Influencers opened up about their career struggles, with some forced to juggle traditional jobs to fund their professional social media life. Despite glamorous online personas, young content creators like Chloe Barbour and Zay Jeffrar revealed their financial hardship, even going into credit card debt. Meanwhile, high-earning influencers like Alix Earle remain outliers.

Chloe Barbour, a 21-year-old aspiring influencer, has built up her Instagram feed to consist of lavish tropical vacations, trendy outfits, and luxury vehicles. 

In reality, Chloe reportedly works as a direct support professional at Optimae Life Services in Ames, Iowa, USA where she makes $16 an hour for 80 hours a week just to make ends meet.

She told The Daily Mail on Sunday (27 October): “I’ve reached burnout a few times, and have had to take months off at a time to focus on my mental health.”

Influencers opened up about their career struggles, with some forced to juggle traditional jobs to fund their social media life

Image credits: iamlakeashaj

Chloe was reportedly disillusioned by the influencer lifestyle and had to take a 9-to-5 job in mental health to stay afloat.

She explained: “Yes, I get to go do all these fun modeling things, but they don’t realize that I can’t pay my utility bill the next week because I want to go to this opportunity.

“Or I can’t go out with my friends to dinner, because my money is going all to something that’s not paying me out.”

Image credits: chloe.mae.barbour

Chloe further opened up about a recent financial setback that occurred as a result of a canceled New York shoot.

The photoshoot organizer attempted to bribe other male models or older, wealthy men with the promise of sexual encounters with the female models, the micro-influencer claimed.

She recalled: “Had the photographer of the shoot not sounded the whistle to the models, we would have never known.”

Despite glamorous online personas, young content creators like Chloe Barbour and Zay Jeffrar revealed their financial hardship 

Image credits: chloe.mae.barbour

Now, Chloe is left with a $400 non-refundable ticket to New York City and is scrambling to find new opportunities there to make up for it, as per The Mail.

Zay Jeffrar, a 19-year-old aspiring influencer, has been juggling full-time studies and working as a health aide while pursuing his dream of a modeling career.

Image credits: iamlakeashaj

He told The Mail: “I live three different lives, it’s exhausting, but I refuse to let my dream die.”

Zay reportedly landed a runway show at New York Fashion Week. However, he said he couldn’t afford to not be cast as he lives paycheck to paycheck.

Some influencers have even gone into credit card debt

Image credits: van_phann

He explained: “I’ll travel to a casting call, wait for hours, only for my name not to get called. It’s a huge risk for me because, during that time, I could be making money.”

Image credits: van_phann

“The last audition I went to that I didn’t get, I had to miss work. Sometimes, I’ll come back from a casting for an unpaid gig and I’ll be late to class – a class that I’m paying for.”

According to The Mail, Zay previously landed brand deals with well-known companies, only to be paid in clothes and products. 

He admitted: “Bigger names get paid. I’m not a big name yet. I’ll get featured on the company’s Instagram for the collaboration or I’ll receive some products, but that’s the most I’ve been ‘paid.'”

Zay Jeffrar, a 19-year-old aspiring influencer, has been juggling work while pursuing his dream of a modeling career

Image credits: zayjeffrar

Lakeasha Jackson is another micro-influencer who shared what it was like to work as a financial advisor and coach to support her acting and modeling dreams.

Amid exhaustion and facing homelessness due to last-minute cancellations from fellow models during New York Fashion Week, the 28-year-old told The Mail:  “This nightmare has not and will not halt my dreams and aspirations.”

Meanwhile, top influencers like Alix Earle can make up to $70,000 per sponsored post. However, this level of earnings is rare, as nearly half of creators earned under $15,000 in 2023.

Image credits: zayjeffrar

The average salary of a TikTok influencer is reportedly $131,874—far more than the average salary for an American in 2024, which is $63,795, as per The Mail.

Model and influencer Van Phan, co-founder of Luxe Modeling Agency, has consequently turned her challenging experiences into a mission for the ethical treatment of models.

She now offers shelter in her apartment during fashion week to support fellow micro-influencers.

Image credits: alix_earle

Despite the setbacks, Van’s career has grown, allowing her to leave her full-time job and pursue content creation full-time.

She told The Mail: “When things work out, it’s an adrenaline rush you get that nothing can compare.

“It makes all your hard work and rejection worth it, and I’ve carried myself through all the negativities to make it.”

“Many try, most fail,” a reader commented

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