Creator Playbooks

Callum Mcdonnell
  • 1.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship

Stories behind some of the world's best creators & entrepreneurs. Hosted by Callum McDonnell. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtecnleIYyODepmiC-c7PQ

  1. 2d ago

    Meet The Podcast Genius Behind Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom | Ben Hancock

    Get a FREE breakdown of Ben's 9 podcast growth principles in my newsletter: https://bit.ly/4rBd4NI Start or grow your own Podcast with Callum: https://bit.ly/4hA1wpi Ben Hancock was one of the first hires at Modern Wisdom, where he spent four and a half years working alongside Chris Williamson as the show grew from 150,000 to 4.3 million YouTube subscribers. In this episode, he breaks down the 9 principles he learned from Chris, and the levers that took Modern Wisdom from a bedroom podcast to one of the biggest shows in the world. This is a podcast growth masterclass. We get into: • The Joe Rogan bump that kicked off the hockey stick growth • Why moving to Austin was the smartest growth move Chris made • How the show went from Chris's bedroom to a 100K+ cinema shoot with Matthew McConaughey • How mid-length clips released before each episode built anticipation • Why going from two to three episodes a week changed everything Follow Ben: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamingaryhancock/ Produced by 7xContent: make your own podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com/home#apply Follow Callum: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell/  Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Ben 02:23 The hockey stick inflection 04:56 Why Chris didn't quit and the Joe Rogan bump 08:29 The smartest growth move: moving to Austin 12:38 Data is useful, but don't compromise your tone of voice 17:28 The best will always rise to the top 18:43 The David Goggins cinema shoot (and the smoke alarm) 21:42 Should creators invest in sets? Why 95% of podcasts quit 25:12 Cultivate an audience you love creating for 33:05 Why no researcher can replace the host's preparation 35:36 How guests get booked and why 90% was outbound 42:51 Chris's obsession with the small details 52:26 Enjoyment first 54:25 Success is on the other side of cringe 56:30 Why the comments section beat every other metric 59:47 Create something beautiful 1:02:29 Why they waited so long to do short form 1:12:10 Three episodes a week and the volume inflection 1:13:33 Mid-length clips before the episode drops 1:21:37 One channel vs a separate clips channel 1:27:35 How Modern Wisdom makes money 1:37:51 Interviewing as a craft 1:42:52 Is podcasting still worth starting in 2026? 1:48:50 Why video-first shows are the blue ocean 1:52:29 Who Ben is watching right now

  2. 4d ago

    How to Get Ahead of 99% of Podcasts in 2026

    Get the full 2026 podcast growth playbook in my free newsletter: https://bit.ly/4d5O9uN Apply to work with me: https://bit.ly/4uCJw2E In this episode, Callum breaks down his 21-step playbook for growing a podcast in 2026, based on years of working behind the scenes with some of the biggest shows in the world generating millions of views and listens every month. Most podcasts fail not because the host is bad, but because the show was never engineered for growth. He unpacks what actually moves the needle, from format and retention to the distribution stack that compounds attention across YouTube, Spotify, and social. Plus the volume, tracking, and double-down principles that separate podcasts that scale from podcasts that stall. If you're starting a show or trying to break through a growth ceiling, this is the episode to save and come back to. Connect with Callum: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heycallumX: https://x.com/mcdonnellcallum LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell Produced by 7xContent - make and grow a podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com/ Timestamps 0:00 Why 99% of podcasts fail in 2026 1:00 Know the goal of your show 1:30 The problem your show solves & your ICP 2:30 Format, signature segments & unfair advantage 6:00 Episode planning with proven topics & guests 7:30 Signature feeling & brand 8:00 Briefing & packaging every episode 9:30 Engineering a 5-star guest experience 10:30 Meta testing titles & thumbnails 12:30 Trailer structure & open loops 15:30 Distribution: YouTube first 16:00 Distribution: Spotify video 17:30 Native social content per platform 20:00 TikTok as a clip testing platform 21:30 YouTube mid-length clips channel 22:30 The guest launch plan 23:30 Fan accounts, theme pages & press 25:30 Calls to action that actually convert 27:30 The newsletter flywheel 30:30 Volume & posting frequency 32:00 Reactive & emergency episodes 33:30 Track your numbers every week 34:30 Double down on what works

