Inside the 2026 Creator Economy: LaurDIY & Greenberg Glusker on Monetization and Law

In 2026, the creator economy has matured into a powerful, multifaceted business ecosystem – where influence is currency, intellectual property is leverage and creators are CEOs in their own right.

Lauren Riihimaki, founder of the lifestyle brand LaurDIY, shared firsthand insight into building a sustainable brand, diversifying revenue streams and staying authentic in an algorithm-driven world.

Eric Perlmutter-Gumbiner, partner in the Corporate and Creator Economy Groups at Greenberg Glusker, unpacked the legal, financial and structural strategies creators must embrace to protect and scale their businesses.

Q: What are the biggest financial and legal misconceptions creators still have about running their platforms as businesses?

Perlmutter-Gumbiner: Many creators still think like earners, not operators. They treat income like a paycheck rather than business revenue. The biggest misconception is equating “cash in” with profit, without reserving for taxes, chargebacks and refunds, production costs and the real possibility of a sudden dip driven by platform changes. A related issue is pulling cash out for short-term lifestyle upside instead of reinvesting into the business: team, systems, owned IP, owned channels and product. That reinvestment is what builds durable, transferable equity value over time. On the legal side, creators often assume a template is “industry standard,” so it must be safe. In reality, it can quietly reallocate risk through expansive usage rights, exclusivity, indemnities and vague approval or revision language. Entity formation matters, but it is not a force field. Without clean contracts, separate finances, appropriate insurance and basic governance, the liability shield is thinner than most people expect.

Q: How has the creator economy evolved from a “side hustle” model to a structured small-business category in 2026?

Riihimaki: Having built my career as a full-time creator over the past decade, I’ve experienced the evolution directly. I think there are three key shifts that have led to the progression from “side hustle” to small business: monetization, infrastructure and audience behavior. Brands are allocating and deploying serious, recurring budget into their advertising spends. Creator marketing is no longer considered an “experiment” or a high-risk investment – creators have proven to drive real ROI and the industry has taken notice. Just as importantly, the infrastructure has caught up. Creators now have access to a full ecosystem of platforms, tools and services that support everything from monetization to operations, making it possible to run and scale a business, not just create content. And lastly, the audience. Attention is fragmented, and in a world of content overload and AI-slop, people are seeking more specific and authentic, niche content, allowing creators to build highly engaged communities around very focused interests.

Q: Are we seeing more creators formalize as LLCs or corporations? What’s driving that shift?

Perlmutter-Gumbiner: Yes. As creator revenue becomes more predictable and multi-channel, more creators are formalizing to manage risk, taxes and day-to-day operations. The drivers are practical. First, it limits personal liability as audience size and public exposure increase. Second, it creates a structure that supports hiring, vendor relationships and clear IP ownership. Third, it signals professionalism to brand partners, lenders and collaborators. It also forces separation between personal and business finances, which becomes essential when income streams include licensing, product lines, digital assets, live events and international payments. The broader thesis is that good structure creates something more durable than a personality-driven income stream. It creates an asset that is easier to package, diligence and ultimately sell, because the contracts, IP and financials live in a clean, transferable business.

Q: How have revenue streams diversified beyond brand deals – subscriptions, licensing, equity partnerships, live commerce, AI monetization?

Riihimaki: I’ve explored a wide range of revenue streams beyond traditional brand deals, everything from licensing and merchandise to live experiences. What’s become clear is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all model; the right mix depends on the creator’s platform, content formats and audience. That said, ownership has become a major focus for me. I’ve made angel investments in brands I believe in, contributing content, capital or consulting in exchange for equity. And after several years in licensing, I found myself wanting more control – both creatively and financially. That’s what ultimately led me to start my own brand (dog lifestyle brand, Fuzzboy Originals). It’s a shift from participating in other businesses to actually building one. You’ve seen it with Emma Chamberlain and Chamberlain Coffee, Claudia Sulewski and CYKLAR, and so many more.

Q: What are the biggest contract pitfalls creators encounter in brand deals or platform agreements?

Perlmutter-Gumbiner: The pitfalls I see most often are pretty consistent. First, “usage” rights that are far broader than the deal economics justify, especially perpetual, worldwide, all-media grants. Second, sloppy deal terms around deliverables, approvals and revision cycles that create endless scope creep. Third, exclusivity that looks narrow on paper but functionally blocks other categories of revenue. Fourth, morality and termination clauses that are drafted as a one-way option. Creators also get squeezed on payment terms, long net periods, payments tied to subjective “approval” and “make-good” obligations that shift campaign risk onto the creator. A big one that gets missed is IP. Brands may try to own raw footage, concepts or derivative content. The fix is not complicated, but it has to be intentional: Define scope, term, channels, usage, approvals and ownership, and make sure the remedies match real-world business outcomes.

Q: In your view, is the creator economy here to stay?

Riihimaki: Yes, absolutely. My 14 years as a content creator is a testament to the longevity this career can have, and I think it’s only gaining momentum now that the industry and infrastructure have caught up. Audience behavior also reinforces that staying power. People are increasingly seeking connection and community, and creators are uniquely positioned to provide that. While there’s a lot of conversation around “the algorithm” and the mysterious ways it works, I’ve found that platforms are actually getting better at surfacing content to the people who genuinely care and want to engage. All of those elements working in tandem is what makes the ecosystem sustainable long-term.