It is clear that the use of social media has increased over recent years. Every day, more and more people sign up to many different apps wanting to socialize online. This rapid rise of social media has brought out talented individuals with a large online fanbase, known as influencers. Some highly successful influencers have grown their net worth and have become very successful by using their popularity to create their own businesses. 

However, many companies in the industry like artists and entertainers don’t take these influencers seriously, even though they have built their own names up all over the world and deserve recognition. 

Many influencers have taken advantage of their large followings by starting their own companies selling merchandise for their brand, and the amount of work they put in is underestimated. Having to market their own line and making it the highest quality they can yet affordable can take them years to perfect. Although they have help figuring out what a good price point will be, they still have to deal with shipping costs and the amount to make their product. On top of the hard work they have to put in, they have to manage all of their social media platforms and keep their fans engaged. They also have to try to avoid getting their line bashed by their audience and critics alike. 

Releasing products with such a high following can be stressful. If the influencers market their products successfully,  their releases can lead to the products  selling out in an hour or less. Their products are also in competition with many companies that have been in the industry for years. Influencers need more than pure luck or just talent to build their company from ground up and hold their own against larger companies. It takes hard work and determination.

One of the most well known e-sports and entertainment organizations is Faze Clan. They have built their name through YouTube, with their subscriber count reaching approximately 7.6 million. With a net worth of $8 million and 70 members, Faze Clan is huge, and partnering and collaborating with companies is challenging. Being a part of e- sports, many companies don’t see the advantage of investing their money in their organization. So some ways Faze clan has been able to succeed is getting involved in gaming tournaments. They have also created their own merchandise and have partnered with companies like champion and Kappa. However, most of their profit comes from gaming whether it’s on their YouTube channel or they’re streaming live. 

Another example of a successful YouTuber and entrepreneur is Jeffree Star. He is part of the beauty community on YouTube and has more than 18 million subscribers. Although Star has a very successful makeup brand today, his career didn’t start in the beauty industry but in the music industry. He signed with Akon in 2010, but his second album never got released. In a recent documentary of Star filmed by fellow YouTuber Shane Dawson, Star saw that experience as clear that “it was almost like they were dimming my light, and they weren’t letting me be me.”. He has been vocal about his struggles and about companies who have rejected working with him when he was first starting out. However, Star started his own cosmetics company in 2014 and has reached a net worth of $200 million, all on his own.

Some influencers get sponsorships, which is just a way that influencers make a source of income. However, some of these companies have been exposed to treating these influencers differently based on the amount following they have and their ethnicity even though these influencers bring in money for their companies by promoting their products to their audience. 

 This just shows how influencers are not recognized for their work. They also don’t get treated with respect as a person would with such a big following. Which is why they should be treated with respect and recognition from the industry. Along with their success and their strong work ethic to keep on growing.