👋🏽 Doors Opening

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

Today's newsletter was inspired by two moments from our recent CONNECT conference, Steve Jobs' approach to saving Apple in 1997, and a question every creator needs to answer:

What's your why?

Let's dive in.

📓 Brought to you by Notion

Stop missing the details that matter in brand partnership calls

Last month, I was in a call with a potential sponsor for our events. They're talking budget, timeline, deliverables — and I'm frantically trying to write it all down while staying engaged in the conversation.

I missed their key requirement about social promotion. Had to follow up with an awkward "remind me what you said about..." email.

Now I use Notion AI Meeting Notes.

It captures and summarizes everything automatically. I can focus on building the relationship while AI handles the details. Everything's searchable in Notion, so I never lose important ideas, decisions… or, worse, the partnership.

It’s been a game-changer for meetings. And as a creator, I know it’ll be a game-changer for you, too.

✍️ Spotlight

Stop doing everything, start doing what matters

Two soundbites from our CONNECT conference have been stuck in my head the past two weeks.

First, during our panel on building teams and scaling, Aneesh Lal shared something that hit different… He talked about how he starts team meetings by asking: "What's our why? What are we doing the work we're doing?"

For him, it's getting LinkedIn creators paid through his talent firm. Simple. Clear. Focused.

Then during Timm Chiusano's keynote, he reflected on running meetings called "How We Win the Week" — where everyone aligned on what needed to be achieved and how they were going to do it.

That got my mind racing about my own why and how Creator Economy NYC wins each week.

I realized I'd been so busy building that I'd forgotten to pause and ask:

• What's CENYC's why?

• How do we win the week?

• What actually matters most?

The Steve Jobs clarity test

This reflection came at the perfect time because I've been reading Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography, and one thing keeps jumping out: Jobs' obsession with focus.

When he returned to Apple in 1997, his first move wasn't innovation.

It was elimination.

He killed 70% of Apple's product line in one sweep. Dozens of projects, countless "opportunities," entire divisions — gone.

The result? Everyone suddenly knew what mattered.

That's the power of focus: It doesn't just clarify your path, it eliminates every other one.

The creator's focus problem

As I think about this principle, I see it everywhere in our community.

We're all drowning in options:

• New platforms launching constantly

• New strategies promising overnight success

• New "opportunities" that scatter our energy

The creators who break through aren't the busiest ones.

They're the most focused ones.

They know their 3-5 non-negotiables and ruthlessly protect them.

They've done their own version of Jobs' 70% elimination.

Finding your “essential 30%”

So here's what I'm asking myself (and maybe you should too):

• What's your 70%? What projects, platforms, or pursuits are you doing out of habit rather than intention?

• What needs to be cut so the essential 30% can thrive?

• Do you even know what your essential 30% is!?

Because here's what I sometimes need to remind myself: being busy isn't the same as being effective.

And being active isn't the same as advancing.

Your focus challenge

Focus isn't about doing more things right. It's about doing the RIGHT things ONLY.

This week: Write down your why. What's your mission as a creator? If you can't clearly articulate this in 1-2 sentences, start there.

Next, list everything you're currently working on as a creator. Then eliminate everything that doesn't serve it. Cross it out. KNOW YOUR ESSENTIALS.

Simon Sinek says people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

But first, you need to know why you do it. And then you need to protect that why with the fierce focus it deserves.

🎪 City Happenings

What's next: summer events preview

As we practice what we preach about focus, here's what we're planning for the summer as of now:

• Virtual event — final week of June (TBA)

• Mixer & panel — July 22 (RSVP EARLY HERE 😎)

• Mixer & panel — August 19 (TBA)

All events will be added to our events calendar once confirmed. As always, you'll hear about them first right here in the newsletter, then on our socials.

📚 Resources

2 FREE resources to accelerate your creator growth

The Creator Goal Setting Guide: A simple but powerful document to help you declare who you want to BECOME in 2025.

The Creator Accountability System: Your visual companion for consistent creation in 2025 (I’m using this now to send one newsletter a week!)

✌🏽 Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Please

Thanks so much for reading and being part of this community. Sometimes the best way forward is knowing what to leave behind.

Here's to focusing on what matters most. See you next week.

LFC(reate),

Brett

P.S. What's one thing you're going to stop doing this week to focus on what matters most? Hit reply and let me know — I'd love to hear what your essential 30% looks like.