Alternative Funding for Creators: Fueling Live Events in 2025

The creator economy has reached a new milestone in 2025. Beyond digital platforms, creators are now selling out theaters, arenas, and community venues across the country. Ticket sales for creator-led tours have surged nearly 500 percent year-over-year, according to StubHub.¹ Audiences are showing up for podcasters, YouTubers, and authors in record numbers, proving that creators are more than online personalities. They are cultural brands with powerful offline communities.

Tours like Unwell by Alex Cooper, Crime Junkie Live, and Mel Robbins’ Let Them tour offer tickets at prices 40 percent lower than traditional concerts, and often visit smaller cities that mainstream artists overlook. This makes creator-led events both more profitable and more accessible to fans.

But behind the momentum is a common challenge: most creators lack access to the upfront capital needed to turn audience demand into live event experiences. This is where alternative funding for creators and the support of Chisos become essential.

The Funding Gap for Creators

Producing a live show is not cheap. Even modest tours require significant upfront spending on:

• Venue deposits
  
  
• Marketing campaigns
  
  
• Event staffing and logistics
  
  
• Merchandise production

For many creators, these expenses can total tens of thousands of dollars before the first ticket is sold. Traditional financing rarely provides a path forward.

• Banks require collateral and predictable cash flow.
  
  
• Venture capital looks for billion-dollar technology plays, not creative ventures.
  
  
• Self-funding drains personal savings and limits growth potential.
  

The Chisos Whitepaper highlights that more than 83 percent of capable builders remain underfunded, with creators among the most underserved groups.²

Why Traditional Models Fall Short

The rise of creator-led live events illustrates the limitations of traditional capital markets. Creators may have millions of loyal followers, yet that social proof does not translate into venture-style growth projections. Likewise, their income streams are too dynamic for banks to underwrite.

Without an accessible funding solution, creators risk missing the opportunity to scale their brands into the live space. As Chisos noted in a previous blog, Recession-Proof Growth for Creators: How to Secure Smart Funding Without Giving Up Control, creators need capital models that let them grow without sacrificing ownership or control.³

Alternative Funding for Creators

This is where alternative funding for creators stands out. By backing individuals directly, these models prioritize flexibility and long-term alignment. For live event creators, this capital can be used to:

• Launch national or regional tours.
  
  
• Test new formats, such as hybrid digital and live shows.
  
  
• Build merchandise lines that complement the live experience.
  
  
• Expand production quality to attract sponsorships and brand partnerships.

Unlike venture capital or debt, this funding gives creators the freedom to experiment without the pressure of scaling to unrealistic milestones.

How Chisos Supports Creators in 2025

Chisos was built to fund individuals first, not just companies. We evaluate grit, vision, and execution potential rather than networks or pedigree. For creators, that means unlocking the capital needed to grow beyond digital platforms.

Creators funded by Chisos have used capital to:

• Cover tour startup costs, from production teams to travel.
  
  
• Diversify income streams by adding merchandise, memberships, or digital recordings of live shows.
  
  
• Extend their personal runway to focus on building brand extensions without financial stress.

By funding people, Chisos ensures creators can take bold steps without giving up ownership of their ideas or brands.

Practical Steps for Creators Exploring Live Events

If you are a creator considering a live event strategy, here are the key steps:

1. Define your financial needs. Identify costs for venues, staffing, and promotion.
   
   
2. Outline your revenue plan. Consider ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorships.
   
   
3. Explore non-traditional funding. Look to partners like Chisos who back people first.
   
   
4. Apply for funding early. Secure capital ahead of tour planning so you can focus on execution.
   

Why Work with Chisos for Alternative Funding

At Chisos, we believe creators are the new frontier of entrepreneurship. Live events demonstrate the power of personal brands to shape culture and commerce. But creators need funding models built for their reality, not for outdated financial institutions.

Working with Chisos means:

• Accessible capital designed for creators at all stages.
  
  
• Flexible repayment structures that move with your income.
  
  
• Aligned incentives that let you retain ownership of your brand.
  
  
• A supportive partner committed to helping you build on your own terms.
  

Take the Next Step

Apply for funding at Chisos.io and start planning your live events today.

Footnotes

1. Axios, “StubHub Creator Tour Ticket Sales Surge in 2025,” August 7, 2025.
   
   
2. Chisos Capital Whitepaper, 2025 Chisos Whitepaper TRUE INVESTMENT, “The Problem: The Funding Gap for the Modern Builder.”
   
   
3. Chisos Capital, Recession-Proof Growth for Creators: How to Secure Smart Funding Without Giving Up Control, 2024.