vs. UGC campaigns. Mia also shares the mindset shifts that helped her build a career in content, and what inspired her to create Creator Vault - the app helping creators earn more, avoid bad brand deals, and make smarter business decisions.

If you’re a creator, strategist, brand marketer, or anyone curious about the behind-the-scenes of UGC, this one is full of tactical gems.

00:00 — Intro & What We’ll Cover

Setting up the episode, what UGC really is, and how Mia got started.

00:08:53 — Getting Ghosted by Brands & How to Protect Yourself

Mia shares her own story of being ghosted and the systems creators can use (Creator Vault, DuPay).

00:09:56 — Tactical Advice for New UGC Creators

Watermarking, submitting fewer videos first, getting partial payment up front.

00:14:00–00:20:00 — Creator Vault Deep Dive

How it works, who it’s built for, and how it helps creators avoid bad brand deals.

00:29:40 — Pricing: What to Charge for UGC

Market-rate guidance for organic UGC and ad content, usage rights pricing, and how to avoid undercharging.

00:35:00 — Influencer vs. UGC Campaigns

Where they overlap, where they differ, and what brands actually want in 2025.

00:40:00 — Building a Sustainable Creator Career

Mia’s perspective on longevity, repeat clients, and protecting your energy.

00:47:38 — Mindset: The Real Reason Creators Succeed

Mia’s philosophy on belief, daily reps, failing forward, and staying consistent.

00:49:11 — Handling Hate Comments & Staying Resilient

Why mindset matters more as you grow, and why “cringe” is part of the job.

00:52:00 — Final Advice for UGC Creators

What she wishes she knew earlier, and her #1 tip for getting started.

He’s the founder of @BestCelebrations (nearly 3 million) and @Culture (100k+), two of the internet’s most viral and community-driven social pages. In this episode, Quinn shares the exact systems, frameworks, and mindset that took him from editing Vine clips as a teenager to running multi-million-follower brands today.

You’ll learn:

→ How to grow from 0 → 10K followers

→ The “1,000 True Fans” framework that every creator should master

→ How to build teams that don’t burn out

→ Why defining your niche deeper (not wider) drives sustainable growth

This is one of the most tactical episodes yet, a must-listen for founders, creators, and marketers building long-term audience brands.

Timestamps

00:00 — Quinn’s background: from Vine editor to brand builder

07:00 — The origin of @BestCelebrations and @Culture

10:00 — How he grew his first 10K followers

12:30 — The early “shoutout-for-shoutout” growth strategy that still works

15:00 — Buying and flipping social accounts as a teen

18:00 — Why brands plateau (and how to break through it)

20:00 — Redefining your niche: what “celebration” really means

23:00 — The “1,000 True Fans” framework that changed everything

25:00 — Quinn’s 3-step strategy to grow from 0 → 10K followers

28:00 — Doing the things that don’t scale (and why it matters)

35:00 — Building high-performance social teams that don’t burn out

39:00 — Turning down $100K brand deals to protect authenticity

45:00 — How to turn followers into business opportunities

47:00 — The future of content: community over algorithms

In this episode of Hooked, Zuhair Lakhani, founder of DoubleSpeed (backed by a16z’s Speedrun program), joins us to break down the future of AI video content, the creator economy’s next phase, and what happens when AI replaces the influencer.

Zuhair reveals how he:

• Used Midjourney + ElevenLabs to generate content that made $100K in 30 days• Built a phone farm to automate posts and boost views without ads• How he generated 100k organic views per day on TikTok• Developed a system to warm accounts, test hooks, and scale virality• Turned technical chaos into a business backed by a16zIf you’re building in the creator economy, experimenting with AI tools, or just trying to grow faster online… tune into this episode.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Who is Zuhair Lakhani?

