At OX8, Stephanie Kaplan Lewis — CEO and co-founder of Her Campus Media — shared the story of how a Harvard student publication grew into a Gen Z media powerhouse. But her talk wasn’t just about Her Campus. It offered a roadmap for how media companies of all sizes can build sustainable growth by prioritizing community over algorithms, long-term trust over quick wins, and audience connection over fleeting platform trends.
Community as the Engine of Growth
From the beginning, Her Campus leaned on its readers and contributors to fuel expansion. What started as a student-run women’s lifestyle magazine quickly spread to other campuses because students raised their hands and asked to launch their own chapters. That grassroots energy has never stopped — today, Her Campus supports hundreds of chapters, 100,000+ creators, and a constantly regenerating network of Gen Z leaders.
Everything that we do is powered by our community… and that community is constantly regenerating.
This model solves a problem many publishers wrestle with: staying relevant to each new audience cycle. Rather than aging with its original readers, Her Campus built a self-renewing engine. Each year, new students join, graduate, and refresh the community, ensuring the content always reflects the latest voices and perspectives.
For publishers and associations, the lesson is clear: when you empower your audience to help shape your brand, you never have to chase what’s “next” — the community brings it to you.
A Business Built on Brand Partnerships, Not Clicks
Her Campus also resisted the trap of ad-dependence. From day one, they were profitable — thanks to disciplined spending and a launch sponsor (Juicy Couture). Today, more than 99% of revenue comes from brand partnerships.
We were both bootstrapped and profitable for the first 15 years — literally on the cash we had in the bank.
But this isn’t about banner ads. Instead, their campaigns span branded content, experiential activations, influencer partnerships, product sampling, and even market research.
The idea is to really be the one-stop shop for everything brands want to do to market to Gen Z.
For publishers and associations, this shift in revenue strategy is worth watching. Advertisers are less interested in static placements and more interested in community-driven engagement — the kind that blends content, events, and data.
Future-Proofing by Building Beyond Platforms
Kaplan Lewis made another point that resonated: Her Campus has never built its business on the back of a single platform. TikTok may rise, Snapchat may fade, but the core value lies in audience relationships.
We were never trying to game a certain algorithm. We focus on building community and brand so the audience follows us — not just a platform.
For media leaders, that’s a reminder: it’s not about chasing the latest platform, it’s about creating an audience bond that transcends any channel. As Kaplan Lewis put it, people will always want content, community, and connection. The form changes; the need doesn’t.
Key Takeaways for Media Leaders
Her Campus’s story isn’t just a Gen Z success story. It’s a blueprint for how media organizations can thrive today:
- Put community at the center of your growth strategy
- Build diversified, brand-driven revenue models
- Future-proof by focusing on relationships, not platforms
In a time when many publishers are searching for sustainable models, Her Campus shows that the most enduring path is also the most fundamental: listen to your audience, empower them, and grow with them.
