Hey! Welcome to the Creator Economy NYC newsletter, your weekly dose of insights and strategies to help you build, monetize, and scale as a creator.

Happy 2026. First newsletter of the year. Let's make it count.

We recently asked full-time NYC creators one question: What does it take to succeed as a creator in 2026?

Here’s what they shared.

Let's dive in.

— Brett

What it takes to succeed as a creator in 2026

Be consistent.

The number one predictor of creator success isn't talent or timing. It's survival.

Morgan Young put it bluntly: "Most creators never actually make it past three months, six months, and then a year."

That tracks with what I've seen building this community. Creators show up energized, post consistently for a few weeks, then quietly disappear when the results don't match the effort.

But the ones still standing a year later, they're usually winning. Not because they figured out some secret, but because they're still in the game.

Shervin Shares framed it as "being consistently good over occasionally great." I love that. One viral post doesn't build a business. Showing up week after week does.

Be consistent. Show up longer than you think you need to. The compound effect is real, but it takes time.

Be specific.

Colin Rocker said something that stuck with me: "The more specific you are in terms of who you're actually talking to, who your content exists to serve, that's how you really find your niche."

Most creators get this backwards. They think broader content reaches more people. But broad content just disappears into the noise.

When you create for everyone, you create for no one. When you create for one specific person, everyone like them shows up.

Jessica Morrobel reinforced this: "You really have to understand your vision and remember to stay in your lane." The lane feels limiting at first. Over time, it becomes your advantage.

Be specific. Create for someone, not everyone. Specificity attracts.

Be different.

Here's something I wish more early-stage creators understood.

Yutao Han said it clearly: "When you're first starting out, there's no way you're gonna make content that's better than someone who's been doing it for five plus years. That's why you gotta try to be the first one to take a unique angle."

Your weird combination of interests, background, and perspective is an asset. The finance creator who's also deep into sustainable fashion has a lens nobody else has. The marketing expert who plays semi-pro basketball brings something that can't be copied.

Stop trying to be better at their game. Find a different game entirely.

Be different. Find your unique angle. Out-differentiate the vets.

Be valuable.

Ariel Viera gave the formula: "Cover what you're passionate about, what you're fascinated about, and then figure out a way to bring it as value to others."

Both parts matter.

Passion alone won't sustain a business. You'll burn out creating content nobody needs. But chasing trends you don't care about burns you out even faster.

The creators I've watched build real businesses in this community found the intersection. They're working in spaces they'd explore anyway, then packaging that expertise into something that solves real problems for their audience.

Sustainable creator businesses live at the intersection of what you care about and what your audience needs.

Be valuable. Passion alone isn't enough. Solve real problems for real people.

Be experimental. 

Eric Pan kept it simple: "You're gonna have to experiment, whatever your niche is."

Perfectionism kills more creator careers than bad content ever will.

Your first version won't be your best version. It's not supposed to be. The goal is to ship something real enough to get feedback, then iterate based on what you learn.

I call this the minimal viable content. What's the rawest form of this idea that can still land with someone? Post that. See what happens. Adjust.

Be experimental. F*ck It, Create It. Learn. Iterate.

Be invested.

Jahbari Taylor closed with something I've been thinking about a lot:

"The best thing to do is probably to invest in yourself. Whether it's the equipment, making the hire for something that you need. Just invest in yourself. Believe in yourself."

This one's tricky because the timing is different for everyone. You don't need expensive gear or a team on day one. But at some point, the lack of investment becomes the bottleneck.

Be invested. Put resources behind your own growth. You're worth it.

One final thing: I recently sat down with the Creator Spotlight podcast to talk about how I built Creator Economy NYC into a six-figure business through newsletters and events. If you want the full story behind what we're building here, give it a listen here.

Best influencer marketing conference of the year

I'm heading to Creator Economy Live West in Las Vegas this month, and I think you should come too.

Here's the deal: CEL West is the largest creator-focused conference built specifically for brands, creators, and agencies who are serious about this space.

We're talking 50+ expert-led sessions, six content tracks covering everything from brand partnerships to community building, and 500+ people in the room ready to connect and collaborate.

I'll be there meeting with brands, connecting with creators in our community, and honestly just soaking up what's working right now in influencer marketing.

I snagged 20% off tickets for you - so if you've been thinking about attending… this is your sign. Let's go to Vegas, learn some things, and make it fun.

2026 Creator Economy NYC Kickoff

Our first Creator Economy NYC event of 2026 is officially on the calendar.

We're kicking off the year the right way: drinks, music, good conversation, and a little goal-setting to set the tone for what's ahead. More details to follow.

Wednesday, January 28. Come start 2026 with us.

F*ck It, Create It is the resource I wish I had before I started Creator Economy NYC:

F*ck It, Create It is not about growth hacks or content strategy. It's about clearing the mental friction that keeps you frozen. The overthinking. The perfectionism. The "I'll start when I'm ready" lie we tell ourselves.

It's short, it's actionable, and it's built for creators who have been sitting on an idea for way too long.

Normally $97, but we’re running a 20% end-of-year reset right now. Use code ‘2026’.

Two free tools that helped me build everything you see here:

The Creator Goal Setting Guide (FREE): A simple but powerful document to help you declare who you want to BECOME in 2026.

The Creator Accountability System (FREE): Your visual companion for consistent creation in 2026.

Thanks for reading!

And remember: the creators who succeed in 2026 won't be doing anything revolutionary. They'll be doing the fundamentals that everyone else skips because they're not flashy enough.

See you next week,

Brett