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- Influence Weekly 388 - Meta Expands Creator Partnerships Team, Seeks Strategic Manager To Drive Innovation Across All Platforms
Influence Weekly 388 - Meta Expands Creator Partnerships Team, Seeks Strategic Manager To Drive Innovation Across All Platforms
Kai Cenat Launches 'Streamer University,' Invites Fans to Enroll
Nii Ahene
May 09, 2025
Spotlight Stories
YouTube CEO Announces $100M Investment At WAVES 2025 Summit, Hails India As ‘Creator Nation’
Revolve Ranked Top Brand For EMV At Coachella 2025
How Pantene Turned Alix Earle's Viral TikTok Into A Campaign
Kai Cenat Launches 'Streamer University,' Invites Fans to Enroll
Meta Expands Creator Partnerships Team, Seeks Strategic Manager To Drive Innovation Across All Platforms
Great Reads
LinkedIn is emerging as a major player in the creator economy. Influencer marketing agencies report explosive growth on the platform, with some seeing revenue increase by 300-400% year-over-year. Brands are allocating bigger budgets for LinkedIn creator campaigns, with B2B advertisers like Hubspot and Notion ramping up spend.
LinkedIn is launching new ad products like "LinkedIn Shows" that allow brands to sponsor creator content. While still smaller than other platforms, LinkedIn's business focus and brand-safe environment are driving advertiser interest in reaching its professional audience through creators.
TikTok's future in the U.S. remains uncertain as the deadline to find a buyer approaches. President Trump says he would grant another extension if no deal is reached by June 19th, indicating a softened stance towards the app. However, China has set conditions requiring any deal to comply with its laws, including approval of technology transfers.
TikTok continues expanding globally, recently launching shopping features in Europe while facing regulatory challenges like an EU data protection fine. The situation highlights the complex geopolitical tensions surrounding TikTok's ownership amidst its rapid growth and influence in the creator economy.
YouTube's CEO announced a $100 million investment over two years to accelerate growth for Indian creators, artists, and media companies at the WAVES 2025 summit in Mumbai. This cements India's position as a "Creator Nation" with over 100 million channels uploading content and 15,000 channels having over 1 million subscribers in the past year.
YouTube has paid out $2.5 billion to the Indian creator economy in the last three years. The investment aligns with India's efforts to boost its $100 billion creator economy by 2030 and establish a $1 billion fund. The WAVES summit drove $160 million in business deals and saw 77 countries collaborate on content safety and ethical AI deployment.
Campaign Insights
Revolve secures the top spot for earned media value at Coachella 2025 according to CreatorIQ data, maintaining its festival dominance despite overall declining engagement. The online retailer's invite-only festival featuring Cardi B and Lil Wayne outperformed competitors Adidas, Chanel, and Rhode Skin in the EMV rankings.
While Coachella's EMV metrics dropped from $52.63 million in 2024 to $40.8 million this year, brands continue investing in strategic activations. Rhode Skin partnered with 818 Tequila on a product-dispensing photo booth, while Neutrogena supplied 200 gallons of sunscreen as an official sponsor.
Festival fashion evolves beyond the Instagram aesthetic, with Pinterest reporting surges in searches for vintage denim, leather outfits, and "dark dreamy" styles. Despite Coachella "feeling played out" since 2019, experts maintain these activations remain valuable for brands seeking content opportunities and new audiences.
Mobile game developer Supercell has expanded its creator program from 1,200 to nearly 300,000 participants, coinciding with its $3 billion revenue in 2024 and 250 million monthly active players. Supercell structures its creator strategy around developing fan passion, nurturing fans into creators, enabling collaborations, and retaining top creators.
It operates an 8-week Creator Academy, provides content creation templates, and rewards creators through in-game items. Supercell's creators collectively have 2.2 billion followers and 229 billion content views across platforms. The company recommends starting small with tools like Google Forms and spotlighting creators to build sustainable relationships focused on intentionality over scale.
Founded in March 2023, Streamfog has already executed campaigns for major brands like Uber Eats, Disney+, and Ally Bank by incorporating animated effects and branded elements that activate when viewers engage. The company aims to provide a non-disruptive way for brands to promote within creator content while enabling creators to monetize their audiences.
