Starting a creator business
For creators looking at entrepreneurship as a path to independence, there are some best practices to keep in mind.
Building the right technology
This study from London Business School found that smaller brands using low-code tools like Shopify have seen substantial growth and ROI, while requiring less upfront capital.
“A decade ago, creating an online presence required a substantial upfront investment,” says study creator Dr. Gary Dushnitsky.
As such, low-code tools have had a leveling effect, giving access to a group that previously lacked opportunities to benefit financially from the creator economy.
A person standing next to a backpack with patches, seen from the knees down
SheRatesDogs, the brainchild of podcaster Michaela Okland, went viral on platforms like Twitter. Michaela has since expanded her reach through TikTok and her own line of merchandise.
SheRatesDogs
“These tools can be stacked and expanded to serve the needs of a focal business,” Gary says. And for many creators, commerce is the ideal way to turn content into cash flow long before they reach seven-figure follower numbers.
Sonja Detrinidad, a plant mom on TikTok and founder of Partly Sunny Projects, is one such entrepreneur who has grown her business in parallel with her fandom.
The creator economy technology stack is growing to include new content creation tools and platforms almost daily.
While social media apps allow creators to build audiences, canadian email addresses it is critical to migrate those audiences to owned channels where they can support creators by purchasing products, online courses, or paid subscriptions.
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Develop meaningful partnerships
The influence of creators should not be underestimated. In one survey , 45% of shoppers reported that they are eager to purchase products promoted on social media by creators, and 73% said that trust was increased by a creator’s deep knowledge of the product.
A well-placed promoted social post with a relevant creator can push a brand’s product out of stock. Creators benefit from this partnership, usually through a one-time payment per post, but the value to the brand can extend beyond the duration of the partnership.
The bottom line? The best brand creators can stand behind is their own.
Portrait of three online creators sitting on a yellow sofa
Creator-to-creator partnerships can be beneficial to growing a strong personal brand. Colin and Samir dedicate much of their work to helping others in the creator economy.
Colin and Samir/Instagram
If done strategically, brand partnerships can provide long-term value for a creator, says Samir. “It’s a good relationship when the advertiser becomes a character in your universe,” he says.
While many content creators focus on telling their stories to audiences, Samir suggests putting the same effort into telling your story to the market. “The whole business is storytelling,” he says. “And what we saw was that when we started telling our story correctly, relevant advertisers came to us.”
Prioritize audiences over advertisers
Brand partnerships may always be part of a creator’s monetization mix, but Colin and Samir have long maintained that audiences will always pay more than advertisers.
Learning from engagement and optimizing content toward audience preferences is a long-term strategy that doesn't rely on advertising dollars.
Making the most of the “attention phase”
Social platforms are and always will be a key part of this ecosystem, even as creators diversify their revenues and migrate audiences.
They are, first and foremost, the springboard for emerging creators to gain attention and grow audiences. For established creators, they will always serve as a channel to channel new audiences to their own channels.
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Diversifying across these non-owned channels is another insurance policy to consider while in what Hugo calls “the attention phase” of the creator lifecycle.
Most creators find their groove with one platform, whether it's the format or audience fit, but they'll reach a threshold where expanding into new channels makes sense. Basically: pick a path, but don't stay there.
The same advice applies to monetization. Creators who make money through multiple revenue streams avoid the pitfalls of volatile platforms and ensure they always have a plan B.
Case Study: The Accidental Influencer
Yin Qi Xie entered the creator economy through the back door. “I’ve had Instagram since I was 12, when I wanted to be an influencer,” she says. Instead, the college student stumbled upon an untapped market: women’s boxing gear.
Yin took to TikTok with her idea and, encouraged by its growing community, launched her brand, KOStudio . “I would hate to actually be an influencer now,” she says.
Two boxers practice with KOstudio pads and gloves
But as the face of her brand’s TikTok account, which boasts 160,000 followers, Yin has entered influencer territory, creating value for audiences who have become customers. Now, after success on TikTok, she’s branching out by revisiting an old friend: Instagram.
“We are building a separate audience on Instagram,” Yin says, adding that the platform is catching up as a major sales driver.
The approach not only mitigates platform risk (algorithm changes, for example), but also allows creators to discover new audiences. Audience overlap for creators across multiple channels is typically in the 10-20% range.
Thinking like a brand
Successful creators are those who have cultivated loyal audiences around their particular style of content. These personal brands are susceptible to the same pitfalls as any brand if they are not backed by a strategy.
Color Me influencer Courtney shows off a phone case from her product line
Color Me Courtney has created multiple revenue streams, from sponsored content to affiliate links and her own FanJoy merch. Her colorful branding is consistent across every touchpoint with fans.
Color Me Courtney
As creators make the leap to building a brand from their influence, it must be approached with the same vigor as a product-focused brand. Understanding the audience, creating a set of values, and developing a style guide are critical steps when starting a business.
This exercise will help creators develop the right products and paid content for the audiences they serve.
The creator's path from influence to ownership
The instability of the systems underpinning the creator economy is balanced by promising trends toward greater independence for creators. The rise in adoption of remote work and polyworking , and the onslaught of features and tools that accelerate the creator-to-founder lifecycle, are cause for optimism.
Create. That's what you do best. Keep creating and you'll find your way.
—Samir Chaudry
The bright future of the creator economy is best exemplified by the success of underrepresented creators, historically victims of bias and tokenization by institutions.
Many are now accessing similarly underrepresented audiences, eager to see faces that look like their own and content that reflects their lived experiences.
“Do whatever it takes to create things,” Samir says. “If someone is going to pay you to do things, do it. Literally just create—that’s who you are. Keep creating and you’ll find your way.” And as your influence grows, make sure your independence grows with it.