Walid Mohammed, an entrepreneur and digital marketing expert, is elevating diverse creators through his startup, The Breadwinner’s Club. Founded in 2022, the company helps creators produce content, grow brands, and reach Gen Z audiences on TikTok.

With over 12 years of experience in digital media, Walid Mohammed has an innate grasp of youth culture and emerging trends. His journey began with managing social media accounts as a hobby, and building an engaged audience. While at UC Berkeley, Walid found ways to merge academics with his passion. Roles at startups like Snap Feed and Carrot Bank sharpened his skills in the creator economy.

Elevating The Creator Economy: A Journey With Walid Mohammed And The Breadwinner’s Club

Walid’s journey began in 2010 with a simple love for Club Penguin, which unexpectedly evolved into a thriving career. Reflecting on his early days, he shares, “It was my hobby, something I loved doing. I never imagined it would lead me here.”

From managing his YouTube page to running a Vine account and a meme page, Walid Mohammed consistently engaged and grew his audience, showcasing his innate marketing acumen. He emphasizes, “I’ve always found ways to market stuff through content.”

Despite enrolling at UC Berkeley in 2018 for data science and business studies, Walid found a way to merge his academic pursuits with his passion. He reflects, “I thought my creator journey was ending, but actually, it was just taking a different shape.”

Walid’s stint at Snap Feed, a startup, was a critical turning point, where he honed his skills and carved a niche in the startup ecosystem. He notes, “That job was my stepping stone into the professional world.” Subsequent roles, including a community manager at Carrot, a bank for creators, and work at a Web3 company, Squads, further broadened his experience in creator monetization.

Freelancing for companies like Linktree and engaging in various projects enriched Walid’s experience, bringing him closer to understanding the needs of creators and the digital landscape.

Breadwinner’s Club: A Mission Rooted in Diversity and Growth

“We’re all about growth,” Walid says with a sense of purpose. The company’s primary mission is to amplify consumer social apps, especially those targeting Gen Z and younger demographics. “Our specialty is marketing to the youth, understanding what catches their attention,” he explains. This focus has shaped the company’s campaign approach, emphasizing the most effective strategies to drive app installs at minimal costs.

But there’s a deeper layer to the Breadwinner’s Club’s mission that Walid believes sets it apart in the competitive digital landscape. “We want to include creators from all walks of life in our campaigns,” he explains, “This approach allows us to reach niche and localized communities more effectively,” he points out. 

Delving into the company’s mission and what inspired Walid to specialize in Gen Z and TikTok, he states: “TikTok has opened doors for creators in ways other platforms haven’t,” Walid points out. He contrasts his experiences with YouTube, where many of his creator friends struggled to gain traction. “The algorithm on TikTok is a game-changer. It’s about giving everyone a fair chance to grow their audience,” he explains. This aspect of TikTok, he believes, democratizes content creation, offering opportunities to a wider range of voices.

Walid’s deep understanding of Gen Z goes beyond professional observation; it’s an intuitive grasp shaped by his own identity as a Gen Z individual. “Understanding Gen Z feels like a sixth sense to me,” he says. His immersion in LA’s culture, a hub of trends and creativity, further hones this intuition. “LA is at the heart of culture, and being here helps me stay attuned to what’s happening,” he adds.

His diverse background, having lived in Texas, studied in the Bay Area, and made connections in New York, equips him with a unique ability to identify emerging trends. “When friends from different cities start talking about the same artist or trend, I know it’s something to pay attention to,” he notes. 

Innovative Services and Personal Networks: The Edge of Breadwinner’s Club

The Club’s core services are a trio of contemporary marketing tools: paid TikTok ads, content generation, and influencer marketing. “Our strength lies in our core services,” Walid Mohammed says. He delves into the significance of each, starting with paid ads on TikTok, a platform he already established as central to reaching Gen Z. Content generation and influencer marketing complement this, forming a holistic approach to digital campaigns.

Walid Mohammed believes that what truly differentiates the Breadwinner’s Club are their experiential campaigns. “We don’t just create ads; we create experiences,” he explains. The company has coordinated various engaging activities, from creator trips and content houses to launch parties. These events are not just about promoting a product or service but about building communities and creating memorable experiences that resonate with both creators and audiences. “Our creators are not just talented; they’re unique personalities who bring something special to each project,” he adds.

The Breadwinner’s Club collaborates with a diverse range of brands, with a focus on creator partnerships and innovative approaches to social media marketing. Among these brands are Hinge, Notion, Liquid Ivy, and Temu. “We’re drawn to brands that encourage people to think outside of the box,” Walid explains. His commitment to diversity and innovation is not only reflected in the Breadwinner’s Club’s choice of forward-thinking brand partnerships but also in its core mission to create a more inclusive digital space. “Growing up, I didn’t see creators who looked like me,” Walid shares, “I couldn’t relate to many people or see myself in what I consumed,” he adds

Walid Mohammed has also witnessed firsthand the disparities in rates offered to creators of different backgrounds by brands, despite similar metrics in terms of followers and engagement. “It’s kind of messed up that they can get away with it,” he observes, highlighting the injustices that persist in the industry. Recognizing these issues, Walid and the Breadwinner’s Club actively strive to combat them, leveling the playing field and championing fair representation.

Measuring Success in the Creator Economy

“I would say we measure our success by the number of creators we are working with”, Walid says. For him, success begins with the creators themselves. He speaks passionately about the agency’s commitment to expanding opportunities for creators, noting that their growth is a pivotal benchmark., “We always want to keep growing and keep bringing more opportunities”, he states.

“On the brand side, it’s usually determined through a metric called cost per install”, Walid Mohammed explains. Brands often set specific targets, such as achieving installs below a certain dollar threshold. “Using the data that we get from TikTok ads portal, we optimize the content and then bring it down more”, he continues. By analyzing this data, the Breadwinner’s Club hones in on strategies that deliver results at a reasonable and cost-effective rate and they ensure that their clients achieve their marketing objectives while working within budget constraints.

Walid Mohammed believes that aligning the interests of both creators and brands is paramount. While creators benefit from a platform that amplifies their voices and provides growth opportunities, brands gain access to a carefully curated network of influencers who can efficiently drive user acquisition. He emphasizes the significance of this symbiotic relationship, stating, “It’s not just about numbers; it’s about creating an environment where creators and brands mutually empower each other to thrive in the ever-evolving creator economy.”