Streamfog offers a free platform for creators and generates revenue through brand partnerships, acknowledging creators' resistance to paid tools. By tracking metrics like engagement and qualitative feedback, Streamfog demonstrates the effectiveness of its approach in driving meaningful interactions without compromising the viewer experience. As it expands from livestreaming to recorded content on YouTube, Streamfog is positioning itself to redefine how creators and brands collaborate in the creator economy.
According to a new study by Toluna, Gen Z consumers are highly engaged across digital platforms throughout the day, with social media and YouTube being the primary starting points for content discovery. The research reveals Gen Z as "social-first, always on, and hyper-connected." Over 70% of Gen Z respondents use social media and YouTube for initial content discovery, while streaming platform recommendations and suggestions from friends/family rank lower.
Vertical video consumption on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts is extremely popular. Platform algorithms are the biggest driver of Gen Z's viewing decisions. The study suggests opportunities for traditional streaming services to expand reach with short-form content tailored to Gen Z preferences. Sports content consumption is also shifting to social media platforms. Overall, the findings highlight Gen Z's deep immersion in the digital realm and their unique content discovery and engagement behaviors across multiple platforms and formats.
The article discusses the White House's new "influencer briefings" initiative, which provides access and engages directly with social media personalities and independent content creators, predominantly those supporting former President Trump. The briefings, led by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, aim to reach Americans who consume news through digital channels and non-traditional media outlets.
While the White House defends the approach as democratizing access, critics argue that the vast majority of invited influencers demonstrate explicit support for the Trump administration. The initiative reflects the growing influence of digital creators and the shift in how Americans, especially younger generations, consume news and information.
QVC, the nearly 40-year-old shopping network, is targeting Gen X with an 8-hour TikTok livestream shopping event on May 14th. The event, part of QVC's "Age of Possibility" platform celebrating women over 50, will feature around 100 creators, exclusive product drops, panels, and QVC's "Quintessential 50" (Q50) ambassadors like Hoda Kotb and Kathy Hilton.
QVC is leaning into TikTok, where 24% of Gen X users are active daily, as part of its turnaround strategy emphasizing live social shopping amid sluggish recent sales performance. The TikTok tie-up allows QVC to host 24/7 shopping streams and better reach an older demographic that brands often overlook.
In a rapidly changing political landscape, the UK's governing Labour party is embracing social media strategies to connect with voters and counter the surge of populist rivals like Reform UK. Newly elected MPs are actively using platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram to showcase their work and promote Labour's achievements.
This "influencer" approach, involving selfie-style videos, graphics, and tailored digital content, is seen as a modern form of door-knocking to engage constituents where they consume information. However, this shift has sparked divisions within Labour, with some traditional MPs concerned about prioritizing online presence over grassroots work.
Despite differing views, both the party leadership and backbenchers recognize the necessity of leveraging social media to reach younger demographics, maintain trust, and effectively communicate their message in an attention-scarce digital age. The challenge lies in striking the right balance between disciplined branding and viral content that resonates with online audiences.
Pantene seized a viral moment with a clever influencer marketing campaign featuring TikTok star Alix Earle. After Earle posted about using her expired Pantene products and loving the results, the brand collaborated with her to launch the limited "Unexpired Pantene" collection. The authentic, self-aware campaign tapped into Earle's massive Gen Z following with creative videos flipping the narrative.
It showcased how brands can capitalize on organic viral moments through influencer partnerships that prioritize authenticity and relatability over traditional advertising. The playful, transparent approach resonated with younger audiences driving beauty trends on social media, proving influencer marketing's continued relevance when executed thoughtfully.
Interesting People
Kai Cenat, the popular 23-year-old Twitch streamer with over 17 million followers, has announced the launch of "Streamer University." This platform aims to teach aspiring creators how to elevate their streaming skills and find success in the creator economy. Cenat plans to rent out a real university campus for a weekend, inviting both big and small streamers to enroll.
The innovative program will feature courses taught by renowned creators like MrBeast and Mark Rober, covering topics such as finance, science experiments, and content creation strategies. Cenat's vision is to create a chaotic and immersive learning environment where "content is king." With his meteoric rise to attending events like the Grammys and Met Gala, Cenat hopes to share his expertise and foster the next generation of influential streamers through this unique educational initiative.
