Student influencers, Jon Youshaei feature at Creator Economy center launch
SU’s Center for the Creator Economy hosted its launch party, led by influencer Jon Youshaei. Alongside student influencers, he broke down the inner workings of content creation and social media platforms. Leah Cohn | Senior Staff Writer
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Keynote speaker Jon Youshaei told Syracuse University students to “de-risk” their career, listening to experienced professionals while also letting their “creativity find an audience or find a format.”
During SU’s Center for the Creator Economy launch party Wednesday night, Youshaei said sometimes forcing yourself to make money out of art limits creative flow. Youshaei, a content creator and entrepreneur, joined student influencers and SU administrators to celebrate the opening.
The center, which has caught the attention of Times Magazine, is a collaboration between Martin J. Whitman School of Management and Newhouse School of Public Communications. It’s the first creator economy education center on a college campus in the United States, according to the center’s information page.
Whitman Interim Dean Alexander McKelvie said the event celebrated leveraging “the best of both schools,” calling the center a “joint venture” that makes the university stand out in comparison to others.
“We built the number two program in the world for entrepreneurship,” McKelvie said. “And that is being able to recognize that next wave of what students want to do and pursuing their own passions and their own independence.”
Several university administrators attended the opening, including Chancellor Kent Syverud, Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew, Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato and Whitman Executive Dean Michael Haynie, who gave opening remarks.
Both deans said they’re excited to make strides with inner-university collaboration. They hope the center will encourage SU students to become trailblazers in the ever-changing sphere of influencer media and teach them how to lead themselves as entrepreneurs.
Preparing students solely for “big business” is a dated approach, McKelvie said. Now, students are encouraged to become creators in addition to being employees of major companies, he said.
Lodato said Newhouse and SU must take a “big step forward” in the business of media production.
“We as a school have to make sure we are preparing our students for the future of news and the future of communications,” Lodato said.
Haynie said the opening was a way to honor the future of media entrepreneurship, which has expanded what professionals can and cannot do.
“A filmmaker can be a CEO, and an entrepreneur can build community with art, and the next global brand might not, likely not, start in a corporate office, but in a dorm room right here on this campus,” Haynie said.
Leah Cohn | Senior Staff Writer
“Perfectionism is really procrastination disguised if you think about it,” influencer Youshaei said at SU’s Center for the Creator Economy launch party Wednesday night.
Youshaei, who’s been recognized by NPR on its list of top commencement addresses for his high school graduation speech, alongside Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey, gave advice to attendees on creating multimedia content. Youshaei is the founder of Youshaei Studios, a company that assists major influencers in developing content and business strategies.
He also provided insight on how to determine whether creating an Instagram reel, YouTube video or news article is the way to create content. He highlighted an interview he hosted on his YouTube channel with YouTuber and filmmaker Johnny Harris.
The interview explored the concept of using a “visual anchor” in YouTube videos to make memorable content, demonstrating that without the image, the story would lack significant detail and importance.
A fan of Beyoncé, Youshaei used the singer’s exponential fame and likeness as an example of how her music videos and concerts use anchors to capture audience attention. He described this approach as elevating content in a competitive industry while staying relevant and changing with the times.
“She’s not about copy and paste, she’s more about copy with taste,” Youshaei said.
Youshaei said that just as current authors are influenced by Shakespeare’s works, and ancient philosophers like Socrates and Plato influenced each other’s theories, great influencers learn from successful content creators who have come before them.
Youshaei’s final remarks prompted students “to be more like Mozart, not like Monet,” encouraging creators not to be perfectionists of their work.
“Perfectionism is really procrastination disguised if you think about it,” said Youshaei. “Do not hold yourself back.”
The center is hosting its first ‘CUSE Creator Con Thursday at Newhouse and Whitman. More information for the location and lineup can be found on its Instagram page.
