That appears to be a very old article (anything pre-2018 is basically irrelevant.) Sarah Longfield has done interviews saying she makes a living off primarily

That appears to be a very old article (anything pre-2018 is basically irrelevant.) Sarah Longfield has done interviews saying she makes a living off primarily Patreon, with concerts and t-shirts a less important revenue stream. I can think of 20 others with the same story, and in fact, most have discussed it on video. They do that to educate their "1000 true fans" how to support them. AMA.