For many young professionals, landing a high-paying technology job is considered the ultimate career milestone. Walking away from that stability, especially when the combined annual salary is ₹35 lakh, would seem almost unimaginable. But Muskaan Mittal and Aashish Gupta made exactly that choice. The couple resigned from their well-paying technology careers to become full-time content creators. What started as a travel video during a holiday in Vietnam has now grown into a business that reportedly generated more than ₹1 crore in a single year. Their journey reflects how India’s rapidly growing creator economy is opening up unconventional career opportunities—but also highlights the risks, persistence and business acumen required to succeed.
A software developer and data analyst left their jobs to build a ₹1 crore creator business. (Photo: IG)
From software developer and data analyst to full-time creators
Before becoming social media influencers, Muskaan and Aashish worked in the technology sector. According to the couple, Muskaan worked as a software developer with an annual salary of around ₹23 lakh, while Aashish worked as a data analyst, earning approximately ₹12 lakh annually. Together, they were earning nearly ₹35 lakh a year, a level of financial security many professionals aspire to achieve. Their content creation journey began unexpectedly. While travelling in Vietnam, they documented parts of their trip and uploaded a video online. The video reportedly crossed 20,000 views, encouraging them to experiment further with creating digital content. Initially, content creation remained a side project alongside their full-time jobs.
Their first brand collaboration earned just ₹15,000
The couple started creating content regularly in May 2023. For several months, there was little financial return. Their first paid collaboration reportedly came in October 2023, earning them ₹15,000. Despite balancing demanding corporate jobs with content creation, they continued posting consistently. By the end of their first year, they had reportedly earned around ₹6.5 lakh through brand collaborations and other creator opportunities. Although the income was significantly lower than their corporate salaries, it gave them confidence that content creation could eventually become a sustainable career.
The big decision: Leaving corporate careers
In 2024, Muskaan and Aashish made the decision to leave their technology jobs and become full-time creators. The move came with considerable uncertainty. Unlike salaried employment, the creator economy offers no guaranteed monthly income. Earnings depend on audience engagement, brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, digital products and other revenue streams that can fluctuate throughout the year. According to the couple, their first full year as professional creators proved transformative. They signed with a creator management agency, expanded into affiliate marketing and organised their first group travel experience for followers. By the end of 2024, they claimed to have earned approximately ₹45.3 lakh, exceeding the combined salaries they previously earned in the technology sector.
Crossing the ₹1 crore milestone
The following year marked another significant leap. The couple decided to leave their management agency after feeling undervalued and began managing partnerships independently. They diversified their income sources by focusing on:
- Brand collaborations
- Affiliate marketing
- YouTube and Facebook monetisation
- Digital product sales
- Curated group travel experiences
According to the figures they shared, these efforts helped them generate ₹1.09 crore during 2025. For the first four months of the current year alone, they said they had already earned ₹21.6 lakh, while clarifying that these figures represent gross revenue and do not account for business expenses.
The creator economy is more than social media fame
Stories like Muskaan and Aashish’s highlight an important shift in India’s employment landscape. Today’s content creators are increasingly building businesses rather than relying solely on viral videos. Revenue can come from multiple sources, including advertising, sponsorships, affiliate commissions, digital products, memberships, workshops and curated travel experiences. However, success rarely happens overnight. The couple spent months creating content before receiving their first paid collaboration, and even after leaving their jobs, they continued experimenting with different business models before finding sustainable growth.
What students and young professionals can learn
Muskaan and Aashish’s journey is not simply about leaving corporate jobs. It demonstrates the importance of testing an idea before taking a major career risk. Rather than resigning immediately, they built their audience while continuing their full-time employment, gained practical experience, secured initial income and only then transitioned into full-time entrepreneurship. Their story also illustrates that content creation today requires skills beyond making videos. Marketing, branding, negotiation, audience engagement, financial planning and business development all play an equally important role. As India’s digital economy continues to expand, careers in the creator ecosystem are becoming increasingly viable—but they demand consistency, adaptability and patience as much as creativity. For students considering unconventional career paths, their experience serves as a reminder that success often comes not from following popular trends, but from building sustainable skills and treating passion like a business. Disclaimer: This article is based on information publicly shared by Muskaan Mittal and Aashish Gupta through their social media platforms. The income figures mentioned are self-reported by the creators and have not been independently verified by The Times of India. Earnings may represent gross revenue before expenses, taxes and other business costs. The article is intended solely for informational purposes.
