Exclusive: Kit opens NYC studio as creator platforms seek an edge
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Kit, the creator-focused email marketing platform, has opened a 5,000-square-foot studio in New York where creators can record content, collaborate and attend events, CEO Nathan Barry exclusively tells Axios.
Why it matters: Community has emerged as a differentiator for creator economy companies as AI makes it easier for creators to work independently and as the platforms reach feature parity.
The big picture: Kit already operates studios in Boise, Idaho, where it was founded, and Chicago. Rather than spending more money on Meta and Google ads, Kit is directing part of its marketing budget toward studios.
- "The thing I think we're most going to lose in this AI world is relationships and human connection," Barry says.
- "We trust that if we provide a lot of value to the creators we serve, they'll probably tell other people," he adds.
Zoom in: Located in Manhattan's Flatiron District, Kit Studios NYC has six recording rooms outfitted with cameras, microphones and lighting equipment.
- The location includes a stage for live podcast recordings and other events. It also has a common area and a library with books by Kit creators.
- The space, designed by Kit's head of creator community Haley Janicek, also has a speakeasy-style coffee shop hidden behind a bookcase that's decorated with Kit memorabilia.
- Studios are free for customers on Kit's creator and creator pro plans to book. Kit will also host open-access days.
Zoom out: Founded in 2013, Kit helps creators monetize audiences through newsletters, subscriptions, courses and email automation.
- Kit serves more than 550,000 creators globally, including celebrities like Dua Lipa's Service95 and Matthew McConaughey. The company generated more than $50 million in revenue last year.
- Unlike its peers, Kit did not raise outside funding. Patreon has raised more than $400 million in total, Substack about $200 million and Beehiiv about $50 million. All of them are seeking to become the central operating system for creators.
- "The differentiation in technology is really hard right now, where it's easier and faster than ever to build features, to spin up new competitors to do all of those things," Barry says.
State of play: Creator companies are expanding beyond software and investing in physical spaces, events and other community-building efforts.
- Substack last month hosted its first Media Forum in New York, where CEO Chris Best said he wants to invest in the "cultural infrastructure" that helps creators meet, collaborate and learn from one another.
- Whalar Group launched physical campuses under a new division, The Lighthouse, with locations in Venice, California and Brooklyn.
- Creator Economy NYC is among a burgeoning group of creator community groups that host networking events.
What's next: Kit is actively scouting locations in Austin and considering other cities like Nashville and Los Angeles for the future.
- Barry says the goal is to build a broader network of studios that makes professional recording space accessible to its clients.