01:00 – From high school side hustles to A16Z-backed founder

04:00 – How to “warm” TikTok accounts for algorithm success

07:00 – The $100K TikTok Shop experiment (AI content only)

09:00 – How AI saved 15+ hours per video

10:00 – Scaling content with slideshows and automation

12:00 – Getting banned from TikTok Shop and pivoting to software

14:00 – How Zuhair landed a growth role at Cosmos

17:00 – Why managing real creators is harder than AI personas

19:00 – The rise of synthetic influencers

22:00 – How DoubleSpeed automates viral UGC content

26:00 – Why “AI + human touch” beats fully automated content

29:00 – Who should (and shouldn’t) use AI automation tools

33:00 – AI vs UGC: What wins long-term?

35:00 – Why “faceless creators” will dominate the next wave

40:00 – Zuhair’s advice for aspiring creators and founders

47:00 – How a restaurant waitlist taught him viral psychology

49:00 – Closing thoughts + how to follow Zuhair

In this episode, Caleb Ulffers breaks down the exact playbook founders can use to grow faster through short-form video (even if you’ve never posted before).

We talk about gear, process, mindset, and why founder-led content is the most powerful growth channel in the world. If you’ve ever wondered how to start, what to post, or how to make content actually drive sales: this is your episode.

🎧 Watch the full thing: hookedpodcast.com

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Caleb’s background and how he rebuilt post-Haven

03:30 – Why short-form content is the new founder moat

07:00 – The “Cut 30” system that changed everything

11:15 – Why most videos flop (and why that’s okay)

13:30 – The real reason consistency beats virality

17:00 – Building series and systems that scale

20:00 – The inbound power of founder-led content

27:00 – Caleb’s gear, setup, and scripting process

31:00 – His 90-day playbook for brand growth

39:30 – Getting your first sponsorships the right way

44:00 – The mindset shift every creator needs

Ben Schaefer, co-founder of Cinque, built a 400-person community in San Diego through authentic experiences (surfing, music, and connection), all grown through organic social. No ads and no agency. Just people who cared.

In this episode of Hooked, Ben joins Julia and Nick to break down how he turned one simple idea into a viral movement, and why Gen Z’s scrappy approach to marketing is rewriting every rule in the playbook.

🕒 Timestamps

00:00 FYP Palm Reading – what Ben’s TikTok feed says about creativity

07:40 The new art of editing and why Gen Z storytelling hits differently

10:50 From a bank job to building a viral community

17:30 The power of posting before you’re ready

24:00 How Cinque grew with $0 in ads

33:00 Why community converts better than campaigns

40:00 Partnerships that double reach and build momentum

49:00 Ben’s hot take: LinkedIn is the next big growth channel

53:40 Gen Z’s marketing advantage and what brands can learn

What You’ll Learn• How to turn community into your best growth channel• Why “fake social proof” is a powerful testing tool• How to build hype before you build product• Why Gen Z outperforms big brands at authenticityWatch or listen to the full episode of Hooked now → ⁠hookedpodcast.com⁠

In this episode of Hooked, Playkit co-founders Julia Pintar and Nick Sanchez sit down with Avery Kokka, the 23-year-old co-founder and former CMO of Plots, a venture-backed startup backed by a16z that’s reinventing how Gen Z connects IRL.

Avery shares how she turned her passion for live events into a viral growth engine and how she’s now channeling that same creativity into a full-time career as a DJ and artist.

Highlights From This Episode:

(00:06:00) – The chaotic truth about growing on TikTok as an artist

(00:08:15) – How Avery and her team used events to acquire their first 100K+ users

(00:14:45) – The college playbook: why LMU’s “boring” nightlife became her unfair advantage

(00:18:50) – The secret to competing with bigger startups: relationships and scrappiness

(00:22:00) – Julia’s lesson on why giving value always wins (in startups and life)

(00:24:30) – The “college page” strategy that took Plots from 0 → 300,000 users

(00:32:30) – Knowing when to drop what’s working (and when to pivot)

(00:38:40) – “People don’t care about your brand… they care about the humans behind it.”

