Yes, the show is fun to watch. 

Celebrities, athletes, and actors eating progressively spicier hot wings, tears streaming, faces red. ?

But here’s the twist, it wasn’t about creating viral content.

Hot Ones built a machine. ?

A machine that didn’t just generate views but created a loyal audience.

Once you have that, you can sell anything: hot sauces, merchandise, even a game show.

The content wasn’t the end goal. It was the distribution engine.

What they sold for $82.5M was a system to capture attention efficiently and monetize it again and again. ?

So, the next time you create content, don’t just chase views.

Think: What audience am I building? What can I offer them to deepen the connection?

That’s how you build something sustainable and valuable. ?

What’s your take on building an audience-first business?