Join us tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT for a LIVE webinar version of Perfect Your Pitch: Building Authentic Connections as an Independent Artist.
During this session, we walk through the steps of developing your authentic artist brand, connecting to your audience, and using the momentum gained to find opportunities in media, live events, and partnerships while building a sustainable, profitable creative ecosystem — on your own terms.
Ender Bowen is a Nashville-based musician, author, podcaster, husband, father, and Aspiring Compassionist who is using his creative ecosystem to foster and build a community of “little lights.” The goal? To create a more compassionate world.
Before that was possible, he had to learn who those “little lights” truly are.
This Wednesday, July 24 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, Ender Bowen joins us for a live fireside chat where we’ll dive into the ways he uses data to understand his growing audience, and deliver more of the content and experiences they want. This is a must-attend for ANYONE looking to build a thriving creative enterprise!
This conversation is being offered to the public for FREE by the UMC Academy. Watch it below!
The one and only Ender Bowen returns to The Quinn Spinn for his third appearance. This time, the musician, author, blogger, podcast host, father, and aspiring compassionist returns as the first graduate of the UMC Academy.
We catch up on Ender’s journey so far, the lessons he’s learned and applied, and his own inclination toward educating fellow creatives on the journey. This is a big episode for anyone interested in personal and professional growth!
This episode of The Quinn Spinn was recorded and produced at Helping Our Music Evolve (H.O.M.E.), Nashville, TN.
Steve Ramona personifies what it means to do business with a servant’s heart. In this Quinn Spinn Highlight, we discuss how this approach will help you build lasting relationships and generate better long-term returns.
Last holiday season, our community gave so generously to us during our Underground Rising campaign.
This holiday season, we’re giving the love right back!
Beginning this Monday, December 11 and continuing through the holiday season, the UMC Giving Tree will bear gifts for all who seek to enjoy its splendors. We’re offering giveaways, discounts, and special offers to thank you for another tremendous year of support and growth!
A perk of joining our UMC UnderDogs community is the opportunity to connect with independent musicians and creatives all over the world. One way we provide is through our Monday Night Mastermind calls. On the first and third Monday of every month, our Monday Night Mastermind provides you with an opportunity to share your goals, find solutions to your challenges, and develop your ideas in a setting with like-minded, creative entrepreneurs.
We’re starting these up in December. As our holiday gift to you, we want to give you the first month on us!
We invite you to join our Monday Night Mastermind on December 4 and December 18for the price of on the house. That’s right — you don’t need to pay, and you don’t need to join right away. Just come on in and experience the community first-hand!
Just tell us your name and where to send your invitation below, and you’re in. See you at the Mastermind!
Pictured: The sun setting behind the Rocky Mountains from the Gaylord Rocky Mountain Resort (Denver, CO).
I need to tell you about my trip to Denver a couple weekends ago.
I was in town to attend the Achieve Systems BizExplosion Conference. Admittedly, I was looking to shake up my day-to-day, and get some perspective on the direction of this platform — which, as you may remember, recently took a brief, yet thorough detour away from being Underground Music Collective.
On Thursday, October 19, I attended the conference’s welcome reception. Upon entering, I sensed pretty much immediately that this was a different room than the ones to which I had become so accustomed. You had speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who had reached a levels of scalable, sustainable success that I, plucky UnderDog that I am, still aspire to reach.
That night — before the conference even officially kicked off — I found myself on the receiving end a ton of valuable feedback about the concept, its niche, and ways that it could be better executed. I heard people’s intrigue around the notion of a music industry-centric platform — and what it could do, if properly built, for independent artists everywhere. I learned so much that night (and throughout the ensuing weekend) about exactly how to properly build it, that I’m still combing through and applying the lessons.
And, to be honest, it all felt a bit overwhelming at first.
I left the reception at about 12:30 a.m. when I caught an Uber back to my Airbnb. I explained to my driver, Mateo, that I was in town to get educated about my business, and I was receiving more of an education than I ever could have expected. I also expressed a bit of self-doubt as I digested the lessons, and wondered what it would take to meaningfully level up from this experience once it was finished.
Mateo then told me he was about to restart the song playing in the car. He wanted me to listen…
That song is “Mirror (You Ain’t Know)” by Brian Hyppolite ft. Nelse… and these words were exactly what I needed to hear in that moment, from the opening refrain.
“Oh, you had it twisted?
Oh, you didn’t know that you was gifted?
You ain’t know that stuff you went through just set you up for winning?
You ain’t know that you was chosen?
You ain’t know that you was golden?
You ain’t know you was important, huh?
You ain’t know you had a purpose
Much bigger than anything you ever considered?
Well, I’ma be your mirror So you can see it clearer…“
When we step out of our comfort zones, our minds can play tricks on us. The stories we’ve internalized can delude us into believing that we aren’t worthy, or ready, or “good enough.” These stories will do everything they can to pull us from our purpose, or fool us into thinking another lane is best for us.
That night, the cards of my imposter syndrome were laid out on the table. However, as I listened to “Mirror (You Ain’t Know)” I realized that I — and not the stories — hold the winning hand.
That moment — and the entire experience of that weekend — helped me reconnect with my mission and vision for this platform. We’re here to build something of impact for independent artists, and connect them to the world of entrepreneurship so that they can built their platforms — and lives — regardless of whether they ever receive traditional music industry approval.
In that moment, it dawned on me that there was no better way to do that than to #GoUnderground.
That’s why we’re back as Underground Music Collective. And frankly, it feels damn good to be walking in this purpose again.
