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Extra Value | When a Company Actually Cares...

Extra Value | When a Company Actually Cares...

PLUS: Stan just locked in one of the biggest investors and ChatGPT is breaking social search!

Creator X & JT Barnett
June 05, 2025

What’s Hot?

How platforms like YouTube have democratized the entertainment industry.

YouTube isn’t just where creators post, it’s becoming where studios are born. More TV watch time is happening here than on mobile, and creators like Dhar Mann are turning their channels into full-on production houses. Huge shift for anyone building in the content world.

Ulta to pay their employees for content! 💄

Ulta is making content part of the company culture. This is what it looks like when a brand actually values employee voices. Frontline team members are becoming creators, and it’s turning their whole workforce into the marketing engine.

Podcast listeners have an 86% ad recall rate, higher than TV.

Podcasts are stepping into the premium ad spotlight. New data shows daily listeners remember podcast ads better than TV and actually trust them more than social or cable. Wild 🤯. Brands are starting to move influencer budgets over to podcasters (especially for ones using video format). If you’ve been thinking about starting a show, or already have one, this is your sign to double down. Quality content + consistency = real ad dollars coming your way.

Our friends over at Stan are making some major moves!

This is exactly why documenting your journey matters 👏. This is the type of content that builds trust, community, and momentum. Such a great watch. John takes you behind the scenes of how they got Steven Bartlett to invest. Having someone of that caliber believe in what you’re building? That’s not just validation…that’s rocket fuel. 🚀

Are you experiencing “fun fatigue”?

Tatum breaks down how marketing and branding is shifting in the near future. Lately it seems like brands are “growing up” and really trying to differentiate from a whole lot of AI slop thats taking over your FYPs. The tide is shifting as brands are leaning into sharper, more refined identities. Give this reel a watch!

ChatGPT’s rising traffic!

ChatGPT just cracked the top 5 most visited websites globally, beating out major platforms like TikTok and Reddit! There's a really helpful infographic that visually shows this surge, highlighting their 13% traffic increase in April 2025!

New tools for your FYP.

TikTok’s giving users more control over their feed (finally) 🙏. New tools let you pick the topics you want more of and filter out what you don’t with smarter keyword settings. Big win for discoverability and getting your content in front of the right people.

Founder’s Corner

Chewy is winning customer loyalty not with flashy ads or content…. but with empathy.

Let me explain to you what they did.

A woman lost her dog … not long after she’d placed a big order of food from Chewy 😢. She emailed the company, asking if she could return the bag. Most brands would process the refund and move on.

But not Chewy, they went even further. ❤️

A few days later, flowers and a handwritten card arrived at her doorstep, both from the company 💐. It wasn’t a marketing ploy… just genuine care. And she wasn’t the only one! After posting about her experience on socials, other customers came forward sharing the exact same experience as her! Sooo many people shared images, paintings, notes, and letters where Chewy personalized heartfelt gifts to honor their pets. 🐶

This is their company culture built into the way they show up for their customers, which makes people choose them, over and over again!

Lets break it down: 👇🏽

💡 What’s Actually Happening Here

When most founders think about growth, they default to performance marketing, influencer campaigns, pricing strategy, etc etc etc.

Although that matters, emotional connection is what creates customers who stick around long-term and bring others with them. It’s the reason someone grabs your product off the shelf when the one next to it is cheaper.

Chewy’s not just delivering pet food.

💡 They’re delivering proof that they understand what it means to be a pet owner, the joy, love, and even grief.

That emotional resonance? That’s the kind of brand memory you can’t buy with ads.

✅ What You Should Be Doing Right Now

This isn’t about having a big team or a polished CRM strategy. It’s about being human + intentional in how you interact with the people who support your business.

Here’s where I’d focus:

Re-evaluate how you treat your everyday customer interactions.
Comments, DMs, emails… those are not throwaways. That’s where your reputation is made.
Find small ways to surprise and personalize.
Whether it’s a follow-up message, a handwritten note, or simply replying in a way that doesn’t feel “templated”. Trust me, it adds up.
Empower your team to care.
If your community manager or customer support person sees something meaningful, give them the freedom to act on it.
Start documenting the emotional moments.
Don’t just track clicks and analytics, collect stories + conversations. These are the moments that define your brand’s humanity. Let others see what it feels like to be your customer. Because emotion is what sticks.

🚀 Final Word

Chewy didn’t grow because they had the best funnel or the lowest price. They grew because someone on their team actually gave a sh*t, and it showed.

So ask yourself:

Where can your brand care more?
Where can you surprise someone?
Where can you show that there’s a human on the other side?

That’s the shift. In a world flooded with automation and “what’s the ROI,” the brands that care louder… the ones that show up with heart, not just hustle — they’re the ones people remember.

Hope this helps, much love! 🤙