Brett Conti

From Dorm-Room Sewing Machine to YouTube Storytelling

Brooklyn-raised creator Brett Conti first swapped spreadsheets for a sewing machine in a cramped college dorm, stitching pocket tees that evolved into Fortune New York, a skate-inspired streetwear label. His earliest “$20 beanie” campaign paid for hostel beds for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, setting the tone for a career that blends entrepreneurship with social impact.^[4]^[6]

Channel Snapshot & Current Reach

Conti’s main YouTube channel, launched on 19 March 2006, now hosts 489 long-form videos and reaches 958 000 subscribers with 153 million lifetime views.^[2] Social Blade’s live counter places the community just shy of the coveted million-subscriber milestone.^[1]

Growth & Engagement

SpeakRJ data show a net gain of 160 000 subscribers between December 2023 and June 2025, while average videos pull roughly 4 000 likes and sustain a 2.6% engagement rate — solid for the lifestyle/travel niche.^[3]^[2]

Estimated Earnings

Monetisation varies by season: vidIQ estimates monthly AdSense revenue between US $1.4 k and US $4.1 k,^[2] whereas SpeakRJ’s broader CPM range places potential monthly channel income as high as US $195 k when sponsorships and back-catalogue views spike.^[3]

Signature Content & Style

Conti’s uploads mix “day-in-the-life” vlogs, global travel challenges and business experiments, all delivered with upbeat narration and cinematic B-roll of New York City. A hallmark series switches lifestyles with entrepreneurs or tests how much money he can earn in a single day, reinforcing an approachable, hustle-oriented brand persona.^[5]

Entrepreneurial Ventures Beyond YouTube

Fortune New York

The clothing line that began on a campus sewing machine now appears in national skate retailer Zumiez, thanks to Conti’s decision to work briefly on the shop floor to pitch the brand directly to buyers.^[4]

Fortune Skateboards

In 2016 he expanded into hard goods, co-launching Fortune Skateboards with pro skater Manny Santiago, uniting fashion and board culture under one umbrella.^[4]

Beleaf Tea Co.

Since 2024 Conti has publicly documented a “Zero-to-$1 Million” quest, building a premium tea label called Beleaf. Weekly videos reveal manufacturing, branding and ad-testing in real time — a transparent playbook that doubles as channel content.^[5]

Community Impact & Brand Collaborations

From early charity beanies to a pledge that one dollar from every Fortune purchase supports people in need, philanthropy underpins Conti’s ventures.^[4] Brand partnerships with Expedia and Adidas underscore his value to lifestyle marketers seeking authentic New York storytelling at scale.^[2]