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- [ON BRAND] The Rise Of Creator-preneur
[ON BRAND] The Rise Of Creator-preneur
...+ how you can get better at speaking on the camera, on stages and tell stories that people are captivated by.
Alexandra Manderstam
June 30, 2025
Hi there! Welcome back to On Brand - your weekly dose of actionable strategies and insights to grow & monetize your personal brand.
I'm SO excited about today's topic - something I genuinely geek out about: the rise of the creatorpreneur.
The creator industry is exploding. It's expected to double in the next couple of years, and what started as cool kids with iPhones has turned into a $500B industry.
What an exciting time to be a creator (or become one - it's not too late!).
We're seeing a huge shift. Creators are moving beyond brand deals and platform algorithms to build real businesses. And they're crushing it because they naturally have something companies pay big bucks for: the ability to capture attention and build trust.
In this issue, we're diving into the rise of the creatorpreneur. Why this shift is happening now, how to jump on this opportunity, and who knows... maybe become the CEO of the next big company.
Let's do it, shall we?
In this issue:
Interesting things from last week
The best things we’ve read, watched and listened to.
This super actionable video on how to launch your next digital product in a week. One of my favorite YT business channels.
We’re officially halfway through 2025 and if you’re due a rebrand, this is for you.
Great interview with Danielle Ito from Notion (our fave tool at Girls Club!) on how they approach their influencer marketing. If working with Notion is on your vision board, this is a must-read.
The Rise Of Creatorpreneur (+ how to tap into the opportunity)
We're witnessing something incredible right now. The creator economy isn't just growing, it's exploding. And smart creators are no longer just waiting for brand deals - they're building businesses.
The Numbers Don't Lie
The creator economy is projected to nearly double by 2030 to $500 BILLION. And no, that's not a typo…we're talking about half a trillion dollars. Brands are betting big on creators in 2025 and beyond (with brands like Unilever betting half of their marketing budgets on creators), but here's the plot twist: the most successful creators aren't just relying on collaborations anymore.
The Big Shift: From Collabs to Companies
Brand collaborations can be lucrative (or not!), but as the creator economy matures, we're seeing a massive shift. Creators are:
Launching companies and building real businesses
Building communities around their expertise
Selling courses, templates, and memberships
Working as consultants for major brands
And honestly? It's working. And it’s working REALLY well.
The Shift:
Traditional model: Create content → Hope for brand deals → Pray for consistency
Creatorpreneur model: Create content → Build audience → Launch business → Scale systematically
Why Is This Happening Right Now?
Several factors have created the perfect storm for creatorpreneurs:
AI has democratized business building. Anyone can launch pretty much anything right now with the right tools and knowledge.
Attention & trust > everything. With so much choice available, people buy from people they like and trust.
The playbook has flipped:
Old way: Build product first, then find customers
New way: Build audience first, then create what they want
Creators already have the hardest part figured out… getting people to pay attention. And that’s priceless.
What Does Success Look Like As A Creatorpreneur?
Here are some real-world examples of creatorpreneurs winning:
The fitness influencer launching a workout app and activewear line
The designer getting approached by big clients thanks to their content
The career coach scaling with courses and paid communities
The tech founder building an audience while building their product
You don't need millions of followers to be successful (although let’s be honest - the bigger your reach, the bigger your impact) But really, you just need the right people in your audience.
You never know who’s watching either - I had someone who’s a huge name in business send me a DM the other day saying they love our content and that they can’t wait to try our app once it launches. My jaw was on the floor for the rest of the day.
All this to say - share your work, put yourself out there and the opportunities this will create for you might just blow your mind.
Your Action Plan: How to Tap Into This Opportunity
Ready to join the creatorpreneur revolution? You know I wouldn’t leave you without a roadmap. Let’s break it down.
1. Define Your Lane
Decide what you want to be known for. Your industry, your unique POV, and the transformation you offer your audience. This is very important.
Do this today:
Industry Selection Framework:
What do you know better than 80% of people?
What could you teach for 2 hours without notes?
What problems do people ask you to solve repeatedly?
POV Development Exercise:
Complete this sentence: "Most people think _____, but I believe _____"
Write down 3 contrarian views you hold in your space
Identify your unique angle or methodology
Transformation Promise:
Before working with you: [Current painful state]
After working with you: [Desired future state]
Your unique method: [How you get them there]
Template Example:
Industry: Personal finance for millennials
POV: "Most people think budgeting is about restriction, but I believe it's about designing your ideal lifestyle."
Transformation: "From paycheck-to-paycheck stress to confident financial decisions in 90 days using my money-freedom framework."
If you need some help defining your brand, I put together the Rebrand Guide designed to help you craft a clear, instantly recognizable brand and content strategy to bring your brand to life. You can grab your copy here.
2. Build Smart, Not Big
Start building a targeted audience by being strategic about your content. Quality over quantity, always. You can always scale later.
3. Provide Insane Value
Give away your best stuff to build trust. When you're genuinely helpful, people notice. You can’t ever be too helpful or share too much - don’t worry, it’s not going to make people NOT want to buy your stuff. Quite the opposite actually.
4. Document Your Journey
Share your process, failures, and wins. Authenticity builds deeper connections than perfection ever will. And I say this as a recovering perfectionist.
5. Listen and Learn
Pay attention to what people keep asking you for. Those repeated questions? That's your next business opportunity.
6. Turn Insights Into Income
Transform what your audience needs into your business model. Let me know if you want me to deep-dive into this topic and do a breakdown on how to come up with a business idea, validate it and bring it to life.
I Want To Know…
What are your thoughts? Are creators the next wave of big CEOs?How are you taking advantage of this opportunity?
Whether you're just starting your creator journey or you're ready to level up into entrepreneurship, remember: it's absolutely NOT too late. The creator economy is still in its early days, and there's room for everyone who's willing to provide real value.
We’ve been keeping a secret…
Coming Soon: Self Made
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