UGLY TALK: WHAT NO ONE TELLS CREATOR-FOUNDERS IN THE GROWTH PHASE
The growth phase kills more companies than the launch phase. Not because founders stop working. Because they start working on everything.
You survived the build. You got traction. Now there are 40 things on the list and no clear order. Revenue is not scaling the way the content is. The team is too small for the demand and too expensive for the margin.
Then AI shows up. It promises to make everything easier. And it does. Until you realize you automated the wrong things, skipped the hard decisions, and built speed without direction.
This is the phase nobody posts about. The phase where most creator-founders quietly disappear.
🎯 Why You Should Attend
Because you are in the growth phase right now and something feels off. You are busy every day but not sure the right things are getting done. You have more tools than ever and less clarity than ever.
This room is for founders who are past the starting line but haven't crossed the finish. The ones asking: "Is it supposed to be this hard after traction?"
Yes. It is. And this event is where you hear how others got through it.
🙋 Who's Getting In This Room
Entrepreneurs in Miami who are building real businesses. Founders past the launch phase, in the thick of scaling. Creator-founders who turned audiences into products and are now figuring out how to turn products into companies.
50 to 75 builders. No spectators.
🎤 Who's Taking the Stage
Dillon Latham - CEO of Simpletics
Dillon Latham is a content creator with 4 million plus followers and an Amazon hair care brand.
Haven Lough - CEO & Founder of Haven Skin
Haven is a social media content creator that started making content at 13 and now has amassed 5 million followers across platforms. He has leveraged his audience into a successful skincare brand in the last year.
Stephen Sharer - Founder & CEO of Share The Love
Stephen Sharer is a prominent and positive social media personality, boasting a total of 27M subscribers across all platforms, including 14M on YouTube, and exceeding 7.7B channel views. Stephen’s natural charm and adventurous lifestyle fuel a highly engaged fanbase that follows his day-to-day life. His influence and dedicated audience have attracted significant brand collaborations with companies such as Hot Wheels, LEGO, Nerf, and Nickelodeon. Stephen’s uplifting message shines through every video and collaboration, making him a leading figure in family-friendly content with his signature call to “Stay Awesome” and “Share the Love”.
Moderator:
Robert Torres - CEO of Ukreate
Rob Torres is the Co-Founder and CEO of ukreate, a travel creator platform that helps hotels and resorts generate brand awareness and direct bookings through creator-led marketing campaigns. With more than a decade of experience in digital marketing and the creator economy, Rob has worked with brands, tourism boards, and hospitality groups to design content-driven distribution strategies that convert social media audiences into paying guests.Through Ukreate, Rob is building one of the largest networks of travel-focused creators and audiences, currently reaching over 50 million travelers across the platform’s combined creator network.
💬 What We Do Not Sugarcoat
Why the growth phase breaks more founders than the startup phase
The distraction problem: 40 priorities, zero clarity
The AI trap: when automation replaces decision-making instead of supporting it
What not to do when you can't see immediate returns
How to know which fires to put out and which ones to let burn
🤝 Who's Hosting It
🤝 Who's Backing This
GREY Journal – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).
⭐ About Ugly Talk:
Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
Official Website: UglyTalk.com