How to Build, Name, and Nurture Your Creative Community

Low angle shot of airborne multi-colored hot air balloons | Photo by Lad Fury: https://www.pexels.com/photo/low-angle-shot-of-airborne-multi-colored-hot-air-balloons-3091121/ | Unstarving Musician episode artwork representing Creative Community

Most independent artists focus on building an audience, but the real power lies in developing a creative community. In this episode, I delve into the psychology behind transforming casual followers into passionate community members who view themselves as part of something larger.

Drawing insights from my recent interview with singer-songwriter Eli Lev and his “Levitators” community, I break down the key differences between audience building and creative community development. You’ll discover why community names matter more than you think, how to move beyond social media performance theater, and practical strategies for creating authentic engagement that serves both you and your supporters.

I examine successful creative community examples from Trekkies to Swifties, revealing what makes certain community names stick while others fall flat. The episode also covers three core engagement strategies: collaborative content creation, meaningful interaction over metrics, and service orientation that benefits everyone involved.

This episode provides a four-step action plan for building a creative community. Because in today’s music industry, success isn’t measured by how many people know your name, but by how many people are better off because they found your work.

Recommended for independent musicians, content creators, and artists looking to create meaningful connections around their creative work.

Transcript auto generated by Apple Podcasts

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This episode of The Unstarving Musician is sponsored by Liner Notes.

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Welcome to another episode of The Unstarving Musician.

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I am your host, Robonzo.

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How are you?

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Where are you?

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And what are you wearing?

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Are you having nice weather where you are at?

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I am.

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We are.

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It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, so to speak.

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Before I get started on the meat of today’s episode, or the main content if you’re vegetarian, I’d like to say thank you to Liner Notes and Unstarving Musician community members, George Brando and Dean Johannesson for frequently sharing their thoughts on editions of Liner Notes and a new Liner Notes subscriber, Ethan, for sharing his big challenges.

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I’m hoping to dig into those challenges with him soon.

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So thanks, guys.

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And in the Where Have I Been and Where Am I Going department or file, I performed at the Quereta Blues Festival last week with local artist Serpiente Elástica, originally from Puebla, Mexico.

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And I’ll be at Moser Cafe Cultur doing my Robonzo show on Friday, September 26th, performing songs from my youth, B-side alternative rock, things that make me think of the days when I just met my wife, Sammy, and was hanging around with a lot of nice musicians and meeting lots of nice musicians in Dallas, Fort Worth, sprinkled with a few classics and topped with an original by yours truly.

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If you happen to make it to the show, I think you’ll like it.

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You can visit robonzo.com for more show dates and future ramblings from me.

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Today’s episode was inspired by my recent conversation with Eli Lev.

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It was the last episode we did here.

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You can find a link to our conversation in the episode description for this episode.

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Reflecting on my community building efforts, I have two communities which may one day meld into one, probably should.

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One is built on this podcast and the Liner Notes newsletter, part of the Unstarving Musician umbrella community.

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The other is for my music artist, Side Robonzo, also based on a newsletter currently called Insiders.

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Following my talk with Eli, however, I want to rebrand, at least rebrand Insiders, that community, because it’s pretty generic.

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Going back to The Unstarving Musician, I think there is strong potential moving forward with the overarching community under the name Liner Notes or Unstarving Musician, probably Unstarving Musician.

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But I’ll give that more thought.

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Maybe that’ll morph into something new.

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Now we’ll get into why I’m thinking about these things.

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Everyone talks about building your audience, but misses the deeper psychology.

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I’ve been thinking about this phrase we all use, building your audience, building our audience.

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It’s everywhere in the music business world, every blog post, conference, every piece of advice eventually comes back to you need to build your audience.

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But here’s what troubles me about that language.

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When we say build your audience, we’re framing it as numbers, followers, streams, email subscribers.

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We’re thinking about people as statistics sitting in the seats, waiting for us to perform for them.

