Lonnie Marts III, also known as Lonnie IIV, approaches content creation as a business strategist would analyze a market opportunity. The creator, with over 3 million followers across platforms, has transformed from a hotel employee who hated corporate work into a multifaceted host, entertainer, and personality by applying business principles to his creative pursuits—a methodology he credits for his rise.

“Either you need to learn how to do business, or have somebody on your team who knows business,” Lonnie asserts when discussing his strategic approach to the creator economy. His Master’s in Business Administration, which he initially considered impractical, became a key differentiator in an industry where many creators focus solely on creative output.

“Brands and companies are working with me because I can be empathetic or sympathetic to their positions and have a decent sense of why they’re doing what they’re doing, as opposed to just being an artist who’s just trying to get paid,” Lonnie explains.

This business perspective has shaped his approach to content creation from the beginning. Rather than viewing social media as merely creative expression, Lonnie strategically analyzed platforms as potential income sources. “If I can get this to stick or to click, just me putting myself out there in front of people on the Internet or making something that people want to watch, then I could be like those other few creators at the time who were making money,” he shares.

This systematic mindset shapes everything from his viral TikTok content to his hosting duties at VidCon 2025, where he led seven high-profile events, including the “Crown the Creators” tournament presented by Disney+.

Finding His Voice Through Trial and Error

Lonnie’s fascination with content creation began in middle school when YouTube first emerged. “I just wanted to showcase my friends and family doing weird things,” Lonnie recalls. His early experiments included uploading videos to Facebook during college, where he considered 200 views a major success.

The pivotal moment came after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Following an unfulfilling human resources internship at an airport that left him determined to avoid traditional employment, Lonnie discovered TikTok through a Gary Vaynerchuk video.

Initially skeptical about TikTok being “just for kids dancing,” he decided to use the platform to practice voice acting skills he had developed through Fiverr to help pay for college.

This practical approach—posting voice-acted tweets five times weekly—unexpectedly positioned him for success when the pandemic hit in March 2020. “I have this whole repository of basically my practice for voice acting that’s just now going viral,” he says. “This is not what I thought I would go viral for.”

Systems Thinking and Community Building

Self-described as a “systems nerd,” Lonnie approaches content creation with an analytical eye informed by his background in human factors psychology—the study of intuitive design.

“My favorite part of the process is ‘What do people even want from me?’” he explains. “‘How do I see what’s happening here with platforms and provide a portion of my personality that can constantly deliver on what people are looking for?’”

This approach extends to how he views audience development. Lonnie distinguishes between having mere followers versus building a true community: “An audience is a bunch of people who just pass by watching, whereas a community is a group of people that care about each other and care about you.”

He emphasizes the importance of understanding why people follow you in the first place. “Ask why they follow you, what they’re looking to get from you, and how you can better deliver on whatever promise, whatever they’re expecting to get from you,” he advises. “If you don’t understand why they follow you or why they’re coming to you, I think you’re overexposed. And it’s a huge weakness.”

E! News and Expanding Horizons

Today, Lonnie hosts a weekly show with E! News called “Hot Goss,” where he and a co-host share celebrity gossip from a sauna setting. This opportunity, which initially seemed outside his comfort zone, has opened doors with NBCUniversal and led to high-profile gigs, such as hosting the Met Gala for E! News.

“This isn’t exactly where I thought I would be, but my main core principles of education, fun, and connection—those are still present,” Lonnie reflects. The position allows him to connect with a broad audience while making celebrity culture accessible and relatable.

Interestingly, Lonnie initially resisted this opportunity. “My manager and I fought about it,” he admits. “He’s like, ‘Trust me, I think you should take this opportunity.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t want to sit in the sauna and talk about Taylor Swift, man.'”

His manager at Sixteenth Talent, RJ Thorpe, recalls the negotiation: “Sometimes you pitch something for a client and they don’t initially see it for themselves. I am always looking for ways to push Lonnie into new areas, and this is one of those times where I’m gonna put my career on the line and tell you this might be a good fit for you.”

