a16z Gathering: 7 Key Rules to Become a Top KOL

1月 11, 2026 11:21:46

Share to

Original Title: 7 Insights from Hosting 50 Creators at a16z

Original Author: Ish Verduzco

Original Compilation: Deep Tide TechFlow

Last night, I hosted a gathering with the Tech Week team at a16z, inviting around 50 creators to join.

Participants included meme lords, TikTok creators, lifestyle bloggers, cinematic video creators, Substack authors, newsletter operators, podcast producers, YouTube vloggers, social media managers, and more.

It almost covered the entire spectrum of internet content creators.

In this article, I will share 7 key insights drawn from multiple conversations.

a16z and Tech Week team

1. Own Your Audience

Everyone is building email lists.

Even those focused on TikTok or Instagram short videos see email as a core foundation of their business.

Some attract new subscribers through events, while others use paid ads, create lead magnets, or leverage ManyChat to convert Instagram DMs into growth engines.

The frequency of posting doesn’t matter; some post weekly, some monthly, some quarterly, and some even occasionally.

What matters is ownership.

Every creator seems to crave a direct, lasting way to connect with their audience, rather than relying on algorithm changes.

2. Establish Offline Touchpoints

Offline interactions are becoming more popular.

Many creators have spent years building their audience, community, and fan base online.

Now, they are looking for ways to translate those connections into offline interactions.

Podcast producers are starting to host live recording events; social media creators are organizing private dinners, local meetups, and even retreats.

These are not just "fan events," but channels to deepen relationships, build trust, and explore higher-value collaborations.

The flywheel effect of online-to-offline interactions is showing its powerful impact.

3. Package Sponsorship Deals

The advertising sponsorship model is becoming more bundled.

Creators are gradually moving away from one-off ad deals.

They are choosing to integrate their newsletters, podcasts, social media content, and offline events into a packaged sponsorship deal.

This model is more beneficial for creators: it makes revenue more predictable, reduces negotiations, builds long-term relationships, and better integrates with audiences across multiple platforms.

It’s also better for brands: one partnership can cover multiple channels, generate a lot of reusable content, and offer more creative collaboration than traditional ad placements.

This shift marks the maturation of the industry, which I greatly appreciate.

4. Deep Dive into Niche Markets

Wealth is in niche markets.

The more precise the niche, the stronger the business.

Just like the Car Dealership Guy, I recently invited him on my podcast, and we met for the first time yesterday.

His target audience consists of 155,000 car dealerships and their employees, but he has built a massive business because his content and products are entirely focused on the ideal customer profile (ICP).

Many people think their niche is too small, but in reality, as long as it is precisely targeted, its value is often beyond imagination.

Adam (Blueprint), Yossi (Car Dealership), Avi (Creator Logic), Litquidity

5. Collaboration Leads to Win-Win

Collaboration accelerates growth.

1 + 1 = 3.

Creators are actively seeking collaboration.

Newsletter swaps, podcast guest exchanges, joint events, and cross-promotional products.

If you can find partners with similar target audiences, growth can increase exponentially. It’s not only faster but also more enjoyable than going solo.

While this strategy isn’t new, it’s still gratifying to see it happening in reality.

More and more people are choosing the mindset of "making the pie bigger."

6. Dominate One Platform

Platform dominance remains important.

Almost every creator has a "main stronghold."

Although they may have expanded across platforms, the platform that initially drove traffic remains their core—whether it’s YouTube, Substack, Instagram, or TikTok.

This is where their community forms the strongest connection.

While expansion is important, dominance is key.

Some creators even hire teams to fill gaps on other platforms while still maintaining control over the platform that made them successful.

Build your empire on one platform first.

7. Distribution is the Ultimate Moat

This point is almost universally agreed upon.

In an era where anyone can launch a product, tool, or service, what distinguishes creators is not what they create, but how they distribute content.

Brand + Distribution = Moat.

This is a point I have always emphasized and will continue to stress until more people recognize its importance.

Honestly, it’s refreshing to see such consensus among everyone—especially considering that many industries outside the creator economy still lag behind this idea.