  3. Sep 16

    PAW Patrol Founder: 11 Principles That Built a $2 Billion Empire | Ronnen Harary

    Get a FREE breakdown of Ronnen's frameworks in my newsletter: https://bit.ly/4dosm2j Start or grow your own Podcast with me: https://bit.ly/4r1fhSi Ronnen Harary is the co-founder and chairman of Spin Master, the company behind PAW Patrol, Bakugan and the Rubik's Cube. In this episode, he breaks down how a toy company started making its own TV shows, and how that decision built some of the biggest kids' brands in the world. This is a brand-building masterclass. We get into:   • How a 4am drive to Detroit landed a 48,000-unit Kmart order two months in  • Why Spin Master started producing its own TV shows  • The Beyblade deal he passed on and what it taught him  • How Bakugan took sales from $450M to $1B, then back down again  • Why PAW Patrol was born at the lowest point in the company's history Ronnen also shares: • The birthday cake test he uses to spot a hit• How to expand a brand without losing its tone and tenor• Why he turned down a $100M live-action film (and still regrets it)• How he pitches without ever using a PowerPoint• Why Spin Master bought the Rubik's Cube Plus: YouTube vs Netflix, making money from content beyond merch, how fast you can tell a product has failed, no-blame culture, top grading, and building a company that outlives its founders. Follow Ronnen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnen-harary-99b13370/No Experience Necessary (book): https://www.ronnenharary.com/projects/no-experience-necessary Produced by 7xContent: make your own podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com/home#apply Follow Callum:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell/ Timestamps:00:00 The toy and TV playbook behind PAW Patrol01:21 Step one is deciding to bet on yourself04:20 Spotting a proven product in Israel and bringing it to Canada06:02 Driving to Detroit and pitching the wrong Kmart buyer09:30 The 19-year road to PAW Patrol11:43 Why 26% of toys come from TV and film12:40 Passing on Beyblade (a $3B miss)14:35 Bakugan and the $6M bet on a TV show17:23 Why the toys and the show launch on the same day18:32 How eight years at MIPCOM opened the door to TV deals20:05 The lowest point that produced PAW Patrol22:25 The birthday cake test for a hit24:40 Storytelling fundamentals for creators and brands27:16 YouTube, Netflix and why there's no clear path today30:17 No-blame culture and why doubt kills luck34:19 Why you can't replicate a hit36:13 Why Spin Master bought the Rubik's Cube43:10 Hatchimals and letting go of product development47:06 Turning down a $100M live-action film49:24 What makes a great pitch (and the Banana Boy story)54:43 Top grading and why culture is Spin Master's moat59:04 Quick-fire questions1:02:43 Where to find Ronnen + No Experience Necessary

  4. Sep 2

    Life Update: Hitting £1M A Year, Becoming A Dad & Selling My Business

    Get weekly content growth playbooks in my FREE newsletter: https://bit.ly/4iMG1DV Work with me: https://bit.ly/4cziyCu It's time for the mid-year update. So far, this has been one of the most challenging years of my life, but also one of the best for the business. I love it when founders do these transparent updates, and I try to do them every 3 to 6 months.I’m sharing how I crossed the £1M ARR mark. Turning down a serious conversation about selling the business. Hiring mistakes. Losing team members. Client partnerships I'm incredibly proud of. And preparing to become a dad! Follow Callum on socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heycallum X: https://x.com/mcdonnellcallum LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell Produced by 7xContent - make your own Podcast with us here: https://www.7xcontent.com/ Timecodes: 00:00 – Intro: The Mid-Year Update 00:19 – Reflecting on a Tough But Rewarding Year 01:19 – Personal News: A Baby on the Way 02:42 – Business Update: Crossing £1M ARR 03:49 – Landing New Clients 04:25 – Growing Shows With US and Global Creators 05:40 – A Night at 10 Downing Street 07:01 – The Failures: Hiring Mistakes 08:09 – Losing Team Members 09:37 – The Biggest Lesson: Slowing Down My Own Development 11:01 – Talking Numbers: Revenue and Margins 13:19 – A Serious Acquisition Conversation 14:36 – Why I Turned It Down 16:14 – What I Learned About Founder Tax and Structuring 19:46 – Health and Fitness Check-In 21:29 – The Podcast: What's Working, What Isn't 26:44 – Priorities for the Rest of the Year 28:23 – Books, Podcasts, and What I'm Watching

