“We have to start recognizing that the creator economy is this new era of small businesses and the more we start to think of creators as small businesses, the more we will start to care and build the areas that enable them to thrive and grow,” states Brett Dashevsky, founder of Creator Economy NYC, a community for content creators and industry professionals in New York City.
Since founding Creator Economy NYC in 2023, Brett has established it as a knowledge hub and networking community serving creators and the ecosystem around them, like marketers, founders, and platforms, with a distinctly different focus than most.
“I really believe in people building sustainable businesses. We don’t talk about how one goes viral. I don’t care about that. I care about you getting to the nitty-gritty of being a proper entrepreneur,” explains Brett. “Because if you want to be a successful creator, if you want to achieve your professional ambitions, you need a business mindset.”
This perspective was shaped by his own work in the creator economy. After co-founding Healthcare Huddle, a newsletter focused on making complex healthcare topics accessible that was later acquired, he worked at Workweek managing creator brands, served as Head of Content Creators at Kickstarter, and co-founded Siftsy, a comment-section analytics platform.
These experiences gave him firsthand insight into the business challenges creators face—and the sustainable strategies they need but often lack.
Climbing Commerce Mountain
The development of Creator Economy NYC began with Brett hosting simple happy hours for people in the industry. “I put out a little Twitter blast, like, ‘Hey, I’m hosting a creator economy meetup in NYC just for kicks,'” he recalls. That first event drew 42 RSVPs and about 20 attendees.
What Brett discovered through these gatherings was a consistent pattern of challenges facing creators, particularly in terms of sustainable monetization. “First and foremost, it’s growing sustainably,” he notes. “Many creators are struggling with that path to monetization.”
This observation led him to develop the concept of “climbing commerce mountain”—a framework for understanding how creators need to progress in their revenue strategies. “Typically, in the creator economy, you’ll start with affiliate or brand partnerships as a way to drive revenue, but that can be exhausted very easily. And then you’re left with what? What comes next?” Brett asks.
His solution focuses on building revenue through owned channels and intellectual property: “I talk a lot about building sustainably through your owned channels, like a newsletter or maybe launching premium experiences where it’s a course or knowledge behind a paywall, which people tend to be more than willing to pay for if it’s of value.”
This approach differs from the quick-fix, viral-chasing mindset that dominates much creator economy discussion. For Brett, sustainable business building means thinking like an entrepreneur rather than a content machine—a perspective that began attracting brands like Teachable, Notion, beehiiv, ManyChat, and eventually Shopify to partner with Creator Economy NYC.
The Community Structure for Creator Entrepreneurs
From the outset, Creator Economy NYC has employed a methodical approach to designing event experiences to maximize both comfort and valuable connections. Drawing on his background in business and his current work developing Siftsy, Brett applies user experience principles to in-person gatherings.
“I am pretty obsessive over the flow when people enter,” Brett explains. His standard “flagship events” follow a carefully crafted format: attendees are greeted by volunteers, receive name tags with identifying stickers, enjoy 45-60 minutes of dedicated networking time with refreshments, then participate in a 35-minute panel with Q&A, followed by additional networking.
To reduce newcomers’ anxiety, Brett incorporates interactive elements, such as unique stickers and the “Wall of Tools,” where attendees write the tools they can’t live without on sticky notes as they enter. “I’m trying to find ways to reduce the barrier of stress and anxiety of entering an event,” he notes.
The panel discussions focus on practical business strategies rather than viral tactics. Recent topics have included transitioning to professional creation, building personal brands, leveraging commerce platforms like Shopify, and essential tools for creators.
Creator Economy NYC recently partnered with Teachable to host its first full-day conference, “CONNECT,” which sold out with over 150 tickets at $150 each.
“It was a big milestone because it was our first paid event that we sold out,” Brett notes, adding that this success confirmed the demand for business-focused creator education and the strength of the community he had built.
What particularly struck Brett during the conference was the level of openness and engagement from participants. “People were very vulnerable. People cried. They were very open about their struggles or what they wanted to achieve,” he recalls. “We created an environment where people feel comfortable speaking in front of other people.”
The Content Behind the Creator
Aside from monetization, Brett has identified that many creators struggle with developing their unique content perspective. His work with creators has shown that authenticity and personal experience are powerful differentiators.
“Creators don’t recognize how deeply they should tap into their unique experiences and their perspectives,” Brett observes. “People want to hear your story. They want to hear about that layoff that led to your new career, or that struggle to meet rent, and then you had to jump to a different job. These qualities make you relatable, but also more genuine and real. It’s your story.
This insight addresses what happened at Creator Economy NYC’s personal branding panel in November 2024, where participants discovered how to leverage their unique backgrounds. Brett cites fellow creator Colin Rocker as an example: “He’s a great storyteller, and he was on that panel where we talked about personal brand. Colin’s content is about career stuff, and so many other creators talk about career stuff. But he’s like, ‘Well, I’m a first-generation professional. I lost my job before I had my first kid.’ And it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m listening.’”
