My LeadingRE Presentation

How Max Creek Built a Community One Note at a Time

Friends,

I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at the annual LeadingRE conference in Las Vegas this week! Even better, my presentation combines three of my biggest passions: Marketing, Technology, and Music.

My gratuitous glamour shot.

As you may know, I’ve been writing Max Creek’s biography. The project has been a labor of love, but I’m happy to report that the book will be finished this year. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the project has taken me down some amazing rabbit holes. I interviewed Mike Gordon (Phish), John Bell (Widespread Panic), David Gans, and many others. And now, I have the opportunity to share Max Creek’s story to an entirely new audience of marketing and technology professionals. My presentation is entitled: “Building a Community: How to Create a Dedicated Following.”

I was sixteen years old the first time I saw Max Creek live. The show changed my life. Seriously. Much to my parents’ chagrin, I saw the band every Wednesday night at The Living Room in Providence, Rhode Island throughout high school. In 2022, I saw Max Creek play two nights in Denver, Colorado. I hadn't seen the band live in years, but their performance blew me away. If you’d asked sixteen-year-old Tom if he would still be seeing Max Creek in 2022, he probably would have said, “Like, totally, dude.” However, it’s nothing short of a miracle. I mean, few rock bands persevere for five decades.

As I was driving home after the show, I thought about the impact Max Creek had on my life. I thought about the band’s improbable career. Ultimately, I set out to write a book about a legendary New England rock band and explore what it means to be a successful artist, and I did. However, I also learned something even more significant. Far more significant. I learned just how powerful a community is. And that’s what my presentation is about. I don’t want to give too much away before my talk this week, but here’s a sneak peek of the topics I will be covering in my presentation:

• Grassroots Marketing and Word of Mouth Movements

• The Importance of Innovation

• Identifying Your Superpower

• Redefining Success

• The Power of Community

If you’re attending the conference, be sure to say, “Hi!”If not, stay tuned—I’ll be sharing more insights soon.