With an approach that prioritizes financial strategies and requires speakers to have proven seven-figure success, CreatorFest is quickly becoming a must-attend event for creators and entrepreneurs alike.

Founded by event veteran Iconic Becker and Stem Media CEO Patrick Israel, it connects social media popularity with financial success. 

Iconic, who has organized countless live events globally, sees a shift in the industry towards self-management and diversified income streams. 

“The creators who can generate income outside of brand deals and ad revenue are going to demolish the rest of the competition,” he said in an exclusive interview with Net Influencer. 

This vision, coupled with CreatorFest’s growth from a garage event to the largest creator-focused gathering on the East Coast, signals a growing demand for business savvy in the creator space.

Bridging the Follower-Finance Gap

Iconic specializes in large-scale conferences. He runs KLEVR EVENTS and has organized over 140 live events across seven countries in the past three years. His background is diverse, ranging from selling superyachts to private islands. 

However, during the pandemic, he found his calling in live events. “We’ve done events for the FBI. Pretty much when it comes time to have a really exciting live event, they call our team in,” Iconic told us.

CreatorFest was inspired by his aspirations and market observations. He wanted to be a YouTuber since he was a child. 

“That was like my dream,” he says.

After meeting his YouTube idol, Iconic was advised to focus on building a business instead.

He identified a gap in the creator economy market. “We had friends who had 5 million followers and $500 to their name, and we had friends who had 5,000 followers but have millions in dollars to their name,” he shares. 

This disconnect between follower count and financial success became the driving force behind CreatorFest.

The event addresses the challenges faced by content creators in monetizing their platforms. 

“Our goal at CreatorFest is [to help] these individuals leverage the tools, tactics, and techniques necessary to turn their content into a full-time career,” Iconic notes.

CreatorFest: Vision and Unique Focus

Iconic’s vision for CreatorFest has transformed significantly since its inception. 

Initially conceived as an intensive conference with educational sessions, the event has pivoted to address a more pressing need in the creator community: direct connections.

“We realized that there’s less of a need for education, and there’s more of a need for connection,” Iconic explains. 

“Creators usually have some sort of middleman that gets between them and the person they’re trying to work with, whether that’s a talent management agency or producer,” he adds.

This shift in focus facilitates networking opportunities that propel creators to the next level of success. 

Iconic describes CreatorFest as a blend of high-level education and engaging activities, including after-parties.

The event distinguishes itself through two key factors. It is the only event openly discussing monetization, with Iconic stating, “We’re the only event solely focused on helping creators make more money.” 

Additionally, CreatorFest maintains stringent standards for its speakers, as none are chosen based on their fame or follower count. As Iconic emphasizes, the selection criteria prioritize expertise and value over popularity.

According to Iconic, this approach ensures attendees receive practical, actionable advice from proven industry leaders. 

The goal is clear: “We’re not here to take fun photos and post on Instagram. We’re here to make money. And to do that, we need to have tactical, real, tangible conversations.”

Empowering Content Creators with Business Acumen

Unlike traditional influencer gatherings, CreatorFest focuses squarely on monetization and business strategy for content creators.

The event caters to three distinct groups of attendees. “We want to help people who have never made a dollar online get to $10k a month in six months or less,” Iconic explains. 

For those already generating consistent income, the goal is to scale up to a “$100,000 a month media company.” The third target audience includes established creators seeking to enhance their business management skills.

CreatorFest’s attendee mix reflects its dual focus. “Our attendees are content creators who want to build an income,” Iconic notes. “We also have entrepreneurs who want to build a personal brand.” 

The speaker lineup is carefully curated based on two key criteria. Iconic elaborates, “They either need to generate $1 million a year annually in their business or manage in some way, $1 million a year company or bigger.” 

Additionally, speakers are selected for their ability to deliver “real, tactical, tangible information.”

Notable speakers include Ed Maloof, who has sold over $1 billion online in the last decade, Jim Lauterbach, former CEO of VidCon, and Brooke Barry, director of creative at Snapchat. Iconic himself will share insights on breaking into and rising through industry ranks.

He advises attendees to approach CreatorFest with a serious mindset. 

“Throw away everything you know about creator events regarding how your position should be. Think of this as four years of creator college in four days,” he says. The event promises intense, eight-hour education sessions with industry leaders.

CreatorFest stands out due to its grassroots origin and focused mission. 

“VidCon, YouTube, or some big angel investors don’t run this,” Iconic proudly states. “This was started by two guys who were passionate about trying to help creators build full-time businesses.” 

Creator Economy 2.0: Iconic’s Predictions and Insights

Iconic identifies the democratization of management as a significant trend. 

“The traditional management model is on the way out,” he notes. “Creators are no longer exclusively getting managed by one talent agent or the next; instead, they’re just bringing those industries in-house.”

Iconic believes this shift will lead to more direct relationships between creators and brands, eliminating middlemen and improving the quality of collaborations.

Iconic predicts a significant advantage for creators who diversify their income streams. “The creators that can generate income outside of brand deals and ad revenue are going to demolish the rest of the competition,” he states. 

He emphasizes treating content creation as a business, not just a hobby.

Iconic also expresses concern about creators’ reluctance to invest in themselves. “If I could wave my magic wand, I would waive my want to correct creators’ mindsets around investing into themselves,” he says. 

He stresses that personal development and networking are crucial for long-term success in the creator economy.

Iconic offers a pragmatic perspective for up-and-coming creators: “The biggest way to make an impact is through income. The more income you have, the more impact you can give.” He encourages creators to focus on building resources to enhance their capacity for impact.

As for CreatorFest’s future, Iconic envisions grander scales. “I would love to move it to Hard Rock and rent out the entire space,” he says, hinting at incorporating major musical acts to create “the coolest party for creators and investors in this space.”

CreatorFest takes place August 15-18 in Orlando.