Episode 48: Kate O’Brien - Leaving the 9–5 for Full-Time Influence

Episode 48: Kate O’Brien - Leaving the 9–5 for Full-Time Influence

Author: Kwame Appiah & Scott Sutton August 28, 2025 Duration: 37:15
Kate O’Brien traded her career in HR for a camera and a ring light, and never looked back. From hitting 200K YouTube subscribers to building long-term brand partnerships, Kate shares how she navigated the leap into full-time content creation. In this episode, we talk about creator rates, syndication strategies, and why her “just one free moisturizer” mindset helped her grow a deeply engaged audience. Follow Kate on Instagram and TikTok @carewithkate, and on YouTube at Care With Kate.

Hosted by Kwame Appiah, a content creator known from Netflix's Love is Blind, and Scott Sutton, the CEO behind the popular social media management platform Later, Beyond Influence is a conversation about where our digital culture is headed. This podcast moves past the surface-level hype to examine the real forces shaping how we connect and consume online, arguing that influencer marketing isn't just a trend but a fundamental shift in media. Each episode brings in leading creators and the brand marketers who work with them, focusing on the personal stories behind the profiles-the risks taken, the failures encountered, and the strategies that actually work. You'll hear candid discussions about the business realities, the creative process, and the unexpected ways this space intersects with broader culture, entertainment, and news. It’s a look at the human element driving a multi-billion dollar industry, offering listeners a genuine understanding of the landscape from two insiders with very different vantage points. Tune into Beyond Influence for a nuanced exploration of the people and ideas defining the future of social media, far beyond the likes and follows.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 51

Beyond Influence
Podcast Episodes
Episode 29: Ryan Alford - The Power of Influence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:55
This week, we sit down with Ryan Alford, a serial entrepreneur and the host of the popular marketing podcast “Right About Now.” Ryan’s journey is a testament to resilience—from humble beginnings to building an industry-l…
Episode 28: Louis Levanti - Building Your Brand & Finding Your Niche [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:42
Meet Louis Levanti, the internet's brutally honest best friend, a lover of dogs, a huge foodie, and if he had to define his niche, he would say "I am my niche." Louis started his content career as a digital producer for…
Episode 27: Dani Stacy - Finding Her Voice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:57
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Episode 26: Evan Wray - The Power of the Everyday Influencer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 25: Rome Johnson - Parenting with Purpose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 24: Sara Uy - Setting Out on Her Own [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:41
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Episode 23: Zack Goytowski - Fatherhood, Family, & Fame [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
Meet Zack Goytowski, Love is Blind alum, husband, father, and content creator. In this episode, we discuss how Zack found love with wife Bliss Goytowski on season 4 of Love is Blind. After two years of marriage, Bliss ga…
Episode 22: Jade Beason - Creating Content That Gets You Paid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:14
Join us as we chat to the brilliant Jade Beason, founder of “The Creator Project” and content creator specialist. In this episode, we learn how Jade turned her YouTube channel into a six-figure business within months of…