#37: Lindsey: Creator Economy, Social Media, Trends

Staying human in the age of Big Tech.

Welcome to Mia’s Queue, a free newsletter for “humans in the loop” who care about conscious culture in a tech-driven world. I love exploring how taste and curation facilitate self-discovery and create deeper connections with others. When I’m not exploring what that means in my own life, I chat with an undercover tastemaker infusing creativity and wonder into the world. Learn what lights them up as they tell their inspiration story and share quality things to read, watch, hear, and do. Meet Agent 037: Lindsey Gamble, a creator economy consultant and advisor.

Collage uses a system designed by Michael Cina

I admit, these days I’m down on social media. I can’t take the way Big Tech is sucking up to the Trump Administration; I can’t believe the blatant disregard for people (particularly kids) in the pursuit of profit; and I’m disgusted with how platforms have destroyed our most precious commodity, our attention spans. I could keep going but I also don’t want to dwell on the negative here in Mia’s Queue.

That’s why I wanted to talk to Lindsey Gamble, a creator I met through my work at Flipboard. Lindsey is a LinkedIn Top Voice with a newsletter that is the be-all and end-all on the creator economy. Lindsey’s work keeps me updated on the platforms’ latest moves, which is helpful for my day job at Flipboard and now Surf. In addition, he’s one of my favorite curators on Flipboard, where he has Magazines about every major service and then some, including Canva, Reddit, and Bluesky. Lindsey’s cheery demeanor and genuine tending to the subject make me want to care about it too. Now that’s some feat!

What are some of the things you're most passionate about?

The outdoors and photography; I do a lot of hiking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. I used to play football and, after college, I picked up hiking too. I love getting out in the outdoors and being in fresh air.

The photography aspect led me to my other passion, which is social media, and being able to share photos and moments on social. I also love looking at where the digital world is going and how people and brands can share their voices and build businesses.

When you say social media, what are your preferred platforms?

Instagram for photos. LinkedIn is where I reach people who care about what's going on in social and how it impacts business and culture.

I love YouTube. Before I go to bed, I'm always searching for some random video and find myself watching someone cleaning out horse hooves [laughs], plus long-form interviews and storytelling.

How do you keep up with it all?

The big thing is just being interested in it. A lot of people stay up to date with sports and pop culture and shows; social media is that thing for me. I love reading about it. I love when a platform comes out with a new initiative and breaking down how it works and what it means. Writing my newsletter forces me to stay up to date.

These days, social media has such a bad rap. How do you stay optimistic about it?

I try to remember to use it in a positive way, which is usually as a tool to put out content or connect with others. I try to avoid the endless scrolling.

There should be more regulation around social media platforms, especially for younger kids. Adults are addicted to social media, so what do you think a kid's gonna do? As parents, we have to teach our kids balance. I don't think it's wrong, and I don't think it's right.

How do you define cool?

Just doing stuff that I that I enjoy. I always ask myself: would I do something if it wouldn't be shared to social media or recorded? Not that there's anything wrong with [sharing], but I think the key is balancing out the access, exposure and reach we have via the social media world with the stuff I'm passionate about. It’s about doing what you what you care about most, not doing it because other people [are watching].

How do you strike that balance? I'm sure it's not always clear what you want to do versus something that will get more engagement.

I would much rather build something, whether it's an audience/platform thing, in a way that I feel really good about, and I feel like represents me, as opposed to being clickbaity or just jumping on something for the metrics.

It’s hard today because you can see the numbers and see how people use growth hacks and clickbait. When I think about kind of the content I put out, I don't have the biggest reach or engagement, but when I hear people in person, go to conferences or have conversations, when I hear the impact of it, that lets me know I'm doing something right. That type of feedback is more important than any type of number of views, engagements or shares.

OK, Lindsey, what are your recommendations for books, movies, shows, etc. we should all enjoy because you love them so much?

📙 “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown

I read this during a time when I was navigating a new role at my last company, working across multiple teams and projects. The book helped me figure out where to focus my energy, teaching me that doing less with more focus can be more impactful than trying to do everything. Now, working for myself, with the freedom to pursue anything, I’ve been revisiting this book to help prioritize how I spend my time.

📘 “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data” by Rishad Tobaccowala

I enjoyed this book and believe it’s even more relevant today than when I first read it a few years ago. It discusses the importance of balancing data and technology with human elements like creativity, empathy, and connection. With the continued rise of AI and how companies are focusing on efficiencies, it will be interesting to see how they navigate this balance.

📺 “Sprint” (Netflix)

One of my favorite watches of the year! It was the perfect lead-up to the Olympics, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of top sprinters and the pressure they face. It reminded me of my track days in high school. I’m excited for season two, which should continue to bring more attention to track and field beyond the Olympics.

🎥 “It Follows”

I’ve been a horror fan since I was young, and this is one of my favorite horror movies of all time. I liked it because it’s a fresh take on the genre, stepping away from classic slasher films. Outside of the unique concept, it also had strong character development and social commentary, which isn’t always the case with horror films. The cinematography and score were excellent too. To me, this kicked off a new breed of horror movies that are more artistic and thoughtful.

You can subscribe to Lindsey’s newsletter here.

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What are you reading, watching, and listening to these days? Let’s connect over conscious culture. ❤️