Return on Creators

Co-Founder & CEO

The Roc Crüe

Leading new agency initiatives
Cultivating new and existing partnerships
Guiding forward-looking strategy and execution

Head of Strategy

Trndsttrs

Guiding Strategy. Getting out of the team's way. Helping brands crush on TikTok Shop.

Trndsttrs Media is a Gen Z owned & operated agency that helps brands connect with modern consumers.

We are social media marketing gurus, content creators, social influencers, and trendsetters 🚀.

Founder & CEO

Seven years ago, I was just a kid with a hunch.

Brands didn't understand Gen Z. 

I saw the gap and knew it had to be fixed.

But the thing about being an 18 y/o dropout with no experience, clients, or money?

No one gives a shit.

I had to go prove it.

I scratched. Clawed. Worked like hell to just get a chance.

I got a shot and took it.

Trndsttrs was born. 

The idea became a team.

A team that would prove our thesis brick by brick. 

The stakes grew and so did the team.

We helped McDonald's navigate COVID. 

We launched your favorite brands on TikTok and hacked the algorithm.

We changed the vertical content game forever. 

We helped brands break through the noise. Built creator partnerships that mattered. And ran campaigns that didn't sell into culture, but shaped it.

We built, pound for pound, the best Gen Z team in the world.

But here's what they don't tell you about building something from scratch:

You don't just learn how to solve problems. 

You learn to spot the ones that keep coming back.

For years, we solved the same problem over and over again.

Every campaign, every deal, every strategy—it all pointed to the same gap.

The brand <> creator ecosystem is broken.

We worked around it. We filled the gaps ourselves.

Until one day, we realized we weren’t just filling the gaps.

We were building the solution.

Now I find myself building RoC (return on creators).

Not a new idea—it’s the culmination of everything we’ve built, everything we’ve learned, and every challenge we’ve solved along the way.

This is our moonshot. Beaten and battered grapes forming our magnum opus.

I'll continue to operate with Trndsttrs as the premier social commerce agency—partnering with a select group of brands to drive results on the fastest-growing commerce platforms in the world.

Jake Bjorseth

Closed The Biggest Deal of My Life This Weekend 

She's been with me in building two companies.

Dropping out of college to pursue this crazy dream.

Starting our influencer operation from the ground floor into the thing we're the absolute best at today.

Following me and that dream from her family in Kansas City to Los Angeles and now Florida.

She's the only one that's been with me through it all.

Missing dates I couldn't find the time for.

Rarely any budget for birthday or anniversary gifts.

Dealing with the chaos of the entrepreneurial life we chose.

I owe it all to her.

Amanda, now let's go get you a new last name people can't pronounce and go build one last venture together:

A family.

Social Commerce + Creator Marketing | Mom's Favorite Son

Vine is back. Sort of. 

And it says a lot about where the internet is going.

I spent this morning thinking about something wild:

A decade-old app just resurfaced…

And somehow, it feels more relevant than half the platforms that launched this year.

Vine (now revived as “diVine”) brought back 100,000+ of its original 6-second videos.

And it’s taking a hard stance: no generative AI uploads. Only real humans, real cameras.

This hit me for one reason:

We’re officially entering the era where nostalgia is a strategy.

Consumers don’t just want new features anymore.

They want a feeling.
 
They want the internet they grew up with.

They want identity back.

And the comeback of Vine tells us something brands need to pay attention to.

Short-form didn’t win because it was short.

It won because it felt raw.

It felt human.

It felt like creativity had constraints again.

Today, platforms are bloated.

Feeds are flooded with AI sludge.

Authenticity feels algorithmically filtered.

So of course an old format suddenly feels refreshing.

Here’s the real takeaway:

The next wave of social isn’t going to be “more.”
 
It’s going to be less.

Less polished.

Less synthetic.

Less optimized for machines.

More human.

More native.

More emotional.

Brands that embrace this shift will cut through the noise instantly.

Not by trying to out-AI everyone.

But by returning to constraints that force creativity.

If you’re a marketer, creator, or brand leader… ask yourself:

Are you chasing complexity?

Or are you building for the internet people miss?

Times I've Been Asked If I Had A College Degree:

0

Times I've Been Asked About Case Studies:

3,000+

Meritocracy: holding of power by people selected on the basis of their ability.

Don't take for granted just how unique this moment in time is.

For thousands of years, your success depended on who your parents were.

For the last century, it was your college and degree based on grades you got at 16 years old.

Today, it's... what you can actually do.

Mamdani's campaign for NYC mayor was a marketing masterclass.

What opposition will claim as "the kid who promises pizza for lunch and kool-aid in the water fountains" is dismissive of the true strategic brilliance.

This campaign was a mirror image of Trump's 2016 run.

The policies vastly different, but the strategies identical ->

1. Simple Messaging
Trump didn't present a complicated immigration plan. He promised to "build a wall" and "have Mexico pay for it". 

It was a visual example able to be explained by supporters in one sentence.

Mamdani's message was incredibly simple:

Lower Rent
Free Buses

Not a convoluted policy on property taxes on corporations, rent subsidies, etc... 

