Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vale and Sebastian Genta
Social media did what it was supposed to do — it gave everyone a platform. But somewhere along the way, the power of connection got lost in translation. Everyone’s visible, everyone’s posting, everyone’s “building”— and yet, the distance between being seen and actually being in the room has never felt wider.
Vale and Sebastian Genta grew up inside that version of social media — the polished, aspirational layer that looks like access, but rarely delivers it.
Between them, they understand the mechanics of attention — what performs, what travels, what sticks. But more importantly, they understand what it lacks. Because for all the reach, there was still something missing: proximity, friction, real relationships.
What started as a simple instinct — to get the right people in the same room — evolved into something much more intentional. NextGen Creators isn’t positioned like a typical “networking event,” and it doesn’t operate like one either. It’s designed around a very specific idea: influence, at its highest form, is defined by who you can bring together — and what happens when you do.
Creators emerge from behind the screen and step into real conversations with founders, operators and brands who actually want to build with them, in a high-production, high-intent setting. It’s a shift from content to context. From audience to access.
Vale and Sebastian are Miami through and through, but not in the cliché sense. They possess a unique sensibility for the home that raised them, recognizing that their own backyard was full of talent, energy and ambition… just without the same connective tissue as New York or LA.
The kind that turns individual momentum into something collective and actually moves people forward.
So they built it.
NextGen Creators isn’t about chasing influence. It’s about grounding it. Giving it a place to land, to evolve, to turn into something tangible.
Ahead, Vale and Sebastian break down how they’re redefining what it means to build in the creator economy and the highs and lows you can expect in the process.
In one sentence — who are you and what are you building?
Hi! We’re Vale and Sebastian Genta - sibling duo, Miami creators and co-founders. We’re building #NextGen Creators, a platform that connects creators, founders, and brands through real-world experiences that turn influence into opportunity.
What inspired you to start NextGen Creators, and what gap did you see that no one else was filling?
When we were coming up in this space, everything felt very online and transactional. There wasn’t a real sense of community or access, especially in South Florida. We wanted to create something that brought people into the same room, where relationships, ideas, and opportunities could actually happen in real life.
From a founder POV, how do you define influence today?
Influence today isn’t just about reach, it’s about trust and action. It’s about whether your audience actually listens, engages, and moves with you, both online and in real life. The strongest creators today are the ones building real communities, not just content.
What's one thing about being a founder that no one tells you?
How much uncertainty you have to get comfortable with. The path is most definitely not linear - it feels like a rollercoaster. There’s no clear roadmap, and you’re constantly figuring things out in real time. You just have to trust your instincts and keep moving, even when things aren’t fully clear yet.
What's a life hack that keeps you grounded on the hardest days?
Zooming out and remembering why we started and how far we've come. It’s easy to get caught up and frustrated in the day-to-day, but when we take a step back and look at what we’re building and who it’s impacting, it resets everything. Also, just having each other as family and friends in it makes a huge difference.
What's the most "this is why I do this" moment you've had as a founder?
Seeing a room full of people actually connecting and listening at our events. We had Gary Vee as our keynote speaker this last March, which was definitely a career high. When you watch creators meet brands, start conversations, and build relationships in real time, that’s when it clicks. It goes from being just a cute idea to something that’s actually creating impact.
One piece of advice you'd drop to the next wave of founders?
Just start and don't care what people think! Start before you feel ready and figure it out as you go. There’s never a perfect moment, and overthinking will slow you down more than anything. If you believe in what you’re building, just start and stay consistent.