Hi,

This week’s newsletter is a little different in that it’s non music focused - it’s about a non traditional creator and how they’re building their ecosystem.

This newsletter also introduces a new section highlighting individuals in the industry looking for open roles - in addition to providing a “job board” section showing companies that are hiring, I thought it’d be helpful to highlight specific people that are skilled and looking.

I know a lot of really talented individuals looking for work right now and thought these 2 sections might help connect the dots for anyone subscribed looking to hire.

Let’s explore below.

Let’s dive in ⬇️

This week’s newsletter focuses on a creator named Michael Kauffman who is building a company called Catskill Crew.

Michael lives in upstate New York (you guessed it…the Catskills) and started out with a newsletter called Catskill Crew. The newsletter, sent once per week, shares Catskill Mountain history, upcoming events, food + beverage recommendations, and more.

In 2 years, the newsletter has since grown to 35,000 subscribers and has become the vehicle + engine for his business - while most newsletters monetize through sponsorships, Michael has been monetizing in creative ways, mostly with products.

For example, selling a limited edition Catskill-opoly board game that netted him 6 figures in sales this year.

He tested the appetite for the product by running a poll / survey in his newsletter asking people if they were interested. After a resounding yes (and confirmation that there was demand), he went on to create the product and sell a healthy amount.

After creating the board game, he moved onto puzzles and created a custom Catskill Crew puzzle - I actually bought one for a family member who lives in the Catskills and it’s a wonderful gift.

In addition to products, Michael has also experimented with IRL events - for example, a huge July 4th party with a few hundred people attending.

The Catskill Crew isn’t just an audience - it’s become a community. The community is made up of like minded individuals who live in that region, love it, and support what the brand stands for.

It doesn’t always happen like this but his community is so engaged that he’s able to galvanize online subscribers into real life supporters. Throwing events, supporting local businesses, etc.

It’s a brilliant example of product <> market fit and audience <> demand.

• Group of people living in a geographic area

• Those people support and have affinity to that area

• Demand for events, information, and local media for that area

• Make the audience feel like they’re part of a community

• Monetize by selling products that reinforce their identity living in that area

• Take them offline (IRL events) to further engage them and build trust

I think this type of creator ecosystem is fascinating - part of the reason why I nerd out is probably because I spent a lot of time in the Catskill Mountains throughout my life and am endeared to the area, but it is really cool.

• Build an audience.

• Provide them value.

• Turn them into a community.

• Monetize with products.

Who are some other examples of creators that you’re fascinated by?

Hopefully this was helpful on your journey.

Thanks for reading, until next time.

_{The Vault}

 1) Claude Code - I’ve been getting deeper into coding with AI and recently started testing something called Claude Code. It can identify bugs and fix them at a much faster speed than other AI models and in my opinion, is one of the strongest tools out there. HERE

2) The Artist Marketing Playbook - I teamed up with my good friend and fellow music marketing expert Drew De Leon to present The Artist Marketing Playbook. An in-depth look at what an artist can do to set themselves up for success in 2025. More info HERE.