For budding influencers, class is now in session 

For budding influencers, class is now in session. 

Jessica Henig, founder of Unlocked Branding, is rolling out Social Media University, a new platform launching today that promises to decode the influencer industry for the next wave of creators and industry professionals.

The platform is free to join. “We wanted it to be accessible for anyone who is interested in building a career in media and their network,” Henig tells Fast Company. “This community was built on after years of successfully building talent into top tier brands themselves, and we’ve seen such high demand from others who want to know where to start.” 

Henig knows the formula, after helping shape some of the internet’s It-talent, including Alicia Breuer, Millie Leer, Pia Mia, and Montana Brown among them.

Those who sign up can expect a mix of online and in-person interactive masterclasses with leading industry voices, seminars, trips, and community events, as well as mentorship and behind-the-scenes access to Unlocked Branding’s global network of creators and partners. 

“The missing link from young people, over the past few years especially, has been that they are missing in person community,” says Henig. “Working for yourself can be isolating sometimes and we want to get everyone in the same room to foster connections and creativity.”

With rising unemployment and a college degree no longer guaranteeing a career path, the creator economy has become a bright spot for young people navigating a bleak job market. The number of creators globally is expected to grow at a compound annual rate between 10 and 20% and the total addressable market is expected to increase to a projected $500 billion by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs.  

Gen Z and Gen Alpha are fully bought in. Over half of Gen Z wants to become influencers, according to a Morning Consult survey. A 2024 Whop survey found that the top two career aspirations among Gen Alpha are YouTuber and TikTok creator. 

“With the influencer industry being so new in comparison to more ‘traditional’ career and education paths, there’s a huge education context gap when it comes to breaking into the industry,” says Henig. 

“I’ve built talent up from the start of their careers, many of which started as early as 16 years old, and found that the intense experiential nature of the social media industry set them up for incredible success and long term career paths in the real world—without having to go to a traditional university route.”

For those after a traditional education experience, Syracuse University recently announced its new “Center for the Creator Economy,” looking to train the new class of influencers, streamers, podcasters, and YouTubers. Still, one of the biggest selling points of a career in content creation is precisely the fact it doesn’t require a degree or hundreds of thousands of dollars of student debt that come with one. Starting out as a content creator has never been easier, you mostly need a phone and a dream. Yet, because of the low barrier to entry, the industry is saturated and some expert guidance could be that all-important leg up. 

“People should sign up if they want valuable insight, to understand the economics of the industry and how it affects strategy and work,” says Henig. “And a community of people that share similar values to want to stay at the forefront of what is moving the needle.”

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