Content creation is big business and has been integrated into diverse facets of everyday life. The content creator economy, valued at around 250 billion, exposes social media users to a multifaceted venture that blazes a trail of creative freedom. Although content creation can provide users with assets like generative income, brand partnerships, and audience engagement, some creators still maintain full-time jobs in Corporate America. But how do they do it, and where do they find the time to manage both professions?
Morgan Menzie, a management consultant, is also the Founder of Pretty Little Bookshelf, a book club designed to foster community amongst literature lovers. “I was reading all of these books, and I wanted to speak to somebody about them. That’s when I began engaging with different readers and book communities on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Menzie noted. Besides working a full-time corporate job, Menzie schedules her days strategically, incorporating time to exercise, respond to [MPPB] emails, plan bookish events, and record content. But Menzie refuses to punish herself if she takes a much-needed day off. “If I don’t post on Mobday for Pretty Little Bookshelf, I’ll just be back on Tuesday,” the book creator stated.
Courtesy of Morgan Menzie
“I truly believe in work-life balance. That’s why you don’t see my [job] in my content,” Ceressa McFadden stated. While working a nine-to-five in the talent acquisition sector of HR, McFadden chooses to keep her professional life separate from her digital lifestyle content. She began her content creation journey in 2015 and started with skincare. “While I was taking a difficult accounting course [in college], my face broke out, and I went online [for products] and didn’t see anyone with my skin tone dealing with severe acne like me,” McFadden admitted. The lack of representation drove McFadden to showcase her acne management journey on social media, eventually attracting popular skincare brands like Burt’s Bees and Dermalogica to collaborate on product development. “I was a panelist for the acne summit for Clear Start, and I worked as a beauty tester for Burt’s Bees Acne Line back in 2021.” Since then, McFadden opted to post more generalized lifestyle content after becoming a mother and advancing in her corporate career while preserving brand relationships.
Courtesy of Ceressa McFadden
Content creation continues to expand globally with a projected 17.1 percent increase in 2029, establishing the profession as one of the most modern and sought-after career paths, especially amongst younger generations. Yet, many still can’t grasp what exactly the job calls for despite the digital occupation being so normalized. Across the internet, the idea of content creation seems intriguing, evoking questions from non-creators who genuinely seek to understand the craft and its financial benefits. But for others, content creation remains a breeding ground for public discourse, through debates of the ethical and professional implications associated with the line of work, particularly in corporate spaces. Elizabeth Booker Houston, a political commentator, recognizes the heated discussions of the digital world; she just chooses to do her own thing. Stemming from a public health law background, Houston first became involved in content creation during 2020 to raise awareness of COVID-19 health implications. “I’m a JD-MPH, so I specifically studied the laws that relate to epidemics, pandemics, and quarantines. I realized that I had a very niche area of knowledge that was useful at the time because [public health law] was something that most people didn’t know about,” Houston commented.
When the multifaceted creator began posting content, she initially didn’t expect her commentary to reach the masses while working in the federal government. “I just posted what I felt like in the day. Sometimes I talked about being a new mom. Sometimes, I cracked jokes because I’ve always been a bit of a comedian,” she told GU. Now, Houston has amassed over 437K followers on Instagram and over 372.5K followers on TikTok, utilizing her legal knowledge to explain complex U.S. policy issues to increase political awareness, sometimes through edgy anti-Trump humor. But Houston understands the position she’s in to do so, and how some practicing lawyers can’t speak as freely.
Courtesy of Elizabeth Booker Houtson
“There are so many Black women that I know who cannot speak out in the way that they want to in fear of potentially losing their jobs,” Houston said. Owing to Houston’s role in the federal government, she has First Amendment protections, unlike a corporate attorney or a lawyer who works for a private firm, who may be held to a different standard. As legislative tensions heighten nationwide and federal worker jobs are threatened, Houston felt compelled to integrate bits of her professional life on social media to educate the public about her firsthand experiences. “Yeah, my job is on the line, but I don’t really have a choice,” the commentator noted.
In 2025, content creators with 50K to 70K followers on TikTok can generate between $1,000 to $3,000 per video, generating over six figures annually. Larger content creators are projected to earn $10,000 – $25,000 per post. For many Americans, that’s more money than most will see in a lifetime. But as the uncertainty around the future of social media weighs on U.S. citizens following the looming TikTok ban, some social media vets are warning younger generations not to abandon their academic studies or corporate jobs to pursue content creation full-time.
“There are thousands of videos of people worrying about income. Social media can disappear at the snap of a finger. How do you survive?” McFadden expressed. Although overwhelming at times, managing both positions allows creators to retain a consistent stream of income and still uphold their self-expression. “I support all content creators. I think we can provide value in whatever space that we’re in, and we should be recognized,” Menzie relayed to GU.