TL;DR: Jalen went from working in retail at Forever 21 to becoming a successful fashion Creator who makes over six figures a year. On top of his income from brand deals, he uses Stan Store to turn his expertise into digital products, like ebooks and courses—earning $672,000 in Stan sales alone. This is the story of how he got there.
Jalen-Juwan Nelson is a fashion Creator known for his vibrant style and marketing savvy Creator tips. But just a few years ago, he was styling mannequins at Forever 21, depressed, and struggling to pay his bills.
It wasn’t until 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that he left his 9-5 job to pursue content creation full-time. He wasn’t an overnight success, but with consistency and perseverance, his growth compounded—and his income grew with it.
He began booking five-figure brand deals and receiving countless DMs from fellow Creators seeking his expertise on how to build their own business. And now, five years later, he has amassed over 525,000 followers and earned over half a million dollars from digital products.
Discover Jalen’s journey from a retail stylist struggling to make ends meet to a financially free Creator who’s teaching others how to succeed online.
The Challenge: Pivoting From Styling to Content Creation
Before Jalen became a well-known Creator, he was a stylist trying to figure out what building a financially stable career in fashion could realistically look like. He knew he had talent and an eye for style, but everyone insisted that turning that passion into something sustainable was impossible.
Like many Creators, Jalen hit a point where the traditional path just wasn’t working anymore. He spent month after month juggling multiple jobs, coming home, and creating content late into the night—often questioning whether he’d ever make it.
He was battling depression and living paycheck to paycheck. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, wiping out his in-person styling work overnight. That moment became a turning point.
Instead of panicking, Jalen pivoted into content creation and stayed fiercely committed to showing up consistently.
“I started creating content in 2020 during the pandemic when I was living with my grandma. I didn’t know when the money was going to come. I didn’t know when the brand deals would come. I didn’t know when the YouTube plaque was going to come. I just knew something was going to take off, provided that I was consistent.”
Future-proofing His Income
When Instagram first launched Reels, Jalen leaned in early. With every Reel, his voice became sharper and his audience grew. And eight months later, he gained more than a hundred thousand followers—and then the brand deals started rolling in.
He went from charging $100 per styling session to earning $4,000 per brand deal, even landing one worth $70,000.
But as exciting as the brand deals were, they weren’t something he could rely on long-term. He didn’t want the foundation of his business to depend on someone else’s budget—he wanted to build something of his own.
During his Instagram Lives, people constantly asked for his guidance, which gave Jalen the idea to package his expertise into digital products like ebooks and courses.
But when he started selling his offers, the platform he used took a 10% cut of every sale. After working so hard to reach this point, losing his earnings to fees didn’t sit right with him.
The Solution: A Creator-First Store With Zero Transaction Fees
As Jalen’s digital products gained traction, he knew he needed a better way to sell that wouldn’t slash his earnings or slow his momentum. That’s when a friend introduced him to Stan Store.
With Stan’s zero transaction fees, Jalen could keep more of what he earned. And he didn’t need to pay for multiple platforms, because everything—digital products, checkout, email, and delivery—was built in.
Jalen set up his Stan Store and launched his first offers based on his audience’s top questions: a Pandemic Money ebook and an Instagram Reels course.
“I’m just really proud. I’m literally making money off of my creativity, and that’s mind-blowing.”
Beyond Stan’s features, what stood out most was how supported he felt. It was simple to use, aesthetically pleasing, and truly Creator-first. “You guys really care for your Creators,” Jalen emphasizes.
Whenever he encountered an issue, Stan’s team resolved it within 24 hours or less, which made him feel taken care of. With Stan in place, Jalen finally had the foundation he needed to scale his knowledge into a sustainable business.
The Results: From $1.8K to Five-Figure Months
Jalen’s decision to fully commit to content creation and monetize his knowledge completely transformed his life. He has earned over half a million dollars through Stan alone and continues to diversify his income across digital products, brand deals, and platform payouts.
Within just a few weeks of launching his first ebook on Stan, he brought in $10,000. Then, his Reels course made $4,000 in a single day and $15,000 overall. As he continued dedicating time to digital products, his revenue climbed even higher—eventually hitting personal records like $22,000 in one month.
But the numbers only tell half the story.
Jalen’s Creator income allowed him to finally move into his own apartment and live comfortably. When asked how he defines success, Jalen didn’t talk about brand deals or follower counts. He talked about freedom:
“I’m able to book a trip just because. I’m able to go to dinner just because. I can buy my Goddaughters whatever they want just because. My bills are paid on time, and that’s all through content creation.”
Embodying What It Means to Be a Stan Creator
For Jalen, the real win is being able to give back to the people who supported him most, like his grandmother. When he reflects on how far he’s come, he credits the resilience that carried him from retail to becoming a renowned Creator.
“If I could go back, I would say that I’m proud of you, Jalen. I’m proud of the resilience that the Forever 21 associate gave me. And because you pivoted, we’re now in this spot today.”
This resilience—his commitment to creativity, consistency, and community—is exactly what makes Jalen Stan’s 25 in ‘25 Creator of the Year.
What’s Next: Becoming a Fashion Mogul
With financial stability and creative momentum behind him, Jalen has his sights set on tackling big personal goals, like becoming a homeowner. He continues to diversify his Creator income between brand deals and digital products, rolling out new offers based on his community’s needs.
Beyond financial milestones, Jalen dreams of becoming recognized as a true fashion mogul, attending major events like the Met Gala.
But even with everything he’s achieved so far, he’s honest about the fact that self-doubt still shows up. His advice to aspiring Creators?
“I struggle with self-doubt to this day. You just have to post anyway—do it scared.”
Ready to turn your passions into profit? Stan Store is the easiest way to start. Try it free and see why Creators like Jalen have had so much success with Stan.
Follow Jalen’s journey:
Stan Store: Jalen’s Stan Store
TikTok: @itslickmyfashion
Instagram: @lickmyfashion
YouTube: @lickmyfashion