(00:40:10) – How Julia hacked early TikTok growth by adding her face to brand videos

(00:45:30) – Do views really equal conversions? The truth about organic attribution

(00:53:00) – Avery’s transition from startup life to music and what losing someone taught her about risk

(00:55:00) – Why building your life around what you love is the ultimate act of creativity

What You’ll Learn:• How to build community-first products that grow organically• Why authenticity beats polish every time on social• How real-world experiences can power viral growth• What it takes to transition from tech to creative work• How to think scrappy when you can’t outspend your competition

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

Follow Playkit for more conversations with founders, creators, and operators rethinking what growth looks like in 2025.

From how to find your first creators to how some people are making $10K+ a month filming TikToks, we’re breaking it all down this week.

Whether you’re a founder trying to drive installs or a creator trying to land your first brand deal, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

DMs from founders + creators → today we answer your biggest questions.

1:02 – How to find your first creators

Marketplaces vs. posting your own “I’m hiring” TikTok.

3:40 – What is UGC (and how it’s different from influencers/ads)

Old UGC vs. new UGC.

5:47 – Coaching creators to go viral

Hooks, iteration, tracking analytics, and teaching them to think like TikTok users.

9:57 – What to do after a viral hit

Why you should double down on what worked and mine the comment section for iteration ideas.

11:24 – What is a UGC ambassador program?

How dozens of creators posting at once creates mini-trends.

13:05 – What makes Playkit different from other agencies

From Julia’s creator background to a Gen Z team that posts daily.

14:56 – How to stand out as a new creator

The 3 content pillars every personal brand needs.

19:25 – How much money UGC creators actually make

From $100 a week to $10K/month and why brands are hiring full-time creators at $200–300K salaries.

21:32 – Wrap-up

DM us your questions for future episodes!

Anna’s journey is anything but traditional: she went from being a teenage photographer working with brands like Vogue, to running a viral crochet channel in high school, to studying computer engineering (before realizing she hated it), to finally leaning into social media and marketing. This path that’s now made her one of the sharpest strategists in UGC.

In this episode, Anna shares what it’s like to build authority as a Gen Z creator, how she battles imposter syndrome, why “just post” is lazy advice, and why authentic content always beats perfect aesthetics.

If you’re a founder, marketer, or young creative looking to break into content, this conversation is your blueprint.

Highlights

00:00 – Intro banter & Anna’s first podcast appearance

01:00 – Favorite podcasts & crocheting while listening to true crime

02:00 – Anna’s role at PlayKit and viral strategy background

06:30 – Starting a crochet channel during COVID & going viral on YouTube

08:30 – Monetizing crochet tutorials vs. patterns vs. ad revenue

10:30 – Why crochet (and “grandma hobbies”) became cool again

12:00 – The power of evergreen tutorial content

13:30 – Switching from computer engineering to marketing

16:00 – Teenage photography business, Vogue features, and early brand work

20:00 – First sponsorship deal with Locket & entering the UGC world

22:30 – How Julia’s cold DM got Anna onboarded to PlayKit

26:00 – Building confidence as a young strategist & battling imposter syndrome

31:00 – Why “just do it” is the cure for perfectionism and paralysis

33:00 – Being Gen Z as a superpower for marketing

38:00 – Why “just post” isn’t enough & the importance of authenticity

39:30 – The death of aspirational influencers and rise of relatability

42:30 – Why content creators are salespeople (and what that means)

44:30 – The “bangs TikTok” story & how the internet reshapes self-image

50:00 – The dark side of influence: overinflated presence & mental health risks

57:00 – The fleeting nature of influencer fame & burnout cycles

01:01:00 – UGC vs. influencer: how to monetize without the downsides

01:04:00 – Why UGC works better than polished brand ads

01:08:00 – Where content formats are headed & staying ahead of consumer fatigue

01:14:00 – How to turn being “chronically online” into a career skill

01:18:00 – Anna’s live breakdown of how she’d market a hypothetical app

01:30:00 – Relationships, self-belief, and why support systems matter

01:34:00 – Anna’s growth after leaving a relationship that held her back

01:35:00 – Closing reflections & where to find Anna online

In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to succeed as a creator or land your first role in the UGC space. From monetization frameworks to horror stories of creator outreach, Alexis shares the tactical insights every founder, brand, and aspiring creator needs to know.

