Part of any content creator’s job is figuring out how to set themselves apart in an oversaturated influencer market. 27-year-old Erin Olash has mastered this strategy, constantly flipping the script for her loyal followers across Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, and more.
She’s already revamped the typical “rise to fame” plotline: unlike most girls her age with ambitions of stardom, Olash traded a lavish life in Los Angeles for a return to her Kentucky roots, where her career really took off.
“Kentucky is where my family is. It’s where my heart is,” she explains, adding that while she’s not “too country” to feel typecast, she’s still proud to consider herself “a little bit of a country kind of girl.”
Thanks to a keen sense of authenticity and business-minded intuition, she’s able to redefine her personal brand and build a sustainable digital empire that keeps fans coming back for more. She attributes the start of her success to video game matches against her brother when she was younger. It was the spark that helped her pivot from traditional acting and modeling jobs in LA to bigger ideas.
Thanks to Twitch, a broadcast social media network that focuses on livestream content, Olash leveraged her love of gaming as the foundation for her current career. Once the domain of hardcore gamers, Twitch has expanded into a diverse community of creators engaging their fanbases through live video across topics from beauty to sports to just hanging out.
“I kind of just leaned into what I always liked doing and it worked,” she admits. Olash’s accessible girl-next-door vibe and clean aesthetic, combined with her gaming chops, helped her stand out in the growing sea of streamers. With her entrepreneurial spirit, she seized the opportunity to expand her fanbase online, winning the hearts of over 970,000 followers across Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
“I was in the gaming space for a long time, like five years, I loved it,” she recollects fondly. For her, live streaming offered a chance to interact with followers in a way other social platforms don’t always provide. Now she’s working on new ways to reach wider audiences that thrive on connecting with her down-to-earth-yet-driven personality.
Though her fanbase is predominantly male, Olash is swiftly connecting with women from around the world. She takes the time to respond to comments, host live Q&A sessions, and share personal side projects like cooking or beauty tips. This authenticity helps her stand out from those just chasing fame or products.
“I do care a lot about women’s issues,” she adds, and that the legacy of her grandfather, aged 103, contributed much to her passion for social causes.
“He lived on his own until he was 101,” she describes, adding that he’s since moved to a nursing home and how the often isolating world of eldercare is so apparent when she visits. She’s inspired to create new content ideas based on interacting with older adults to raise more awareness about their lives and the wisdom they can offer. This commitment to something bigger than even her growing fame endears her further to her socially conscious generation.
On the professional front, Olash has leveraged her digital sway across platforms into lucrative brand partnerships, but she never loses sight of her connection to followers. Working with Arsenic Agency, a company focused on expanding a new era of artists, models, and creators, Olash’s work grew even further. She quickly caught the attention of renowned brands such as Madewell, Gymshark, and Dulce Vida Tequila, with new opportunities on the horizon.
Her avenues of personal interest have also attracted collaborations with clothing companies like Nua Swim, beauty brands like Kosas and Dr. Dennis Gross, and lifestyle products such as Blue Ice Vodka.
In terms of the near future, Olash is focused on growth in all directions. “I would love to get to a million followers on Instagram,” she elaborates, adding that it takes a lot of experimentation to know what works and what doesn’t. One of her strengths is not getting discouraged easily if an idea doesn’t pan out the way she’d like.
“If it doesn’t work, I’ll try something else,” she proudly states. “You do have to keep trying different things before something works.”
Olash represents the new breed of digital creators – authentic, multi-talented, and community-focused. She has proven that content creation is not just about racking up ephemeral views or impressions. By forging genuine connections, she has built an empire that can withstand the mercurial tides of internet fame. For those looking to grow their own brands, she sets the standard in leveraging passion to create fulfilling digital lives – and make a difference along the way.
