I ditched software engineering to become an influencer. Here's how I scaled up to 6 figures — and why my computer-science degree is now my backup plan.

• Vanessa Chen has a computer-science degree but chose to pursue content creation.
• She started posting her outfits as a pandemic hobby and grew her following to more than 4 million.
• Now she earns six figures and collaborates with her favorite brands. Engineering is her backup plan.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Vanessa Chen, a 22-year-old content creator in Boston. Her income has been verified with documentation by Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity.