Creators’ success on social media often has a limited shelf life. They need to generate a constant stream of new content, keep up with frequent changes on social platforms and deal with inconsistent income. So many are starting offline brands to expand their businesses and find new ways to connect with their fans. 

Take Cassey Ho, 36, who started her career on YouTube in 2009 posting Pilates videos and eventually reached 8.8 million subscribers. Early on, she found she was hitting a creative limit. “I was no longer feeling fulfilled doing the fitness content,” she said. “How many more ways can you teach how to do a crunch or double leg lift?”