  5. Jul 23

    Founder Vlog: 10 Downing Street, Private Jet Shoot & Podcast Strategy Day

    Get weekly content growth playbooks in my FREE newsletter: https://bit.ly/3T7VV13 Work with me: https://bit.ly/4hbeLhc A look inside a week running a content led business, from 10 Downing Street to a private jet shoot and a full team strategy day. In this vlog, I take you behind the scenes of a visit to 10 Downing Street, a private jet shoot for a new podcast, and a day spent with the team mapping out our next strategy moves. A real look at what it takes to build a content led business, from client work and recording sessions to networking and creative strategy. Follow Callum on socials: Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@heycallum X, https://x.com/mcdonnellcallum LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell Produced by 7xContent - make your own Podcast with us here: https://www.7xcontent.com/ Timecodes: 00:00 – Intro: A Week in the Life 00:58 – Heading to London for the Private Jet Shoot 01:23 – On Set: Private Jet Business Interview 02:56 – Inside the Showroom: Building a Standout Business 03:32 – The LinkedIn Play: Meeting Lara Acosta 04:24 – Why Most People Get Their Market Wrong 05:15 – The Real Reason People Start a Podcast 05:57 – What C-Suite Clients Actually Want 06:23 – Team Day Begins 07:09 – Packaging Teardown: What Makes a Thumbnail Work 07:30 – CTR Benchmarks You Need to Hit 08:05 – From 100K to 14M Subscribers 08:44 – Rating Hooks and Trailers 09:43 – Heading to 10 Downing Street 10:35 – Walking Through the Corridors of Power 11:48 – Inside Number 10 12:36 – Meeting the Prime Minister's Wife (and the Cat) 13:26 – A Surreal Evening 14:26 – Wrapping the Week