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And that creates this weird dynamic where musicians, musicians, amazing, I struggle with that word.

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I don’t know why.

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Where musicians become performers of their own lives on social media.

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You’re constantly thinking, what do I post to get more followers?

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What will make people engage?

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How do I get the algorithm to show my stuff to more people?

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Good luck, right?

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Meanwhile, your actual connection to the people who care about your music gets lost in all that performance theater.

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The deeper psychology we’re missing is this.

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People don’t want to be your audience.

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They want to belong to something.

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They want to identify, not just entertainment.

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They want to feel like they’re part of a story, something that’s bigger than themselves.

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No one introduces themselves by saying, I’m a huge audience member of ever.

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That never happens.

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But they will say, I’m a deadhead or I’m a Swiftie with pride.

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That is identity and that’s belonging.

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And that’s exactly what Eli Lev figured out with something he calls Levitators.

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And the story behind that name reveals everything about real community building.

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Based on my recent chat with Eli and a little personal experience, we’re going to break down some practical strategies from moving beyond followers to a true community.

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My last name is Lev, L-E-V.

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When I was beginning my community, I put out a call to folks and be like, hey, what should we call ourselves?

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And two different people, two separate people thought of Levitators.

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And I thought that was awesome.

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Levitation is like, you know, there’s a lightness, there’s a raising, there’s a mystical, magical quality to it as well.

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So I thought that was perfect.

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Here’s what’s brilliant about how Levitators came about and why the process mattered more than the name itself.

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Two different people separately suggested Levitators to Eli.

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Not some marketing agency, not a focus group, his actual supporters, people who are already connected with his music.

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They’re the ones who saw the connection.

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Think about what they were seeing.

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Eli’s last name is Lev, L-E-V, so Levitators isn’t just clever wordplay.

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Those fans were recognizing something deeper about what Eli’s music does for them.

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The lightness, the way it lifts him up, his exploration of mystical themes.

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They weren’t just picking a cute name.

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They were identifying the transformation they experienced through his work.

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They were saying, this is what happens to us when we engage with what you’re doing.

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That’s why the process mattered more than the final choice.

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Eli didn’t manufacture a community name.

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His community named itself.

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He just had the wisdom to listen and adopt it.

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Most artists would have over thought this.

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Does it sound professional?

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Will it work for marketing?

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What will the industry think?

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But Eli trusted what his people were already feeling and expressing.

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When your community tells you who they are, believe them.

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That’s infinitely more powerful than any name you could brainstorm in isolation, speaking from firsthand experience.

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His approach created stronger community bonds than a top-down naming strategy could have possibly done.

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Once Eli embraced this name his community had given him, he leaned into it completely.

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If you go to his website and click the home page button to join the Levitators, you’re taken to a sign-up page that asks, are you ready to levitate?

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Think about the psychology of that for a second.

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He’s not asking, want to hear my music?

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Or, ready to become a fan?

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He’s asking if you’re ready to transform, ready to rise up, ready to become part of something that will literally elevate you.

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His sign-up page, that sign-up page isn’t just website copy.

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It’s an invitation into an identity.

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When someone clicks that, they’re not just agreeing to listen to songs.

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They’re saying yes to becoming a Levitator.

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And that’s the difference between audience building and community building right there.

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Audience building asks, will you consume my content?

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Community building asks, are you ready to become who you were meant to be?

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Eli took what his supporters told him about their experience and turned it into an active invitation for others.

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That button is doing psychological work that most artists never even think about.

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So why do names matter so much?

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Sure, it’s branding 101, but more importantly, because there’s a fundamental difference between being a fan and having identity.

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When someone says, I’m a fan of Taylor Swift, that’s about her.

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It’s external, but when they say, I’m a Swiftie, that’s about them belonging to something bigger.

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That’s identity.

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Look at the Grateful Dead.

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Deadheads weren’t just people who like the music.

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They were a traveling community, a lifestyle, a way of seeing the world.

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The name gave them permission to do something more than consumers.

