Being a content creator in the luxury space can feel like a paradox… I should know. For over a decade, I’ve been the force behind the top luxury content creators breaking into the industry.

The thing is… the magic is in the paradox.

Social media is shifting.

(duh, Idalia.)

But this time, it’s not just the algorithm (can’t get enough of my algorighm updates, eh?)…. it’s us. Yes us, the actual audience. We’re shifting too. BIG TIME.

I have a very vivid recollection of the moment I realized that this industry was breaking people.

It was 2015 and I was living in NYC. I was the Director of the Talent Board there managing talent like Chiara Ferragni, Danielle Bernstein, an¢d Sincerely Jules to name a few… as well as celebs like Dua Lipa and Pamela Anderson.

Man oh man, this series has been HOT! Have you checked out Part 1 and Part 2 yet?

With so much as stake for creators this year, here are three more things you need to look out for. Oh, and for an extended version of this article, check out the audio portion (podcast)… so many more nuggets of creator wisdom in there….

I don’t care if you’re a content-creator, a full-time mom of 3 with a private account who loves her TikTok, a Gen-Z’er into manga, or anything in between, because what I’m going to say next is for anyone and everyone who consumes social media.

Gonna rip the bandaid real quick here: most creators are working way too hard for way too little…. sound familiar?

I mean think about it, you may be posting daily, chasing trends, burning out and stilllllllllll somehow deep in your gut you may still be feeling like you’re “missing something.”

Gurlllllll, lemme tell you something that might hurt: your content might be sabotaging itself. Not because of what you're saying or wearing (you're iconic, obvs), but because your video quality looks like it was filmed on a toaster.

Let’s play pretend.

Let’s hop in a time machine real quick back to 2014.

Ah yes, the era where having a pretty feed and a decent follower count was basically your ticket to a brand deal. Brands were tossing money at influencers like Charlie Sheen at a Vegas pool party. It was chaotic. It was (dare I say)….beautiful.

Every spring, every fashionista around this glorious globe looks forward to the first Monday of May. It’s like the second coming of Jesus. The return to Mecca. Dorothy finally being able to tap her red shoes to get back to Kansas.

We’re talking MET GALA, baby!

Hey fam, before we dive into today’s post I want you to take literally 90 seconds to do something for me…well, actually… for you…

Seriously.

I want you to please pull up your 2025 content + income goals.

You know, the one you created January of this year when your mind was fresh, and soul was eager was for killer 2025.

If you thought we covered it all in Part One… oh no, my friend. There’s wayyyyyy more to this shady brand collab game.

As the creator economy keeps exploding, so does the creativity (and sometimes sketchiness) of the brands sliding into your DMs and emails. Sure, some opportunities are legit. But others? They're designed to exploit your time, your content, and your community… oh and without giving you real value in return.

Man oh (FREAKIN’) man… before we dive in, you have to hear the quick backstory behind filming this LIVE yesterday:

I’m actually in Spain right now for my niece’s communion, and as you probably saw on the news the ENTIRE country (plus Portugal and part of France) lost power right before I hit record.

Whether you're a full-time creator or building your digital hustle on the side, working with brands can be an exciting part of your journey. But as the creator economy grows, so does the number of SUS "collaboration" offers flooding DMs and inboxes. Some are well-meaning but unfortunately others can be straight-up predatory.

You know that moment in The White Lotus when the rich guests realize they’re being charged triple for a massage, but still tip anyway because they feel weird complaining?

Okay hold on to that and because that’s basically what Uber is doing to all of us when we travel.

There was a time many moons ago when aspirational influencers roamed this fertile earth.

You know the pre-historic aesthetic of blinding white veneers, oat milk matcha lattes, Loewe bags slouched “casually” on the passenger seat of a G-Wagon. Grid-perfect. Caption curated. Every pixel brand-safe.

These numbers are screaming at us and those that don’t listen will be left behind: The influencer economy is crumbling… like Blake Lively’s career during the “It Ends With Us” press tour. CRUMBLINGGGGGGG. BIG TIME.

If your engagement on Instagram has been feeling a little... off lately, you’re not imagining things. A lot of creators and brands have been noticing that views and likes have taken a dip, even on content that usually performs well. It’s frustrating, especially when you feel like you’re doing “everything right.”

It smacks you right in the face.

You open Instagram and there it is: another sunrise yoga shot in Tulum, a rooftop cocktail in Paris, someone oooohhhh-soooo-casuallllllly working poolside in Mykonos.

Alrighty fam, I’ve been reading your DMs and I hear you loud and clear.

Creating content all the time can feel like A LOT. One day you’re in a flow, posting with ease, and the next you’re like: What even is my brand again?? Why do I go on?? Do people even care??

At the SAG awards this year, Selena Gomez appeared slimmer than she’d been in years, looking radiant, styled to perfection… and yet, something about it felt familiar in a way that made my stomach sink. BIG TIME.