The creator economy is no longer niche, it’s projected to hit $480 billion by 2027. In this episode, we break down how creators are transforming tech, media, and business: from Hailey Bieber’s $1B Rhode acquisition to the rise of micro-influencers who convert trust into sales. We’ll also look at global momentum, from India’s booming creator market to Africa’s $5B digital content economy and Japan’s AI-powered avatars.

We’ll cover how creators earn and how many are evolving into full-scale companies, like Prime Hydration and Chamberlain Coffee, that now rival legacy brands.

Finally, in the lifestyle segment, I share what I'm doing to feel my best for the fall: listening to Roxie Nafousi’s Manifest, building a vision board, and trying microneedling for the first time.

Sources:

Goldman Sachs: The creator economy could approach half a trillion dollars by 2027

Andreessen Horowitz: The Creator Stack

a16z Podcast: The Creator Economy — NFTs and Beyond

Andreessen Horowitz: A Decade in the Creator Economy

eMarketer: Influencer marketing set to surpass $13 billion by 2027

Forbes: How the creator economy is reshaping modern marketing

Columbia Business School: TikTok ban and Meta ad prices

CNBC: India’s creator economy is booming as influencers start businesses (Aug 2025)

North Africa Post: African content creators drive $5B digital economy

Tatler Asia: The rise of Asian AI influencers

BBC News: Hailey Bieber’s Rhode sold to e.l.f. Beauty for $1B