  6. Jun 24

    World’s No 1 LinkedIn Creator: I’ll 10x Your Reach in 92 Minutes | Lara Acosta

    Get the FREE breakdown of Lara's frameworks in my newsletter: https://bit.ly/4w4oRVK Apply to work with me: https://bit.ly/3SgmP6z Lara Acosta is a founder, creator, and personal branding strategist who built a 7-figure business through LinkedIn. With 320K+ followers and thousands of students, she’s become one of the fastest-growing voices in personal branding - known for turning content into authority, attention into opportunity, and audience into revenue. In this episode, she breaks down the exact frameworks behind her growth - and why most people fail on LinkedIn (even if they’re consistent). This is a full personal branding masterclass. We get into: Why most people aren’t growing (and it’s not the algorithm) The SMPV framework to 10X your reach How to structure content that actually converts The difference between creators and real operator-buildersWhy storytelling beats “educational content” Lara also shares: Her 4-3-2-1 content system (and how to apply it) The SLAY storytelling framework that drives engagementHow to build an audience that actually buys Why email is her highest revenue channel How to monetise a personal brand without brand deals Plus: content strategy, LinkedIn growth, building a community (not just followers), and why most founders are over-optimising the wrong things. Follow Lara: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laraacostar/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laraacostar/ Produced by 7xContent: make your own podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com/contact Follow Callum: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell/ Timestamps: 00:00 Storytelling vs educational content (what actually works) 01:00 Why most people aren’t growing on LinkedIn 02:00 The SMPV framework (skill, market, problem, value) 03:30 How to find your skill + what to post about 05:00 Selling to the right audience (and why most creators are broke) 06:30 Content that drives leads vs content that gets likes 08:00 Why LinkedIn is different from other platforms 09:00 The 4-3-2-1 content framework explained 10:30 Ideal client vs ideal follower (underrated growth lever) 12:00 Why email is the real monetisation engine 13:30 Educational content: broad → narrow → niche strategy 15:00 Why storytelling is the most powerful format 16:30 ICP vs IFP content (and how to balance both) 18:00 Going viral vs growing in your niche 19:00 The “one” strategy: lead magnets + email funnels 20:00 The SLAY framework (story, lesson, action, you) 22:00 Writing posts that actually get engagement 23:30 The psychology behind LinkedIn formatting 25:00 Likes, comments & what actually matters 26:00 Why you shouldn’t ask for likes or follows 27:00 Building brand equity vs constantly selling 28:30 What makes a high-converting lead magnet 30:00 How to plan content without batching 32:00 Why most content feels the same 33:00 Using AI to write better content (properly) 35:00 Best formats on LinkedIn (and why it depends on you) 37:00 Finding your unique content style 39:00 Metrics vs “vibes” (what to actually track) 40:30 AI comments & fake engagement 41:30 Why Lara does everything herself 42:30 The importance of commenting daily 44:00 Building community through comments 45:00 Why you shouldn’t outsource your personal brand too early 47:00 Scaling vs authenticity (founder trade-offs) 49:00 Over-optimisation and why it kills growth 50:00 LinkedIn algorithm changes + profile importance 51:30 How to position your profile properly 53:00 Optimising your featured section for revenue 54:30 Why niche matters (and “you are the niche” is wrong) 56:00 Banner, profile & conversion tips 57:00 Monetisation: content → email → sales 58:30 Newsletter strategy + launch model 01:00:00 Using trends + storytelling in emails 01:01:30 Building trust through long-form content 01:02:00 Final thoughts + full playbook recap

  7. May 20

    Meet The Marketing Genius Working with Red Bull, Nike & ASOS

    Get the breakdown of Sedge's frameworks in my free newsletter: https://bit.ly/4tNXDkR Apply to work with me: https://bit.ly/4hdIIgB Sedge Beswick is a brand and influencer marketing expert who’s worked with Red Bull, Nike, and ASOS - where she built the iconic Insider Program - and scaled her own agency to a £24M valuation.In this episode, she breaks down what actually wins in marketing in 2026 - and why most brands don’t have a content problem, they have a structure problem.We get into:- Why brand + performance silos are killing growth- How Adidas reinvented itself post-Yeezy (and why working with Molly-Mae makes sense)- The real reason M&S became “cool” again- The inside culture at Red Bull - and why “ask for forgiveness, not permission” works- The ASOS Insider playbook (and how you’d rebuild it today)Sedge also shares:- The eBay sneaker campaign that drove insane demand (and queues around the block)- Why consistency beats constant experimentation in marketing- The 3 P’s of personal brand that drove 75% of her agency leads via LinkedIn- Why TikTok Shop is the biggest opportunity right nowPlus: lessons from building and exiting an agency, mistakes founders make, and how to actually build a brand that converts - not just gets attention.Follow Sedge: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sedgebeswick/ LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sedge-beswick Produced by 7xContent: make your own podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com/contact Follow Callum: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell/ Timestamps:00:00 Intro + Adidas, Yeezy problem & changing strategy 01:00 Why most brands fail (structure problem) 02:00 Brand vs performance (biggest mistake brands make) 03:00 Adidas reinvention + Molly-Mae strategy 05:00 Building brands beyond the founder (Molly-Mae case) 07:00 Why M&S became cool again 09:00 Emotional storytelling in modern marketing 10:00 Long-form content: opportunity or overrated? 11:00 Red Bull culture + “ask for forgiveness” 12:00 Getting arrested at a festival (Red Bull story) 14:00 What makes Red Bull teams different 16:00 Working with Nike vs Red Bull 19:00 Best campaign: eBay sneakers breakdown 21:00 Building a campaign that actually works 23:00 Why most marketing teams are broken 24:30 The importance of consistency (not chopping & changing) 26:00 ASOS lessons + what actually drives sales 28:00 Biggest mistakes brands make today 30:00 How to pitch ideas internally 32:00 Personal brand: what actually works 33:00 75% of leads from LinkedIn (no big following needed) 34:00 The 3 P’s: Perspective, Proof, Personality 36:00 Where to focus today (platform strategy) 37:00 Why TikTok Shop is the biggest opportunity 39:00 Luxury brands + Emma Grede blueprint 42:00 Personal brands doing it right 44:00 Founder vs operator (why most creators get it wrong) 46:00 Finding your “superpower” as a founder 49:00 ASOS insider program deep dive 52:00 How to build a creator program today 54:00 How brands should work with creators long-term 55:00 Scaling & selling an agency (£24M valuation) 57:00 Biggest business lessons & mistakes

