When Beyoncé took her “Renaissance World Tour” abroad in 2023, stories were told of Americans flying to Paris and Hamburg, Germany, to see the “Break My Soul” singer live, saving hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on tickets in the process. made headlines.

Travel-centric content creator Mercedes Arielle saw an opportunity. Not only did she buy tickets to see Queen Bey in Stockholm for her tour opener on May 10, 2023, but she also wanted to tell her nearly 200,000 followers how they could get in on the deal.

Dallas-based entrepreneur when tickets go on sale posted a tip on Instagram and TikTok in February 2023 to secure lower-priced international tickets to the superstar’s concerts. He told Yahoo Entertainment that his tip was “a contributing factor to the fact that 50% of ticket sales to see Beyoncé in Sweden are primarily Americans.”

Arielle, also known by the moniker Calculated Wealth, has an audience of mostly Black women ages 25-44 who travel alone and focus on “affordable luxury.”

“We are serious about traveling, we have the disposable income to do it, and when we get behind something and believe in it, we will show up,” he said.

“I don’t think people really understand the way women of color choose to travel internationally,” Arielle said. “We often worry that these are not places and venues that celebrate because we don’t see ourselves in marketing materials, campaigns run by tourism boards, or the type of travel that resonates with us. diversity.”

That’s why “much more awareness is needed, especially given our ability to spend and stimulate local economies,” he said.

Arielle is one of nearly 12 million creators across the US. Turning influencing into a lucrative, full-time career.

In fact, it is so profitable that in 2023, Goldman Sachs Research estimates the creative economy is worth $250 billion; The investment bank says this figure could reach around $500 billion in the next few years.

“Where will this money come from?” Steven Bertoni, Forbes’ deputy managing editor, asked this question at the publication’s inaugural Creator Upfronts event in Los Angeles this week, hosted with Walmart Creator. “Brand partnerships. They think 70% of that revenue comes from brand partnerships.”

These partnerships with retailers, beauty brands, or movie studios can be lucrative for creators and can make the difference between full-time influencing and juggling a 9-5 job to make ends meet.

Partnerships can also be a challenging process when it comes to money and reputation for both parties; especially creators know how important originality is.

“Content creators aren’t just people who post on social media,” Sarah Henry, Walmart’s executive vice president and head of content, influencer and commerce, told Yahoo Entertainment. “They are entrepreneurs who have created a brand and from it they have built a business that includes both passive and active income opportunities. “They found a way to not only create these revenue opportunities through their content, but also find a way to carefully curate and engage their community.”

It’s this tight community that helped Dani Austin, who has 3 million followers across platforms, connect about hair loss and eventually start her own. hair care line to help treat.

“I have always shared the ups and downs with my audience. I was always very vulnerable about whether it was postpartum depression or anything I was going through was more of a struggle,” Austin said during a panel at the event. “I wasn’t afraid to share.”

Austin also shared this when he started losing his hair in 2019.

“I was really embarrassed about it, and it happened for a lot of different reasons; stress and then shrinkage alopecia from hair extensions, trying to cover it up and dyeing it to make it look thicker. But then I lost more,” she said.

It got to the point where she looked at her husband and said: “I don’t even want to leave the house. For example, I don’t even feel feminine anymore.

After they told her she needed to get a wig like the Kardashians, she not only bought one (and named it Kim), but she told her audience about it, used her chemistry degree, and worked with scientists to create it. Divi hair growth serum In 2021.

Austin’s serum sold 40 million units in its first year; This was all sourced from a link on Instagram.

“I kind of discovered the hidden epidemic of women going through a similar process,” she said. “And I started meeting my audience in person for the first time, and they were crying.”

For creator Jordan Howlett, who has 32 million followers across social media platforms and posts about everything from food tips to cooking methods. Generation Z is “aging like milk,He likens his community and influence to a team captain in a sport.

“In creativity, you have the power to make people not only feel heard, but that they are part of something bigger than themselves or even you,” Howlett said during a panel at the event. .

But managing brand deals, partnerships, content publishing, and community engagement while maintaining authenticity comes with its own set of stressors that viewers don’t always see on screen.

“Obviously there is significant concern about these issues,” Howlett said. “This is serious torture. I mean, those levels of anxiety still exist. Overthinking and extreme levels of anxiety are there. They are always there. But that’s what makes you truly you. You have to be open to it instead of trying to mask it or hide it.”

Howlett, who has partnered with celebrities such as Donald Glover, said the most important thing is originality.

“When it comes to brand deals or partnerships, I never worry about all of that being involved. Because if you do that, at that point you stop being yourself,” he said.

Howlett added that an audience of millions can be intimidating, but her job is much more manageable when she posts in front of her bathroom mirror.

“I’m just trying to talk to you while you’re making a video,” he said. “You don’t see it that way, okay, now I’m about to talk to over 30 million people. “You act like I’m having a conversation with you and everyone else can join in, and that helps in that way.”

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