Every summer I promise myself I’ll take a week off the feed. Every summer, the feed (and my life) has other plans.

Creators I know are producing more than ever, and many feel overwhelmed while doing it. For some, budgets are tighter even as the pace keeps accelerating. And the AI conversation is happening everywhere, mostly in rooms that aren’t talking to one another.

A lot of people are quietly wondering whether any of this is sustainable.

I don't think it is, at least not the way most of us are working right now.

Our research at Creators 4 Mental Health found that 89% of creators don’t have access to mental health support designed for the realities of this work. That number has followed me around all year.

The next CreatorCare group begins Thursday, Aug. 20.

It’s a six-week virtual group built with Revive Health Therapy for creators ready to sit with the hard stuff and build a more sustainable creative life. From burnout to identity and boundaries and what happens to your sense of self when your job is being constantly perceived.

Each confidential session is 90 minutes, and everyone in the room understands the work because they live it too.

This cohort is limited to creators and digital gig workers living in California, and space is intentionally small. If that’s you, apply here.

Meanwhile, the other thing I've been building all summer is AI Creator Day.

Sharon Waxman, the Founder and CEO of TheWrap, and I are bringing this to life because I spent the past year watching creators, AI companies, brands and studio executives have separate conversations about the same future.

On Sept. 29, we’re bringing them together at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, for a full day of keynotes, live demos, creator case studies, and hands-on workshops. Less arguing about whether AI belongs in creative work, more showing what people are actually doing with it and what it’s costing them and having honest conversations about what’s working, what isn’t and what responsible adoption should look like.

Our host committee is stellar and includes friends and collaborators who are leaders in AI like TIME100 AI artist and comedian Willonius Hatcher, Ben Relles (Founder of Make Believe), AI/VR artist Paige Piskin, Adrienne Lahens (Co-Founder/CEO Infinite Studios) and Doug Scott (Co-Founder Cinemistics and UNXNOWN).

Attendance is by invitation, with a limited number of applications open to creators and industry folks. Apply here.

CreatorCare and AI Creator Day may look like two very different projects, but they come from the same place.

The creator economy keeps asking people to produce more with less support, and then acts surprised when they burn out or disappear. Sustainability is a mental health issue and it’s also a business model issue at the same time.

Take care of yourself this month. Then come help us build something better.

The SXSW panel picker is back, which means we all get to vote for the panels we want to see happen at the next SXSW in Austin, Texas, March 2027.

Voting closes Aug. 23 and I'd love your vote! Just click on the links below.

Creator Labor: Research, Advocacy, and Policy

Millions of artists, entertainers, and educators earn income in the U.S. creator economy, yet creators remain largely invisible as a recognized workforce—absent from official data, overlooked by policymakers, and excluded from traditional labor protections. Drawing on new research and frontline advocacy, this panel explores how creators can build their collective power and shape the future of creative work.

Rewiring the Creator Economy for Humanity

What if the most valuable thing in a half-trillion-dollar industry isn't reach — it's the well-being of the people creating it? Shira Lazar, Emmy-nominated host and Time100 Creators nominee, brings Creators 4 Mental Health to Reaching Higher live at SXSW with host, Aaron Strout. A candid conversation on burnout, belonging, and putting human connection back at the center of digital culture.

Other headlines to check out:

Remember, I'm Bullish on you! With gratitude,