Institutional Support for Creator Businesses
Brett envisions Creator Economy NYC playing a key role in legitimizing creators as business owners deserving of institutional support like any small business. His experience at Kickstarter, where he helped creators transform their audiences into engaged backers, exposed him to the potential of connecting creators with proper business infrastructure.
To advance this mission, Creator Economy NYC is expanding in three directions, as Brett explains: “We are working on deepening our brand partnerships with brands that we align closely with and that want to be part of this vision of helping creators build sustainably and achieve their professional ambitions. We are leaning into more education and knowledge offerings so that we can truly be a hub that supports creators on every step of their way. And we’re creating more original content that champions the NYC creator economy and beyond.”
The educational component focuses on developing courses and resources that help creators “get their first dollar or negotiate their first dollar or build beyond that.” Unlike many creator economy resources that focus on going viral or maximizing followers, Creator Economy NYC’s educational content centers on business basics and sustainable growth.
From Surviving to Thriving
Creator Economy NYC’s tagline—”Where the Creator Economy connects, learns, and thrives”—encapsulates Brett’s philosophy about what creators truly need.
“We want to help connect individuals in this space. We want to help them learn and empower them. And ultimately, those two together help them thrive,” he explains.
For Brett, thriving means moving beyond survival mode to sustainable success and achieving professional ambitions. “How can we help them thrive versus just survive?” he asks. “You’re literally doing your thing, right? The training wheels are off, now you’re biking. That’s ultimately what we’re working towards.”
By curating each event carefully, Brett maintains quality while expanding reach. This selective approach ensures that attendees are genuinely interested in building businesses rather than chasing quick fame.
“If I recognize that you want to be there because you have a learner’s mindset, you have a business mindset, you want to hear what’s going on, you want to meet people, I would love to have you there,” Brett explains.
The result is a community where egos are checked at the door and genuine collaboration flourishes. “There’s no ego, right? It’s like leaving your ego at the door the moment you step foot in Creator Economy NYC,” he states.
This ethos of equality and mutual support reflects Brett’s belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” By reimagining creators as small business owners deserving of support, education, and community, Creator Economy NYC is advancing a shift in how people driving the creator economy forward are valued.
As Brett puts it, “Community will be the basis of what enables this greater space to stay alive and stay strong.”
“We have to start recognizing that the creator economy is this new era of small businesses and the more we start to think of creators as small businesses, the more we will start to care and build the areas that enable them to thrive and grow,” states Brett Dashevsky, founder of Creator Economy NYC, a community for content creators and industry professionals in New York City.
Since founding Creator Economy NYC in 2023, Brett has established it as a knowledge hub and networking community serving creators and the ecosystem around them, like marketers, founders, and platforms, with a distinctly different focus than most.
“I really believe in people building sustainable businesses. We don’t talk about how one goes viral. I don’t care about that. I care about you getting to the nitty-gritty of being a proper entrepreneur,” explains Brett. “Because if you want to be a successful creator, if you want to achieve your professional ambitions, you need a business mindset.”
This perspective was shaped by his own work in the creator economy. After co-founding Healthcare Huddle, a newsletter focused on making complex healthcare topics accessible that was later acquired, he worked at Workweek managing creator brands, served as Head of Content Creators at Kickstarter, and co-founded Siftsy, a comment-section analytics platform.
These experiences gave him firsthand insight into the business challenges creators face—and the sustainable strategies they need but often lack.
Climbing Commerce Mountain
The development of Creator Economy NYC began with Brett hosting simple happy hours for people in the industry. “I put out a little Twitter blast, like, ‘Hey, I’m hosting a creator economy meetup in NYC just for kicks,'” he recalls. That first event drew 42 RSVPs and about 20 attendees.
What Brett discovered through these gatherings was a consistent pattern of challenges facing creators, particularly in terms of sustainable monetization. “First and foremost, it’s growing sustainably,” he notes. “Many creators are struggling with that path to monetization.”
This observation led him to develop the concept of “climbing commerce mountain”—a framework for understanding how creators need to progress in their revenue strategies. “Typically, in the creator economy, you’ll start with affiliate or brand partnerships as a way to drive revenue, but that can be exhausted very easily. And then you’re left with what? What comes next?” Brett asks.
His solution focuses on building revenue through owned channels and intellectual property: “I talk a lot about building sustainably through your owned channels, like a newsletter or maybe launching premium experiences where it’s a course or knowledge behind a paywall, which people tend to be more than willing to pay for if it’s of value.”
This approach differs from the quick-fix, viral-chasing mindset that dominates much creator economy discussion. For Brett, sustainable business building means thinking like an entrepreneur rather than a content machine—a perspective that began attracting brands like Teachable, Notion, beehiiv, ManyChat, and eventually Shopify to partner with Creator Economy NYC.