Popular streamer N3ON has signed a first-of-its-kind record deal with independent label EMPIRE. The San Francisco-based company will release a collaborative music project featuring N3ON and his network of creative collaborators. N3ON has already worked with major artists like NAV, Flo Rida, Big Sean and Murda Beatz on music.
EMPIRE sees the deal as an opportunity to tap into internet culture and appeal to N3ON's huge online following. The project aims to blend streaming and music in an innovative way. N3ON is excited to showcase his creative network's musical talents through this landmark deal with EMPIRE.
Kai Trump, the 17-year-old granddaughter of former President Donald Trump, is strategically building a public profile and personal brand through social media influence. With over 1 million YouTube subscribers and millions of followers across other platforms, Kai blends glimpses of her life as a competitive golfer with behind-the-scenes access to her grandfather's world. Her carefully curated content appeals to Gen Z audiences while subtly reinforcing the Trump political brand.
Kai's rising prominence, including a polished speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention, aligns with her grandfather's return to the White House. She represents the next generation of the Trump dynasty, leveraging social media savvy and influencer marketing to connect with younger voters, particularly young women. As the Trump movement seeks to broaden its appeal, Kai's authentic persona and commercial success position her as a valuable political asset for the future.
YouTube has revolutionized the path to fame and disrupted traditional Hollywood stardom. Everyday creators can now cultivate global audiences and lucrative careers directly from platforms like YouTube, bypassing industry gatekeepers. This has given rise to a new class of internet celebrities who interact more intimately with fans.
While mega-stars still exist, online micro-celebrities with niche but dedicated followings have emerged. YouTube democratized fame by allowing anyone to potentially go viral and monetize an audience, fundamentally altering society's perception of celebrity. Stars are now often self-made, relatable personalities rather than curated entertainers perpetuating mystique.
Economic uncertainty is prompting some creators to seek stability by returning to traditional jobs or supplementing their creator income. As brand deals slow and budgets tighten, unpredictable creator pay is leading some established influencers to take on full-time roles at agencies, consulting gigs, or return to prior careers.
This provides a steadier paycheck and benefits, allowing content creation to become more of a passion project. While lucrative for top creators, the volatility of being a full-time influencer is driving some to prioritize financial security over the creator hustle during challenging times.
TikTok influencers Shane Cole and Joel Redhead embarked on a 140-mile charity walk to raise funds for Chasing Rainbows, a bereavement charity supporting families who lost a child. Over 5 days, they plan to walk at least a marathon daily from Coventry to the summit of Snowdon, documenting their journey on social media to generate awareness.
Building on a previous successful fundraiser, their partnership leverages engaging online content and practical support from followers to amplify the charitable cause. The initiative highlights how influencers effectively mobilize their platforms for philanthropic efforts.
Industry News
TikTok unveiled expanded advertising opportunities at the 2025 IAB NewFronts, emphasizing its ability to connect brands with cultural moments. The new Pulse Core offering places ads alongside trending user-generated content, with targeting options like generative AI-powered Custom Lineups and alignment with specific topics or events. TikTok also expanded Pulse Premiere with premium publisher partnerships.
Additionally, new Sponsorship Solutions enable branded experiences around searches, with packages like Live Nation's music tour content channel. Research shows TikTok's growing influence, ranking as the primary source for upcoming events and driving purchases. The platform aims to capitalize on its unique reach and connection to cultural moments.
Meta is expanding its Creator Partnerships team, seeking a Strategic Partner Manager to drive innovation across all its platforms. This role will initiate, execute, and scale partnerships with top creators, collaborating with teams across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, Reality Labs, and Threads. Key responsibilities include leading creator programs, executing innovative partnerships, leveraging data for strategic decisions, and supporting the wider team.
The position requires a bachelor's degree, at least 8 years of relevant experience, and proven ability in cross-team collaboration, strategy development, and advocating for creators. It offers competitive compensation ranging from $129,000 to $187,000 per year, plus bonuses and benefits. The hire comes as Meta reports strong Q1 ad revenue growth, with online commerce being the largest contributor, and increased use of AI creative tools by advertisers. The company is also investing in AI infrastructure and improving recommendation systems to boost engagement across platforms.
