"We have seen this in recent studies. The younger social media users are looking at older people as authorities on things that they like," Xie said. A 40-something finding success is Dallas influencer Chris Kahle. "It was kind of weird how it happened," Kahle said. "It wasn't even something I was thinking about. I literally posted about my neighbors back in 2024, and the post went viral. That put me over 10,000 followers, and it's been growing fast ever since."
For Gen Z, that's especially true. What was once just a device for making calls and sending texts has evolved into a full-blown extension of our hands, a constant companion that keeps us connected to friends, trends, and an endless stream of content. But what if all that screen time could do more than entertain? What if your phone, the very thing that parents and teachers might chide you for using too much, could actually become a money-making machine?
So, while people pursuing goals in the sphere of content creation are not only profiting themselves, they are also benefiting others. They have become one of the main sales funnels. When ads and commercials no longer take the lead, it's crucial to understand how the creator economy pushes different consumer behaviour and how it becomes a successful business for the creators themselves.