Creators Over 40: READ THIS NOW
Creators Over 40: READ THIS NOW
There is a massive shift happening in the creator economy and most people have not caught onto it yet because they are too distracted by the flashy Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha creators dancing their way through brand deals and viral trends.
Enter the 40+ ERA…
In almost every strategy session I have with creators over 40, I keep hearing the same concerns:
Will younger audiences actually care about me?
Will brands still pay me if I am not doing the latest trending sound?
Will I ever feel like I belong in this space that keeps getting younger and faster?
And yet, every time I work with these creators, they’re actually growing faster today than they ever did when they were “supposed to be” in their so-called “prime.”
Case in point: Erin Busbee transformed a lifetime of fashion credibility into a business that women trust.
Case in point part deux: Jenee Naylor continues to prove that impeccable style, strong values, and a clear perspective will always outshine a random Tuesday trend.
What I want every creator over 40 to realize is that you are stepping into your moment. The creator landscape in 2026 belongs to the people who have experience, opinions, resilience, and stories that are actually grounded in real life rather than in viral performance. Younger audiences are growing tired of polished perfection because it feels like fiction in a world where everyone is desperate for something that feels true.
But even though there is a huge opportunity waiting for you, there are three things that can overshadow you very quickly if you are not paying attention. And every single one of these things boils down to one big question:
Are you willing to show the parts of yourself that took years to learn?
Because if you try to compete with Gen-Z and Gen Alpha on their terms, you’ll exhaust yourself quicker than Charlie Sheen in 2011.
Here are the three patterns I want you to look out for:
Trying to “act young” instead of owning your experience
When I see seasoned creators attempt to mimic the trends or humor of younger creators, the audience senses the dissonance immediately. The most magnetic thing about you is the life you have lived… including your mistakes! I always tell my clients, “Dude, you survived!”That wisdom is what audiences (especially the younger folk) are craving because they simply have not lived it yet. So yes, let them learn from you! Let them meet the version of you that did not exist at twenty five!
2. Hiding your expertise because you think it makes you “less relatable”
This is one I get quite often and I have to reassure my clients that their authority in the space is not intimidating. It’s intoxicating… it’s catnip! When someone has actually spent ten or twenty years mastering their craft or honing their taste, people feel safer buying from them and listening to them. And when you really think about it, relatability comes from honesty, not from pretending you are new to something you have spent your whole life learning.
3. Underestimating the power of personal narrative
Newsflash: no one follows you because you’re perfect. And I’m pretty darn sure that you don’t follow people who you think are “perfect” either. When you’re a creator over 40, your audience is going to follow you because your story reminds them that it is never too late to start over…. or pivot… or evolve! Your story is not a weakness. It is the asset that a younger creator simply cannot manufacture.
If you are a creator over 40 reading this, trust me when I say (hand-to-God) that your growth is NOT back-tracking. When you realize that you have the potential to surpass the creators who have only known an algorithmic world, you’re creator business will begin to soar.
If you’re nodding to yourself thinking YES YES YES, then come join me in a FREE live mentorship session this week. I’ll be joined by my friends at Chloe Digital who are going to walk us through content strategy for 2026, plus I’ll be guiding you on how you can start building your creator empire.
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XX Idalia