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How Going From BCC to beehiiv Helped Evolve Thriving Newsletter
Brett Dashevsky Talks beehiiv and Building a Thriving Creator Community
Kanishka Kumawat
July 17th, 2024
Since COVID-19, a vibrant community of creators, founders, and industry leaders has been steadily taking shape in the bustling heart of New York City.
Brett Dashevsky, the mastermind behind Creator Economy NYC, is one of those individuals building its foundation.
Interviewing Brett was a breath of fresh air. There is so much passion behind all the things he does!
Beyond Creator Economy NYC, Kickstarter’s Head of Content Creators. Additionally, he is the founder of Siftsy, a cutting-edge comment section analytics tool for marketers, showcasing his innovative approach to leveraging data for marketing.
Creator Economy NYC is a community that connects people through real-life events. I gained insights into his strong belief in what he is building and his vision for its future development.
Table of Contents
Initially, Brett communicated with attendees by taking the emails he received from them when they signed up and putting them into BCC on Gmail.
He chuckled at the recollection, saying, “I did not have a good newsletter platform that I was using, and I just wasn't ready to dive into something.”
Creator Economy NYC is now a thriving hub, championing the city's burgeoning creator economy.
Hope you enjoy reading this one!
- Kanishka
From Humble Beginnings to a Thriving Community
Brett Dashevsky, the visionary behind Creator Economy NYC, recounted the humble beginnings of his brainchild: "I started Creator Economy NYC in January of 2023 as simply a bar meet-up at Hair of the Dog in LES."
As the community grew, so did the need for a centralized platform to foster connections and share insights.
Enter the Creator Economy NYC newsletter, a weekly dose of inspiration and information tailored to the city's creator ecosystem. The newsletter is completely community-focused and not just another thought leadership newsletter on the creator economy.
Before that, he was the Creator Manager for Workweek, where he helped Industry-specific creators build their brands from scratch, create visually appealing newsletters and content outlines, and market their brands from zero to one.
beehiiv: The Ultimate Weapon Behind Newsletter Success
In content creation, staying ahead of the curve is crucial.
That's where beehiiv, the all-in-one newsletter platform, comes into play.
Brett set a goal: to send The Creator Economy NYC newsletter every week and so far he has hit that goal every week!
"beehiiv's user-friendly interface and features have made it easier than ever to curate and distribute our newsletter," Dashevsky explained.
From easy customization options, segmentation, and content creation to advanced analytics, beehiiv has become an indispensable tool in Brett’s arsenal.
Favorite beehiiv Feature
When asked about his favorite beehiiv features, Dashevsky didn’t hesitate to say, "The ability to design and customize our newsletter has been a game-changer.” He enjoyed how easy it was to build a really nice custom homepage and how the beehiiv editor had everything in one place to help with design creation.
Having been the design and marketing visionary on his first-ever newsletter, Healthcare Huddle, Dashevsky had an eye and passion for newsletter design.
He praised beehiiv's design editor, “It's a very well-designed tool that continues to improve.”
Like so many people who buzzed to beehiiv, Dashevsky followed and found that beehiiv offered tools and solutions that were straightforward compared to the other platforms.
“I think that is really important just because starting a newsletter is daunting enough and then actually designing it – a lot of people don't have really great design skills.”
Future With beehiiv Monetization
At Creator Economy NYC, monetization within the community happens through event sponsorships.
“I use the newsletter currently as an upsell, which is part of a broader package. So there's that aspect, but it's really just been through direct outreach advertising,” commented Dashevsky. “I'll reach out to a brand sponsor or partner and give them a flat rate for advertising my newsletter in a bulk package.”
With all of beehiiv’s monetization features, Dashevsky plans to use them to scale in the next year. He added, “I want to start to use a lot more of the monetization features that beehiiv provides, and they're essentially leading the way in that space.”
“Monetizing, you can publish all that stuff, all-in-one, and I think that is really exciting and a reason why I chose beehiiv.”
beehiiv offers various ways to monetize your newsletters:
Boosts: You can monetize your newsletter by boosting other publications on the beehiiv network.
Ad Network: As a newsletter on the beehiiv network (any paid plans), you have access to premium advertisers.
Subscriptions: By offering premium paid content to your subscribers, beehiiv can help you manage your premium publication.
Brett Dashevsky’s advice is simple, yet profound, for those considering starting their newsletter: "Go with the flow, but have a clear vision in mind.” He added, “I think a critical piece of advice for anyone starting a newsletter is that it's okay if your content evolves.”
“As long as it kind of remains true to the original ethos, like the audience that you've built over time, the way that you evolve your content still relates to them and resonates with them,” he concluded.
Dashevsky also emphasized the importance of consistency and quality, "Delivering a high-quality newsletter regularly is crucial for building loyalty with your audience.”
He added, “Your newsletter should genuinely reflect your community's interests and needs, and I know from working with creators and building newsletters that consistency and a manageable cadence is the best way to grow and keep an engaged audience.”
Key Takeaways
Here are some tips you can incorporate into your newsletter strategy:
It’s okay if your content evolves: Just be sure to remain true to the foundation of your newsletter theme.
Content is essential, but so is design: A well-designed layout goes a long way. Make sure to keep it visually appealing.
Consistency is key: Make sure whatever cadence you choose works for you. Whether you publish your newsletter regularly, twice a week, weekly, or monthly, your subscribers will return for more.
Fueling NYC's Creative Renaissance
As the creator economy continues to flourish in New York City, Creator Economy NYC's newsletter stands as a beacon of inspiration and support for the forefront of this movement.
The newsletter plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of content creation in the Big Apple by fostering connections, sharing insights, and celebrating the city's creative talent.
Dashevsky reflected back, “I launched the Creator Economy NYC newsletter to connect with my community routinely and uplift and recognize what was being built in this community, as well as for everyone outside of the New York City Creator Economy.”
“New York City is really the Pinnacle City,” he added. “It's a city many people can be intrigued by and relate to, and the purpose of my newsletters is to really shout that out.”
Dashevsky continued, “And to share stories on the individuals or the companies that are shaping the Creator Economy here in New York City and ultimately having a ripple effect outside of this city area.”
If you're a creator, founder, or industry professional in NYC's creator economy, subscribing to the Creator Economy NYC newsletter is a must.
Join the movement and be part of the city's creative renaissance.
Ready to take your newsletter to new heights?
Explore beehiiv's powerful features and elevate your content creation game today!
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