About Jay Clouse | Creator and host of Creative Elements

About me

I was on the path. I had a scholarship to a great university and I was ready to find a career that I could build until retirement.

Then I found entrepreneurship. I saw people my age building their own paths and living a life of creative independence. And I've been hooked ever since.

For the last 10 years, I've been exploring what it means to be a creator.

TL;DR: The short version

My fiancée Mallory and our cat Baloo are my world 🥰

I'm building a life of creative independence.

There is nothing better than having the freedom to invest your time and creative energy into projects that you choose. Creating things on your own terms and earning a living while doing it.

Most of my creative energy is directed toward Creator Science. Through its newsletter, podcast, membership, and YouTube channel, Creator Science helps you become a smarter creator.

I previously led the Community Experience team for Pat Flynn and Smart Passive Income, designing their paid membership community and cohort-based course programs.

I've created a number of courses including my best-selling Podcast Like The Pros and my Freelancing School Course Bundle.

If you want the longer story...

2010-2017: The Startup Chapter

After college, I was hooked on startups. Instagram, Uber, and Airbnb made startups feel like the smartest, sexiest, thing I could dedicate my time and energy to.

So I co-founded a ticketing company called Tixers. We raised nearly half a million dollars and were eventually acquired in 2015.

In 2016, I took a role leading product teams at a local healthcare startup called CrossChx. Today, that company (now called Olive) is valued at over $4 billion.

2017-2019: The Freelance Chapter

In 2017, I started working with a creative coach. I realized that I was drawn to product because I had a deep desire to make things.

But instead of depending on others to make software, I could make my own things with my writing, podcast, and more.

I left my job to start my journey as a digital creator. And along the way, I'd make a living with freelance web design and copywriting.

At the same time, I started an online accelerator for other founders and creative service professionals called Unreal Collective.

Through Unreal Collective, I worked with more than 100 business owners helping them take their businesses to the next level. Because of my experience building products, I realized that even freelancing is a product. So to earn more, you need to package your services and market yourself like a product!

As a freelancer, I was earning more than $100,000 per year, but I wanted to focus more on digital products.

2019-Today: The Creator Chapter

In 2018, I started a podcast called upside focused on startups. That experience taught me that I love the medium of audio and that I loved playing the role of producer.

In 2020, I started the Creator Science podcast, a narrative interview show exploring how remarkable creators found creative independence. It quickly became the most popular project I've ever made!

Today, Creator Science has 1.5 million downloads and has been featured by Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and more.

In January 2021, Unreal Collective was acquired by Pat Flynn and Smart Passive Income (SPI).

I lead the community experience team at SPI while continuing to build my own independent business as a creator.

Through sponsorships, royalties, digital product sales, affiliate sales, and more, I now earn more than $100,000 per year without any service revenue.