Are We the Achilles’ Heel? Why Fanbase Isn’t Scaling

By Dani Marie

Let’s just go ahead and say it: Fanbase is a Black-owned app. Yes, a real one — not “Black-run,” not “diverse leadership,” not “Black content-friendly.” No. Black. Owned. And it should be an unstoppable movement.

So why does it feel like the culture is there… but the traction? Not so much.

If you scroll through Fanbase long enough, you’ll see it: dope creators, niche conversations, beautiful digital Blackness in every shade and shape. You’ll also notice something else — the energy is there, but the numbers ain’t numberin’. And now the data is confirming what many of us have felt in our gut:

78.9% of Fanbase users are African American.

60% are male. 39% are female.

Nearly 40% are ages 35–44.

And over 44% are self-employed.

Those stats aren’t just interesting — they’re instructive. They tell a bigger story about why Fanbase may be hitting a wall. And I gotta ask: Are we — the culture — actually the app’s Achilles’ heel?

Let me unpack this.

Let’s Talk About the Fanbase Effect

There’s something special about walking into a space and immediately feeling seen. That’s what Fanbase offered many of us who were tired of being shadowbanned on IG, policed on TikTok, or turned into memes on Twitter with no payout. Fanbase came through with Black ownership, Black innovation, and — finally — Black users being the algorithm.

So we showed up. Loudly. Creatively. Authentically.

And yet… the momentum plateaued. We’ve got creators going live daily, sparking meaningful convos in social audio rooms, launching web series, and monetizing with subscriptions. But we’re still talking to each other. There’s limited spillover into other cultures, age groups, industries, or cities outside of Atlanta — where, by the way, Fanbase is dominating.

That’s not just a growth issue. That’s a cultural feedback loop that might be shrinking instead of scaling.

When Representation Becomes an Echo Chamber

Let’s be real — we love us. But we’re not only supposed to be building platforms for ourselves to talk to ourselves. At some point, if a tech platform is going to thrive, it has to grow outside its founding demographic.

78.9% Black users sounds like a cultural victory. But in the world of apps? That’s not diversity — that’s over-concentration.

It’s like throwing the best party in the city, but everyone who shows up is already on the guest list every week. Where’s the outreach? The spillover? The people who didn’t grow up on 106 & Park but still want in on the vibe?

This is where we have to have a hard convo.

We can’t demand that Black-owned tech platforms stay “ours” and then get frustrated when they don’t grow like Meta. Because guess what? Meta is messy — but Meta is mainstream. And Fanbase can’t become a Black version of the mainstream if we gatekeep the energy, the innovation, and the audience.

Age Ain’t Nothing but a Stat — Until It Becomes a Pattern

Now let’s talk age. The data shows nearly 40% of Fanbase users are 35–44. That’s not a problem on its own — it’s a blessing, really. We’re talking grown folks with income, experience, and business acumen.

But here’s the catch: apps don’t blow up without the 18–25 crowd. That’s the Gen Z sweet spot. That’s the demographic that makes trends catch fire. They’re the ones who get apps on the radar of brands, media, and global investors.

Yet only 3.09% of Fanbase users are in that age range.

Now pause. You might say: “Well, Gen Z doesn’t support Black-owned platforms.” Or “They’re too busy on TikTok.” And maybe you’re right.

But what have we done to make Fanbase magnetic to them?

Are we mentoring them in the app space? Are we inviting them to host, build, code, moderate? Are we creating creator tracks and profit-sharing blueprints that excite them — not just educate them?

Because if we’re not... then we’re not building a legacy platform. We’re building a reunion platform.

Gender Gaps Matter, Too

Now let’s address another elephant in the room: Fanbase is 60% male. That might sound neutral, but it’s a little alarming when you realize women are the dominant force behind content creation and online spending.

Women drive influencer culture. Women dominate Etsy, coaching, and creative freelance spaces. Women create subcultures that become culture.

So if we only have 39% female users, that’s not just a gap — that’s a missed opportunity.

The question becomes: why aren’t more women on Fanbase?

Is it the vibe? Is it the interface? Is it the content moderation?

Or is it that we haven’t yet built spaces that reflect and protect the wide spectrum of Black womanhood — from soft life luxury creators to single moms making digital products in between day care pickups?

And while we’re here… can we talk about what it means to protect queer Black creators too? Fanbase can’t grow if we don’t make room for everyone inside the diaspora. Period.

From Loyalty to Leverage

Let’s pivot. Because this isn’t a doom post — it’s a do something post.

The truth is, we’ve got power. Real power. And the data proves it.

We dominate the platform.
We’re largely self-employed.
We’re old enough to understand business, and young enough to still innovate.
We know the app inside and out.

Now it’s time to turn loyalty into leverage.

What We Can Do (aka, The Fix Is In)

1. Nurture the Niche, Then Build the Bridge

We don't have to abandon our base. We just need to create lanes for others to join us. That means:

Creator onboarding for other communities
Language around collaboration, not just culture
Showcasing success stories that reflect intersectionality

2. Empower the 44% (Self-Employed Creators)

That group is GOLD. They’re speakers, coaches, authors, event hosts, podcasters. They need:

Built-in tools for booking, products, scheduling
Monetization structures that go beyond tipping
A built-in ecosystem (like a marketplace or CRM hub)

3. Court the Creators Who Build Culture

We should be recruiting women-led brands, parenting influencers, Black women in tech, beauty creators, and Gen Z makers.

Offer paid partnerships, not just exposure
Host Fanbase Creator Camps, workshops, or pitch sessions
Make content moderation and safety a top-tier priority for female and queer users

4. Push the Platform Beyond Atlanta

Atlanta is the heartbeat, but we need multiple arteries. Let’s expand into:

LA creative networks
NYC business and media spaces
HBCU campuses with intentional campaigns

Final Word: The Culture Can’t Be the Ceiling

Listen — we’re not the problem. But we might be the pause button.

And we don’t have to stay there.

Fanbase is a cultural seed with legacy potential. But the only way it grows is if we allow it to root in us… and then reach beyond us.

Let’s be honest about what we’re building. Let’s stay critical, but not cynical. Let’s support the platform and stretch it.

Because if we can help make billionaires out of apps that never saw us… just imagine what happens when we go all in on the ones that do.

Want to see what’s possible when we move with intention?
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