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I’ve seen the power of the Deadhead community in action, watching a fellow expat in Panama, where I lived from 2016 to 22, connect with an otherwise stranger over his Deadhead shirt.

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They struck up an immediate friendship that lasted his entire time in Panama.

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And it’s not just musicians.

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Star Trek fans are called Trekkies, though I hear some prefer Trekkers.

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It’s a universally recognized community name and has reached universal status and even appears in reputable dictionaries, comedy sketches, and if you want to talk longevity, the name has lasted decades and created genuine belonging.

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So what makes a community name actually work?

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First, it has to reflect the creator’s core mission.

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Levitators works because Eli’s whole thing is about raising people up, exploring their higher conscious or consciousness.

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Swiftie works, Swifties, Swifties works because it captures Taylor’s personal intimate approach with fans.

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Second, it needs to roll off the tongue.

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Deadheads is two syllables, easy to say.

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Levitators has rhythm.

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If people can’t say it naturally, they won’t adopt it.

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Third, it creates belonging.

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When you call yourself a deadhead, other deadheads recognize you instantly.

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There’s a shared language, shared values, shared experiences baked into that identity.

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And finally, this is crucial.

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Good community names have room to grow.

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They’re not limiting.

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A Levitator could be someone who just discovered meditation or someone who’s been on a spiritual path for decades.

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The name doesn’t put you in a box.

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It gives you room to evolve.

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Bad community names do the opposite.

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They’re generic, forgettable, or worse, they limit what members can become.

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Fans is the worst community name because it defines people by what they consume, not who they are.

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So now that we understand why community matters, let’s talk about how you actually build that community.

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Because here’s the thing.

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You can call your people Levitators all you want, but if you’re still treating them like passive consumers, you’re missing the point entirely.

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Let me play you something Eli said that really captures the psychology between behind authentic community building.

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We do live streams together, and it really is like a mutual support thing.

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I feel like a lot of Levitators will be like, oh, thank you Eli for doing all this, and for sharing your music, you’re awesome.

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But it’s also like my own salvation.

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I need it just as much as an artist to feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself, to feel that there’s an act of service there, and to feel like there’s a movement around the music.

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Did you catch that?

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It’s my own salvation too.

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This isn’t about Eli being some generous savior helping his poor fans.

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He’s saying the community serves him as much as he serves them.

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It’s mutual.

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It’s reciprocal.

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And that changes everything about how you engage.

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Most artists think community building means posting more content and hoping people engage.

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But Eli’s approach is completely different.

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He’s built his community around three core strategies that flip the traditional artist fan relationship on its head.

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Instead of just performing for his Levitators, Eli makes them part of the art itself.

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His music videos feature actual community members from around the world.

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Not paid actors, not models, real Levitators who submitted their own footage.

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Think about what that does psychologically.

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When someone sees themselves or their friend in Eli’s music video, they’re not just consuming content anymore.

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They’re co-creators.

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They have ownership in the work.

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This isn’t just clever marketing.

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It’s a fundamental shift in how you think about your art.

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Instead of asking, how do I get more people to watch my videos, Eli asks, how do I create something my community wants to be part of?

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And here’s the brilliant part.

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This collaborative approach doesn’t just serve the community, it serves Eli too.

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He gets authentic, diverse content he could never create on his own.

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He gets global perspectives, he gets that salvation he was talking about.

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So where most artists get it wrong is that they see a comment with 500 likes and think that’s more valuable than a comment with two likes.

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But Eli flips this completely.

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He responds personally to individual comments and messages, not the viral ones necessarily, or not just the viral ones, not the ones that will get the most visibility.

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The ones where someone is genuinely reaching out for connection.

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He remembers individual community members by name.

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When someone shares something personal in the comments, he doesn’t just hard it and move on.

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He engages.

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He asks follow up questions.

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He treats them like actual humans, not engagement statistics.

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This is exactly the opposite of what social media algorithms reward.

