Influencer to Entrepreneur: The New-Age Celebrity Playbook Influencers these days are not just leaving it at brand partnerships or sponsored posts. They are building ecosystems and turning social currency into money
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From being a face that was only famous for its relatable reels and hilarious You Tube skits, an increasing tribe of Indian influencers are now re-scripting the rules of entrepreneurship. Millions of followers and die-hard fans strong, these digital stars are building admirable, powerful, even multi-hyphenate brands out of social media followings. Welcome to the era of the influencer-entrepreneur, where a viral video can be career rocket fuel and a popular personal brand can open doors for new products, services and even traditional businesses that outlast it.
From "Likes" to "Loyalty"
Influencers these days are not just leaving it at brand partnerships or sponsored posts. They are building ecosystems and turning social currency into money.
Consider Kusha Kapila, who became a known name with her legendary comic sketches and wicked social commentary up her sleeves. And outside of her online avatar, she's become an established public personality, actor, panelist, and brand in her own right. Dominating fashion and beauty, and now mainstream entertainment, Kapila's partnerships have extended beyond the usual promotion posts to curated collaborations and ambassador roles with top-tier brands.
Then there is Bhuvan Bam, one of India's first YouTube stars. His transition from BB Ki Vine to launching his own web series, music label, and production house is a lesson in brand transformation. This is much more than content creation; this is IP (intellectual property) creation.
The New-Age Celebrity Model
Unlike actors or actresses, whose success often hinges on studios, agencies, and producers, influencer-entrepreneurs own their platforms, audiences, and storylines. This level of control enables them to diversify faster and smarter.
They're entering spaces like:
Fashion and beauty: Releasing lines of clothes, cosmetics, or co-branded collections.
Content: Expanding into OTT content creation, developing YouTube networks, or producing serialized content.
Education and mentoring: Providing masterclasses, creator bootcamps, or digital media agencies.
Merchandise and IP: Building salable IP (web series, music, characters) that will exist beyond the creator.
The transition from influencer to entrepreneur isn't just about business, it's about building legacy and longevity in an industry that often feels fast-moving and ephemeral.
Why Does It Work?
1. Audience Trust = Immediate Market Fit
Because they test it every day, these creators already know what their audience enjoys. The feedback loop is immediate and real-time when they launch a product or service.
2. Authenticity Wins
The foundation of their brand is relatability. Audiences support these endeavours because they trust the person behind them, whether it's a skincare line or a YouTube series.
3. Platform Quickness
Influencer-entrepreneurs are adept at swiftly adjusting to new platforms, formats, and trends, a crucial ability in the unstable digital economy.
4. The Negative Aspect
Of course, there are difficulties with the change. Strong business infrastructure, legal knowledge, and frequently a team that can strike a balance between creative vision and commercial viability are necessary for monetising influence at scale. Additionally, there's the pressure to diversify while remaining relevant.
The Bottom Line
Being "internet famous" is the beginning, not the end, in 2025. Creators like Bhuvan Bam and Kusha Kapila are demonstrating to the upcoming generation of influencers that 'creating capital, community, and companies' is more important than simply producing content.