  8. Apr 1

    Meet The Advertising Genius Behind Steven Bartlett

    Get a breakdown of Tom's frameworks in my free newsletter: https://bit.ly/48JKUaa Apply to work with me:https://bit.ly/4zZb8Cy Tom Lewis is Steven Bartlett’s advertising performance partner and co-founder of Metastat. At 22, he’s helped scale brands and creators by replacing guesswork with data.In this episode, Tom explains how top creators use paid ads to test thumbnails, titles, hooks, guests, and even product ideas before publishing, sometimes for under £100 on The Diary Of A CEO. He shares how Meta ads can help predict virality, improve click-through rates, and turn content into a repeatable growth system.We also cover when creators should monetise, why many launch too early, and why paid ads should support organic growth, not replace it. A practical guide to turning content into predictable growth and revenue. Listen on your podcast player:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/creatorplaybooks Follow Callum on socials:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecallumc/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@heycallumX - https://x.com/mcdonnellcallum LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell Produced by 7xContent - make your own podcast with us:https://www.7xcontent.com Follow Tom: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-lewis-a46877167/ Timestamps (accurate + true to transcript) 00:00 Introduction to Tom Lewis and Steven Bartlett's Advertising Machine 00:13 Tom Lewis' Journey and Partnership with Steven Bartlett 04:46 The Power of Paid Media and Experimentation 05:22 Deep Dive into Testing and Experimentation 12:20 Practical Tips for Running Effective Ad Campaigns 18:47 Optimizing Meta Ads for Traffic 21:19 Budgeting for Effective Ad Campaigns 22:59 Balancing Creativity and Data 24:04 Tom's Best Frameworks 25:28 The Importance of Eliminating Guesswork 26:38 Building a Brand Before Monetization 29:12 Using Paid Ads to Catalyze Growth 29:12 Understanding Meta's Ad Auction System 34:08 Creating Engaging Ad Content 35:08 The Power of Problem-Solution Hooks 36:42 Leveraging Dragons' Den Pitches 43:48 Iterating on Successful Ad Concepts 52:06 Meta Ads Campaign Structure 52:45 The Outlier Graph and Winning Ads 55:07 The Evolution of Magic Ads 57:39 Setting Goals for Meta Ads 58:00 Instagram Profile Visits Strategy 1:02:50 Retargeting and Audience Segmentation 1:06:08 Choosing the Right Product for Creators 1:11:51 The Future of Meta Advertising 1:14:24 Focusing on Long-Term Customer Value 1:21:44 Structuring Your Team for Success 1:24:42 Insights on Working with Steven Bartlett 1:27:00 Conclusion and Next Steps

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About

Stories behind some of the world's best creators & entrepreneurs. Hosted by Callum McDonnell. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtecnleIYyODepmiC-c7PQ

Information

  • Creator
    Callum Mcdonnell
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Callum Mcdonnell
  • Show Website
    Creator Playbooks

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