Making music isn't just about talent; it's about learning, connecting with people, and finding ways to build a real audience. Today, I brought in Mark Roberge, an entrepreneur and musician, for an episode of Hustle and Flowchart. Mark shared how he built his career, what he's learned about growing a fanbase, and how artists can use smart strategies and technology to get ahead. If you care about music, business, or just finding your people, this episode has a lot of practical info.
What the Episode Is About
This episode covers how modern musicians can go beyond just making songs and become smart entrepreneurs. Mark Roberge describes his path from starting a rock band in high school, using MySpace to grow, hitting Billboard charts, and facing setbacks with record labels. He talks about building Red 13 Studios, learning the importance of systems, and adapting to big changes like COVID-19 and home recording. We discuss how artists need to own their audience instead of relying on platforms, build solid email and SMS lists, and use new tech tools like Fanflowy for fan nurturing. There is also advice on creating content, releasing music smartly, collaborating with other artists, and dealing with the rise of AI in music.
Starting as a musician and entrepreneur
Mark Roberge began with a rock band straight out of high school. He found early success by breaking his band nationally. The key was using platforms like MySpace to connect directly with fans. He explains, “We figured out ways to really utilize MySpace in order to gain audience so that we were driving people, you know, not only to our community but also into our shows.” From 50 people at shows to 1,200 sellouts, the band caught industry attention, charted on Billboard, and had songs on radio. Early lessons taught Mark about the power of word-of-mouth and organic fan growth.
Learning from setbacks and growing a business
Mark’s band signed a deal with a record label, but money issues and missing promotional support led to setbacks. Even with a song on radio (“Come Alive”), the team walked away due to unpaid bills. Mark faced the typical music industry challenges: “Money's guaranteed and then money disappears.” Instead of letting failures stop him, Mark took the band off the road to reassess. He started producing for other artists with his partner Sean Lichtenstein. This led to working with artists like Daughtry and Godsmack, and creating Red 13 Studios—a company focused on artist development, music production, and video work.
When COVID hit, studios struggled. Many artists learned to record at home. Mark noticed a shift: fewer artists brought full projects to the studio, and the margins shrank. He quickly adapted by moving toward consulting, offering marketing and fan nurturing backed by tech and systems.
Using systems and data to help artists
Having a partner like Dan Ryan was a turning point. Instead of chasing every shiny idea, Mark learned to “weigh out everything on a data level.” Dan helped set up Google Ads, lead nurturing systems, and automations. Mark says, “You got to make sure that you're weighing out everything on a data level… utilize the data to tell you what actually should be the move.” By trusting systems and looking at real results, the company drove tons of new customers to the studio and prepared to franchise it—until COVID changed the landscape.
Mark shifted again and built Fanflowy, a tool for automating DM outreach and nurturing on Instagram. This began as a manual guide for artists to connect with new followers. When the workload got overwhelming, Mark turned it into software, working with Dan to build automations that handle messaging, nurture, and multiple calls-to-action. It now helps artists connect with superfans and build strong fanbases without burning out.
Building and nurturing a fanbase
Owning your audience matters more than ever. Mark learned this after losing hundreds of thousands of MySpace followers overnight. He stresses, “You can use these social platforms as aggregators to then drive them into your own list or community that you own.” Getting fans' emails, phone numbers, locations, and preferred streaming platforms lets artists stay connected, even if social platforms disappear.
Artists should capture fans before sending them to Spotify or other platforms. If you can nurture a superfan, Mark says, “They'll do anything you ask, really. They're with, they want to help you.” The episode breaks down the process: build a brand, create good music that competes, figure out where your audience lives (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), and then use a repeated system to drive fans to join your list. Use ads, leverage great content, and keep outreach consistent. Then utilize automations for ongoing communication.
Content creation and music release strategies
Mark highlights the importance of consistent content and smart music release cycles. Instead of dumping 10 songs at once, release singles regularly. Each song becomes a step up the ladder, attracting more fans for the next release. “If you have 100 fans on Spotify and you dump out 10 songs, you only got 100 fans that are actually going to consume those 10. Or you can put out one song, gain maybe 50 to 100 fans between that next release.”
Spotify's algorithm rewards frequent releases. Each new song pops into fans’ Release Radar playlists for 4 weeks. Engage fans, get them to listen, save, and add your songs to playlists. When engagement hits a certain ratio, Spotify boosts your song into radio playlists and Discover Weekly, exposing you to even more listeners.
Mark also talks about content—mixing polished and raw material. He noticed that raw, live clips convert more fans than highly produced videos. “Even though it sounds like crap because it's done from maybe like a Droid phone in a hall… for some reason, they don't care about the polished audio anymore.” Fans want realness. Showing behind-the-scenes, rehearsal, or off-stage moments helps build authentic connections.
Collaborations and community
Teaming up with other artists is a smart way to grow. Mark calls it the “piggybacking method.” Find artists with similar or bigger audiences and release joint music. When collaborating, both audiences get notified, and fans mix. Mark's project, Oh No Octopus, focuses on collaboration-only songs, pairing with artists who have 100,000 to 400,000 listeners. This boosted streams to millions, even with little extra marketing.
For smaller acts, partner with bands at your level and build a content scheme around the joint work. Swap gigs in hometowns, borrow each other’s fans, and tap into new audiences. Mark runs Make Our Music, an online community for artists to connect, collaborate on songs, and share opportunities.
The rise of tech, AI, and live music
Advances in tech, home recording, and AI are shaking up everything. Artists can now record with minimal gear—even an iPhone. AI tools like Suno and ChatGPT let people create music and lyrics without needing to play instruments. Mark gets a lot of AI-generated music submissions and has to ask, “Is this real?” He warns that the rise of AI will blur the lines, but it also raises the bar for quality and authentic talent. People will seek out real stories and live experiences.
Live music is becoming more valuable. Fans pay more to see genuine performances. Festivals and shows are selling out, and people want shared, in-person experiences. Mark explains how ads for raw live clips now outperform polished videos, showing that realness and human stories matter.
Links to helpful resources
- MakeOurMusic.com – Community platform, book, and tools.
- The Indie Artist's Compass – Mark's book with frameworks and guides.
- Prospect Hill Band Website
- Lansdowne Music Website
Final Thoughts
Musicians need to think like entrepreneurs. Mark’s story shows that adapting, learning, and connecting deeply with fans is more important than ever. Building a fanbase that you actually own—through emails, texts, and real relationships—protects you from changes in platforms. Using smart content strategies, frequent single releases, and collaborations help you reach new heights. Technology and AI can be a tool, but true value comes from being real and sharing your unique story.
The episode’s top highlights:
- Create good, competitive music and keep your brand strong.
- Capture and own your audience instead of relying on platforms.
- Use data, systems, and automation to nurture superfans.
- Release music often and leverage platform algorithms.
- Collaborate and connect with other artists and communities.
- Embrace tech, but live music and real stories always win.
Check out the resources above, and remember: don’t wait for things to “go back”—keep learning, keep connecting, and stay original.
Two Other Episodes You Should Check Out
- Sammy “Shoebox Moses” Taggett: Secrets to Transforming Dreams into Reality
- From Grassroots To Greatness with Lloyed Lobo
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