First Year on Substack: It's About The Climb

Wins, fails, favorites, gratitudes, and gifts

While Herizon Music has been around since 2019, the past 12 months on Substack have been pretty damn exciting. It’s a community like none other and gives me hope for the future of writing and music appreciation beyond the constraints and whims of social media. Below is what we achieved and didn’t achieve, the people we appreciate, and a gift for you.

Inside This Issue

• The Climb

• The Favorites

• The Gratitudes

• The Gift

• IKYMI - The Song That Changed My Life

First Year on Substack: It's About The Climb

The Climb

Herizon Music’s introductory post was on September 13th, 2023 but the first mission-based article titled “Did Jann Wenner EVER Interview Women?” launched on the 21st from my friend Amy’s living room in Colorado.

Since then, we’ve grown steadily. I set a goal of reaching 1000 free subscribers in the first year. I fell 30 subs shy of that goal this past Saturday.

It’s hard to confess failure publicly. But with years of practice, it gets easier and easier. If artists can get up on stage and perform in front of a live audience every day, my ego can handle missing a behind-the-keyboard milestone.

The important thing is that, as a media outlet, the message is getting out there. By spotlighting women in music and the issues that affect them and their fans, we are

a) documenting women’s contributions to modern music where traditional media has failed
b) spreading awareness about systemic gender bias that still exists in the music industry
c) improving future digital gender equity by feeding the database that AI uses to generate everything from school book reports to playlists and algorithms (thank you Mandy Mayhem for bringing that to my attention).

Read these conversation starters with stats to back up where the industry sits now with regard to gender equity. I’ll update it in 2025.

And while I find social media burdensome, it’s another way to communicate with music lovers. The numbers align with my attention level to each platform:

Facebook page: 904
Facebook private group: 416
Instagram: 948
TikTok: 160
LinkedIn: 225

The climb is about holding on to perseverance, passion, and purpose.

The Favorites

In the past 12 months, I’ve launched 44 newsletters and podcast episodes on Substack and transferred another 41 episodes from Simplecast. It’s almost unfair to call faves because newer content reaches a larger audience. Here are the fan favorites based on your views:

Newsletter Articles

Swifties vs. Deadheads with ~1,350 views
Should Women Shut Up and Sing? with ~1,050 views
Why Beyoncé’s #1 Country Hit Matters with ~915 views

Podcast Episodes

Lissa Schneckenburger: Fostering Fiddle Music For The Soul with 955 views
Mandy Mayhem: More Swag Than You Can Handle with 850 views
The Many Voices of Celia Chavez with 788 views

See all articles and podcast episodes here.

The Gratitudes

Where do I begin when it comes to extending gratitude? I’d say my family first, yet all of the people below *are* my family. My music family.

The subscribers. You are the front line in supporting women in music. Thank you for listening to new artists and new music; for buying music, merch, and concert tickets. You keep live music… alive!

Herizon Music board of directors. When we decided to dissolve the nonprofit, this group encouraged me to continue the mission and granted all content, brand, and assets to me so I could continue on Substack. Thank you Christy Greeneisen, Grace Lanni, Mary Beth Appleton, Amanda Meyer, and Joy Lakin.

Industry Allies. There are so many that it would be hard to list them all. A few have supported Herizon Music above and beyond: Penny Jo Pullus of Texchromosome.org, Lurleen Ladd of Wavemakers 40+, Wendy Colonna of Crescendo Creative, and Kim Childress of Childress Ink. A special shoutout to Danny McCrystal of TelePresent Media for supporting my goal to book 50% female or female fronted acts on his VR live entertainment platform. This month, 60% of our shows had a female on the stage (fronting or in the band). If we can do it on Maui in a fledgling tech environment for early adopters, anyone can do it.

The Interns. Since 2019, Herizon Music has trained 13 interns from Berklee College of Music, Texas State University, and Syracuse University. Since joining Substack, we’ve had social media intern Nora Kapp and our current podcast intern Remy Kuo. The student who pursued her internship as a career is Bianca Garcia. She is now working in San Antonio full time as a social media coordinator. When people flippantly state that the younger generation is unmotivated or lazy or incapable, I can unequivocally say that is not my experience. With training, the right tools, and encouragement, today’s young adults rise to the challenge.

Substack Writers. I cannot thank Substack writers/podcasters enough. They take the Herizon Music mission seriously and spread the word. They challenge me, teach me, inspire me. They make me laugh, they make me cry. They give me hope. There are too many to thank by name and more that I will surely want to thank down the road. So here is my recommendations list. Review it, bookmark it, subscribe to those who move you. They are independent journalism and creative writing at its best.

The Gift

As a thank you gift to all free subscribers, download this coloring sheet pre-promoting my coloring book First Ladies of Music.

In gratitude to our existing paying subscribers who open their handbags and wallets to Herizon Music, I’d like to send you a care package! Whether you’re writing a daily journal, book ideas, or song lyrics, I hope you’ll find a glimmer of imagination in this gift. It contains:

• Hardcover Lined Writing Journal with Pen Holder

• A black ink retractable pen

• Herizon Music sticker for your journal (or laptop, guitar case, etc.)

• Coloring sheet pre-promoting my coloring book “First Ladies of Music”

Simply email me your mailing address, and I’ll ship it free of charge.

Anyone who becomes an annual or founding member by October 1, 2024 will receive a care package as well. You must email me your mailing address after signing up for the annual subscription in order to receive the care package.

Here’s a little cover tune inspired by a famous writing.

ICYMI - The Song That Changed My Life

My friends at the podcast OneTrackMinds started a new written series called “The Song That Changed My Life.” They kindly invited me to contribute my song, it’s heavy because it’s deeply personal. I feel far more comfortable writing about other people. The song/artist choice may surprise you!

That’s a wrap!

Thea 🎶