The Joe Rogan Experience' maintained the #1 position in Edison Research's Q1 2025 podcast rankings, based on interviews with over 5,000 weekly podcast consumers in the U.S. The top six podcasts remained unchanged from the previous quarter, with 'Crime Junkie,' 'The Daily,' 'Call Her Daddy,' 'This Past Weekend with Theo Von,' and 'Dateline NBC' rounding out the top spots. Former YouTuber Stephanie Soo's true crime podcast 'Rotten Mango' entered the top ten at #8 after joining SiriusXM.
Overall, U.S. podcast creator revenues are projected to reach nearly $1 billion in 2025, growing 27.3% year-over-year and outpacing social media creator revenue increases of 15.8%. Video podcast consumption also continues gaining momentum, with video podcast watch time reaching 40% of U.S. users in 2024 while audio-only declined to 31%.
TikTok announced a €1 billion investment to establish its first European data center in Kouvola, Finland as part of the company's €12 billion Project Clover initiative to enhance data protection for European users. The new facility will store European user data within TikTok's "European Enclave" and is part of the platform's growing regional data infrastructure network following earlier launches in Ireland and Norway.
However, TikTok faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny over data protection concerns, including a recent €530 million fine from Irish regulators over alleged GDPR violations related to data transfers to China and transparency issues that the company contests and plans to appeal.
UTA, a leading talent agency, is reshaping how brands engage with entertainment and culture. Julian Jacobs, co-head of UTA's entertainment marketing practice, explains their approach goes far beyond traditional product placement. With deep insights into upcoming content from streamers, studios, and creators, UTA helps brands get ahead of cultural trends. Their work involves commissioning research, developing long-term storytelling initiatives with production houses, and even creating social-first premium content.
UTA represents talent, brands, and creators, navigating potential conflicts through rigorous ethical walls. They leverage emerging technologies like AI-driven virtual product placement to offer creative solutions at scale. As an interconnected ecosystem with consultancies like MediaLink, UTA is becoming a connector for marketers seeking to authentically resonate within modern culture's evolving landscape.
Young people are increasingly turning to news influencers on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to get their news, valuing the relatability, perceived trustworthiness, and ease of consumption these creators offer. Traditional media outlets are responding by hiring influencers to lead their social media presences or promoting existing journalists with strong personal brands.
However, concerns exist around lack of journalistic standards, favoring extroverted personalities over investigative skill, potential misinformation, and entrenching existing inequalities as influencers with existing social capital gain more prominence. As the "talent-driven journalism" model grows, news organizations must carefully navigate benefits like audience growth alongside challenges like ensuring accuracy, diversity, and ethics.
Jack Daniel's, the iconic Tennessee whiskey brand owned by Brown-Forman, has appointed independent agency TSA as its first dedicated influencer marketing agency in the UK. Following a competitive pitch, TSA will handle influencer strategy across Jack Daniel's entire portfolio in the market, including Tennessee Whiskey, Flavors, and the Super Premium collection.
The agency's mandate focuses on building consumer relevance by showcasing the brand's unique qualities through influencers who embody Jack Daniel's spirit. TSA has already established a "Friends of Jack" influencer network which the brand aims to nurture and expand. This appointment expands parent company Five by Five's existing digital and social media duties for Jack Daniel's in the UK, allowing for a more seamless and cost-effective integrated approach leveraging influencer marketing capabilities.
Reddit exceeded expectations in Q1 2025 with a 61% surge in ad revenue to $392.4 million and $26.2 million in net income. Daily active users grew 31% to 108.1 million. However, the CEO expressed caution about potential traffic disruptions from Google's search algorithm changes. Reddit forecasts Q2 2025 revenue between $410-430 million and adjusted EBITDA of $110-130 million. The platform is enhancing brand safety measures through a DoubleVerify partnership as it competes for ad dollars against larger rivals like TikTok.
IPG Health has appointed Annie Foster, a former creative strategy lead at Meta, as Group Director of Social Media Creative to bolster its influencer marketing capabilities for healthcare brands. Foster's extensive experience across industries, including healthcare advertising and social media marketing at Meta, will enhance IPG Health's Influencer ID offering. This service combines healthcare expertise with data analytics to identify, evaluate, and collaborate with patient, caregiver, and healthcare professional influencers in a HIPAA-compliant manner.
