Creators Get SBA Classification. Now What? | Avi Gandhi, Creators Guild #693

About this episode

Creators are businesses. What does SBA recognition actually change? Watch episode 693 on YouTube Creators produce content, build audiences, sell products, hire people, and take financial risks. So what changes when the federal government more clearly recognizes that work as a small business? In New Media Show #693, Rob Greenlee talks with Avi Gandhi, Chair of Government Advocacy at the Creators Guild of America and founder of Creator Access Network, about the Small Business Administration’s October 15, 2026 guidance on qualifying creator businesses. Avi explains how the effort came together, what the NAICS 5121 classification means, and why access to capital and business support could help creators build beyond their next sponsorship. The conversation moves from policy to the business a creator can build: original products, services, memberships, physical locations, and assets with value beyond an individual post or platform payout. Rob and Avi also explore AI, self-employment, verified professional work, and the responsibilities that come with running a business. The central question: can clearer recognition help podcasters, YouTubers, and other creators turn audience rel