Podcast Summary: Next in Media — "Dhar Mann Wants to Make YouTube Shows With Big Brands"

Host: Mike Shields
Guests: Dhar Mann (YouTube creator, founder), Sean Atkins (CEO, Dhar Mann Studios)
Date: September 16, 2025

Overview

This episode explores the evolution of creator-driven media through the lens of Dhar Mann Studios. Host Mike Shields sits down with founder Dhar Mann and CEO Sean Atkins to discuss their journey scaling scripted content on YouTube, their expansion into supporting other creators, and their ambition to fuse cinematic storytelling with professionalized brand partnerships. The episode offers a candid look at the changing dynamics between creators, traditional media, and advertisers as the industry professionalizes and new opportunities for audience connection and monetization emerge.

Key Discussion Points

1. Dhar Mann’s Origin Story and Mission (01:24–07:05)

• Authenticity and Positivity: Dhar began by sharing his personal struggles in simple advice videos. Real impact came when he shifted to relatable, scripted dramas teaching life lessons, appealing to both parents and kids.
  • Quote: "I decided to use my personal stories of the challenges that I've been through and have overcome to try to inspire others. ... Eventually I landed on a scripted storytelling format ... every story teaches some sort of positive life lesson." — Dhar Mann [01:50]
  • Content started as mission-driven, not business-focused.
  • Rapid, organic growth via shareability (WhatsApp groups, Facebook).
  • Monetization was not immediate; only after seeing viral traction did Dhar realize the business potential.

2. Building a Scalable Studio Model (07:05–13:19)

• Infrastructure and Efficiency: Sean Atkins describes being astonished by Dhar Mann’s studio when he joined. Emphasizes efficiency: producing five scripted shows per week at low cost.

  • Quote: "I just hadn't seen anything like Dar had built. ... It’s like what I imagine it was like in the other side of Burbank in the 20s, walking around at Warner Brothers and MGM." — Sean Atkins [07:20]

• Not Dependent on Dhar’s Persona: A key difference—unlike many creators, Dhar isn’t required for each episode, enabling scalability and reduced burnout.

  • Quote: "The audience loves him. ... But he's not in everything ... there's a 2,000 episode library that doesn't have Dar in it." — Sean Atkins [10:26]

• New Initiatives:

  • Launching original content channels with Samsung TV Plus.
  • Entering podcasting.
  • Agency arm "Fifth Quarter" to help scale other creators’ businesses.

3. Scripted Content’s Surprising Success on YouTube (13:19–15:59)

• Contradicting Platform Stereotypes: Dhar pushed against the prevailing wisdom that YouTube had no place for scripted shows.
  • Started with a mission, not a niche market strategy.
  • Quote: "This whole idea that, you know, oh, certain types of media are dead ... I don't agree with that. I just think that media is becoming more democratized than ever." — Dhar Mann [14:18]
• Focus on Mission Drives Resilience: Being purpose-driven helped Dhar persevere through industry ups and downs.

4. Why Traditional Media Struggles to Adapt (15:59–19:34)

• Acquisitions Can’t Guarantee Innovation: Sean explains that acquiring creator-focused companies (e.g., Disney’s Maker Studios) isn’t enough if intellectual property and scale aren’t there.

  • Quote: "It's not like Facebook built Instagram, they bought it, right?" — Sean Atkins [16:38]

• Media Evolution Patterns: The creator economy is at an "embryonic" stage, similar to early radio or movies—entrepreneurs innovate, consolidate, and mature.

  • Audience attention spells where business must follow.
  • Creator content’s professionalization is inevitable.

• AI's Role: Sean predicts AI will make creators even more competitive in production efficiency, rather than eliminate jobs.

5. Brand Partnerships: From Transactional to Transformative (20:05–23:53)

• Evolution of Brand Collaboration: Historically, Dhar Mann Studios thrived on platform revenue alone, but ambitions (like daily holiday films) call for deeper partnerships.

  • Quote: "In order to achieve that I think we would want to bring on brand partners to make that possible." — Dhar Mann [20:05]
  • Brands have lagged behind audiences but are catching up, seeking authentic, long-term collaborations.

