Origins of Influence
Origins of Influence
Podcast Description
Origins of Influence is a limited podcast series exploring the untold stories of the internet’s earliest creators. Hosted by marketing leader and onetime blogger Dina Fierro, this series revisits the era before the algorithm—when creators built communities on platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.Through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders, Origins of Influence unpacks the moments that defined their influence, the cultural (and algorithmic) shifts they witnessed, and how they've evolved—online and off.Together, we’ll explore how they built influence in an unfiltered, pre-algorithm online world—and reflect on what today’s creator economy might learn from this generation of digital trailblazers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers on themes of digital culture, influence, and community-building, with episodes exploring the pre-algorithm era of platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and LiveJournal. Specific topics include the rise of creators like James Nord, the authenticity of early content, and the evolution of marketing strategies in the digital space.
Origins of Influence is a limited podcast series exploring the untold stories of the internet’s earliest creators. Hosted by marketing leader and onetime blogger Dina Fierro, this series revisits the era before the algorithm—when creators built communities on platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.
Through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders, Origins of Influence unpacks the moments that defined their influence, the cultural (and algorithmic) shifts they witnessed, and how they’ve evolved—online and off.
Together, we’ll explore how they built influence in an unfiltered, pre-algorithm online world—and reflect on what today’s creator economy might learn from this generation of digital trailblazers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Origins of Influence, host Dina Fierro sits down with Jess Kirby—former fashion influencer, writer, and founder of the best-selling Substack newsletter A Common Thread. Jess was among the early creators who helped define the blog-to-Instagram era, building a platform rooted in personal style, relatability, and lifestyle storytelling. But over time, she began to question the values and trade-offs inherent in the influencer economy—and made the rare decision to walk away.
In this conversation, Dina and Jess explore what it means to realign your online presence with your offline values, the mental toll of always-on performance, and the boundaries we’re still learning to rebuild in a hyper-digital world. Jess also shares her experience launching Green Bunny, a local cold-pressed juice business in Vermont, and reflects on what it looks like to build something slower, smaller, and more rooted in real life.
We discuss:
- Jess’s transition from corporate consultant to full-time fashion blogger
- The rapid evolution of the blogosphere and early Instagram
- Burnout, boundary erosion, and life after monetization
- Why she defines A Common Thread as an “anti-consumption” newsletter
- The appeal of analog community and building a local business from scratch
- Small steps for redefining your relationship to shopping, attention, and the internet
Recommended by Jess:
About Origins of Influence
Hosted by longtime fashion and beauty marketer Dina Fierro, Origins of Influence is a limited series exploring the past, present and future of the creator economy through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders. Find show notes and exclusive content on Substack. Subscribe on YouTube and follow Origins of Influence on Instagram and TikTok for clips, full-length episodes, BTS and more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
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