What you’ll learn:

• How Alexis went from creator → strategist → campaign manager.• The 4 monetization “buckets” every creator should know.• Why you don’t need a huge following to make money.• The right way (and wrong way) to pitch brands.• What creators get wrong about “finding a niche.”• Why startups are the best place to launch a content career.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Cold open: Alexis on content & monetization

0:09 – Intro to Alexis Hedley, Campaign Manager at Playkit

2:00 – The For You Page, TikTok Lives & how algorithms influence behavior

14:00 – Alexis’ background: small-town California → Ole Miss → first viral TikTok

23:00 – Breaking into startups with no experience (and first big lessons)

26:00 – The money behind UGC: what creators actually charge

30:00 – Creator outreach horror stories & how to stand out

35:00 – Why startups are the best way to break into content + taking initiative

46:00 – Running her first campaign, making $10K in bonuses, & helping friends quit jobs to create full-time

56:30 – How Playkit structures creator pay: weekly payouts + bonuses

1:02:00 – Finding your niche: what you love to create vs. consume

1:06:00 – The 4 monetization buckets every creator should know

1:13:00 – The evolution of UGC: hook + demo → skits → founder-led content

1:23:00 – Rapid fire: craziest excuses, proudest moments & final advice

If you’re a founder or creator who wants to grow your engagement and eventually monetize your accounts, you’re going to love this. Tune into this episode of Hooked on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

If you’re a founder, marketer, or creator, this is a masterclass in how to design products and content for distribution.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Cold open: 100 TikToks before the first viral hit

1:15 – Intro: Who is Garrett Rothstein & how Q + Playkit teamed up

4:00 – Building Q & engineering the “swipe with a friend” feature for TikTok virality

9:20 – The captions + iteration matrix (inspired by MrBeast)

12:00 – Why some videos flop & others go viral: hooks, pain points, and couples content

19:20 – Triggering comments, planting Easter eggs, and why shares matter most

25:30 – The comment section as the new Reddit

31:10 – Lessons from Snapchat, Bird, and Quibi

36:00 – Gamification, streaks & consumer psychology that drive growth

39:00 – Founder life: balancing CEO duties with content creation

44:30 – Staying sane: health, habits & mental resilience

48:20 – Advice for students + how to get hired as a creator

56:30 – The future of AI in content: slop vs. real utility

1:07:00 – Rapid fire: biggest flop, consumer psych tricks, daily routines

Whether you’re scaling a startup, running campaigns, or just curious about how virality actually works, this episode will leave you with playbooks you can apply right now.

Don’t forget to listen, subscribe, and share Hooked on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube to catch every new drop.

We cover how Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter actually work, why authenticity always beats polish, and the creator strategies that scale. If you’ve ever felt lost about what to post and where — this episode gives you the playbook.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro: who is Chris Josephs

6:00 – Why DMs are still the most underrated growth channel

12:00 – The origins of the Pelosi Tracker

18:00 – Instagram vs TikTok vs Twitter: what creators miss

25:00 – Authenticity vs polish: why raw TikToks win

32:00 – How to find the right type of creator for your team

41:00 – The right (and wrong) way to use AI in content

51:00 – Organic vs paid: where the real growth comes from

1:02:00 – The Third Door mindset for creators and founders

1:10:00 – Advice for anyone trying to break into startups or content

Subscribe for weekly deep dives with founders, CMOs, and creators on how growth is actually happening right now.