• Real-Time Content for Brands: The studio’s 21-day script-to-screen cycle enables uniquely timely branded content.

  • Quote: "We can actually move in real time ... within 21 days have a whole scripted series for a brand around whatever's happening while that trend is still hot." — Dhar Mann [21:55]

6. The Changing Role of YouTube and Brand Buying (23:53–27:57)

• Complexity in Brand Buying: Current agency models fragment brand/creator alliances.
  • Many creators no longer depend on transactional brand deals; authentic partnerships are prioritized.
• Maturation of Creator Market: CMOs will soon have "three to five creators" akin to networks or key cable channels to anchor media plans.
  • Quote: "Ultimately... the CMO is going to have like their three to five creators that essentially they can just pick up the phone and be like ... 'We got a new product launching. Can you do something?'" — Sean Atkins [27:15]

7. Diversification: Creators on TV, Not Just Online (27:57–31:14)

• Perception & Distribution: TV deals (like with Samsung) help creators gain broader recognition and legitimacy.
  • Quote: "If I say, 'YouTube,' they immediately check out ... but if I say, 'We actually have a deal with Samsung,' it's like, 'Oh, wow, that's now all of a sudden I'm worth your time and attention.'" — Dhar Mann [29:09]
• Revenue Diversification: Vital for long-term growth—no longer wise to rely solely on one platform or revenue source.

8. What the Ad Industry Needs Next (31:14–36:21)

• Brands Want "Owned" Audiences: Marketers are growing frustrated with "renting" attention; they seek proprietary audiences but lack content DNA.

  • Quote: "[Brands] are so tired of having to rent our audiences all the time ... marketers are feeling that paid media and earned media are no longer working the way that they once were." — Dhar Mann [31:42]

• More Strategic Partnerships: One-off endorsements are inefficient. Brands risk empowering creator challenger brands if they don’t invest in deeper relationships.

• Actionable Takeaway:

  • Pick 3–5 scale creators.
  • Do deep, multi-year deals.
  • Collaborate, own social connections, go long-term.
  • Quote: "Your dream you’ve talked about for 15 years [is] actually possible today ... just sit down with your three creators, bring them in the house, do a long term deal..." — Sean Atkins [35:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mission Over Monetization:
  "If I was in this, like, strictly because of the economic opportunity, I would have long given up whenever those hard days came. But because the mission has always been to try to inspire people, that's why I was like, we always have to be putting out content." — Dhar Mann [14:18]

• Describing the Studio Model:
  "It’s sort of old-school Walt Disney and Tyler Perry had a baby, right? Only it’s from a digital first." — Sean Atkins [08:22]

• Creator Scalability Advantage:
  "A creator is the marketing, is the talent, is the production, and is the distribution all in one entity." — Sean Atkins [11:24]

• Transforming Brand Relationships:
  "Brands are much more interested in owned media. How do I actually own the content? How do I own the audiences? But they don’t really have the infrastructure or the DNA." — Dhar Mann [31:42]

• Changing CMO Mindset:
  "Break it into the creators at scale and ... figure out how to own the audience." — Sean Atkins [35:42]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction, Guests, and Dhar’s Origin: 01:23–03:49
• Studio Growth and CEO Transition: 07:05–08:22
• Building For Scalability: 10:05–11:27
• Scripted Content on YouTube: 12:49–15:59
• Media Industry Challenges: 16:25–19:34
• Brand Partnerships and Real-time Production: 20:05–22:49
• YouTube’s Role and Brand Buying Evolution: 23:53–27:57
• Creator Diversification into TV/FAST: 27:57–31:14
• What Adland Needs: 31:14–36:21

Tone & Style

• Conversational, candid, and forward-thinking.
• Heavy on actionable insights and real-world analogies.
• Balanced optimism with practical advice for brands and creators alike.

Conclusion

This episode illustrates not just the scalability of creator studios but their potential to rival—if not surpass—traditional TV in both reach and cultural influence. Dhar Mann Studios stands as a new archetype: mission-focused, operationally efficient, and increasingly a collaborator for brands seeking meaningful audience relationships. Both industry veterans and marketers are urged to rethink old models and prepare for a next wave where creators set the agenda, and brands must play smarter, deeper, and longer-term to keep up.