Happy New Year from Creator Gold! ✨

Welcome to From the Gold Room, our biweekly dispatch shaped by the people, ideas, and moments moving the creator economy forward.

As we kick off the new year, we’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between reach and resonance and why the next wave of creators and brands will win not by chasing volume, but by building trust. That philosophy sits at the heart of everything we’re building in 2026.

And it came to life in a big way last month.

Our vision came together at our inaugural Creator Gold Holiday Gala our very first event. What began as a celebration became a powerful reminder of why intentional, in-person moments matter: real conversations, genuine connection, and the spark that only happens when the right people come together. And we’re just getting started.

To kick off the year, we’re excited to give back to our community with a FREE ticket giveaway! Creator Gold is giving away two VIP tickets to Creator Economy Live West in Las Vegas happening NEXT WEEK.

✨ 2 VIP passes valued at $2,398
✨ Exclusive access to connect with top brands and industry leaders
✨ A front-row seat to where the creator economy is headed

You’ll find all the details in our In the Room section - be sure to check it out and enter. This is one you won’t want to miss.

Here’s to a golden year ahead.

💛 France & Monica
Creator Gold, Co-Founders

An Evening of Connection, Creativity, and Community

We were deeply honored to gather friends, family, and our incredible community for the inaugural Creator Gold Holiday Gala on Sunday, December 7th in San Francisco. What began as a holiday celebration became an evening defined by connection, creativity, and shared purpose.

Bringing together creators, industry leaders, and founders in full black-tie elegance created an atmosphere that felt both elevated and welcoming. The night came alive with live performers, a DJ, incredible food, and festive energy woven together by meaningful conversations and new connections. It was a true celebration of the Bay Area community and beyond.

What made the evening truly special wasn’t the setting, but the people in the room. The openness, generosity, and shared belief in building something bigger together reminded us why in-person moments matter so deeply. The reflections and feedback shared afterward were incredibly humbling and reaffirmed the power of gathering with intention.

We’re profoundly grateful to our partners who helped make the night possible:
Invisalign, Chronicle Studios, CrunchLabs, Viewws, and B&H Creators.
Your support meant the world to us, and we’re honored to build alongside partners who share our vision and belief in meaningful connection.

And to our guests especially those who traveled from near and far just to be with us we thank you. Your presence, energy, and intention made the night what it was. Celebrating together as the year came to a close was truly meaningful.

The response to the evening left us grateful, energized, and inspired to continue building spaces rooted in real connection. This night reminded us why we do this and it’s only the beginning.

We couldn’t be more thankful to everyone who helped make the night so memorable. The beautiful words shared below mean everything: 

“I'm glad we are able to activate in a way that fit the vibe.  We always try to do that so it's not cheesy and a good photo activation always brings the smiles.”  Kamal Bhandal, SVP, Global Invisalign Brand, Consumer and Americas Market

"This year's Creator Gold Holiday Gala was a great time to connect with industry leaders and creators from across all content vertices. And of course, the food and entertainment were also top notch! Can't wait for next year's event!"  Pojo Riegert, Creative Director, CrunchLabs

“It was so nice to gather with creators and industry leaders to end the year.” My Nguyen @myhealthydish, Creator and Entrepreneur

“So much fun!  Viewws was happy to be part of the first Creator Gold Gala in SF - great turnout!  Big thank you to you France and Monica at Creator Gold.”  Ramon Mendez, Co-Founder and CEO, Viewws

“Chronicle Studios exists to empower creators, which is why we're proud to support the Creator Gold Holiday Gala and the vibrant Bay Area creator economy driving new levels of innovation and excellence.” Aaron Sisto, Co-Founder & CEO, Chronicle Studios

"It was such a fun night with incredible people, great food, live music, and an energy that made the whole evening feel special. But what truly made it memorable were the connections and friendships formed in that room.” Dylan Huey, CEO, REACH

"It was a last-minute decision to attend, and I’m glad I did. The room brought together builders, founders and creators who are shaping what this industry will look like over the next decade. We need more events like this!"  Ian Shepard, Co-CEO,  Electrify

"The Creator Gold Holiday Gala last weekend was a good reminder of something I’ve come to believe: in the right industry, networking doesn’t feel like networking at all. It feels like relationship building."  Jase Strasburg, Partnerships,YouTube

