Overview of How an Influencer Built His Business, One Dog at a Time
This episode of Work Mode from The Wall Street Journal and Spotify Studios profiles Elias Friedman, better known as The Dogist—one of Instagram’s early influencer success stories. What began as a personal photography project featuring New York City dogs grew into a multi-channel media business with millions of followers, brand deals, books, a podcast, and a YouTube show. The conversation explores how Elias turned a niche passion into a career, how influencer economics work, and why the job is more demanding than it looks.
How The Dogist Started
Elias’s origin story
- He grew up around:
- a hobbyist photographer father
- a darkroom at home
- two Labrador retrievers
- His early interest in portrait photography naturally led to dogs, which he found easier to work with because they respond well to treats and attention.
The idea behind the account
- In 2013, after being laid off from a brand strategy agency, Elias launched The Dogist on Instagram.
- He was inspired by portrait-based accounts like:
- Humans of New York
- The Sartorialist
- His thought was simple: no one was doing this for dogs.
Why It Took Off
Early traction
- The account gained momentum quickly:
- picked up by media outlets within a month
- reached 1 million followers in about a year
- Elias says the timing was crucial because Instagram was still relatively new and easier to scale on than it is today.
Why audiences connected
- His work tapped into something universal: people love dogs.
- He frames his photos as capturing dogs in a pure, ego-free state—unlike human portraits, which can feel more performative or staged.
Turning an Instagram Account Into a Business
Revenue streams
Elias explains that The Dogist became financially sustainable through:
- brand partnerships
- book deals
- later, YouTube, podcasts, and merch/apparel
What paid best
- He says the most lucrative work tends to come from big brand partnerships.
- Even so, his income is described as steady but volatile, not wildly lavish.
- He can live comfortably in Manhattan, but he says he is not rich enough to retire.
Business support team
- He no longer works alone, relying on:
- management
- literary agents
- assistants
- social media managers
- Even as a solo creator brand, the business now requires a team.
How Social Media Changed the Job
Why it’s harder now
Elias notes that starting today would be much tougher because:
- algorithms are less predictable
- organic reach is lower
- competition among creators is much higher
- platforms prioritize video more than still photography
Adapting as a creator
- He had to “come out from behind the curtain” and become more of a public personality, not just a photographer.
- That meant learning:
- how to be on camera
- how to hook viewers quickly
- how to package work for shrinking attention spans
The new content challenge
- In today’s landscape, he says creators often need to show the payoff immediately.
- The lesson: don’t just make good content—make it instantly engaging.
The Realities of Being an Influencer
Pressure and mental health
The episode highlights that influencer work can be demanding and emotionally taxing:
- constant posting pressure
- public judgment
- burnout risk
- anxiety around performance and relevance
A cited Harvard study found higher rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout among digital creators than the general population.
Rejection and recognition
- Elias says most people are happy to have their dogs photographed, but rejection still happens.
- He also gets recognized often, with people telling him they “love” his work—and sometimes him, which he interprets as appreciation for the brand and mission.
Key Takeaways
- A niche passion can become a real business if timing, skill, and audience interest align.
- Influencer work is labor-intensive, even when it looks playful and effortless.
- Platform changes matter: what worked in early Instagram is much harder in today’s algorithm-driven, video-first ecosystem.
- Diversification is essential for creators who want long-term income.
- Elias’s success comes from a mix of:
- strong visual talent
- consistency
- early adoption
- adaptability
- a clear, joyful niche
Closing Message
Elias sees his work as more than content creation. He wants to deepen people’s appreciation for dogs and reminds listeners that dogs bring us into the present moment. That, he says, is part of why the work matters—not just as a business, but as a way to make people’s lives a little better.