RIP to the Traditional Influencer
RIP to the Traditional Influencer
A few months ago, I dropped a spicy little SubStack about the death of the influencer anddddd y’all went wildddddddd. Like Bugs Bunny in the moon wild….
I got so many DMs from creators, managers, brand founders saying, “FINALLY someone said it.”
I knew I struck a nerve bc no one’s saying this out loud:
It’s not just about surviving in this new creator economy… creators MUST learn how to evolve.
And Chiara? The one that shocked so many people that I would have her as the poster child. Well it’s bc she didn’t just evolve, she set the bar. I would know. I was part of her original management team.
Let’s rewind real quick…
Remember 2014? A pretty feed and a handful of followers were all it took to start printing money like water. Brand deals were everywhere. I was managing creators left and right and making them millions with my eyes closed. Okay eyes were very much wide open and alert, but making the point that IT’S NOT LIKE THIS NOW.
Throughout the 11+ years since the golden age of influencers, the ones who have stayed on top are the ones that have learned how to leverage their audience (big difference between leveraging and becoming a slave to it). Creators have learned how to build products and expand beyond posts and campaigns. It’s all about taking the aesthetic and turning it into equity.
Meanwhile, the influencers who coasted on vibes alone?
Gone. Ghosted. Forgotten by the algorithm and their audience.
Bye Felicia.
In my last post, I said this year officially killed the influencer and I stand by it.
The days of “OMG do you like my bag? 💅✨” are done. If you haven’t noticed, brand budgets have shifted big timmmmme. They’re now watching their ROIs like hawks. So no, they actually don’t care if you’re cute or if your IG aesthetics are top notch. They care if you convert.
As someone who casts talent for major brands like Estée Lauder, Chopard, and Sezane, let me be very clear:
Pretty doesn’t pay. Performance does.
If you can’t move product, you’re not getting the deal. Period.
So where does that leave you?
I get it. Maybe you’re not a Chiara Ferragni. Maybe you don’t have millions of followers or a legacy name in fashion.
But lemme tell you that in 2025 YOU DON’T NEED IT.
What you do need is clarity:
Who are you building for?
What are you building toward?
And are you creating content… or creating a company?
One of my clients, Caitlyn Warakomski, launched her brand How Do You Wear That during a literal pandemic. She didn’t panic. She listened. She built with strategy. Now? She's built a business rooted in her audience, not her follower count.
So here is where I want you to shift your mentality.
Virality? That’s a one-night stand.
Community? That’s a marriage.
Strategy? That’s your prenup.
Chiara didn’t wait for relevance to expire, she reinvented (time and time and time and time again) before she had to. And if you want to thrive in this new creator economy, you’ve got to do the same.
So are you ready to evolve or what?!
On October 6th I’m launching my next cohort where you and I will work on your strategy…. your game plan. It's where creators go when they’re done playing small and ready to build real business strategy behind their brand.
Whether you're just getting started or ready to scale, I walk you through the entire roadmap (from niche to monetization, audience to offer). It’s called my Prestige Path and it’s what every client of mine has gone down:
And because you’re a SubStack subscriber, you’re getting $1,000 off if you fill out this form by July 31st 5pm EST.
And no you don’t need to commit. There’s actually 0 pressure to. Fill out the form to simply learn more about it… see if working with me is what your creator business is really needing.
I’m here to move you from content to company.
From clout to conversion.
From influencer… to industry leader.
Don't forget to subscribe to my FREE Substack for more in-depth strategy, free messaging (can't wait to connect with you), exclusive videos, online course discounts, andddddd live video sessions.
XX Idalia