In 2013, musician Jack Conte created the successful music video “Pedals,” but felt undervalued after earning only $166 from YouTube, leading him to launch Patreon.com to help creators earn money directly from fans. This platform allows creators like artist Caro Arévalo, who earns about $700 monthly from patrons, and podcasters Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle, who transformed their podcast “True Crime Obsessed” into a full-time job, to connect and receive funding from supporters. Twelve years later, Patreon supports over 300,000 creators, enabling them to devote themselves to their art.