2. Social First
Mamdani was everywhere. His face inescapable across social media.

Trump's 2016 was the first of its kind: a social-first political strategy leaning on Meta, not programmatic.

Mamdani's team from design to creative to messaging to marketing was always social first. 

3. Community Centric
Whether it was bodegas, clubs, or even a UGC-driven scavenger hunt, Mamdani's team took to the streets.

The online content is only a signal to forge the grassroots movement IRL that you really need to win votes.

Meeting culture where it is time and time again.
--
This will not be the last populist election we see. 

Changes are this is yet another trailblazing example of what is to come.

Label it what you want, but the real story here is a marketing one, not a political one.

My passion for entrepreneurship and marketing is all a facade.

A trick played by my own brain against my subconscious.

And all of this you see is nothing more than the outlet for the real motivation.

For some, that intrinsic motivation is money.

Attention for many more.

More nefarious things, but helpful, for others.

For me, I know all too well the hidden desire that makes me tick.

Competition.

I've had an obsessive need to compete, and win, since as young as I can remember.

Nothing could ever just be a fun game to play.

Sports, activities, school work, video games...

I didn't care what it was, I needed to win.

I used to find ways to cheat playing freaking Uno with my family.

I spent 20 minutes last night watching a Youtube video on strategies for the card game "Spades" so I can crush my buddies this weekend.

It's a problem... 

But it's who I am.

And it ain't changing.

Maybe I need a therapist.

Or maybe I need a business that lets me work with hundreds of brands getting the chance to compete everyday across every category.

If you're a founder, I know the same is true for you.

There is some intrinsic motivation behind it all that is the real reason you do what you do.

Find that motivation.

Cut the crap trying to convince yourself you were born to sling enterprise software or CPG products on the internet. 

Lean into that intrinsic motivation and design your life for it.

You'll be glad you did

TikTok isn’t the Silk Road.

It’s Rome.

The Silk Road was a trade route.

Rome was a world order.

TikTok isn’t just connecting culture and commerce…

It’s centralizing it.

Here’s the real analogy:

Rome didn’t just influence the world, it dictated it.

All roads led back to Rome.

And all influence led out of it.

TikTok operates the same way today:
👉 Trends begin there
👉 Narratives spread from there
👉 Products are validated there
👉 Purchases happen because of it

Not because TikTok is “randomly powerful.”

But because of its origin.

A cultural empire disguised as a social app.

Most platforms distribute influence horizontally.

TikTok funnels it vertically.

It’s not a marketplace of ideas,

It’s the epicenter where ideas are minted, ranked, and exported.

Creators orbit it.

Brands depend on it.

Consumers treat it as truth.

And whether we like it or not…

Every road in modern culture now leads back to TikTok.

The companies pretending TikTok is just another platform are the ones falling behind.

The ones treating it like Rome, the undeniable center of cultural gravity, are the ones winning.
—

If you want to understand where culture, commerce, and attention are heading…

Don’t study trade routes.

Study empires.

Youthvine Agency

I drive strategy, agency growth, and nurture creator and social community programs at Youthvine, a next-gen lifestyle marketing agency and talent network. Focused on connecting brands to youth culture’s pulse—action sports, music, fashion, and social change—we blend strategic expertise with hands-on creator-driven approaches to deliver authentic impact.

Chief Engagement Officer

ThinkWithWitt

We help companies and nonprofits modernize their brand storytelling, social content, creator partnerships and audience engagement strategies to impact change and drive business growth.

Specialization: youth culture, hard-to-reach demographics, fandom communities, and cross-generational communications.

Guided by data. Driven by culture 🔥

Senior Youth & Creator Marketing Strategist, Problem Solver & Brand Builder

Thrive Global

Thrive Global is Ariana Huffington's health, wellness and fitness media resource. Together we're on a mission to end the stress and burnout epidemic by offering companies and individuals sustainable, science-based solutions to enhance both well-being and performance.

Contributing Author

YouTube

As a Senior Youth Culture Marketing Strategist for YouTube via GLG consulting, I have leveraged my expertise and understanding of youth culture to drive product innovation, enhance user experience, and develop effective marketing communications strategies in collaboration with prominent creators and users. Through our co-creation efforts, we have delivered tangible results and helped businesses stay ahead of emerging trends and remain competitive in an ever-changing marketplace.

Senior Youth Market Insights and Strategic Advisory 

We Are Family

Cross Generational Marketing Strategist | U.S. Market

Kogan Page

Co-Authored 'The Gen Z Frequency: How Brands Tune In and Build Credibility' with Derek E. Baird. The title was released on September 28, 2018.

Connect your marketing with youth culture and resonate with Generation Z using this expert guide, packed with proven strategies and usable frameworks for effective youth marketing. Generation Z, ranging from tweens to young adults, has enormous spending power; yet it is one of the most challenging generational cohorts for brands to reach.