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The algorithm wants you to chase viral moments and broad reach, but authentic community building is about depth, not breadth.

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Depth, not ba-ba-ba-breath.

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When you remember someone’s name, when you reference a conversation you had with them last month, when you ask about their life beyond your music, that person stops being a fan and becomes a community member.

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They have a relationship with you, not just your content.

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This is where Eli’s philosophy gets really profound.

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He’s reframed this entire artistic practice from entertainment to service.

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Most artists think, how do I get people to pay attention to my music?

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Eli thinks, how does my music serve the people who need it?

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The mindset shift changes everything.

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When you’re serving your community, you start asking different questions.

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What do they need right now?

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How can this song help them through something difficult?

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What value can I create beyond just entertainment?

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Eli talks about his music as an act of service, helping people find lightness, helping them levitate above whatever’s weighing them down.

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And because it’s genuine service, it serves him too.

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He gets the satisfaction of meaningful work.

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He gets community connection.

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He gets that salvation we heard about.

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The beautiful irony is that when you stop trying to extract value from your community and start genuinely serving them, they naturally want to support you more.

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They buy more music, share more content, and invite more people into the community.

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But it only works if the service is genuine.

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Here’s what this looks like practically.

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Eli doesn’t just drop a song and disappear.

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He creates value around the song.

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He explains what it means.

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He shares the story behind it.

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He asks how it’s landing with people.

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He turns every piece of content into a conversation starter.

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Not a conversation ender.

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This is the difference between audience building and community building.

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Audience building is about getting attention.

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Community building is about creating value.

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And when you consistently create value, attention becomes a natural byproduct.

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Here’s where many artists derail their community building efforts without even realizing it.

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They, we fall into the trap of social media performance theater.

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You know what I’m talking about.

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You open Instagram and suddenly you’re not thinking about your community more anymore.

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You’re thinking about the algorithm.

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You’re thinking about posts designed to get the most likes, the most shares, the most comments from complete strangers who will never buy your music or come to your shows.

00:17:49.040 –> 00:17:52.600
The trap is seductive because it feels like marketing feels productive.

00:17:52.600 –> 00:17:55.080
You’re building your brand and increasing your reach.

00:17:55.080 –> 00:17:57.440
But here’s what’s actually happening.

00:17:57.440 –> 00:18:03.500
You’re training yourself to perform for an audience that doesn’t care about you instead of serving a community that does.

00:18:04.540 –> 00:18:08.960
To be completely honest with you, I feel very uncomfortable on social media.

00:18:08.960 –> 00:18:09.720
I really do.

00:18:10.480 –> 00:18:12.660
It always feels like performance theater to me.

00:18:12.660 –> 00:18:13.280
Performance.

00:18:13.280 –> 00:18:15.120
Well, yeah, performance theater.

00:18:15.120 –> 00:18:21.260
Except on the rare occasion when I’m having a friendly exchange with friends, sometimes new friends.

00:18:21.260 –> 00:18:23.900
So everything I’m sharing with you is helpful for me too.

00:18:24.720 –> 00:18:29.180
I’ve heard much of it before, but what Eli shared with me is simply inspirational.

00:18:29.820 –> 00:18:38.260
When I do have the moments that are non-performative, they were when I was relaxed and feeling inspired by or about something.

00:18:38.260 –> 00:18:43.700
The problem is when we chase algorithms, we’re constantly trying to come up with post ideas.

00:18:43.700 –> 00:18:50.520
Perhaps in my case, I need to lean more into engaging with existing conversations.

00:18:50.520 –> 00:18:58.520
I admittedly see these platforms as a plague on our society, yet there I am, here I am using it.

00:18:58.520 –> 00:19:05.340
I can tell you that I’m relying more and more on this medium and my email list.

00:19:05.340 –> 00:19:09.040
This medium being the podcast and my email list, a topic for another episode.

00:19:09.040 –> 00:19:13.760
But Eli’s figured out something that most artists miss completely.

