ESSENCE And Refinery29 Owner Announces New Platform For Women Creators
Sundial Media & Technology Group, the parent company of ESSENCE, AFROPUNK, and Refinery29, has partnered with Creator Currency Networks to launch a new platform for women creators.
CreateHer Network is the first creator platform dedicated to bridging the economic gap between women’s cultural influence and how much they’re paid. It has already secured partnerships with key industry players, including ESSENCE, Refinery29, BeautyCon, Curly Culture, and CurlyCon, according to a press release.
CreateHer: A Platform For Economic Power
Women drive 85% of US purchasing decisions and influence $31.8 trillion in global consumer spending, but they earn about 30% less than men in brand partnerships.
“We talk a lot about equity, but equity requires infrastructure, and that’s what CreateHer Network delivers,” said Kirk McDonald, CEO of Sundial Media & Technology Group. “Women are the primary drivers of consumer behavior and cultural trends, yet the creator economy hasn’t evolved to properly compensate them for this influence.”
Read: Sundial Media Acquires Refinery29
CreateHer is tackling the pay gap by giving women creators access to funding, tools to grow their income, and expert guidance. The platform offers performance insights, training on branding and negotiation, and connects creators with brands that prioritize fair pay and lasting partnerships.
Paying Creators What They’re Worth
“Women creators deserve more than visibility,” said Ava Pearl, a creator and co-founder of Curly Culture and CurlyCon LA. “They deserve equity, ownership, and infrastructure. We’re not just building a network; we’re building an economic movement.”
“SMTG gets it; they understand that real change requires platforms that actually pay creators what they’re worth,” added Cedric J. Rogers, co-founder of Creator Currency Networks and former CEO of Culture Genesis.
The first cohort of creators will launch this fall with branded content activations and events in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago. Applications for early access open in August, with the full platform expected to launch in Q4 2025.
Image credit: krakenimages.com
Correction (June 19): A previous version of this article referenced a press release stating that Keke Palmer’s KeyTV, xoNecole, and Issa Rae’s HOORAE were involved in the launch of the CreateHer Network. This has since been corrected, following an update to the press release.
