He's 89, has 200,000 TikTok followers and gets paid by brands to hate their products — is being a ‘grandfluencer’ a legit late-life side hustle?

Matcha has proved particularly offensive.

Kalecinski set out to taste-test matcha drinks across Germany until he could find one he actually liked. In one TikTok, he balked at paying $7.50 (€6.40) for a cup before even taking his first sip.

“I hope they didn’t charge me for two,” he said.“This slop actually cost me $6.40. Nah, I’d rather buy two kebabs for it.”

Tasted a little fishy

Another matcha, this one mixed with strawberry jam, did not win him over either. Kalecinski joked that the drink was as green as his lawn, said it looked like watercolor paint and ultimately decided it tasted a little fishy.

That honesty has become a big part of his appeal. Rather than trying to act younger or pretend he likes every trend, Kalecinski approaches Gen Z culture with curiosity and usually some skepticism.

Szymon Zurawski, a 19-year-old fan, told the New York Times that what stands out is Kalecinski’s willingness to understand younger people rather than expecting them to adapt to him.

His success is especially unusual on a platform dominated by younger users. Just 12% of Americans 65 and older say they use the app, compared with 63% of adults under 30, according to Pew Research Center.

Kalecinski’s unlikely second act began in 2025, when 26-year-old former YouTuber Amin Anbousi noticed older creators gaining attention online and began searching for the next “grandfluencer.” More than 150 people auditioned.

Kalecinski stood out with an application email packed with Gen Z slang, and his dry sense of humor carried over naturally through video.

But he found TikTok during a difficult period in his life. After spending months caring for his ailing wife, Kalecinski auditioned just weeks before she died, ending their 66-year marriage. The project gave him something new to focus on as he adjusted to life without her.

Second-act side hustle

Kalecinski’s following has also turned into paid opportunities. Brands have sought him out for sponsorships despite — or perhaps because of — his willingness to criticize the products he tries. Over the past year, he has also won an award for a supermarket campaign and appeared at several festivals.

He has entered a booming business. The global influencer-marketing industry was estimated to reach about $32 billion in 2025, roughly 35% higher than the year before, according to Statista.

Taya Iliunina, a senior creative copywriter with more than six years of advertising experience, told Moneywise that older creators are becoming more relevant to both brands and audiences.

“Older influencers are direct proof of confidence and a happy future for the financially capable generation,” she said. “Since the age of 60 to 70 seems far away to this generation, and the world feels emotionally unstable to them, the brain wants to believe that everything will be okay over time.”

Iliunina said that is part of what makes “grandfluencers” appealing. Older creators can offer younger viewers a more positive picture of what life might look like as they age.

And plenty of older adults are already looking for ways to bring in extra cash. About 22% of baby boomers ages 61 to 79 said they had a side hustle in 2025, according to a Bankrate survey. Among those with one, 59% said they earned more than $100 a month.

Don’t bank on going viral

In some ways, becoming an influencer was just Kalecinski’s latest way of making money. He kept working after reaching retirement age, and when he is not filming TikToks, he earns extra cash by day trading.

“I always have to have one euro more in my wallet than I spend,” he said.

But making money as a creator is far from guaranteed.