00:19:14.140 –> 00:19:18.340
He doesn’t think of Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube as social media platforms.

00:19:18.340 –> 00:19:21.160
He thinks of them as entertainment platforms.

00:19:21.160 –> 00:19:22.380
What’s the difference?

00:19:22.380 –> 00:19:23.900
Social media is about getting attention.

00:19:24.280 –> 00:19:27.320
Entertainment platforms are about providing value.

00:19:27.320 –> 00:19:30.600
When Eli posts, he’s not asking, will this go viral?

00:19:30.600 –> 00:19:34.380
He’s asking, will this serve my Levitators?

00:19:34.380 –> 00:19:38.720
That reframe changes everything about how you create content.

00:19:38.720 –> 00:19:44.740
Instead of chasing trends that have nothing to do with your music, you focus on what your community actually needs.

00:19:44.740 –> 00:19:50.240
Instead of posting because the algorithm demands daily content, you post when you have something valuable to share.

00:19:51.140 –> 00:19:52.160
Ooh, that’s the good stuff.

00:19:52.960 –> 00:19:56.000
That’s what I’m trying to do more of myself.

00:19:56.000 –> 00:19:58.460
Here’s how this looks practically.

00:19:58.460 –> 00:20:05.920
Every piece of content should answer the question, how does this help the people who already care about my work?

00:20:05.920 –> 00:20:08.360
If you can’t answer that, don’t post it.

00:20:08.360 –> 00:20:15.480
Your community will appreciate thoughtful, infrequent content way more than daily posts that feel like filler.

00:20:15.480 –> 00:20:21.580
One meaningful conversation with a community member is worth more than 1,000 superficial interactions with strangers.

00:20:21.580 –> 00:20:26.800
When someone takes time to share how your music helped them through something difficult, that’s gold.

00:20:26.800 –> 00:20:28.000
Engage with that.

00:20:28.000 –> 00:20:29.040
Build on that.

00:20:29.040 –> 00:20:31.560
Let the algorithm optimize for whatever it wants.

00:20:31.560 –> 00:20:34.480
You optimize for real human connection.

00:20:34.480 –> 00:20:45.160
It’s tempting to jump on every trend, especially when you see other artists getting millions of views, but viral moments that don’t align with your values or your mission confuse your community.

00:20:45.160 –> 00:20:46.380
They dilute your message.

00:20:47.120 –> 00:20:52.320
Stay consistent with who you are and what you stand for, even if it means smaller numbers.

00:20:53.380 –> 00:20:59.100
Traditional marketing is about broadcasting your message to as many people as possible.

00:20:59.100 –> 00:21:09.080
Community building is about creating bridges between yourself and your people, and between your people and other, and each other.

00:21:10.440 –> 00:21:14.480
When Eli shares content, he’s not just talking about his Levitators.

00:21:14.900 –> 00:21:20.580
He’s approaching his platform with the mindset of creating community connection, rather than just broadcasting messages.

00:21:20.580 –> 00:21:26.680
He’s thinking about how to turn his platform into a gathering place, not a lecture hall.

00:21:26.680 –> 00:21:32.900
The hardest part about avoiding performance theater is that it often means smaller numbers in the short term.

00:21:32.900 –> 00:21:39.280
Your posts might get fewer likes, your reach might be lower, but your community will be stronger.

00:21:39.280 –> 00:21:46.320
Your relationships will be deeper, and those are the metrics that actually matter for a sustainable music career.

00:21:46.320 –> 00:21:51.640
Because at the end of the day, you don’t need a million strangers to double tap your photos.

00:21:51.640 –> 00:21:58.420
You need a few hundred or a few thousand who genuinely care about your music and want to support your work.

00:21:58.420 –> 00:22:02.300
And those people don’t find you through viral content.

00:22:02.300 –> 00:22:05.740
They find you through authentic consistent value.

00:22:05.740 –> 00:22:17.000
A good essay worth reading on this theme is 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly, which I’ll link to in the episode description on unstarvingmusician.com and for this episode.

