How the 6 AM Paper Round Became the Tik Tok Creator Fund

Becoming rich and famous is a shared goal among millions. We’re told to get anywhere we must do well in school, get a good job and work our way up. But now more than ever, turning on your camera and doing a popular dance, writing a sponsored Instagram post, or taking part in a viral challenge can give you the same result, and don’t Gen Z know it. With some of Tik Tok’s most famous contributors making upwards of $4 million on the app, no wonder everyone wants to be an influencer.

15 years ago, young people seeking part-time jobs would head to the local newsagents, café, or shopping center for a minimum-wage gig. However, now, as for most things, social media seems to be the first step to making money. On social media, more followers means more money – with The Telegraph reporting that 42,575 followers are enough to earn the average UK salary (£29,000) from content alone. This social surge has created a shift in the dynamic of society and leaves young people wondering what the point of getting out in the world of work is when they can do it from their bedroom.

“Working with brands opens up more opportunities, it’s great for your growth as well – especially when its ones you agree with and use already.”

Gen Z is growing up in the generation of Youtubers and Instagrammers becoming the celebrities of today. In a much more accessible profession, virtually anyone can do it. I spoke to Lucy Johnson, a nurse who works with brands on social media and modeling. This acted as a side job while Lucy was studying nursing at University, working with companies such as Goli Nutrition on sponsored Instagram posts.

For Lucy, social media work is more about exposure and building her image: “working with brands opens up more opportunities, it’s great for your growth as well – especially when its ones you agree with and use already.”

2020 was the year that TikTok took off, with the world becoming wired on the short video app. Charli D’Amelio started to post dance videos on the platform in 2019 and rose to fame at the age of 15. Now with over 100 million followers, D’Amelio is one of the highest-earning stars on the platform, estimating to have made $4 million between June 2019 and June 2020 (Forbes). Stars like this have become famous from the comfort of their own homes. This is proving the shift between traditional jobs and new age careers, built by new generations – throwing minimum wage jobs to the backseat for the teens of today.

‘It’s always been my dream to be my own boss, I chose Instagram to do this because of the worldwide reach it has.”

It’s not all Tik Tok dances and social challenges, however. Social media has also become essential for building businesses – giving people with less or no experience the chance to create their own businesses, without the start-up funds. 22-year-old Mica Goddard started his social media business @customsbymica on Instagram, selling redesigned shoes he makes from home. In a dream to be his own boss, this has become Mica’s full-time career, reaching celebrities such as Joey Essex with his products. He described the social media business model as a way to reach worldwide audiences and do what he loves from his phone.

As the traditional career norms are shifting, social media has become an irreplaceable tool for millions of careers – whether you’re 13 or 32, there’s probably a place for you to jump on the bandwagon. Don’t forget to #ad on your next Insta post!

 

Kenzi Devine

Feature image via Oliver Bergeron on Unsplash. This image has in no way been altered. Image license available here.