“Loved connecting with industry veterans and vibing in full black-tie attire over bites and easy conversations. Big shoutout to B&H for the thoughtful gift.”  Sahil Khosla, General Partner, Unchartered

“The event was first class: ambiance, venue and most important the community!”  Ash Kumra - Ai Collective Leadership Team

 “It was such a special evening to be surrounded by both new and familiar faces of those who drive the creator economy forward.” Aaron Batarse Brown, Partnership Manager, VidCon

The Moves, Moments, and Momentum to Know

1️⃣ MrBeast’s Power Move: Building IP, Not Just Views
As we kick off 2026, MrBeast isn’t just making viral videos he’s building a multi-industry creator brand with IP that lives beyond YouTube. Beast Games returns with Season 2 on Amazon Prime Video (Jan 7, 2026), proving creator-built formats can anchor premium entertainment. With Beast Games now an established premium franchise beyond YouTube, the continued scale of Feastables, and Beast Industries operating like a full media and consumer company, Jimmy Donaldson is building repeatable formats and brands that travel across platforms, products, and partners. This is the new creator blueprint for 2026. (Business Insider)

2️⃣ Hollywood’s Digital Takeover: The Oscars on YouTube (2029)
In a seismic shift for the entertainment industry, the Academy has officially signed a global deal that moves the Academy Awards exclusively to YouTube starting in 2029. This isn't just a streaming deal; it’s a full-scale integration where YouTube becomes the global "Home of Film," featuring live red-carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, and a massive effort to digitize the Academy's 52-million-item collection. For creators, it’s the ultimate validation of the platform as the new center of premium culture. (Academy Press, AP)

3️⃣ Disney’s $1B Bet on OpenAI & Creator IP
Disney officially kicked off 2026 by confirming a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI. In a historic pivot from litigation to licensing, Disney will now allow fans and creators to use over 200 of its most iconic characters including Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars assets within OpenAI’s Sora video tools. This marks the dawn of "Official Fan Fiction," where top user-generated AI shorts will even be curated for streaming on Disney+ later this year. (Bloomberg)

4️⃣ Instagram Reels Officially Launches for TV
Meta has unveiled a dedicated Instagram for TV app, currently live for U.S. users on Amazon Fire TV. Unlike the old IGTV, this app is built purely for the "lean-back" viewing of Reels with a remote-friendly interface. This move signals a major shift in how creators should think about production: vertical video is no longer just for mobile it's now competing for the 75-inch screen in the living room. (The Verge)

5️⃣ Creator Financing Hits Mainstream: Kajabi Launches Kajabi Capital
Kajabi unveiled Kajabi Capital, a new embedded financing option giving creators direct access to business funding right inside their platform. With the ability to apply and receive capital in as little as a couple of days, this removes traditional banking barriers that many digital entrepreneurs face. Powered through a partnership with Parafin, this is a trend worth watching as more creator platforms explore ways to put financial tools directly into creators’ hands. (Net Influencer)

6️⃣ CES 2026: The "Agentic AI" Gear Shift
The world’s largest tech show, CES 2026, officially kicked off this week in Las Vegas (Jan 6-9), and the theme for creators is "Agentic AI." Beyond just chatbots, we're seeing the launch of a new generation of "Creator PCs" (like the Snapdragon X2 Plus) with 80 TOPS of AI power, designed to handle 4K video editing and AI-generated b-roll locally without the cloud. This signals a 2026 where your laptop doesn't just host your tools as it acts as an autonomous assistant for your entire production workflow. (CES) 

A curated look at the rooms shaping what’s next in the creator world.

🍽️ Napa Valley Restaurant Month — All Jan | Napa
The ultimate "foodie" month. Score exclusive multi-course menus and tasting deals at world-class spots from Yountville to Calistoga. (Book Reservations Here)

📣 Personal Branding for Introverts with Goldie Chan — Jan 16 | San Francisco
Join Bay Area-raised creator and author Goldie Chan for the launch of her debut book, Personal Branding for Introverts. This intimate event brings together creatives and professionals to explore authentic personal branding through thoughtful conversation, community, and connection designed especially for introverts navigating visibility on their own terms. (On Waverly)

