The Direct Relationship Is Not Optional

The second criterion carries as much weight as the first: fans must pay you directly, and you must be able to reach them directly. You keep the full $100, and you own the channel to the people paying it.

This is why the model was impossible for most of history. Publishers, labels, studios, and retailers sat between creator and audience, taking most of each dollar. When intermediaries take their cut, you need vastly more fans to net the same living, which pushes you right back toward needing a blockbuster.

The modern translation: an email list you own beats a million followers on a platform that owns the relationship for you. If an algorithm change or a ban can cut you off from your fans, they aren't fully your fans yet. Kelly also flags the indirect-revenue version of this trap: if your income routes through advertising, you're monetizing attention at pennies per person, and the required audience multiplies accordingly.