The creator economy has always had a complicated relationship with the institutions it sought to displace, which may explain why some of its earliest experiments required a painful breaking-in period.
Shira Lazar learned this in 2011, when What's Trending, the digital media brand she founded with herself as on-camera host, launched in partnership with CBS News only to see the network sever ties after Ms. Lazar posted an erroneous tweet reporting the death of Steve Jobs. "It was really a heartbreak for me," she said.
(One imagines the conversation at Black Rock was brief.)
Ms. Lazar, undeterred, continued building the show — first for YouTube, then adapting it for successive platforms as audiences migrated. What's Trending now maintains a presence on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, covering everything from other creators and celebrities to artificial intelligence scammers and video games. The brand claims four million followers across platforms, with nearly two million on TikTok alone.
Recently named one of Time magazine's 100 creators of 2026, Ms. Lazar has expanded the business beyond publishing into influencer marketing, branded creative services, licensing, distribution and live events. What's Trending has hosted SXSW's Creatorpalooza, held brand gatherings at the Cannes Lions festival and helped organize AI Creator Day with The Wrap.
Annual revenue, Ms. Lazar said, has ranged from the mid-six figures in "a challenging year" to low seven figures in "stronger years" — generated by a staff of three people who, as is customary in such operations, wear several hats simultaneously. Distribution relationships with MSN, Spotify and Screenvision extend the brand's reach beyond social platforms.
"Shira was early to something the rest of the industry took years to accept: on social, people follow people," said Sharon Mussalli, chief executive of NowThis. "What's Trending started with a recognizable host and a point of view, and the platform came second."
Ms. Lazar has also become an advocate for creator welfare, founding Creators for Mental Health and helping introduce a nonbinding House resolution called the Creator Bill of Rights with Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California. The measure seeks fair treatment and transparency for what it calls "a distinct and growing class of small businesses."
Fourteen years after a premature tweet ended her network partnership, Ms. Lazar is still building. "The market is finally ready for the creator-driven media model we began with," she said.
Sometimes the early adopters simply have to wait for everyone else to catch up.
Original story published in Digiday: "How Shira Lazar grew social account 'What's Trending' to seven figures in revenue"