From Dorm Room to Board Room How two entrepreneurs are redefining the creator economy in the UK and US.

In a glass-walled office just off London's tech corridor, two entrepreneurs sit with the calm intensity of people used to making things happen. Joseph Black and Oliver Jacobs, co-founders of SHOUT, an influencer marketing agency, aren't typical agency founders. Their work doesn't revolve around polished pitches or influencer stunts. Instead, their success lies in something simpler - giving young people meaningful access to work, opportunity, and scale.

From dorm rooms to digital domination
SHOUT wasn't their first rodeo. First off, the idea for UniTaskr, the student work app they co-founded in 2016, resulted in a multimillion-pound platform that enables students to monetise their skills through flexible freelance work. It was born from a very real tension observed during their university years.

"Students struggling to support themselves financially, and in some cases even having to drop out of university," Black says. "We wanted to build something that could act as a bridge between education and employment, giving students real, flexible opportunities to earn and gain experience while they studied."

What began as a gig economy platform soon uncovered something else - the quiet power of the student voice online. That realisation gave rise to SHOUT, a marketing engine fuelled not by celebrity endorsements but by the authenticity of nano and micro creators. "On the surface, the two companies might seem quite different," Black continues. "One's a freelancer platform, the other an influencer engine, but at their core, they're deeply aligned. Both champion the underdog - whether it's a student breaking into the working world or a small creator making a big impact for a global brand."

The Gen Z disconnect
If there's one demographic Black and Jacobs understand better than most, it's Gen Z. But for many brands, says Oliver, the reality of engaging this generation is still misunderstood. "Honestly, not yet, at least not at scale," he admits. "There's still a disconnect between how Gen Z actually interacts with brands and how companies think they do." He outlines a new model of engagement - one rooted in authenticity, not advertising polish. "This generation grew up with the ability to skip, block, or scroll past anything that doesn't speak to them directly. They value authenticity, creativity, and community. The brands that are winning with Gen Z are the ones that listen, co-create, and let go of control a little."

Going Stateside
SHOUT's recent expansion to the United States marks a pivotal moment in the company's growth. For Black, it was always inevitable. "The US has always acted as a leader in the creator economy, so for us, it was less a question of if and more when," he says. "We came in with a clear point of difference, our ability to activate thousands of nano and micro creators quickly, and actually tie that activity back to business results." That difference has already yielded results. Among the new clients signed is Inspire Brands - the parent company of Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin' Donuts, and Baskin Robbins. But the expansion wasn't without its adjustments.

"Being physically present has helped massively," Black reflects. "In the UK, you can often build remotely, but in the US, relationships move things forward. Face-to-face matters." Oliver adds that the shift has also catalysed operational transformation. "We've had to mature fast," he says. "Scaling delivery, refining internal systems, and ensuring every touchpoint - from contracting to creator comms - fits U.S. expectations." From platform tweaks to campaign segmentation, the move has sharpened SHOUT's global execution.

Landing giants
Their client list is formidable - Amazon, Red Bull, Adobe, TikTok. But for Black, the road to big names wasn't paved with flashy campaigns, but quiet consistency. "It's all about relationships and results," he says. "We pitched like we belonged in the room, even when we were the smallest agency at the table." Their TikTok win stands out as a symbolic milestone. "We started as a TikTok-first agency... so to later be asked to support their own campaigns on TikTok felt like a full-circle moment. It validated the years we'd spent understanding the space inside-out."

What comes next?
Both founders speak about growth with a measured optimism. UniTaskr, Black notes, remains focused on impact. "We've just brought on a new Head of Growth and Strategy - Jenny Welsh - who's already bringing fresh energy to the business," Oliver adds. For SHOUT, KPIs are centered on scaling verified creators, refining ROI tracking, and linking influencer content to commercial results more tightly than ever before. "Ultimately, we want both businesses to not just grow, but grow intelligently and sustainably," Jacobs explains.

Despite their rapid rise, Black and Jacobs remain grounded in the mission that sparked it all. "We genuinely believe the creator economy is still in its infancy," Black says. "The way brands connect with audiences is evolving fast and Gen Z is leading that shift." "At the core of it all," Jacobs adds, "we're still driven by the same mission we started with. Giving young people access, opportunity, and a platform to build from."

And in a world that often moves at the speed of a scroll, it's that steady, student-first ethos that might just be the reason they've cut through.