This experience taught Lonnie the value of having advisors who can see opportunities he might miss. “Having smarter people around you goes a long way,” he acknowledges. “Having people who know their stuff more than you do and know the areas and cover your blind spots.”

When describing his current professional identity, Lonnie presents himself clearly: “I’m a host and personality. I currently have over 3 million followers, which is impressive because I’m amazed at all the people who’ve decided to hit follow. And I’ve hosted events like the MET Gala for E! News. I host a weekly show on E! News. And also, I make a bunch of content around my personality, my perspective, my unique POV of being somebody from the south who now lives in Los Angeles and somebody who’s also obsessed with community and fun.”

VidCon and the Power of Connection

Lonnie’s role at VidCon 2025 placed him as host for multiple high-profile events, including six sessions of the “Crown the Creators” tournament presented by Disney+, the tournament’s awards ceremony, and participation in the opening celebration. For him, VidCon represents a special intersection of digital and physical connections that goes beyond the typical creator conference.

“This is the place for an audience member or community member to go and touch base and have FaceTime with this person they see while they’re eating dinner every night,” Lonnie explains. “It’s like this moment where the screen goes away and they’re here in person.”

His approach to hosting these major events involved intensive preparation and creator research. “I’m doing my research on all these creators,” Lonnie shared before the event. “Any niche moments I should know about, any community lore I should know about, any community lore I should stay away from?” This attention to detail reflects his commitment to creating genuine connections between creators and their audiences.

Lonnie’s hosting centers on facilitating memorable experiences rather than just moderating discussions. “How do I make sure we have the most fun possible on stage?” he explained. “How do we make this an experience that’s going to be like, ‘Dang, I actually want to come back not just next year, but the year after that?'”

For VidCon attendees, Lonnie recommends a balanced approach to the packed schedule. “Pick three [panels] a day that you’re interested in, go to them, and if you get distracted on the way or something, that’s fine, but at least you have some kind of direction each day,” he suggests.

Tackling Male Friendship

Beyond his VidCon hosting duties, Lonnie is launching a podcast called “Friends, Actually” in July that addresses male friendship and loneliness in adulthood. The concept stems from statistics Lonnie cites showing that 17% of men report having no friends.

“Every week, we answer a question about male friendships and male loneliness,” Lonnie explains. Episodes will cover topics such as communication, breakups, making friends, and how jobs impact friendships.

“Three of my friends and I got together and we decided, ‘Hey, we should talk about our friendship. The ways that we’ve succeeded, failed each other, and repaired things,'” Lonnie shares. The format will feature episode titles like “Friends Actually Talk About Communication” or “Friends Actually Talk About Where to Make Friends.”

The podcast reflects Lonnie’s commitment to fostering genuine connection. “I hate when people are lonely unnecessarily just because they don’t know,” he shares. “Ideally, this helps solve some of that. We can’t fix everything or everybody. But for the people who want to know, ideally, this would be a great spot for them to come and connect and learn a little bit and hopefully laugh a whole lot, because we are also certified goofballs.”

The Rewards of Connection

When it comes to the most rewarding aspects of his journey, Lonnie points to two key things: helping people connect with one another and building a sustainable business that supports his loved ones.

“When I get the messages from people who say, ‘Thank you for the content you make, because it helped me better connect with somebody in my family,’ that means the most,” he shares. “And then professionally, having built something that can financially sustain me as a job… hiring my friends, hiring my siblings, hiring my family members.”

Despite high-profile collaborations with Rolling Stone, Meta, DoorDash, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, Amazon, Coachella, YouTube, and VidCon, Lonnie maintains that these personal connections remain most meaningful. “Those little points of connection or human to human moments, those are the ones that are most exciting and I think will always be fulfilling to me, no matter how far I go on this journey.”

As Lonnie continues expanding his presence across platforms and ventures, his focus remains clear: “I’m on this journey becoming a host and personality, hopefully a household name host and personality. That’s the goal—to always be connecting people, whether it’s to information, to each other, or themselves.”