The Architect of the Creator Era: Shira Lazar’s 15-Year Evolution from Viral Pioneer to Industry Advocate

By Alyssa Mercante
September 30, 2026

In the early 2010s, the digital landscape was a frontier defined by amateur experimentation. While major media conglomerates were still debating the merits of online video, Shira Lazar saw a paradigm shift that would eventually reshape the global advertising and media industry. She recognized that the future of content was not tied to traditional anchor desks or rigid programming schedules, but to the burgeoning stars of a new medium: creators like Michelle Phan and Jenna Marbles.

To bridge the gap between traditional media literacy and the raw energy of internet culture, Lazar launched What’s Trending. Today, fifteen years later, the industry has finally caught up to her vision. As mainstream giants like CNN, Bustle, and The Washington Post pivot toward creator-led business models, Lazar is embarking on her next phase: scaling her digital media brand while championing the systemic protections that the creator economy has long ignored.

The Genesis: A Pioneer’s Early Bet and the Cost of Growth

The inception of What’s Trending in 2011 was a bold, if tumultuous, entry into the digital space. Launched in partnership with CBS News, the brand was designed to be the authoritative voice on internet culture. However, the volatility of the early digital age struck early. A high-profile error—a misreported tweet regarding the death of Steve Jobs—led to the abrupt termination of the brand’s relationship with CBS.

"It was really a heartbreak for me," Lazar reflects. The incident served as a baptism by fire, forcing her to pivot from a corporate-backed entity to a truly independent operation. That setback, while bruising, proved to be the catalyst for the brand’s resilience. Lazar transitioned the show to YouTube, eventually evolving alongside every major social shift. Today, What’s Trending maintains a robust presence across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, covering everything from celebrity culture and gaming to the complexities of AI-driven misinformation.

A Multi-Faceted Business Model: Scaling in the Creator Age

Lazar’s trajectory has been defined by agility. Recently named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Creators of 2026, she is moving beyond the role of a traditional publisher. What’s Trending now operates as a multifaceted media firm, integrating influencer marketing, branded creative services, content licensing, and event production.

The Power of Lean Infrastructure

One of the most remarkable aspects of What’s Trending is its financial efficiency. Operating with a core team of only three people, the company has managed to maintain annual revenues ranging from the mid-six figures to low seven figures. This "lean team" philosophy allows for extreme adaptability, though Lazar admits it has served as a double-edged sword.

"That lean team limited how quickly we could invest in audience acquisition, sales, programming, and new products," Lazar notes. Moving forward, the goal is to build out a more robust infrastructure. She envisions a more integrated ecosystem that links editorial content, social reach, data-driven distribution, and high-impact live events.

The brand’s reach is undeniable: with 4 million followers across social platforms—including nearly 2 million on TikTok alone—What’s Trending has cemented its status as a cultural touchstone. Strategic distribution partnerships with platforms like MSN, GSTV, Spotify, and Screenvision ensure that its content transcends the typical echo chambers of social media, reaching audiences in public spaces and beyond.

Industry Perspective: Why Personality-Led Media Wins

The industry’s shift toward the creator economy is not merely a trend; it is a fundamental reconfiguration of consumer trust. Sharon Mussalli, CEO of NowThis, highlights the prescience of Lazar’s strategy.

"Shira was early to something the rest of the industry took years to accept: on social, people follow people," says Mussalli. "What’s Trending started with a recognizable host and a point of view, and the platform came second. That’s now how the whole industry works."

According to Mussalli, the future belongs to companies that can successfully bridge the gap between media institutions and creator-led personality. "Creators are becoming media companies, and media companies are learning to think like creators. The winners will be the ones who do both well."

Beyond Content: Championing Creator Rights and Mental Health

Perhaps the most significant chapter of Lazar’s career is her transition into an advocate for the very workforce she helped legitimize. Having experienced the "ups and downs" of the creator economy firsthand—the predatory contracts, delayed payments, and the crushing weight of burnout—Lazar has become a vocal proponent for labor rights.

Addressing the Silence of the Creator Workforce

"This workforce is suffering in silence," Lazar explains. "We all talk about how burnt out we are, how tired we are. Peers that are having issues… who went off the face of the planet, just went MIA from the industry—what happened to them? The industry turned a blind eye as if it was normal. It’s not."

Lazar found that while the creator economy was vocal about metrics and monetization, it was curiously quiet about the human cost. This realization led to the founding of Creators for Mental Health, an initiative that has evolved into a series of nationwide events, academic-level studies on mental health in the digital space, and Creator Care—a platform providing sliding-scale therapy for creators in California.

The Creator Bill of Rights

The culmination of this advocacy arrived in January 2026, when Lazar partnered with U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) to introduce the Creator Bill of Rights. The non-binding House resolution seeks to codify protections for a demographic that is increasingly functioning as a class of small business owners.

The bill argues that:

• Economic Opportunity: Creators deserve transparent revenue-sharing terms.
• Foundational Security: Access to affordable health care options and small business resources is essential.
• Fair Treatment: There must be institutional accountability for the platform-based economy, including better customer support and dispute resolution.

For Lazar, the Creator Bill of Rights is not just about policy; it is about the long-term sustainability of a creative class that is currently "falling apart" under the pressure of opaque algorithms and inconsistent platform policies.

Implications: The Future of the Creator-Led Media Model

As What’s Trending looks toward the future, the integration of editorial, social, and policy work represents a maturation of the creator economy. Lazar is no longer just reporting on the news; she is shaping the environment in which the next generation of digital media companies will operate.

The market is finally ready for the model Lazar proposed 15 years ago. As media conglomerates struggle to capture the loyalty of a younger, creator-focused audience, they are increasingly looking to leaders like Lazar to understand how to humanize their brands.

For the next 15 years, the challenge for What’s Trending will be to scale without sacrificing the authenticity that made it a leader in the first place. By balancing commercial growth with a fierce commitment to creator welfare, Lazar is providing a blueprint for what a sustainable media company looks like in the 2020s.

"The market is finally ready for the creator-driven media model we began with," Lazar concludes. With the support of legislative initiatives and a refined business infrastructure, she is positioned to remain a central figure in the ongoing evolution of how we consume, create, and value digital content.