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

In today's newsletter, we're spotlighting travel creator Gabby Beckford (aka Packs Light), who I first met at our creator mental health event in October — fresh off her travels in China.

A former engineer who traded corporate life for content creation, Gabby is proving that with the right strategy, you really can ‘have it all’ — sharing her journey from blog beginnings to building a sustainable creator business.

Let’s dive in.

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‘I simply want it all': how Gabby Beckford is redefining travel content creation

Growing up in a military family, Gabby Beckford saw travel differently than most. With a Marine Corps officer father and a travel agent mother, moving around every few years and taking family road trips wasn't just a luxury – it was a way of life. This early exposure to different places and cultures shaped her worldview in ways she wouldn't fully appreciate until later.

But it was a jarring transition when her family settled in Virginia for high school. "I saw travel as something that people just do, to live," Gabby recalls. "Then I realized other people see travel as something you get to do once a year when your family scrimps and saves."

The stark contrast between her global upbringing and the more limited perspectives she encountered – sparked something in her. She knew she needed to find her way back to a more expansive way of living.

From Quality Engineer to ‘quality of life’

Despite her passion for travel, Gabby initially followed a traditional path, earning a degree in statistics and landing a job as a quality engineer for a government contractor. But her heart wasn't in it. "In my heart, I knew I wanted a flexible lifestyle and financial freedom," she says.

The real catalyst came during her first solo trip at age 17 – what she calls her "hero's arc beginning." That two-week backpacking adventure, though challenging, changed her life. It prompted her to start a blog to document her experiences and answer the flood of questions from friends: How did you go there? You're not even 18 – could you fly alone at age 17?

What started as a simple WordPress blog in 2013 evolved organically into a full-fledged creator business — Packs Light. Unlike many of today's creators who start with viral aspirations on TikTok, Gabby's journey began with genuine storytelling.

Her social media presence grew gradually, starting with Instagram posts during her 2017 Dubai study abroad. The pivot to video came in 2020 through Meta's We The Culture program, which became her "bootcamp in scripting longer form video." When the program shifted to short-form content, she adapted quickly: "I'd turn this longer video into four shorter videos, and rode the 2020 algorithm to 100,000 TikTok followers in less than a year"

Smart risk-taking

The transition from engineering to full-time creator wasn't without careful calculation, though. "I was making half as much from my business as I did in my engineering job," she reveals. "But I thought, 'People survive off of $30k a year in very stressful jobs. As a remote worker doing something I love, I can definitely make it work.'"

Her decision to quit came at age 24 – a strategic choice. "If I'm ever gonna quit my job and not have health insurance for a while, I'm gonna do that now," she reasoned, thinking she could always return to engineering if needed.

But the pandemic hit one week after she quit. Somehow, rather than panicking, she saw opportunity: “It was an opportunity to lock in an unprecedented way”

That foundation-building period stretched into a year, becoming the cornerstone of her business.

Building a different kind of travel brand

Today, Gabby stands out in the crowded travel content space by offering something different. When you search for travel content, she notes, "you're going to see some 18-year-old white guy backpacking in Thailand, sleeping with spiders in a hostel with 40 other people."

Her approach? Showing young women, particularly women of color, that they can have amazing adventures without sacrificing quality, or safety.

"I want it all," she declares — and she helps her audience do the same. Whether it's securing fully-funded study abroad opportunities or finding creative ways to make travel accessible, Gabby's content focuses on empowering others to achieve what might seem impossible through research, discipline, and persistence.

The business behind the adventure

Unlike many travel influencers who rely heavily on sponsored stays and press trips, Gabby has developed a sustainable business model that prioritizes independence.

She started by saving $10,000 from her engineering job, which funded her initial transition into full-time content creation. Now, she self-funds much of her travel, preferring to maintain control over her experiences and content.

"I don't like trading time for money," she emphasizes. "I don't like trading time or my choices for free stuff." Instead of chasing hotel partnerships that require constant content creation, she partners with lifestyle, tech, and finance brands that align with her values and naturally fit into her travel narrative.

For example, she might work with a dry shampoo brand while traveling in Poland, integrating their product naturally into her existing content rather than building content around sponsored stays.

Purpose > Profit

Gabby offers pointed advice for creators looking to break free from the brand-deal treadmill. "The creator landscape has changed a lot since the pandemic," she observes. "Creators in general are being seen as salespeople more than ever. I really don't like that."

Her key advice for emerging creators?

She shares a personal example:

Looking ahead, Gabby is launching SeekPTO.com in January 2024 – a subscription platform that will connect people to fully and partially funded travel opportunities through AI matching, community, coaching, and accountability features. It's an evolution of what she's been doing informally through her blog for years, now scaled up to help more people access life-changing travel experiences.

She's also focusing more on building in-person communities, particularly for her younger audience who crave not just travel advice, but hope and connection.

More than ever, there's a huge push for not just community, but hope – literally commiseration and feeling like your life is not your own to control. I show them there’s hope, through travel.

NYC — a home base for a traveler

Though constantly on the move, Gabby has chosen NYC as her home base – and for good reason. "I feel like I'm still traveling when I'm in New York City," she explains. From Neo-Indian dinner one night, to Portuguese lunch the next, surrounded by a symphony of languages on the subway, she finds the whole world that she’s truly explored in one city.

This base has also allowed her to deepen connections with her community through in-person events and meaningful interactions. "Being present in one place is enough to form habits, and it's refreshing. I run into the grocery guy multiple times and learn his story. People know I’m around, and invite me to intimate get togethers. I missed it." she reflects. "It’s reinspiring me, and it's a new take on my storytelling."

Her bigger picture

For Gabby, it has never been really about country counting or seeing every destination on the map. "It's about connection. And making sure I make the most of this one human experience," she says. "I just use travel as a vehicle."

Through her content, platforms, and community-building efforts, she's helping others do the same – showing that with the right mindset and approach, you really can have it all.

Follow Gabby's adventures and get inspired for your own at @packslight, especially on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Upcoming event

You can just be you: how to turn yourself into a brand (a mixer & panel)

Join us Monday, November 18, at 6:30 for our signature mixer and panel event —connect with NYC’s top creators, marketers, and founders shaping the creator economy.

Whether you’re an established creator or just beginning to build your personal brand, your differentiator is YOU. Our panel will feature three top NYC creators who transformed aspects of their personal lives into content-driven careers. They’ll share insights on how to find and lean into what makes you distinct, translating personal experiences into content that resonates:

• Jack Appleby – Creator of Future Social, a top newsletter for social media marketing, Jack combines his expertise with a passion for basketball to reach a dedicated audience.

• Yena Kim – Known for her account Menswear Dog, Yena has turned her love for fashion and her Shiba Inu into a viral brand, proving that creativity knows no bounds.

• Colin Rocker – A career coach turned content creator, Colin shares industry insights to help professionals thrive by building their personal brands.

• Piper Phillips - Piper brings an entrepreneurial approach to content creation, sharing insights on personal growth, business, and life in your 20s.

Highly recommended giving them each a follow before our event!

Finally a huge shoutout to our sponsors for this event — Teachable, beehiiv and Fig Wealth.

• 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. This comes after a complimentary 30-day free trial, exclusively for our community members! Snag it here.

• Why YouTube spending signals a changing content market

• Why the ad industry is redefining what it means to be a creator vs. influencer

• How creators are reshaping the future of small businesses

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you thought by replying back to this email! See you next week!

Brett