The move comes as surveys show doctors are increasingly open to learning about new drugs and medical devices through social media, while patients are being influenced by healthcare content on these platforms. IPG Health aims to leverage Foster's skills to meet the growing demand for effective healthcare social media and influencer marketing strategies.
Meta reported strong Q1 2025 results, beating revenue estimates on the back of its robust advertising business. Revenue reached $42.3 billion, up 16% year-over-year, driven by a 16% increase in the company's Family of Apps ad revenue. Operating income was $17.6 billion, representing a 41% operating margin. Meta announced plans to accelerate investments in AI infrastructure, increasing its projected 2025 capital expenditures to $64-72 billion.
The company saw significant user engagement growth across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. While providing an optimistic revenue outlook for Q2 2025, Meta acknowledged potential regulatory headwinds, particularly from the EU's Digital Markets Act. Overall, Meta's Q1 performance highlights the continued strength of its advertising business and its strategic focus on AI integration across products and services.
YouTube's advertising revenue soared to nearly $9 billion in Q1 2025, up 10.3% year-over-year, reflecting the platform's continued dominance in the video streaming market. This strong performance contributed to Alphabet's overall revenue growth of 12% to $90.2 billion.
Despite slightly missing analyst expectations, YouTube's ad revenue showcased its resilience amid increasing competition. Furthermore, YouTube's subscription services surpassed 125 million global subscribers, while the platform expanded its lower-priced Premium Lite tier to the U.S. market.
YouTube reinforced its position as the leading streaming platform, claiming the top spot in U.S. TV watch time for two consecutive years. The company also reported significant growth in podcast and virtual creator segments, further diversifying its content offerings. As Alphabet continues investing heavily in AI across its products, YouTube's robust financial results underscore its pivotal role within the tech giant's ecosystem.
The creator economy has emerged as the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. digital economy, with full-time equivalent creator jobs surging 7.5 times since 2020 to 1.5 million, according to a new report. This remarkable growth is driven by the shift of advertising budgets to digital platforms, the ease of creating and distributing content through smartphones and AI tools, and the rise of formalized business structures for creators.
Creators are now central to major cultural events like elections and the Super Bowl. The broader digital economy has more than doubled in size to $4.9 trillion and 18% of U.S. GDP, with creators accounting for 30% of job growth. Brands are increasing influencer marketing budgets significantly as creators become essential marketing partners. The virtually barrier-free digital ecosystem enabling direct creator-audience relationships without gatekeepers has fueled this boom.
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TikTok reassured advertisers of its stability at a New York marketing event, with VP Khartoon Weiss declaring they're "absolutely confident" in the platform's future despite ongoing regulatory challenges. The social video app hosted its presentation during the annual upfronts sales season, wooing marketers with entertainment from comedian Hasan Minhaj.
Despite temporary outages and the looming threat of a forced sale or ban under last year's legislation, advertisers remain committed to TikTok's massive audience influence. The platform's U.S. ad revenue is projected to grow 20.3% in 2025 to $14.8 billion according to Emarketer research.
President Trump recently extended the deadline for TikTok's potential sale and told NBC he has a "warm spot" for the app. However, industry analysts warn that if a deal ultimately fails, competitors YouTube and Instagram could benefit substantially from redistributed advertising budgets despite broader economic instability.
Actress and presenter Jo Good has embraced fashion influencer status at age 70, amassing over 95,000 Instagram followers as @middleagedminx while defying conventional style rules for older women. The BBC radio host and TV presenter approaches fashion as a form of self-expression, favoring bold colors and statement pieces that reflect her theatrical background.
Standing at just 5'1", Good has mastered dressing her petite frame with height-enhancing footwear (Stella McCartney flatforms for casual wear, designer heels for events) and figure-elongating silhouettes like knitted dresses and lean suits. Her favorite brands include Bella Freud for tailoring, Rixo for party dresses, and Charlotte Simone for statement outerwear.
Good's confidence and willingness to invest in quality clothing (a reflection of her working-class upbringing and current success) inspire her predominantly 50-70 year old audience, many of whom have disposable income but lack style confidence. Her mantra rejects outdated fashion rules: "Don't wear sleeves above your elbow? Don't show your knees? Rubbish. I say ignore the old dictums."
