Meet NYC-based creator and stylist Shenea Walker. After going viral in late 2023, she quickly turned her momentum into a thriving affiliate business, building community and commission along the way. In this spotlight, Shenea shares how she built her strategy, why ShopMy clicked for her, and what she wants other creators to know about monetizing their content.
How did you first get into content creation?
I've been making content for about a year and a half now. I've always been posting on social media, but it was never intentional — I wasn't thinking, 'I'm going to be influencing.' It was always just for fun. I love to talk — if you give me a mic, I will talk forever. So I always made content because I enjoyed it. Then at a certain point I thought, I should take this more seriously and really lean into the love I was getting. At the time, I probably had around 10,000 followers.
What was your introduction to affiliate linking?
When I learned about affiliate, I was like, 'oh my God — I could have been linking this whole time and making money?' I knew people linked things on their Story, but I never considered doing it myself. Around that time, I posted a video that blew up — it got 3 million views, and my followers jumped from 17,000 to 60,000 in about two weeks. It was crazy. I didn't even know what I was doing, I was just posting and linking. Ever since I started using ShopMy, I’ve been in love with it.
How do you decide what to share with your audience?
My audience really responds to the way I show up online. If I share something, they expect a link. Sometimes I don’t even have to say anything — I’ll post a Story with just the outfit, and then the next slide will be the same outfit again with the link. And they’re like, 'Yeah, I knew you’d link it.'
If something I’m wearing is sold out, I’ll link a similar option. I also do wishlists, and people really like them. Even with my styling clients, I put together a folder with all the links.
What kind of results have you seen from your affiliate strategy?
Affiliate is such a good source of passive income. One time I made about $500 in commission from slippers that were only $4. I sold so many of them. It all adds up.
I work in advertising, so I'm very data-driven. I check my ShopMy data often — especially the Earnings tab. But I really like the Performance by Website view. That helps me see which brands I’m driving traffic to. It’s great for pitching to brands, even if they're not on the platform.
What do you like most about using ShopMy?
ShopMy lets you connect with brands. I get asked about PR and gifting all the time, and honestly, a lot of it comes through ShopMy. People don’t always realize that. I’ve even recommended ShopMy to other creators on Instagram — people are like, wait, you get PR through there? And I tell them, yes!
What would you say to someone who’s new to affiliate and unsure where to start?
I highly recommend getting into affiliate — it’s such a great source of passive income. You can be making money in the background while doing your actual job. And you don’t just have to link what you're wearing. You can link wishlists, what’s in your cart, or even what you think Rihanna would wear. There are so many ways to make it work for you.
And even if you only make $5 from a link — that’s your bacon, egg, and cheese money. I’ve made money just walking around my apartment. It’s wild.
Follow Shenea on Instagram @sheneawalker and shop her favorite finds below:
