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Road to SXSW: Find the Beauty

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As we head into February — and realize that once the calendar turns, SXSW is officially next month — I’m reflecting on January with appreciation.

This month, I had the opportunity to present and get feedback on the workshop that I’ll be bringing to Austin this March. In addition, our first-ever BRANDCAMP from UMC Academy kicked into full gear. The opportunity to work one-on-one with brilliant, driven creatives from coast to coast is a privilege. I’ve written about that inspiration recently.

As I continue to serve in this capacity, I realize that I’m doing what I was always meant to do. I’m using my experiences and perspectives to create — and the things I’m creating are helping people uncover ideas, organize their thoughts, and create from a place that is truly, authentically them.

Moreover, the journey is all of us turn the challenges we’ve faced navigating this industry and life itself into opportunities. There is great power in our stories, and this type of work helps us to dig deeper and unleash that power — even (and especially) when it’s uncomfortable.

I say this is what I’m meant to do, because for the longest time, I believed that my story didn’t matter. I grew up in rural New Jersey in the 90s and early 2000s, where boys sharing their feelings was frowned upon. Get too emotional — or even too expressive — and people were going to look at you funny, at best. “Toughen up,” “be a man,” and similar phrases were a regular part of the vernacular. As I got into later adolescence and adulthood, I stopped sharing much about myself at all.

There was a lot left unexpressed and, as I detail in the book (out Feb. 25), it led me to a point where I gradually became desperate for an outlet. Then, one August night in 2013, I found one — and I’ve never looked back. (If you want to know the details behind that anecdote, I have a pre-order link for you.)

In the process, I’ve slowly become more comfortable opening up. As I’ve gotten further into this journey, I’ve allowed myself to share what I’ve experienced, with the hope that it can provide someone with the boost of courage needed to step into theirs.

Have I met resistance? Absolutely. Relatives and peanut gallery members alike have, at times, accused me of being “too open.” I’ve been told that I wouldn’t be taken seriously as an entrepreneur if I shared the challenges (and how they illuminate the successes). I’ve spoken on the grit and adversity that meets us along this path — no, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows! — and have been told that I sound like I’ve been “kicked.”

(Even as I type this, a small part of my brain wonders if there’s anyone out there who’s tired of hearing me talk. I’m sure they’re out there. If any of you are reading this, I love you anyway. 😉 )

The difference between now and my younger days? I haven’t let this criticism turn me back from sharing my truth and uncovering how I got there — warts and all. In fact, surviving every one of these instances has taught me to lean in and embrace the criticism. It’s a compass that points me toward a Truer North, every time.

So many of us let fear hold us back from who we truly are. Fears of judgment, rejection, and even success — based on prior traumas, or external narratives that we’ve internalized — stand in the way of so many people who are capable of doing incredible things.

By its nature, modern society places so much importance on these external judgments — which often come from people grappling with and projecting their own insecurities.

Those judgments don’t actually matter. Those people, in their current state, aren’t for you.

What matters is living this life and sharing all of its parts through everything you choose to create, so that the people who derive hope and connection from stories like yours have a chance to ignite their own personal Renaissance.

I consider this realization to be one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received. It’s an even greater gift to have a platform like SXSW to share it with other creatives from around the world, and to help them find and ignite the flame of purpose that flickers within.

This is my life’s work. I’m the kid who, for so long, was told his story didn’t matter so many times that he became afraid to share it. Now, I realize the blessing it is to not only have the ability to share it, but use it to help others find and communicate the beauty in theirs.

Lean into that beauty. That messy, imperfect, real, unfiltered beauty.

People are counting on you, beginning with yourself.

Show Up for Yourself Every Day

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Here’s another excerpt from my forthcoming debut book, ‘60+ Lessons from the Creative Journey: A Handy Guide for the Budding Entrepreneur’ (available Feb. 25 on Amazon). This comprehensive volume of the journey (so far) covers everything from branding philosophy, to mindset, to the dynamics of our working and personal relationships.

Pre-order the digital version now! (Paperback pre-order coming soon.)

The greatest antidote to your unfavorable narratives is to provide yourself with consistent evidence to the contrary. That means routinely doing what you say you’re going to do, and it starts with keeping promises to yourself. By keeping promises to yourself, you build trust in the person in the mirror. Greater self-worth and self-respect are byproducts of that.

If you say you’re going to record an album this year, do it. If you keep telling yourself you’re going to post consistently to social media, you’d better get to work. This practice also applies to your everyday life. If you say you’re going to work out four times a week, show up at least that much. If you have specific dietary improvements in mind, start today. Don’t wait until January 1.

If you keep telling yourself you’re going to ask that person out, what are you waiting for? They’re not going to wait forever.

How you do one thing is how you do everything. Developing the ability to consistently honor your commitments starts by honoring those you make internally. From there, that ability carries over to your creative platform, your relationships, and every other aspect of your life.

Indeed, your success begins with you. However, it doesn’t end there…

Road to SXSW: Here & Now

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It’s impossible to truly predict what lies up ahead, once you decide to take action.

In my forthcoming book, 60+ Lessons from the Creative Journey: A Handy Guide for the Budding Entrepreneur, I start by going all the way back to the beginning. Without giving too much away, I was searching for direction post-college and post-football. My life seemed great on paper — well-paying job, steady relationship, holding my water in an endless footrace with the Joneses — but there was something unsatisfying.

I didn’t have a true purpose.

I then tell the story about how, one August night in 2013, I was hit with a spark of inspiration that led to the creation of The Quinn Spinn (now the official podcast of Underground Music Collective, in its 12th year!). I knew absolutely nothing about what it took to start a podcast, let alone keep up with the project. I had no way of knowing the roads I would travel from this point of singularity — the people I’d meet, the places I’d go, or the lessons I’d learn.

I was just a post-grad trying to find meaning. For the first time since I hung up my cleats for good in the year prior, I had found it.

In these formative moments, it’s easy to be filled with starry eyed wonder, as you dream of the possibilities up ahead. Back then, my co-hosts and I thought we’d keep putting out episodes and, after about six months or so, some radio conglomerate would discover our immense talent and whisk us away to national syndication. Our lives would forever change.

Certainly, the journey has changed my life for the better. It’s nothing like I thought it would look — and, as it turns out, that’s a beautiful thing.

After all, it led me here. It led me back home to Bethlehem, PA in the mid-2010s, where this very blog was launched under a different name. Then, it led me on a Starseed journey to Nashville at the end of 2018. Since then, I’ve had so many chances to better understand and connect to the greater creative landscape — in Music City, and everywhere else — and uncover the impact I’m called to have.

More than anything, I feel called to use my experiences to help others. I feel called to teach practical lessons — about business, creativity, and life. I feel called to lead people to discover the best within themselves, so they can build and create from a place that is undeniably theirs.

And so, on my birthday (March 10) in 2023, I launched the UMC Academy. I’ve been providing one-on-one coaching to independent artists and creatives ever since. We’ve had a chance to learn and grow together, and I’ve found myself inspired any time the spark of a fresh idea comes into the fold during a session. I love helping creative people organize their thoughts — back in those early days, I sure could have used help organizing mine.

Then, in 2024, I decided to take this show on the road. I had the opportunity to speak at several conferences, festivals, and in educational settings. I forged new connections, and even got to continue working with some of the people I’ve met in the process (shoutout to our first-ever class of BRANDCAMPers!).

All the while, I had my eyes on a particular prize. I had my sights set on SXSW.

Last summer, while in a fever pitch of applying to speak at conferences, I saw an opportunity to apply to SXSW as part of their PanelPicker process. I was intrigued, clicked the link, and filled out the application on the spot. I knew competition would be steep — this is one of the most influential tech, music, and film events on Planet Earth, after all. At any rate, if I didn’t try, I would never know.

I received solid support throughout the public voting portion of the PanelPicker process. Friends, family, and colleagues went above and beyond spreading the news. It felt good to know that I have so many people on my side.

Would it be enough? All I could do was wait to find out.

And so, that’s what I did. Throughout the rest of the summer and into fall, I continued speaking, creating, and building the UMC ecosystem, brick by brick, as I’ve always done. I wasn’t sure when (or if) I would hear back, but I wanted to be ready for any outcome.

Then, one October day, I got the outcome I wanted.

I was officially accepted to be a workshop leader at SXSW 2025!

I jumped up, did a full-blown victory lap, fists raised, around the studio, and told anybody within earshot that I had made the cut. I made a couple of important phone calls to deliver the news personally, and I spent the rest of the day in appreciation of the journey so far — and the road ahead.

This is a coveted opportunity for thought leaders all over the world, and it was mine!

This is an opportunity we dream of having on “the great someday” — the point in the future that we can only imagine. We’re not quite sure how we’ll get there, or if it’s even possible for “someone like me.” We continue creating anyway, pushing through all of the challenges and resistance we encounter — internal or external — just to keep ourselves in the game.

Then, one day, different doors begin to open. The work we’ve put in through the years — and the wisdom we’ve acquired — begins to pay off in the form of new opportunities and the ability to have a greater impact. In these moments, it’s important not to get caught up in the notion of whether or not we’re truly “ready.” If we weren’t, we wouldn’t have been invited to a dance quite like this.

This is no longer a possibility for “someday.” It’s a reality that is in front of us, here and now.

And so, we must give ourselves permission to step into a new realm of possibility. The door is open. How we walk through it determines what will come next…

BRANDCAMP Counselor’s Log: Clarity Takes Hold

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Our inaugural class of BRANDCAMPers are fully immersed in the process. They’re digging deep within themselves to define their visions in a way that feels purposeful to them. They’re taking the many big ideas they’ve already had inside, putting them into words, and turning those words into action. They’re uncovering new ideas from our time together.

And, truth be told, so am I.

This week’s hot button question was, “what is something unique that you bring to the table?” Our conscious, creative BRANDCAMPers were all quick to identify the attributes which position them to have a distinct impact on the creative landscape. It was inspiring to see such a profound level of collective self-awareness take shape, and that inspiration gave me the opportunity to go inward.

Each one of our conversations (individual and group) is an opportunity for me to reflect on my own process in designing this program. It’s a chance to take a look at the BRANDCAMP questions and prompts, assess the responses I receive, and tweak what’s necessary to make the experience even more meaningful. The fact that we’re all sharing an open dialogue as this is occurring – as all of our creative processes are taking more refined shapes – makes this a valuable shared experience that helps each of us clarify our individual visions, and how they serve the greater good.

I can feel that clarity taking hold, and a sense of cohesion as we all take in this experience – individually and together, all at once.

SAVE THE DATE: Our Next Free Branding Workshop is Feb. 27 in Nashville

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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

We had such a great time (and received so much great feedback) during this week’s Building Your Authentic Artist Brand workshop that we’re running it back next month!

This FREE workshop will take place Thursday, February 27 from 6-8 p.m. at Helping Our Music Evolve (615 Main St., Suite G1, Nashville). We’ll walk through the steps of developing your authentic artist brand, uncover what connects you to your audience segments, and how to build a community and set goals to attract more meaningful opportunities. 

Space is limited to the first 10 registrants! Come gain insight featured by reputable music industry conferences across North America, including SXSW, NOLA MusiCon, and more!

REGISTER NOW

BRANDCAMP Counselor’s Log: Helping Others Helps Us

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By showing up for ourselves, we are empowered to show up for others.

When we are empowered to show up for others, we give ourselves more of what we need.

Our first-ever BRANDCAMP from UMC Academy is officially underway. After just the first couple days, I find myself energized by the coast-to-coast creatives who have committed the next six weeks to leaning into the purpose behind their creative journeys. It’s fulfilling to hear that our brief time together is already sparking answers to deeper questions — including why we create, and how each of our creative pursuits can shape a better world around us.

One question I’ve posed to each BRANDCAMPer so far: “What about your creative ambitions is bigger than you?”

That question has elicited some thoughtful responses. In the end, it seemed that everyone landed along a similar thread: our BRANDCAMPers aspire to create something that will not only elevate their own platforms, but will serve as a catalyst for others to lean into their gifts.

Individually, we all have our own reasons for creating. The details and nuances vary, but each of us intrinsically knows — sometimes, beneath layers of societal conditioning — that within our gifts lies the power to make a difference for those like us.

We need community and connection; we need the power to transparently share our perspectives, and find common ground with those traveling a similar road. Regardless of genre, artistic medium, geography, or any other barrier, each of us has something to contribute to the resilient story of the creative class — and ultimately, we are the ones to spark new ideas and conversations that move our world forward.

That’s just one reason why I admire our first class of BRANDCAMPers. They took a chance on themselves, to gain further perspective on how to deepen their connections to their audience, themselves, and each other. By doing this important work, they’re able to create from an even more enriched place, ultimately making each individual’s journey more satisfying.

And, speaking as your resident BRANDCAMP Counselor, I can attest to having a similar experience. Seeing the experience our BRANDCAMPers are having — individually and together — gives me great fulfillment and excitement for what comes next.

Helping others helps us. I look forward to continuing the work.

CREATIVES: The Most Important Lesson from 2024

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Photo credit: Ronnie Stoeckel

There is always a way forward.

As creatives, we begin our journeys with little more than an idea, and the faith that it can one day become what we envision. We often don’t know how we’re going to get there — or even, where to begin figuring it out. We just feel called to pursue the purpose that has been put in our hearts and minds. Even in times when it doesn’t seem to make much sense, we resolve to push on through.

As we continue pushing, we begin to see that vision take shape. We also start to see challenges inevitably rise to greet us along the way. Some of these challenges were anticipated from the start, but the vast majority — due to our own inexperience at the beginning of the journey — were not. It is in these moments that our faith and vision are tested, and that the comfortability of swimming back to shore — to a 9-to-5, “normalcy,” and the illusion of safety — becomes a tantalizing notion.

