How Kate Mackz's Viral Running Show Got 80 Million Views In First Month

Key Concepts

• Running Interview Show: A content format where interviews are conducted while running or walking.
• Content Creator: An individual who produces digital content, often for social media platforms.
• ACL Tear: A common sports injury involving damage to the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee.
• Pivot: A metaphor for adapting to change or unexpected circumstances.
• Creator Economy: The industry surrounding online content creation and monetization.
• Brand Deals: Partnerships between creators and brands for promotional content.
• Podcast: An episodic series of digital audio files that a user can download to a personal device for easy listening.
• Algorithm: A set of rules that a computer follows to solve a problem or perform a task, often used by social media platforms to determine content visibility.
• Community Building: The process of fostering a sense of belonging and connection among an audience.
• Negative Feedback Loop: The cycle of receiving and reacting to criticism, both positive and negative.

The Forbes Top Creator Show: Kate Max Interview

This episode of the Forbes Top Creator Show features an interview with Kate Max, a wellness creator, podcaster, and running influencer. The discussion delves into her unique content creation journey, the genesis of her running interview show, and her insights into the creator economy.

The Running Interview Show: Concept and Execution

Kate Max's signature content format involves approaching individuals and asking, "Hey, how many miles are you running today?" This question serves as the hook for a subsequent run or workout. She highlights the humanizing aspect of this format, where guests are seen in casual activewear, a departure from their usual public personas. While most guests are in activewear, there have been exceptions, such as Jason Derulo running in leather pants and Jordans.

The show's genesis is rooted in Max's personal experiences. She describes her early content creation journey starting at age 14, documenting her recovery from a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus. This experience led her to create a video blog on mytail.weebly.com, fostering a community of individuals facing similar injuries. A subsequent re-tear of her ACL reinforced the importance of adapting and finding new avenues for expression.

Max emphasizes that her running interview show is "social media first," inspired by popular street interview formats like Caleb Simpson's rent interviews and the dollar-doubling game. Her hook, "How many miles are you running today?", was developed in collaboration with her husband and Chris Chelani, an early street interviewer.

Filming the interviews while running is described as "turnkey," utilizing a tripod, phone, and microphones without requiring permits. While challenging, Max has experienced incidents like falling hard on piers, but prioritizes continuing the content. She also notes the humor in interviewing sprinters like Gabby Thomas, who are not accustomed to long-distance running.

From Injury to Influencer: Kate Max's Personal Journey

Max's athletic background includes being a three-sport varsity athlete in high school, playing lacrosse, cross country, and winter track. Her family has a strong connection to movement, with her brothers playing lacrosse at Yale and her parents participating in triathlons.

The pivotal moment in her life was tearing her ACL at 14. This injury, which required reconstructive surgery, significantly impacted her identity as an athlete. She chose not to undergo surgery after re-tearing her ACL, which limited her physical activities to running. This limitation, however, led her to explore other interests, including art and creative expression through blogging and video diaries.

She pursued a traditional college path, attending Fordham University, with the initial goal of playing Division I lacrosse. However, her passion for storytelling and video editing, ignited during her ACL recovery blogging, led her to a career in digital advertising, specializing in healthcare and pediatric advertising.

The Rise of a Creator: From Advertising to Full-Time Content Creation

In 2023, Max decided to re-engage with video creation, inspired by the evolving advertising landscape towards social media and digital creators. She developed the running interview show concept, drawing inspiration from shows like "Hot Ones" and "Carpool Karaoke" for their unique interview formats.

The show's initial success was driven by TikTok's prioritization of long-form videos in 2023. Max reports an astonishing "80 million hits" in the first month, with individual videos garnering millions of views (e.g., 12 million, 10 million, 8 million, 26 million). This rapid growth allowed her to transition from her advertising job to full-time content creation within a few months.

Monetization and Brand Partnerships

Kate Max's business model relies on brand deals and a partnership with iHeart Radio for her podcast, "Postrun High." The podcast allows for deeper conversations with guests, complementing the shorter format of the running interviews.

Her favorite way to collaborate with brands involves integrating their ambassadors or employees into her interviews. She highlights a seamless integration with jewelry brand Mejuri, where a marketing team member joined her for a run to discuss their new activewear jewelry line. She also partners with activewear brands like Vuori, which aligns with her personal lifestyle.

Building a Brand and Community

The "Kate Max brand" is defined by a community of individuals who share a belief in the power of movement. Her mission is to "get the world moving," and she has received feedback that her content inspires people to engage in physical activity.

The Creator's Daily Life and Platform Strategies

A typical day for Max involves an early morning workout, followed by work at her Brooklyn office. Her schedule is dynamic, involving travel for interviews, content preparation, and editing. She films five to six videos per week and aims to release three running interviews and one podcast episode weekly.

Regarding platform strategies, Max observes that personal content and storytelling are currently performing well on TikTok and Instagram. She views Instagram as a platform for fostering community through features like Stories and direct messaging. YouTube is recognized as a distinct platform requiring specific strategies for thumbnails and long-form content.

The Future of Content Creation and Dream Guests

Max's long-term goal is to master the art of conversation and storytelling, continuing to interview people and spread her message of movement. She acknowledges the challenges of creator burnout but finds energy in connecting with people and hearing their stories.

Her dream guests include Jimmy Fallon, Alli Love from the Today Show, and Katie Couric, reflecting her appreciation for television hosts and their ability to engage audiences. Her dream run would be a "running pizza tour of New York" with Jimmy Fallon.

The Upsides and Downsides of Being a Creator

The best part of being a creator, for Max, is the power of putting herself out there, leading to incredible opportunities and connections. She views content creation as a way to get her "foot in the door" and express herself creatively.

The worst part is the "constant feedback loop," which can include negative comments. She likens this to being in a "fishbowl," as described by country singer John Party. Dealing with negativity involves crying, but ultimately, she emphasizes the importance of "keeping on moving" and learning to "dance in the rain," a quote that encapsulates her philosophy of resilience and adaptation.