If social media vanished, could your business survive?

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🧨QUICK FIRE

• OpenAI is building a social network 

• Google is in more danger than ever of being broken up

• Zuckerberg admits that time spent on Facebook and Instagram has declined

Most creators start on social media. That’s where you find your people. 

But building and converting on social media? That’s where a lot of creators get stuck.

It’s a trap that feels more dangerous than ever because three things are changing fast:

• AI is rapidly replacing creator tasks

• Creator competition is at an all-time high

• Social media platforms are shakier than ever

This is why a noticeable shift amongst creators and how they approach business is happening. 

Social first vs. entrepreneurial creator

• A social-first creator relies solely on the platforms to generate income (brand deals, platform payouts, affiliate links).

• An entrepreneurial creator uses platforms for visibility, but their business lives elsewhere like products, memberships, education, or community.

A recent report from Kajabi*, titled The State of Creator Commerce highlights a major trend where creators are increasingly moving away from social media dependency.

Entrepreneurial creators are on the rise, while the social-first creators are declining.

Because since the US TikTok ban, creators have had to be honest with themselves and ask: What is my business without social media? 

We’ve been made to believe that the work we distribute across social media platforms is ours to control, but sudden algorithmic changes and threats of shutdowns say otherwise. 

Yes, receiving likes, follows, and views is nice! But what need is it serving? Yours or the platforms? 

I launched Creator Toolkit because I was sick of relying on platforms to get my ideas in front of people. And honestly? It’s the most stable thing I’ve built. 

I pop into your inbox every Monday morning, and while sometimes it goes unread, I know you’ve received it.

Whereas if you were to follow me on social media, there’s no telling whether or not you’ll ever see my content again.

And I’m not the only one.

When I was producing The Mentor with Mark Bouris, I saw how important owned channels were. 

Mark had millions of eyeballs across platforms, but the real power came from the podcast and newsletter. These weren’t just content streams, they were assets - direct and reliable lines to a loyal audience.

When we leaned into using social media to drive to the pod and the pod to drive to the email list, it created momentum you can’t replicate when you’re only building on rented land.

No wonder we’re seeing an uptick in creators changing their business model to something more sustainable. 

🔺 Podcast revenue: +47% YoY

🔻 Brand deals: –52% YoY

🔺 Educational content: +14% YoY

🔺 Memberships: +10% YoY

Creators are making money through owned products, services and community rather than chasing the next brand deal. 

Ownership + niche

• Audience ownership = email lists, memberships, direct access.

• Niche = focus and trust. 

These factors lead to better pricing power, stronger communities, and more freedom.

Don’t get me wrong, social is still important for discovery.

The distinction is to use social media to build visibility, but own the business elsewhere.

So, what part of your business do you truly own?

Try this:
Pick one thing this week to move toward ownership:

• Set up a free email list account (I use Beehiiv)

• Sketch out a small product idea for your most engaged followers

• DM 3 of your top connections and ask what they’d pay to learn from you

Social gets you seen. Ownership gets you paid.

Make sure you’ve got both.

Instagram

• Adam Mosseri announced Blends, leveraging Meta’s Gen Z insights that users desire a curated feed of recommended Reels with friends.

TikTok 

• Announced Footnotes, a new feature that will give more context about content on the platform.

YouTube

• is expanding location tagging for travel and restaurant Shorts to help viewers find relevant local content. The tags will be based on your Short’s title and description.

• shared 23 tips for turning your long-form content into Shorts.

READ: Social media companies have never been more powerful than they are today, which attracts the same level of concern from regulators. The thing is, though, companies are using complex corporate structures and strategic deals to circumvent antitrust laws. In a trial that kicked off last week, the US Federal Trade Commission argues that Meta “maintained an illegal monopoly in social media through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.” The NY Times takes a look at historical antitrust breakups and how they may inform the decisions of our social landscape.

LISTEN: These days, people who want to escape the 9 to 5 life often try to build a business around making content. But I think a search for choices over time, location, and work is really going on here. Entrepreneur Simon Squibb chats with productivity guru Ali Abdaal, who shares his 8 steps for leaving his life as a doctor.

WATCH: After reading today’s newsletter, hopefully, I’ve convinced you that an entrepreneuriall creator model is the way to go. Jay Clouse, founder of Creator Science breaks down how this shift in approach made him almost a $1 million in revenue last year.