Embodying an unrelenting relationship with information and mobile technology from a young age, Generation Z's ecosystem is infinitely more complex and varied than any generation before. Staying tuned-in to this demographic's impatience, confidence and constantly evolving trends can be daunting for any marketer trying to keep up.

The Gen Z Frequency offers a comprehensive guide for any brand, non-profit/social impact or organization trying to reach this demographic, covering fundamental truths, content creation, engagement strategies and tactics such as social media, experiential, emerging technologies, and much more. It is woven with fascinating case studies and real-world stories from the trenches, plus key insights from leading youth brands and Gen Z themselves.

Best-Selling Author  | Named Top Youth Marketer to Follow by  Inc. Magazine

Motivate Inc.

Motivate is the leading insights and media partner for reaching Multicultural, Youth and LGBTQ segments. We specialize in consumer segmentation, custom insights, product development and turnkey media strategy and execution for high-growth demographics. 

Motivate acquired Immersive Youth in 2016. The newly formed Motivate Youth practice provides best-in-class media activation in digital, traditional, social and influencer marketing services used by Fortune-500 brands and major advertising agencies.

EVP, Youth Marketing

Immersive Youth Marketing

Immersive is a youth marketing agency cultivating brand relevance with young people. 
We unlock the passions of consumers through cohesive solutions that emotionally connect, inspire action, and positively change behaviors. We’ve helped some of the world's greatest brands reach mass audiences while building credibility within niche youth segments.

Youthvine is our proprietary youth-powered resource. We deliver actionable insights, innovation, strategy and advocacy programs to help brands rapidly and cost-efficiently connect with influential tweens, teens, and young adults. 

Some of the brands we are honored to work with, include; Walt Disney World, Autodesk, Qualcomm, Nitro Circus, Funny Or Die, Bravo Sports, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, Texas Department of Agriculture, Hansen's Natural, and Konami Digital Entertainment.

Premise | Youth Marketing + Immersive Media 

Premise is a full service agency that builds positive connections between brands and youth.   We provide the depth of expertise needed to resonate with young people in ways that are trend conscious. Our work impacts targeted consumer segments from the inside out to provide your brand the authentic foundation needed for success.  

We deliver a complete set of youth marketing services including; youth market strategy, brand development, research and cultural insights, social media, creative design and media services, content production, and education programs.

Head of Strategy and Consumer Insights

Landscape Structures

Strategic Advisor, Youth and Fitness Markets

Youth Brand Builder | Gen Z & Alpha Specialist | Creator Marketing Strategist | Author, The Gen Z Frequency | Youth Marketer to Follow, Inc. Magazine | #CreatorEconomy | Let's talk brand and business growth 🔥

Gregg L. Witt’s tireless pursuit of youth culture has been a long and winding road. Never content to just ‘know it when he sees it,’ Witt has dedicated his career to understanding the wisdom and authenticity of youth culture while guiding others to do the same.

With over 25 years of experience, Gregg is a senior marketing strategist specializing in building brands and directing campaigns that resonate and drive growth. Recognized by Inc Magazine as a "Top youth marketer to follow," he connects with tweens, teens, and young adults through cultural storytelling and youth-driven strategies.

Gregg’s journey began at 16 when he launched Goodtimes Skateboards, generating $500K in sales within its first year. This entrepreneurial spirit laid the foundation for his career as a trusted youth culture advisor.

As an independent consultant, Gregg advised major brands like YouTube, Meta, Samsung, Intuit, and Axe, while mentoring over 150 emerging creators and collaborating with Reichman University’s ContentShapers Masterclass Program.

From 2018 to 2021, Gregg served as USA Youth and Creator Marketing Strategist for We Are Family Global Agency Group, partnering with Adobe, Thorn, and Radio Disney to create youth-focused campaigns. Before that, as Vice President of Youth and Creator Brand Partnerships at Motivate Agency (2016–2018), he drove avg 33% annual growth, generating over $5M in revenue with work for Hollister, Cooper Tires and Walmart.

Earlier in his career, Gregg co-founded Premise Marketing, delivering strategies for brands like Funny or Die and action sports companies, and before that worked with Powerline 6 Design, collaborating with Ecko Unltd., Burton, Razor., and others. He also led award-winning social impact programs for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and Queen Rania of Jordan during his tenure at Immersive Youth.

Gregg is the co-author of The Gen Z Frequency (Kogan Page), a best-selling guide to understanding Gen Z, translated into seven languages.

As Founder and Chief Engagement Officer of Youthvine, Gregg leads a next-generation marketing agency connecting brands with youth culture through creators, community builders, and social media. Youthvine’s network spans 100+ creators and 500+ social communities, reaching over 100M youth globally.

Gregg’s work resonates because it is grounded in cultural intelligence and authenticity. “Gregg is this marketing dude that talks like us,” says Dana Barbaro, 15. From insights to advocacy marketing, Gregg ensures measurable results—all delivered in a new pair of bright red Vans Grossos.

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Jake Bjorseth

Gregg L. Witt💡

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The Battle

Jake Bjorseth

Gregg L. Witt💡

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jake Bjorseth's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreJake Bjorseth's LinkedIn Performance