00:22:17.000 –> 00:22:27.940
So you’ve heard about Levitators and you understand the psychology of community naming, and you know the difference between authentic engagement and social media theater.

00:22:27.940 –> 00:22:31.840
Now the question is, how do you actually build this for yourself?

00:22:31.840 –> 00:22:35.640
Here’s your four-step action plan to move from followers to community.

00:22:35.640 –> 00:22:37.640
Step one is define your mission.

00:22:39.060 –> 00:22:47.160
Before you can build community, you need to be crystal clear about what transformation you’re offering, not what you’re selling, what you’re helping people become.

00:22:47.160 –> 00:22:53.340
Ask yourself, what do you want people to feel when they engage with your music or whatever you’re making?

00:22:53.340 –> 00:22:55.540
What do you want them to become?

00:22:55.540 –> 00:23:01.480
Are you helping them find confidence, healing, joy, a sense of belonging?

00:23:01.480 –> 00:23:02.720
Eli’s mission is clear.

00:23:02.720 –> 00:23:06.060
He helps people levitate above whatever’s weighing them down.

00:23:06.680 –> 00:23:08.040
That’s not just a cute metaphor.

00:23:08.040 –> 00:23:13.100
It’s a real transformation he’s facilitating through his music and his community.

00:23:13.100 –> 00:23:16.760
Your mission doesn’t have to be deep and mystical.

00:23:16.760 –> 00:23:18.800
Maybe help people feel less alone.

00:23:18.800 –> 00:23:21.680
Maybe help them tap into their rebellious side.

00:23:21.680 –> 00:23:23.960
Maybe help them process heartbreak.

00:23:24.280 –> 00:23:29.580
The key is being specific about the change you’re creating in people’s lives.

00:23:29.580 –> 00:23:32.160
Step two, find your name.

00:23:32.160 –> 00:23:33.740
Here’s what most artists get wrong.

00:23:34.180 –> 00:23:42.980
They try to brainstorm the perfect community name in isolation, but the best community names come from the community itself.

00:23:42.980 –> 00:23:47.440
Start by asking your current supporters what they call themselves.

00:23:47.440 –> 00:23:51.900
Look at the language they’re already using in comments, messages, and conversations.

00:23:51.900 –> 00:23:55.560
Are there words or phrases that keep coming up?

00:23:55.560 –> 00:23:57.620
Eli didn’t invent Levitators.

00:23:57.620 –> 00:24:00.360
Two different supporters suggested it independently.

00:24:00.360 –> 00:24:02.760
They saw something in his work and named it.

00:24:03.680 –> 00:24:06.700
That’s infinitely more powerful than any name you could manufacture.

00:24:06.700 –> 00:24:18.420
And by the way, if you don’t have an audience already large enough to get any feedback, any suggestions, throw suggestions out to the audience that you do have and see what they say.

00:24:19.500 –> 00:24:21.300
Once you have some options, test them.

00:24:21.300 –> 00:24:22.820
Say them out loud.

00:24:22.820 –> 00:24:25.460
Do they feel right coming out of your mouth?

00:24:25.460 –> 00:24:31.460
Can you imagine introducing yourself at a party and saying, I make music for whatever your community name is without cringing?

00:24:32.880 –> 00:24:34.980
You’re not looking for clever wordplay.

00:24:34.980 –> 00:24:37.200
You’re looking for identity.

00:24:37.200 –> 00:24:41.880
The name should reflect who your people are becoming, not just what they consume.

00:24:41.880 –> 00:24:45.080
Step three is create belonging rituals.

00:24:45.080 –> 00:24:47.380
This is where community building gets practical.

00:24:47.380 –> 00:24:54.400
You need to create ways for your community members to recognize each other and feel special about being part of something.

00:24:54.400 –> 00:24:59.200
Start with exclusive content, not paywall content, community content.