Despite this, I urge you to keep going. It may not feel like the wise thing to do when your resources are running low, new opportunities are in a drought, and life isn’t going quite as planned. However, facing these challenges and innovating around them is the only true path toward growth.

Find new ways to create resources. Yes, that may mean lining up some alternative income sources, while you’re still in the building phase. Create an opportunity which suits you and your lifestyle, and gives you the chance to invest the time, energy, and money into your larger vision. And, if something isn’t yielding the results you desire, be open to change!

Seek — and become the person to attract — new opportunities. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and do the work to discover the value you can provide to create more meaningful, mutually beneficial collaborations more often. Once you’ve done that, shoot your shot! The more seeds you plant, the more likely you are to reap the harvest. This goes in business, as well as in life.

Hold your frame when life ambushes you. Maybe you’ve incurred an unexpected expense. Maybe you’ve lost a job. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, or a relationship didn’t work out. No matter what, you remain in control of your responses and the actions you’ll take from here. Take time to heal and process your emotions, while resolving to find ways to transmute your grief into love, and your pain into purpose. Then, pour it back into yourself and all that remains.

When life’s pressure mounts, those who emerge as stronger, wiser, better versions of themselves are the ones who face those challenges head-on. Resistance builds resilience, and these are the times when we must lean into our Values, Mission, and Vision the most. These are the flickering flames which light our darkest hours, and help us uncover the path forward.

If you’re ready to uncover your Values, Mission, and Vision to illuminate your creative journey, we invite you to join us for the first ever BRANDCAMP from UMC Academy. BRANDCAMP begins January 6. Register now by December 30!

AND… if you want 60+ more lessons from the creative journey, pre-order my book now (available Feb. 25 — paperback pre-order coming soon!)

A BRANDCAMP Deal to Show Our Gratitude

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We’re beyond appreciative for another fantastic year of learning and growing together. 2024 has been one for the ages!

So, we want to make it easier for you to start next year off right!

Through Sunday, December 1, we’re offering $100 off BRANDCAMP from UMC Academy registration. There’s no better time to get in on our six-week program designed to help you start 2025 with a clear vision for your artist brand – complete with actionable goals, 1-on-1 mentorship, and a community of driven artistpreneurs.

As a reminder, here’s what you’ll receive:

  • Our Values-Mission-Vision (VMV) Workshop, designed to help you develop your authentic, clearly-defined brand vision.
  • Weekly 1-on-1 mentorship sessions, aimed toward sparking fresh ideas and defining your goals.
  • Weekly Mastermind calls with your UMC BRANDCAMP peers.
  • Early access membership into the UMC UnderDogs community (FREE for life!).
  • A FREE signed copy of 60+ Lessons from the Creative Journey (out Feb. 25).
REGISTER NOW

FREE WORKSHOP: ‘Building Your Authentic Artist Brand’ Jan. 9 in Nashville

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Before you can get to where you want to go, you must answer a very important question…

WHY?

What drives you to create? How will connecting to the world through music enrich your life, and the lives of those around you?

It’s a deep question, and we want to help you uncover the answer. That’s why we’re hosting our Building Your Authentic Artist Brand workshop on Thursday, January 9 from 6-8 p.m. at Helping Our Music Evolve (615 Main St., Suite G1, Nashville).

In this FREE interactive workshop, we’ll walk through the steps of developing your authentic artist brand. We’ll uncover what connects you to your audience, and how to build a community that will attract media, performance, and partnership opportunities.

Space is limited to the first 10 registrants! Come gain insight featured by reputable music industry conferences across North America, including SXSW, NOLA MusiCon, and more!

SIGN UP NOW

Start 2025 at BRANDCAMP!

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Looking to define your artist brand in 2025?

Great, because we’re excited to offer the first-ever BRANDCAMP from UMC Academy.

Beginning January 6, 2025, this six-week virtual program will help you develop a clear vision for your artist brand, complete with actionable goals, one-on-one mentorship, and a community of driven artistpreneurs.

What you’ll receive:

  • Our Values-Mission-Vision (VMV) Workshop, designed to help you develop your authentic, clearly-defined brand vision.
  • Weekly 1-on-1 mentorship sessions, aimed toward sparking fresh ideas and defining your goals.
  • Weekly Mastermind calls with your UMC BRANDCAMP peers.
  • Early access membership into the UMC UnderDogs community (FREE for life!).
  • A FREE signed copy of 60+ Lessons from the Creative Journey (out Feb. 25).

LEARN MORE HERE

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