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GeneratorA podcast about creativity Author: Matt Stagliano
Join host and Maine portrait photographer Matt Stagliano while he has long, casual conversations with his guests about creativity in photography, art, business, and relationships. Language: en Genres: Arts, Business, Entrepreneurship, Visual Arts Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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074 - Stop Chasing Maybe Money with Billy Thorpe
Episode 74
Thursday, 2 April, 2026
I met Billy Thorpe on a bus. We were heading to the venue for Ecamm Creator Camp last October, he sat down in front of me, we started talking, and somewhere in that conversation he casually mentioned that he makes product videos on Amazon and that brands pay him to do it. I pulled out my notepad and started taking notes before he finished the sentence.Billy is one of those people who has built something genuinely useful and refuses to make you pay to find out how he did it. He's been averaging over 100 videos a month for the better part of four years, has cultivated real brand partnerships with smaller businesses rather than chasing household names, and is about as honest about his failures as anyone I've had on this show. He dropped out of high school. He has ADHD. He ran an airsoft field, a screen printing business, and a fishing podcast before any of this. He will be the first one to tell you that his success came after a long string of things that didn't work.What we actually dig into here is the thinking behind the system, not just the mechanics. Billy talks about how he gave himself 90 days to figure out if the Amazon Influencer Program could become a real business, what live shopping looks like as a sustainable revenue model, and why he specifically targets smaller brands that don't have a content team. We also spend real time on community, because Billy has built one around all of this and has some clear opinions about what community is actually for.This is a good one for anyone who has been curious about the Amazon Influencer Program, anyone thinking about brand deals as a revenue stream, or anyone who just wants to hear from somebody who built something practical and is willing to talk about how it actually went.What You'll Learn:How Billy went from closing down a screen printing business during the pandemic to producing 4,500 Amazon videos in under four yearsWhy small brand deals are a more accessible and often more lucrative opportunity than most content creators realizeWhat live shopping looks like as a real revenue model and what it takes to get started on platforms like Amazon Live and WhatNotHow Billy structures his 90-day proof-of-concept approach when he's testing whether a new idea can become a businessWhy Billy made his main community free and what he does differently with a small, invite-only paid coaching groupWhat it looks like to build a content business when you have ADHD, no degree, and a long history of things not working outAbout Billy Thorpe:Billy Thorpe is a content creator, Amazon Influencer, and brand deal specialist based in Puerto Rico. He has produced over 4,500 product videos through the Amazon Influencer Program and works primarily with smaller brands that are looking for consistent, quality content without a massive budget. He also runs a community for creators learning the Amazon side of the business and a small, invite-only coaching group for people who want to go deeper. Find him by searching "Billy Thorpe Influencer" on YouTube.Connect with Generator:Website: https://generatorpodcast.comInstagram: @generatorpodcastBe a guest: generatorpodcast.comConnect with Stonetree Creative:Website: https://stonetreecreative.comInstagram: @stonetreecreativeResources Mentioned:Amazon Influencer Program: amazon.com/influencer-programWhatNot (live selling platform): whatnot.comEcamm Live: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=generatorEcamm Creator Camp: ecamm.com