The Community Structure for Creator Entrepreneurs
From the outset, Creator Economy NYC has employed a methodical approach to designing event experiences to maximize both comfort and valuable connections. Drawing on his background in business and his current work developing Siftsy, Brett applies user experience principles to in-person gatherings.
“I am pretty obsessive over the flow when people enter,” Brett explains. His standard “flagship events” follow a carefully crafted format: attendees are greeted by volunteers, receive name tags with identifying stickers, enjoy 45-60 minutes of dedicated networking time with refreshments, then participate in a 35-minute panel with Q&A, followed by additional networking.
To reduce newcomers’ anxiety, Brett incorporates interactive elements, such as unique stickers and the “Wall of Tools,” where attendees write the tools they can’t live without on sticky notes as they enter. “I’m trying to find ways to reduce the barrier of stress and anxiety of entering an event,” he notes.
The panel discussions focus on practical business strategies rather than viral tactics. Recent topics have included transitioning to professional creation, building personal brands, leveraging commerce platforms like Shopify, and essential tools for creators.
Creator Economy NYC recently partnered with Teachable to host its first full-day conference, “CONNECT,” which sold out with over 150 tickets at $150 each.
“It was a big milestone because it was our first paid event that we sold out,” Brett notes, adding that this success confirmed the demand for business-focused creator education and the strength of the community he had built.
What particularly struck Brett during the conference was the level of openness and engagement from participants. “People were very vulnerable. People cried. They were very open about their struggles or what they wanted to achieve,” he recalls. “We created an environment where people feel comfortable speaking in front of other people.”
The Content Behind the Creator
Aside from monetization, Brett has identified that many creators struggle with developing their unique content perspective. His work with creators has shown that authenticity and personal experience are powerful differentiators.
“Creators don’t recognize how deeply they should tap into their unique experiences and their perspectives,” Brett observes. “People want to hear your story. They want to hear about that layoff that led to your new career, or that struggle to meet rent, and then you had to jump to a different job. These qualities make you relatable, but also more genuine and real. It’s your story.
This insight addresses what happened at Creator Economy NYC’s personal branding panel in November 2024, where participants discovered how to leverage their unique backgrounds. Brett cites fellow creator Colin Rocker as an example: “He’s a great storyteller, and he was on that panel where we talked about personal brand. Colin’s content is about career stuff, and so many other creators talk about career stuff. But he’s like, ‘Well, I’m a first-generation professional. I lost my job before I had my first kid.’ And it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m listening.’”
Institutional Support for Creator Businesses
Brett envisions Creator Economy NYC playing a key role in legitimizing creators as business owners deserving of institutional support like any small business. His experience at Kickstarter, where he helped creators transform their audiences into engaged backers, exposed him to the potential of connecting creators with proper business infrastructure.
To advance this mission, Creator Economy NYC is expanding in three directions, as Brett explains: “We are working on deepening our brand partnerships with brands that we align closely with and that want to be part of this vision of helping creators build sustainably and achieve their professional ambitions. We are leaning into more education and knowledge offerings so that we can truly be a hub that supports creators on every step of their way. And we’re creating more original content that champions the NYC creator economy and beyond.”
The educational component focuses on developing courses and resources that help creators “get their first dollar or negotiate their first dollar or build beyond that.” Unlike many creator economy resources that focus on going viral or maximizing followers, Creator Economy NYC’s educational content centers on business basics and sustainable growth.
From Surviving to Thriving
Creator Economy NYC’s tagline—”Where the Creator Economy connects, learns, and thrives”—encapsulates Brett’s philosophy about what creators truly need.
“We want to help connect individuals in this space. We want to help them learn and empower them. And ultimately, those two together help them thrive,” he explains.
For Brett, thriving means moving beyond survival mode to sustainable success and achieving professional ambitions. “How can we help them thrive versus just survive?” he asks. “You’re literally doing your thing, right? The training wheels are off, now you’re biking. That’s ultimately what we’re working towards.”
By curating each event carefully, Brett maintains quality while expanding reach. This selective approach ensures that attendees are genuinely interested in building businesses rather than chasing quick fame.
“If I recognize that you want to be there because you have a learner’s mindset, you have a business mindset, you want to hear what’s going on, you want to meet people, I would love to have you there,” Brett explains.
The result is a community where egos are checked at the door and genuine collaboration flourishes. “There’s no ego, right? It’s like leaving your ego at the door the moment you step foot in Creator Economy NYC,” he states.
This ethos of equality and mutual support reflects Brett’s belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” By reimagining creators as small business owners deserving of support, education, and community, Creator Economy NYC is advancing a shift in how people driving the creator economy forward are valued.
As Brett puts it, “Community will be the basis of what enables this greater space to stay alive and stay strong.”