The more seasoned I get, the more I realize that the right community can be one of the greatest accelerators of personal and professional growth.
Plus: Iβm giving away five copies of Romanβs new book. Details below.
I was reminded of that last week when I spent a few days at the Four Seasons just outside of LA forΒ PTTOW! NXT, an invite-only annual summit bringing together the PTTOW community and the next generation of marketers and culture shifters.Β
I always love this event.
Itβs not just the programming, which rocks thanks to Sammy and her incredible team.
Itβs the community. The camaraderie. The conversations. The sparks of inspiration and the door opener to the next generation of star marketers.
Thereβs something truly transformative about being surrounded by people who challenge you, inspire you, and genuinely want to see you succeed. I feel blessed to have been a strategic advisor to the PTTOW team for many, many years and to have played a role in shaping its community and culture.
This year, PTTOWβs inspirational co-founder and CEO, Roman Tsunder, shared his heroβs journey of building PTTOW, what it means, and, more importantly,Β why it exists.
For years, I would run into Roman at various events in cities around the world. As we built a friendship, he would challenge me with his thinking and direct line of questioning.
Roman is a true student of the game. Our conversations over the years, have always pushed me to think unconventionally and helped bring me to new levels of clarity.Β
I was excited to dig deeper into his first book, which dropped last week at the summit.
Reading his story from the beginning reminded me just how intentional this community is. It all starts with its origin story and takes impressive shape over its 15-year evolution.
Many organizations have drawn inspiration from PTTOW, its ethos, its tight-knit community, and its impact on the marketing landscape, which continues to ripple through culture year after year.
If you want to build an impactful community in any vertical, there are a lot of lessons to learn here.
And for the many marketers out there who dream of finding their way into rooms like these, trust me, the right community can change your life.
Roman opens his heart in this book, sharing his journey, philosophy, and many of the codes heβs unlocked and downloaded along the way.
This book encapsulates the type of thinking I embrace. Itβs not just for aspiring community builders and elite marketers. Itβs for anyone looking to reinvent themselves, level up, and make a greater impact.
As Roman puts it:
βThis book is for the dreamers, the doers, the big thinkers, future legends, icons, heroes of their own life story, the entrepreneurs, the brand leaders, the young professionals just starting out, the mid-career professionals looking to level up or even make a greater impact, the future change makersβso youβd have the insight, information, and inspiration for your own plan that I didnβt when I started out.
I wrote this so you could live your wildest and most impossible dreams, dare to do the NBDB and create a Plan To Take On the World!β
Thatβs the type of thinker Roman is and one of the many reasons Iβm a BIG fan of his and PTTOW.
Iβm happy to shine my light on his message and continue doing what I can to support this movement.
So, as a gift to the Beats x Bytes community, Iβm giving away five copies of Romanβs new book!
How to enter: Email [email protected] with your name, mailing address, and one line on why this book belongs on your shelf.
Iβll personally select five responses and send each of you a copy, on me.
On & Up!
Musically yours,Β
DEAL FLOW TO KNOW
Tyler, The Creator Takes Over FC Barcelona β Spotify gives Tyler full creative control of its latest FC Barcelona collaboration, bringing together music, football, fashion, exclusive merchandise, and immersive experiences. (Spotify)
PokΓ©mon Goes EDM With Marshmello β PokΓ©mon celebrates its 30th anniversary with an immersive EDM concert featuring Marshmello and Alison Wonderland, blending gaming nostalgia, live music, and next-level production. (Variety)
Apple Music Gets a New Visual Identity β Apple Musicβs βMade by Soundβ creative identity explores how music can shape a brandβs visual language. (Ad Age)
Bose Acquires Skullcandy β Bose acquires Skullcandy to expand its consumer audio portfolio and connect with younger audiences through the brandβs deep roots in action sports and youth culture. (The Verge)
John Summit Becomes Awayβs Chief Destruction Officer β After famously setting his Rimowa suitcase on fire, DJ John Summit turns a viral moment into a clever brand partnership with rival luggage company Away. (Adweek)
Justin Bieber Brings Immersive Audio to Seoul β Bieber expands his SKYLRK lifestyle brand with a multi sensory audio installation in Seoul, merging sound, design, retail, and experiential culture. (Hypebeast)
TRENDING PULSE
Meet Smutstep: Where BookTok Meets Dubstep β Artist DARQ DAGR has created a viral microgenre blending dubstep with BookTokβs romantasy obsession, showing how niche internet communities can fuel entirely new musical movements. (404 Media)
Soundtrack Listening Parties Are Having a Moment β Soundtrack listening parties point to growing interest in communal music experiences built around film, fandom, and shared listening. (Trend Hunter)
Why Depop Is Putting Music at the Center of Its Marketing β With 56% of its community attending live music events, Depop is doubling down on artist collaborations with Zara Larsson, Olivia Rodrigo, and others to connect fashion, resale, and fandom. (Modern Retail)
The Independent Music Report 2026 β A survey of 5,039 independent artists reveals that 74% earned less than $1,000 from music last year, 47% are using AI in music creation, and 82% canβt afford to tour. (Ditto Music)
SPOTLIGHT STAGE
PODCAST | Listen to This Weekβs Featured Podcast β Check me out on the Breaking Down the Biz podcast with host Seth Schachner, where we discuss the evolving landscape of music, brand collaborations, and fan engagement, highlighting innovative ways artists and brands are creating immersive experiences and new revenue streams. (YouTube)
VIDEO | Watch This Weekβs Featured Video β Check out LionTreeβs Q4 Preview. (Vimeo)
MUSIC | Canada Dry β This track is creating some buzz off of Troye Sivanβs new album. I wonder if someone will connect the dots with the classic ginger ale and if the brand will want to get in on this action or if its too racy. (YouTube)
TECH | Sony Introduces a Glasses-Free 3D Display β Sonyβs new Spatial Reality Display explores glasses-free 3D viewing, offering another glimpse into the future of immersive visual experiences. (The Verge)
About Nue Agency
Nue is a creative music agency that leverages the power of music culture to help our clients make deeper connections with their consumers. Each week in our Beats + Bytes newsletter, we highlight the best stories, news and trends happening in the industry to keep you up on what's new. To learn more about what we do, contact us here!