The US-China trade war is impacting influencer merchandise, particularly plush toys commonly sold by creators. Plushies are primarily manufactured in China, where tariffs on toy imports are now set at 145%. This significant cost increase poses challenges for influencers and their merch partners. Raising prices could upset fans, while absorbing costs could squeeze profit margins.
Companies are exploring alternatives like manufacturing in Vietnam or prioritizing other product categories over plushies. Transparency with fans about pricing changes is seen as crucial. Overall, the influencer plushie market may face disruption as creators and suppliers race to find workarounds or shift strategies to navigate the tariff impacts.
Inside the exhausting world of marathon streaming, 28-year-old Emily has broadcast every moment of her life for over three years—1,137 consecutive days without breaks, vacations, or privacy. Her extreme commitment to Twitch has earned her thousands of paying subscribers but at a significant personal cost.
Emily's income fluctuates wildly, from a peak of 22,000 subscribers to around 6,000 today, netting roughly $5,000 monthly after Twitch's cut. While gaining recognition from industry leaders including Twitch CEO Dan Clancy and top streamer Kai Cenat, she lives in perpetual performance mode, carrying camera equipment everywhere and streaming even mundane activities like grocery shopping and sleeping.
The psychological toll is evident—persistent migraines, depression, and social isolation mark her existence. Despite questioning whether this life is sustainable, she fears taking breaks would be "career suicide" as viewers already complain when she sleeps too long or showers too much. Her story reveals the troubling economics of attention in today's creator economy, where audiences expect constant availability while platforms profit from creators pushing themselves to extremes.
LinkedIn is launching its first revenue-sharing program with creators, capitalizing on the platform's growing video engagement. The initiative will initially include 30 B2B creators like podcaster Guy Raz and Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett, alongside publishers such as The Washington Post and Adweek.
The move expands LinkedIn's BrandLink program, which helps businesses place ads alongside video content. Users are now watching 36% more video than last year, following the introduction of a TikTok-like full-screen video feed. Marketers can also sponsor creator-generated content through new "Thought Leader Ads."
This strategy addresses the surging demand for B2B influencer marketing, which Publicis Media reports has grown 250% in the past year. The revenue-sharing model aims to build a thriving ecosystem for business creators while attracting more lucrative video advertisers to the platform.
Spotter, an Amazon-backed creator economy startup, has laid off staffers across multiple teams this week. The company works with top YouTubers like MrBeast and has businesses including content licensing and advertising. Spotter's CEO Aaron DeBevoise cited the need to accelerate profitability amidst economic uncertainty as the reason for the cuts, which come after previous layoffs in November 2022.
The memo from DeBevoise highlighted Spotter's commitment to supporting impacted employees during the transition. While the exact number was not disclosed, the layoffs reflect challenges some creator economy startups face in meeting growth targets and investor demands.
Three Republican state attorneys general from Tennessee, Alabama, and Montana have subpoenaed Apple and Google seeking documents related to their compliance with the law banning TikTok. Their investigation targets communications with TikTok and government entities regarding the app's removal and revenue generated from app downloads.
This move comes despite President Trump's temporary suspension of the congressional ban that required TikTok to divest from Chinese owner ByteDance by January 19. Trump recently extended his 75-day enforcement reprieve for another 75 days to facilitate negotiations for a potential U.S. acquisition.
The AGs may pursue legal action against the tech companies for consumer protection violations if they continue hosting TikTok. This investigation provides Apple and Google legal justification to remove the app despite the presidential reprieve, potentially strengthening Trump's negotiating position with ByteDance and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
LSU basketball star and rapper Flau'jae Johnson has rapidly monetized her multi-dimensional personal brand, starring in five national TV commercials for Powerade, Experian, Samsung, Oreo, and MassMutual during the 2025 March Madness season alone.
With 2 million Instagram followers and 7 million across all platforms, Johnson leverages her unique position as both musician and athlete to secure partnerships. Her brand strategy prioritizes in-person networking at events like Cannes and Possible, where she landed her MassMutual deal through direct connections.
Johnson approaches NIL deals with long-term entrepreneurship in mind, focusing on equity building and launching music projects rather than just accumulating followers. The 21-year-old business student advises creators to build sustainable brands with products to sell, stating: "The end goal isn't to have a million followers—the end goal is to have a million followers and a product to sell to them."