Part 5/8:
The shift towards being a full-time influencer has become synonymous with losing one's creative control. This creator discovered that an influx of sponsored content significantly altered their original vision and integrity. The realization that "anyone with a dollar" could fund their videos began to feel disingenuous.
The responsibility of meeting deadlines and expectations from sponsors created an ugly dynamic that contradicted their initial reasons for becoming a YouTuber. Eventually, this led to rejecting high-paying sponsorships that clashed with personal values. In their case, the feeling of reducing content to a mere transaction was profoundly disheartening.