
If you scroll through TikTok or Instagram in 2025, you will see a new kind of star rising: silver influencers.¹ These are creators over 50 who have built massive followings by being honest, real, and unfiltered. Their success is proof that audiences are craving authenticity more than ever before.
As the digital landscape evolves, these experienced creators are not just entertaining, they are building real businesses. They are launching product lines, online courses, and media brands that connect deeply with audiences who trust them. But one challenge remains: access to growth capital.
That is where alternative funding for creators comes in. With flexible models like those offered by Chisos Capital, creators can invest in their growth without taking on debt or giving up ownership. This blog explores why authenticity sells in 2025, how silver influencers are leading the charge, and how alternative funding empowers creators to scale their brands responsibly.
Alternative funding for creators refers to modern, flexible financial options designed for individuals rather than institutions. Instead of requiring collateral or equity, this model provides capital based on potential and income, not collateral and assets, credit history or venture connections. In short, it funds ambition.
When comparing traditional and alternative funding, the differences are clear. With bank loans, creators face full repayment regardless of success, low flexibility, and strict access criteria based on credit and collateral. Venture capital requires giving up ownership, offers low flexibility, and is limited to high growth startups only. With the Chisos funding model, creators keep ownership, gain high flexibility, and are evaluated based on potential, not pedigree.
By removing the friction of traditional finance, alternative funding helps creators stay true to their voice and mission while gaining the resources to grow.
The rise of silver influencers is more than a social media trend. It reflects a major shift in how people connect with content.
According to BBC Wales, creators in their 50s and 60s are “taking TikTok and Instagram by storm,” gaining millions of followers who are tired of filters and facades.¹ Engagement among creators over 45 has grown by 37% year over year, driven by audiences who value lived experience and real stories over perfection.²
In an era where AI-driven search and voice assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews dominate discovery, authenticity and expertise have become the new algorithms. Search systems now prioritize content that shows credibility, authority, and personal experience, exactly what seasoned creators provide.
Silver influencers are showing that age, experience, and authenticity are not barriers to growth. They are advantages. And with the right funding, they can turn that trust into thriving, revenue-generating brands.
Viewers follow authenticity. Invest in video quality, editing, and storytelling training that enhances your voice, not hides it.
Use funding to expand into new products like online courses, consulting, or physical goods that align with your story and values.
Bring in editors, designers, or assistants so you can focus on creativity and relationship-building, the things your audience loves most.
Alternative funding allows you to build slowly and intentionally. Focus on meaningful community engagement rather than quick viral hits.
With Chisos’s model, creators keep ownership while accessing flexible, income-tied capital. You grow at your pace and remain in full control of your brand.
Here is how creators can apply funding strategically to scale while staying authentic.
Without funding, creative growth is limited by savings. With Chisos’s funding model, creators can launch new series or brand collaborations. Without funding, team support often leads to solo workload burnout. With funding, creators can hire trusted creative partners. Without funding, brand expansion is reliant on sponsorships. With Chisos, creators can develop owned products or courses. Without funding, stability is difficult because income fluctuates. With Chisos, repayment is flexible and linked to income. Without funding, ownership comes with a risk of dilution. With Chisos, 100 percent brand ownership is retained.
Chisos’s approach is personal. The company funds people, not just businesses. It is built for creators who are serious about scaling responsibly and maintaining integrity while doing it.
In 2025, audiences trust creators who sound like people, not brands. Authenticity, not algorithms, drives loyalty. Silver influencers have proven that content grounded in experience resonates across generations.¹
The next evolution of the creator economy will favor voices who are transparent, relatable, and self-funded. Alternative funding for creators will become a foundation for independence, enabling creators to grow while staying true to who they are.
Chisos is leading that movement by investing in individuals who reflect the future of creative entrepreneurship, people who turn trust into traction.
The success of silver influencers shows that audiences crave what is real. Authenticity converts, and independence sustains it. With alternative funding for creators, Chisos is helping more creators fund their vision, grow their audience, and keep full control of their story.
If you are ready to invest in your growth and stay true to your voice:
Apply: Get flexible creator funding at chisos.io
¹ Megan Davies, “Meet the ‘silver influencers’ taking TikTok and Instagram by storm,” BBC Wales, February 2025.
² Influencer Marketing Hub, “The Creator Economy Benchmark Report 2024,” April 2024.
What is alternative funding for creators?
Alternative funding for creators refers to non-dilutive capital that supports creative businesses without debt or equity loss.
Why are silver influencers important to the creator economy?
They represent a trusted, fast-growing group of creators who attract loyal audiences through authenticity and experience.
How can creators use alternative funding to grow?
By investing in content quality, community engagement, and business infrastructure that drives long-term success.
How does Chisos support alternative funding for creators?
Chisos provides flexible, early capital tailored to a creator’s income, helping them grow without losing ownership.