I’M WALKIN’ HERE WITH

Hey! Welcome to Creator Economy NYC — the premier place for all things creator economy in the Big Apple.

Wild — this is our final newsletter of the year. I'm writing this feeling incredibly grateful for the community we have here. What started as a simple idea has become NYC's largest and most active creator community, and we're just getting started. Thank you for being part of this journey.

In today’s newsletter, I'm pulling back the curtain on two frameworks that transformed my own creator journey this year. And, as a plus, I'm giving you the exact templates I used for free, just in time for your 2025 planning…

Let's dive in.

Enjoying being part of the community?

BROUGHT TO YOU BY BEEHIIV

The foundation every creator needs (learned from experience)

Before Creator Economy NYC, I started in this industry by launching a newsletter with my brother, and it taught me one crucial lesson: owning your audience is everything.

That's exactly why I use beehiiv, the newsletter platform behind this very email you're reading. Like me, beehiiv believes in freeing creators from algorithm dependency, giving you the tools to build genuine, lasting connections with your community.

Plus, with a network of premium advertisers and paid subscription options, you can start monetizing from day one. Seriously.

I've lived this journey — now it's your turn! Grow your brand with the most powerful newsletter platform on the planet.

CITY SPOTLIGHT

Two frameworks that improved my creator journey (and will improve yours too)

As we wrap up 2024, I want to share something different with you — not just another "how to set goals" overview, but two practical frameworks that transformed my personal creator journey over the past two years.

Framework #1: the identity shift

Two years ago, I sat down with a blank document and wrote a few simple words that would change everything: "I WILL BECOME a networker and connector."

I didn't write "I will organize events" or "I will grow my network." Instead, inspired by James Clear's concept of identity-based habits, I focused on who I wanted to BECOME, not just what I wanted to do.

Here's why this shift in thinking is so powerful for creators:

• When you define your identity first, your actions naturally align with who you're becoming. A YouTuber doesn't "try to make videos" — they show up to create, just like it's breathing

• It shifts your mindset from "I have to post content" to "This is what creators like me do"

• Small actions compound because they're reinforcing your identity, not just checking boxes

That identity declaration sparked what would become Creator Economy NYC. Every time I felt uncertain about hosting an event or reaching out to someone, I'd remind myself: "This is who I am now – a connector." The results compound over time:

• Building a thriving creator community in NYC became natural, not forced

• Connecting hundreds of creators through events felt aligned with my identity

• Creating lasting relationships became second nature because it was part of who I was becoming

Now, think about this for yourself as you look toward 2025. Instead of writing "I will post three times a week" or "I will grow to 10,000 followers," what identity do you want to claim?

Maybe it's:

• "I WILL BECOME a YouTuber" (not just someone who posts videos)

• "I WILL BECOME a community builder" (not just someone who organizes events)

• "I WILL BECOME a product creator" (not just someone who launches digital products)

See the difference? When you declare "I WILL BECOME a YouTuber," you start thinking differently. You naturally begin asking yourself: "What would a successful YouTuber do in this situation? How would they set up their studio? How would they approach content planning?"

The actions flow from the identity you're stepping into.

Framework #2: the power of visual accountability

Fast forward to a year ago. I set another identity-based goal: “I WILL BECOME a newsletter writer.” But this time, I added a crucial element to that — visual accountability.

After writing down that goal, I created a simple Canva design: 52 empty orange circles. Each circle represented a promise to show up every week, no matter what — which I call “Progress Rings.”

Here's why this system works:

• It makes the intangible tangible — you can literally see your progress

• The simplicity removes all excuses ("The lighting isn't perfect" or "I'm not inspired today")

• It creates a visual streak you don't want to break

The psychology behind this is powerful:

• Your brain loves closing loops (empty circles beg to be filled)

• Visual progress triggers dopamine releases that motivate continued action (like watching your subscriber count grow)

• Public accountability (sharing your commitment with your audience) creates positive pressure

Think about how you could use this for your creator goals:

• A circle for each podcast episode

• A square for each week of consistent shorts

• A star for each product development milestone

For me, using this system, the results speak for themselves:

• 1,000 → 6,000 subscribers (~500% growth)

• 100,000 words written

• 61.3% average open rate

But the most satisfying metric? Those filled circles. Each one represents a promise kept to myself and to you. And today, we get to fill in the final circle…

Now it’s your turn: two free resources

The beauty of these systems is their simplicity. You don't need complex tools or expensive software. What you need is:

1. Clarity about who you want to BECOME

2. A simple, visual way to track your consistency (whether it's videos, posts, product launches, etc)

3. A commitment to showing up, even when the algorithm seems against you or engagement is down

And because I want to see you crush it in 2025, I'm sharing both frameworks as downloadable templates for you:

Here's to becoming who we want to be in 2025: one goal and one filled circle at a time. 🍻

CITY HAPPENINGS

We’re in the process of prepping a ton of programming for 2025. While a lot is in the works, some tentative dates have been mapped out…

And the beautiful thing is that you can RSVP now! Get on the list early here →

INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS

Vegas is calling!

Creator Economy Live is back for its flagship conference, and this time, they’re taking over Vegas! And if you're tryna improve creator ROI or tryna to crack the code on influencer partnerships, this is the place to be.

I’ll be there, and you should come join me February 4-5 to hang with folks from Disney, Google, Fenty, and like 40 other brands and agencies you'd actually want to meet.

And because you’re part of my crew — get 20% off with code 20CENYC. But get ‘em before they sell out soon!

PICKS & PERKS FOR YOU

Start a newsletter: It’s time you own your audience and start a newsletter. Get 20% off your first 3 months on any beehiiv paid plan. Snag it here →

*Optimize your influencer campaigns: Siftsy analyzes comment sections to uncover sentiment and trends, helping you improve performance and prove ROI. Discover more here →

Get shareable clips in seconds from long form: I’ve been using OpusClip to easily create high-quality clips from our panels. Try it out here →

*Siftsy is something I’ve co-founded, and working to make it the best damn tool out there for influencer marketers and brands.

STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING DOORS PLEASE

Thanks so much for reading! Here's to an incredible 2025 ahead. Thanks for making this community what it is, and I’m looking forward to what we'll build together in 2025.

See you next year,

Brett