00:24:59.200 –> 00:25:02.580
Maybe it’s behind the scenes stories, only community members here.

00:25:02.580 –> 00:25:05.040
Maybe it’s early access to new songs.

00:25:05.040 –> 00:25:09.260
Maybe it’s personal voice message thanking people by name.

00:25:09.260 –> 00:25:13.600
Next, create ways for community members to identify each other.

00:25:13.600 –> 00:25:21.960
This could be as simple as a hashtag they use or as elaborate as special merchandise only available to community members.

00:25:21.960 –> 00:25:26.960
Most importantly, give your community opportunities to contribute, not just consume.

00:25:26.960 –> 00:25:33.960
Let them submit content for your music videos like Eli does, or ask for their input on set lists.

00:25:33.960 –> 00:25:40.060
Feature their stories in your newsletters, make them co-creators, not just customers.

00:25:41.160 –> 00:25:43.660
Step four, focus on service.

00:25:43.660 –> 00:25:46.920
This is the hardest step because it requires genuine mindset shift.

00:25:46.920 –> 00:25:53.080
You have to stop thinking, how do I get more from my community and start thinking, how do I give more to my community?

00:25:53.080 –> 00:25:59.000
Ask yourself, how does being part of your community improve members lives beyond just hearing your music?

00:25:59.880 –> 00:26:02.820
Do they make friends through your community?

00:26:02.820 –> 00:26:05.540
Do they discover new artists you recommend?

00:26:05.540 –> 00:26:08.380
Do they learn skills from tutorials you share?

00:26:08.380 –> 00:26:11.780
Do they find emotional support during difficult times?

00:26:11.780 –> 00:26:16.220
The value you provide can’t be just entertainment.

00:26:16.220 –> 00:26:17.960
It has to be transformation.

00:26:17.960 –> 00:26:22.180
It has to make their lives genuinely better in some measurable way.

00:26:22.180 –> 00:26:25.620
When you nail this step, everything else becomes easier.

00:26:25.620 –> 00:26:32.040
People don’t just support your music, they invite their friends into the community because they want to share something valuable.

00:26:32.040 –> 00:26:37.640
They don’t just buy merch, they become evangelists for the transformation you’re facilitating.

00:26:37.640 –> 00:26:42.140
Start with these four steps, but remember, community building isn’t a sprint.

00:26:42.580 –> 00:26:46.480
It’s a long-term commitment to serving people who care about your work.

00:26:46.480 –> 00:26:51.220
Get these foundations right and you’ll be amazed how naturally everything else falls into place.

00:26:52.600 –> 00:26:58.940
Wrapping up, I want you to remember one key insight that changes everything about how you approach your music career.

00:26:58.940 –> 00:27:02.520
Community building is about elevation, not collection.

00:27:02.520 –> 00:27:03.980
Most artists are collectors.

00:27:03.980 –> 00:27:08.240
They collect followers, streams, email addresses, social media metrics.

00:27:08.240 –> 00:27:11.000
They measure success by how much they can gather.

00:27:11.000 –> 00:27:16.760
But the artists who build lasting careers, they’re elevators, like Eli with his Levitators.

00:27:17.380 –> 00:27:27.100
They focus on lifting people up, on helping them be better versions of themselves, on creating transformation rather than just accumulation.

00:27:28.300 –> 00:27:35.280
The difference is profound when you’re collecting people or numbers in your database or on your dashboard.

00:27:35.280 –> 00:27:40.060
When you’re elevating, people become part of your mission.

00:27:40.060 –> 00:27:41.520
So here’s the challenge for you.

00:27:41.520 –> 00:27:47.320
Stop thinking about building your audience and start thinking about serving your community and ask yourself this question.

00:27:47.320 –> 00:27:52.940
If your most passionate supporters had to introduce themselves at a party, what would they call themselves?

00:27:52.940 –> 00:27:59.220
Not, I’m a fan of your, of Robonzo or whoever you are, that’s about you.

