Content Creators Are Seeking Equity Over Brand Deals

The creator economy is shifting from paid promotion to ownership as influencers seek equity, investing opportunities, and a bigger stake in the businesses they help build.

Content creators depend on companies and corporations to pay them to promote their products. Now, some creators want more than brand deals; they want ownership.

That shift was a central theme at the recent Creator Angel Summit, hosted by Cherub, where more than 100 creators gathered to learn about angel investing, hear startup pitches, and explore ways to become investors and advisers rather than paid promoters, reports Inc.

The movement could significantly change how Black creators build wealth. Instead of monetizing influence one sponsored post at a time, creators can potentially use their cultural knowledge, audiences, networks, and expertise to secure a stake in companies they help grow. Nadya Okamoto, the chief creator officer at Cherub, said the strategy is also about building financial resilience in an industry subject to constant change.

“For me personally, it’s a lot of thinking about, ‘How do I build my career for longevity?’”

She added, “I don’t want my wealth to be so tied up in and reliant on the creator industry that is constantly changing.”

That concern is particularly relevant as algorithms shift, platforms evolve, and competition for brand dollars intensifies.

From Influence To Ownership

Content creators increasingly bring more to the table than followers. They understand positioning, content, community building, consumer behavior, and cultural trends. Valeria Lipovetsky, a creator, entrepreneur, and investor, said her value extends beyond simply publishing sponsored content.

“It’s not just doing a post,” she said. “It’s ‘How am I bringing your messaging into my messaging?’”

That distinction could reshape negotiations between founders and creators. A creator with a highly engaged niche audience may ultimately provide more value than a celebrity with millions of passive followers.

But equity is not free money. According to Inc., creator-equity arrangements discussed at the summit commonly ranged from 0.1% to 0.5%, although the percentage alone does not determine whether a deal is worthwhile. Vesting schedules, responsibilities, and deliverables can dramatically change the economics.

“You don’t have to agree to five posts a month for 0.25%. That could be one post a year,” Okamoto said.

Likewise, investor Maggie Sellers Reum said, “For us, it’s really not about having the biggest audience. It’s about having the most impactful.”

That may be the biggest opportunity in the creator economy’s next chapter: turning influence into assets that can potentially outlive a platform, campaign or personal brand. Still, investing carries risk. Sellers Reum cautioned creators against treating angel investing as a primary source of income, describing it instead as the “dessert” of a creator’s financial life. Cash provides certainty. Equity offers possibility.