Here’s How I Made $10K Creating TikToks for Brands with 0 Followers

The hidden life of a UGC creator

Photo by Collabstr on Unsplash

As a content creator, you often ask yourself:

“How can I sustainably create income while growing my own brand?”

As glamorous as the lifestyle might seem, the beginning is usually a struggle fest. You’re making barely any income, juggling content part-time, and waiting for that magical inflection point when you can finally go all in.

And if you’re building on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, you’re banking on brands to take a chance on you. But let’s be real — those chances drop significantly if you don’t have the follower count to back it up.

So, what do most creators do to survive that in-between phase?
Usually, they turn to other income streams — digital products, courses, maybe freelancing — to bridge the gap.

I chose the travel niche because it was a passion

Early on, I made a key decision to pivot away from the tech niche and lean into travel. I still enjoy creating tech content, but it wasn’t the niche I saw myself in long-term.