00:27:59.740 –> 00:28:03.280
What identity would they claim for themselves?

00:28:03.280 –> 00:28:05.780
What would they be proud to be?

00:28:05.780 –> 00:28:09.940
Let me leave you with one more clip from Eli that captures the bigger purpose behind all of this.

00:28:10.640 –> 00:28:16.300
So I would say it’s like a, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship for all involved.

00:28:16.300 –> 00:28:18.880
That’s what real community building sounds like.

00:28:18.880 –> 00:28:21.640
It’s not about you building something for yourself.

00:28:21.640 –> 00:28:25.560
It’s about all of you building something together that serves everyone.

00:28:25.560 –> 00:28:29.820
If this episode sparked some ideas for your own community names, I’d love to hear them.

00:28:29.820 –> 00:28:34.980
Share your thoughts on socials and tag me at Robonzo Drummer.

00:28:34.980 –> 00:28:37.200
What would your people call themselves?

00:28:37.940 –> 00:28:40.860
What transformation are you facilitating?

00:28:40.860 –> 00:28:45.240
What identity are you helping people step into?

00:28:45.240 –> 00:28:48.820
Because at the end of the day, the music industry has enough content creators.

00:28:48.820 –> 00:28:51.140
What it needs is more community builders.

00:28:51.140 –> 00:28:59.760
People who understand that success isn’t measured by how many people know your name, but by how many people are better off because they found your work.

00:28:59.760 –> 00:29:03.860
That’s how you go from starving to unstarving musician or artist.

00:29:04.360 –> 00:29:07.760
Not by collecting more fans, but by elevating more lives.

00:29:07.760 –> 00:29:10.020
Until next time.

00:29:10.020 –> 00:29:12.920
As an independent podcaster, your support means the world to me.

00:29:12.920 –> 00:29:14.980
You could even say I depend on it.

00:29:14.980 –> 00:29:17.800
With that in mind, here are some things you can do to help support us.

00:29:17.800 –> 00:29:31.540
Follow us on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review on your favorite podcast app, or shoot me a review by email, robonzo.unstarvingmusician.com that I can use on the website, or just share this episode with a friend.

00:29:31.820 –> 00:29:35.060
This makes a huge impact on our audience growth.

00:29:35.060 –> 00:29:46.820
You could also visit our crowd sponsor page at unstarvingmusician.com/crowdsponsor to learn the many other ways of supporting the podcast, including a quick and easy online tip jar.

00:29:46.820 –> 00:29:51.380
It’s like click, tip, done, easy and super appreciated.

00:29:51.380 –> 00:30:02.360
You’ll find many ways of showing your support there, including through our affiliate partners like Bandzoogle, Kit, Email, formerly ConvertKit, Dreamhost, and others.

00:30:02.360 –> 00:30:06.640
The music you’re hearing is New God’s Part 2, the instrumental mix by yours truly.

00:30:06.640 –> 00:30:11.400
You can hear the full version downloaded or buy it at robonzo.com.

00:30:11.400 –> 00:30:22.160
And if all this was too much to remember or process, just go to the show notes for this episode at unstarvingmusician.com to find links to all the stuff talked about in this episode.

00:30:22.160 –> 00:30:26.260
You can leave us feedback, questions, comments, complaints at unstarvingmusician.com/feedback.

00:30:28.800 –> 00:30:30.180
Thanks for listening.

00:30:30.180 –> 00:30:32.360
Peace, gratitude, and a whole lot of love.

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Mentioned in this Episode

Robonzo.com

“1,000 True Fans” by Kevin Kelly

332 Eli Lev – Spiritual Growth: From 250 Shows to Finding Sacred Space in Music

Resources

The Unstarving Musician’s Guide to Getting Paid Gigs, by Robonzo

Music Marketing Method – The program that helps musicians find fans, grow an audience and make consistent income

Libsyn Podcast Hosting

Bandzoogle – The all-in-one platform that makes it easy to build a beautiful website for your music

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