🍄 Napa Truffle Festival — Jan 16-19 | Napa
High-end, aromatic, and totally aesthetic. From truffle dog demonstrations to Michelin starred dinners, this is a goldmine for luxury lifestyle and culinary content creators. (Tickets Here)

🎨 San Francisco Art Week — Jan 17–25 | San Francisco
The city becomes a canvas. Don't miss the FOG Design+Art Fair (Jan 22–25) at Fort Mason for high-concept art and furniture that looks incredible on camera. (View the Event Map | FOG Fair Tickets)

💻 CES Creator Space — Jan 7–10, 2026 | CES, Las Vegas
CES’ major creator-first expansion featuring tools, AI demos, and future-of-audience panels designed for creators reaching global scale. (CES)

🌎 1 Billion Follower Summit — Jan 9–11, 2026 | Dubai
One of the world’s biggest creator gatherings, bringing together global talent and media leaders. This year’s edition features a special collaboration with MrBeast, expanding the summit’s focus on creator-led generosity and large-scale social impact. (1BillionSummit.com)

⭐⭐ GOLD PICK ⭐⭐
🎤 Creator Economy Live West — Jan 13–14, 2026 | Caesars Forum, Las Vegas
Creator Gold is giving away 2 VIP tickets to Creator Economy Live West in Las Vegas NEXT WEEK! Win exclusive access to connect with brands like Lululemon, Chewy, SHEIN, L'Oreal, Levi's & more. Enter now for your shot at 2 VIP passes worth $2,398 —winner announced soon. (Apply Today!!) Form link: https://530c3yj134a.typeform.com/celw26-raffle

If you’re looking to network with all the BIGGEST enterprise and challenger brands, generate over 500 leads, and learn from industry experts, then check out this influencer marketing event in Las Vegas! Join brands like PepsiCo, Fenty, Disney, Google, Playboy, Duolingo, Michaels, Paramount, Kimberly-Clark, MGM Resorts, and hundreds more. AND, as a valued newsletter subscriber, we’re giving you an exclusive 20% off your ticket! (Creator Economy Live West)

🎙️ Podfest Expo 2026 — Jan 15–18, 2026 | Orlando
Celebrating its 12th year, Podfest brings together podcasters and content creators for education, community building, monetization strategies, and tech discussions  perfect for audio/video storytellers. (Podcast Expo)

🎬 Sundance Film Festival — Jan 22–Feb 1 | Park City and Salt Lake City
One of the most anticipated film festivals worldwide featuring premieres, panels, and creative networking. (Sundance)

Carefully chosen content that moves the creator world forward, from platform updates to standout storytelling and Bay Area discoveries.

▶️ WATCH
MrBeast & Mark Rober Break Down Their Billion Dollar Empires (Jon Youshaei)
Jon Youshaei sits down with MrBeast and Mark Rober to map their creator empires using Walt Disney’s legendary 1957 framework — revealing how today’s top creators are building multi-platform, multi-business ecosystems. From Netflix shows and education initiatives to theme parks and financial products, the conversation offers a rare look at how creators are thinking far beyond content.
Watch → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCmveoGig50

🎧 LISTEN
2026 Creator Economy Predictions (Colin and Samir)
There is no better way to start the year than with Colin and Samir’s annual deep dive. This week, they break down exactly what’s shifting in 2026 from the "death of loyalty" to the rise of creator-led IRL experiences. It’s a roadmap for where the attention (and the money) is moving this year.
Listen → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-and-samir-show/id1379942034

🍽 EAT
France’s Recommendation | Miller & Lux (San Francisco)
For an elevated dining experience that truly feels like "Old San Francisco" met with modern luxury, France’s top pick is Miller & Lux by Chef Tyler Florence. Located right at the Chase Center, this isn’t just a steakhouse; it’s an experience. Chef Tyler (named SF Chef of the Year 2024) is a fixture here, often personally greeting guests and sharing the inspiration behind his reimagined American classics. Whether you’re hosting a power dinner with fellow founders or celebrating a channel milestone, the table side Caesar and dry-aged steaks are unmatched.
Eat → https://millerandlux.com/

Creator Gold is a curated creator community and experience series founded by France Tantiado and Monica Khan in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Born from the momentum of Bay Area Creator Economy (BACE), Creator Gold creates elevated spaces where creators, founders, brands, and platform leaders connect with intention — turning conversation into collaboration.

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