Have you ever wondered what happens to talented musicians who spend decades perfecting their craft but never build an audience? Are you currently so focused on creating great work that you're neglecting the relationships and contact lists that could sustain your career in the future? Perhaps you assume that your talent alone will eventually attract the recognition and financial rewards you deserve, or that social media platforms will always provide access to the people who matter most to your career.

In this eye-opening episode of Creativity Excitement Emotion, David shares a sobering case study of working with a veteran musician in his golden years who possesses substantial talent and decades of excellent work, but virtually no audience to monetize it.

Through this real-world example, David reveals the harsh reality of what happens when list-building and relationship maintenance are neglected throughout a creative career—and why it becomes exponentially harder to build an audience when you finally need one.

Whether you're just starting your musical journey or have been creating for years without systematically building your contact database, this episode provides both the wake-up call and practical strategies needed to ensure you don't find yourself with limited options when you're ready to monetize your life's work.
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Highlights:
00:17 – This is the situation you don’t want to find yourself in…
01:55 – The preventable reality
03:26 – Relying on systems that may not last
05:46 – Small practices that build rapport
06:35 – The value of building relationships with a wide array of people
07:59 – Updating your list as time moves forward
09:52 – You don’t have to do this perfectly
10:49 – Refreshing your database
11:17 – Monetization challenges
13:51 – Closing thoughts
Summary:
In this sobering and practical episode, David shares insights from working with a veteran musician in his golden years who finds himself with decades of excellent work but virtually no audience to monetize it.

Through this real-world case study, David delivers both a cautionary tale and actionable guidance about the critical importance of building and maintaining contact lists throughout a creative career, before it's too late.
Key Themes & Takeaways

The stark reality of reaching later career stages without an audience despite quality work
Why list-building and relationship maintenance are non-negotiable for sustainable creative careers
The predictable ways networks naturally shrink over time without intentional effort
How to build meaningful contact databases that provide options for future monetization
The difference between social media followers and owned contact information

The Golden Years Reality Check
David opens with a sobering case study of a veteran musician facing monetization challenges:

A client with substantial body of work but minimal audience or contact list
Decades of performances and collaborations that never translated to owned relationships
The harsh reality of having limited options when trying to monetize without an existing audience
How even talented, experienced creators can find themselves isolated in their later years

"He asked me how we were going to monetize his work. This is where I got to talking about his email list. It's not something that he spent a whole lot of time, in fact, really any time building through the years... he did not have a list, he did not have traffic, he did not have a following or an audience."

This opening immediately establishes the stakes while providing a clear example of what happens when relationship-building is neglected throughout a career.
The Preventable Crisis
David emphasizes that this situation, while common, is entirely avoidable:

The same time resources available to everyone (24 hours, 365 days) can be used differently
How craft development often happens in isolation, but audience building requires different strategies
The missed opportunities at every performance, collaboration, and professional interaction
Why waiting until monetization becomes urgent makes the challenge exponentially harder

"There's something you can do about it today, tomorrow, the day after. You’ve got the same 24 hours a day everyone else does... with all the performances he's done, with all the people he's worked with... There were surely handshakes, there were surely people met along the way."

This section emphasizes the urgency of taking action while also acknowledging that most musicians face this challenge, as audience building isn't an intuitive aspect of artistic practice.
The Network Shrinkage Phenomenon
David explains the natural forces that erode professional networks over time:

How life transitions (family, career changes, relocations) naturally separate people
The tendency to form "situational friendships" that don't survive context changes
The role of neglect and laziness in allowing valuable relationships to fade
Why people often look up after 10-20 years to find their networks dramatically reduced

"Generally, people's lives do shrink through the years. And part of this... is usually due to people's laziness and neglect. Because what so often happens is people start a family in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, and then a good 10, 15, 20 years go by before they look up to see who's still around."

This analysis helps readers understand why passive relationship maintenance leads to isolation, making the case for proactive list-building efforts.
The Platform Dependency Trap
David challenges the common assumption that social media platforms provide security:

The unreliability of depending on platforms like Facebook for long-term connection
How platform algorithms and policies can eliminate access to your own contacts
The question of whether current platforms will exist or function similarly in 20-30 years
Why owned contact information (email, phone, address) provides more security than platform followers

"Do you really believe that Facebook is still going to be here? Or if it is, is it going to be exactly the same as it is now? And when you get there, will you have the same kind of access to the people that you have right now?"

This perspective shift helps creators understand the difference between borrowed audiences and owned relationships.
The Relationship Maintenance System
David provides practical guidance for maintaining professional relationships:

Simple systems like Facebook birthday notifications that take minimal time but maintain a connection
The importance of having contacts across diverse industries and interests
Why calling people on birthdays creates stronger connections than text messages
The strategic value of maintaining relationships with people at different career stages

"How long would that take you to do? Five seconds, 10 seconds in the morning... It would take you five seconds, 10 seconds to log into Facebook, tap a few buttons, and send out birthday notifications, just to keep things fresh with the people you've met along the way."

These practical suggestions make relationship maintenance feel achievable rather than overwhelming.
The Portfolio Approach to Networking
Drawing inspiration from an Instagram post about knowing people in various professions, David advocates for strategic relationship diversity:

The value of having contacts across different industries and specialties
How diverse networks provide more opportunities and resources
Why limiting relationships to only similar people reduces future options
The practical benefits of knowing people in various professional capacities

"You need to know people, and you should know people in a variety of categories if you're the kind of person that attaches any value to who you are."

This broader perspective on networking helps creators think beyond their immediate creative community.
The Refresh Reality
David addresses one of the most difficult aspects of long-term relationship building:

The inevitable reality that people will pass away or become unavailable
Why lists and networks require continuous refreshing with new connections
How to balance grieving losses with practical list maintenance
The importance of not relying solely on decades-old relationships

"The dispassionate part about this is that you've got to keep refreshing your list... when you're ready, begin refreshing your list. And that includes making new friendships, that includes making new connections."

This honest discussion of mortality and change provides necessary context for understanding relationship building as an ongoing process.
The Marketing Challenge
David explains the limited options available when audience building has been neglected:

How the lack of owned audience restricts monetization strategies to expensive advertising
Why starting audience building in later career stages faces time constraints
The challenge of creating irresistible offers without existing audience feedback
How marketing becomes exponentially more difficult and expensive without owned lists

"I don't have options. He has no social media presence aside from YouTube, and he doesn't have an email list... So this is what I'm left with, is advertising and playlist promotion, and other than that, what have I got?"

This section illustrates the real-world consequences of neglecting audience building while there's still time to address it.
Action Steps for Musicians
For creators looking to avoid this situation, David suggests:

Start collecting contact information at every performance and professional interaction
Create systems for regular relationship maintenance (birthday messages, check-ins)