What happened to the Creator Economy?

What happened to the Creator Economy in 8 years?

Hi everyone! After a wild Thanksgiving and Black Friday Cyber Monday, I'm back. If you're here, thank you. I'm new to this, so feedback is always welcome. 

Let's talk about the Creator Economy.

The Creator Economy has changed drastically since I started Fanjoy in 2014. Back then I was a 25-year-old slinging merch on the road with my brother's band solely focused on working with musicians.

But things changed.

Going from the music industry, where Artists would write music, release an album, go on tour, and then go away for 2 years, to now working with Creators who put out content daily has been a shift that accelerated the entire industry. 

We went from idolizing celebrities who seemed untouchable to feeling like the modern-day superstars, Creators, are just as normal as our next-door neighbor. At any given moment, my favorite Creator might upload a 45-minute YouTube video or post a 30-second video of them driving to get a coffee and talking about how their morning is going.

This inside access to Creator's lives provides a more profound connection to fans which was not available before the existence of social media. Social media has broken down the barriers to allow the world access to a person's life and someone's life to become the basis of a community. This access is what created, Creators. 

We've seen Creators go viral on TikTok and, within 6 months, gain millions of followers on Instagram, have a weekly YouTube series, six-figure brand deals, and sell physical products worldwide. The speed at which Creators can develop communities blows my mind. It's incredible and exhilarating. 

And comparing traditional celebrities to Creators, the value Creators bring to fans is unmatched. We've sold millions of products around the idea of a human being bringing positive value to a large group of people by creating content. That's so crazy to think about, but it's why I'm so excited about the future of this industry. 

Creator-built communities are powerful and will be the future of brand-building.

At Fanjoy, our goal has always been to create a global marketplace that incubates, creates, and curates the leading Creator brands. 

Our first Creator-led CPG brand launches in December (excited for you to try it - it's spicy), and I can't wait to continue building brands and putting Creators on the map.

Talk to you soon, friends.

• Chris

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney