👋🏽 Doors Opening

Hey! Welcome to Creator Economy NYC — the premier hub where the creator economy connects, learns, and thrives.

This week, we took Creator Economy NYC to its most fitting venue yet: the actual NYC subway.

In today's newsletter: our underground adventure with beehiiv, an upcoming event with Notion, and more.

Let’s ride.

📓 Brought to you by Notion

Notion saved my creator sanity

I've been using Notion religiously to keep Creator Economy NYC running smoothly. From managing events to planning content calendars and tracking brand partnerships, it's basically my second brain at this point.

So I'm hyped to share that Notion just launched their Creator Program, offering free access to Notion Plus and Notion AI for eligible creators.

The details: Creators with 10k+ cumulative followers and 5k+ average views across platforms can apply. Notion is basically saying "we want to give you back more time to create" — and who doesn't want that?

Apply for the Notion for Creators Program to get free Notion access for your creator journey.

Notion has been a partner that has genuinely made my creator life more manageable, so I'm excited to pass this opportunity along to you all.

✍️ Spotlight

Taking Creator Economy NYC underground: our subway adventure

Disclaimer: Creator Economy NYC does not endorse actively engaging with or provoking police for creating content. Run-ins with NYPD were purely coincidental and not part of our content strategy.

Sometimes the most memorable content emerges when you transform everyday spaces into extraordinary experiences.

That's exactly what happened when we decided to host our latest Creator Economy NYC event in the most New York place possible... the subway.

The underground idea

When our friends at beehiiv approached me about integrating our community with their new subway ad campaign, an idea immediately clicked.

Since we are Creator Economy NYC and our branding is inspired by the iconic subway design, why not take our community literally underground to the subway for an event?

The concept: gather creators on a specific subway car (one displaying beehiiv's ads), film content about audience ownership and monetization, and create a unique networking experience that would be impossible to forget.

Subway logistics: creator edition

Pulling this off wasn't simple. We needed to:

• Find subway cars ending in "9" (the only ones with beehiiv ads), and no, the subway cars are not in numerical order

• Coordinate 30+ creators to gather at the right spot on the platform

• Film structured content while moving on public transportation

• Keep everyone together as we rode from Herald Square to 125th Street

Oh, and as we found out, dodge the NYPD, who apparently consider a group of excited creators a potential public disturbance.

Community beats comfort

What struck me most was how many people showed up. With over 120 RSVPs and 30+ creators who actually joined us on the platform, I was humbled by the community we've built.

People were willing to spend their Wednesday night joining what was admittedly a "messy chaotic subway situation" just to be part of our community content experience.

This reinforced something I've been saying for years: authentic community experiences beat polished content every time.

People want to be part of something real, even if — especially if — it's a little unpredictable. Like the Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in Washington Square Park!

The city as your canvas

It might be cliche, but for creators, especially those in urban environments, this event highlighted a powerful concept: your city isn't just where you live — it's your content canvas waiting to be painted on.

New York, especially, offers countless unique backdrops for creative content.

The rumbling subway cars, the platform conversations, even dodging NYPD (legally, of course) — all of these elements became part of our story. And somehow it took us this long to utilize one of NYC's most iconic elements!

This "City as Canvas" mindset opens endless possibilities.

The mundane becomes magical when viewed through a creator lens. The daily commute transforms into a networking opportunity. The public space becomes your studio. Hell, even your corporate office becomes a backdrop!

Where could you create content that would be uniquely tied to your location? What everyday environments could you transform into memorable experiences for your community? Make it uniquely yours.

Adventures ahead

Stay tuned to our socials next week as we share the final videos from our subway adventure. Your engagement and shares will help amplify both Creator Economy NYC and beehiiv's message about the power of owned audiences.

And who knows — maybe our next content adventure will be on a ferry. Or a bridge?? Or somewhere else unexpected in this vast city canvas of ours.

The most memorable creator content happens when you reimagine familiar spaces in unfamiliar ways. Or in our case, when you take the train everyone travels, but in a way no one expected.

Where will your next content adventure take you?

Just remember to use your city canvas responsibly. Be safe. Stay creative.

 📢 Industry Happenings

An event I'm excited about - The Influencer Marketing Show USA

I've connected with some amazing people at industry events like this, and IMS brings together the brands, agencies, and creators who are actually shaping where the creator economy is headed.

• When: April 22-25

• Where: Hollywood, Florida

• Why it matters: Three days with speakers from Google, CeraVe, Fenty Beauty, Refinery29, and more. The kinds of connections you make at these events can be game-changers for your creator business.

Whether you're a creator looking to understand the brand side or a marketer wanting to level up your creator strategy, there's something valuable here.

CENYC readers get $50 off with code: CENYC50

Let me know if you end up going - would love to hear what you learn!

 🎪 City Happenings

MIXER & PANEL: Talking Creator Tools (4/15)

We’re teaming up with our friends at Notion for a special night celebrating the launch of their first-ever creator program AND the launch of their newest product.

Join us for an evening of drinks, light bites, and good conversation — featuring an insightful panel diving into the tools, workflows, and systems that power today’s top creators.

We’ll explore what’s actually in their tech stack, how they work smarter, and what tools they swear by.

Panelists to be announced soon. Spots are limited — grab yours now.

VIRTUAL EVENT: Creator Taxes (4/4)

Paying taxes sucks — especially if you’re a creator.

Taxes are confusing, overwhelming, and way too easy to ignore.

That’s why we’re teaming up with our friends at Karat for a free, no-fluff, actually helpful workshop designed specifically for creators.

In this virtual session, we’ll break down everything you need to know to stay on top of your finances and keep more of what you earn.

 🤝 CONNECT CONFERENCE

Early bird tickets for our upcoming conference are officially live!

As part of our community, you get first access to EARLY BIRD TICKETS at our special pricing of $147 ($100 off the regular price).

Use code: EBCONNECT (don’t share it tho, that’s just for you).

Here’s what to expect on May 10th: A full day of building connections and shaping the future of the creator economy with a host of other creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

Space is limited – and these early bird spots will go quickly.

✌🏽 Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Please

Thanks so much for reading! Let’s get after it!

See you next week,

Brett