Hew Moran was a teenager in Long Island, New York who started filming himself acting out computer game scenes on YouTube after school, juggling college and a part-time job. By 2023, he gained 1mn subscribers monthly with videos reaching 100mn views. Moran eventually quit his job and dropped out of college to focus on content creation, facing questions from parents and peers about this path.

The creator economy is exploding as millions seek to become digital influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Advertising spending in the US creator economy is expected to reach $44bn in 2026, while YouTube alone supported 60,000 jobs in the UK worth £2.8bn in 2025.

Top creators like Jimmy Donaldson (Mr Beast) now operate multimedia empires, treating content creation like data science to identify trends. However, behind the success stories lies a long tail of creators struggling with uncertain prospects, long hours, and algorithmic challenges.

Traditional media and companies are racing to partner with influencers who can command audiences, drive cultural change, and influence purchasing decisions in an increasingly algorithm-driven landscape.