Building a Community: Substack to Patreon to Wrestling Facebook Group to WWE Fastlane

I talk about content changes and we'll chat about WWE Fastlane.

Links worth checking out:

Private Wrestling Facebook Group - Join me now

Marie Shadows making exclusive wrestling content on Patreon

What we discuss:

• Patreon tiers - new tiers!

• The goodies that come with supporting me through Patreon!

• Squared Circle Society is free! Tell a friend! Sign up!

• Community building - how Cities Skylines taught me things

• Why I created a Facebook profile and group chat

• Why you should join both the Facebook group and Patreon

• Talking about WWE Fastlane

• WWE Fastlane discussion in the Facebook Group chat - will getting exclusive content from WWE themselves as I was invited to their IG channel!

• You are an amazing individual and not a number in my content creation and wrestling career and journeys

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Navigating the ever-shifting terrain of digital creation, our commitment remains steadfast in fostering a community. In recent days, my virtual ventures led me to Cities Skylines on Xbox. Fear not, for this seemingly unrelated detour is merely the backdrop to a wrestling-infused narrative about the future of my content.

Cities Skylines, a city-building game, places you at the helm of constructing an entire urban landscape—from roads and homes to schools and hospitals. Your responsibility to the citizens within the game mirrors the dynamics of a community. Picture this as our shared journey. A community leader sparks interest, draws curious gazes, and invites others to join in the unfolding narrative.

Our last encounter delved into the decision to transition my newsletter, Squared Circle Society, into a free platform. Today, let's delve a bit deeper into this transformation, exploring the adjustments in how and where you can contribute to support me.

In my previous article, I may have been a bit impulsive. Eager to introduce a premium tier named Ringside with a $50 price tag, I decided on a 20% discount, making it a more affordable $40. Alas, the response fell short of expectations. But fret not, for change is the name of the game! Tinkering with the tiers, let's embark on a journey guided by Pricing, Perks, and Passion.

Pricing, Perks, and Passion

Trying to find the right membership platform was a struggle. I have both a Patreon and Ko-fi. Ko-fi is good for artists and I enjoy having the Twitch capabilities and a commission section. However, when I did a Twitter poll asking the online public community about which platform they know best — Patreon or Ko-fi — Patreon won by a landslide. In the digital age, everyone is connected through apps on their phones so it’s easy to just open the Patreon app and interact with your favorite content creator. This is why I chose Patreon.

Patreon is a membership platform that provides a way for content creators to receive recurring payments, or "pledges," from their fans or patrons. The platform allows creators to offer various membership tiers with exclusive content, perks, and rewards in exchange for financial support. Patreon serves as a bridge between creators and their audience, enabling a sustainable income model for those who produce ongoing, valuable content.

As a creator on Patreon it offers us a variety of things.

1. Sustainable Income: Patreon offers content creators a reliable and ongoing source of income, reducing dependency on sporadic sources such as ads or one-time donations.

2. Direct Fan Support: It enables direct financial support from fans who appreciate the creator's work, fostering a stronger sense of community and connection.

3. Creative Freedom: Creators can focus on their passion and craft without being solely reliant on external funding. Patreon allows for more creative freedom by letting creators dictate the terms of their content.

4. Diverse Revenue Streams: Content creators can diversify their revenue streams by offering different membership tiers, merchandise, or exclusive content, providing flexibility in monetization.

As a fan on Patreon we offer you a variety of content:

1. Access to Exclusive Content: Fans who support creators on Patreon gain access to exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and personalized perks that aren't available to the general audience.

2. Direct Impact: Patreon empowers fans to directly contribute to the sustainability of the content they love. It gives them a tangible way to support their favorite creators.

3. Community Engagement: Patrons become part of a special community, interacting with the creator and fellow supporters. This sense of belonging enhances the overall experience.

4. Influence on Content: Depending on the membership tier, patrons may have a say in the type of content created, contributing to a collaborative and interactive relationship between creators and fans.

Patreon serves as a transformative platform, reshaping the dynamics of content creation by fostering a direct and sustainable connection between creators and their audience. It allows creators to pursue their passions while fans actively participate in and support the content they love.

Given that, my Patreon platform is now simply under my name: Marie Shadows. This adjustment aims for simplicity and a more personal touch, creating a space where both the community and I can truly shine. The Substack will persist in delivering articles covering wrestling, wrestling news, previews of exclusive Patreon content, and sporadic updates about life within my Private Facebook Group. However, we're venturing a bit further ahead.

My Patreon has essentially four tiers.

1. Casual Fan ($5): This is a support entry fee with no special perks other than Patreon and Substack feeds.

2. The Tryout ($13.50): "The Tryout" offers a taste of the immersive journey into the heart of wrestling content.

3. Ringside ($35): The commitment in premium content that’ll immerse you into the heart of wrestling content.

4. Undisputed Champion ($150): The Price of Sponsoring me and my content. In return, I hype up all your business stuff and content with shoutouts and adding your name to the videos and audio content I create. This price ensures I can travel to and from events — a ride isn’t always guaranteed plus, don’t we all like watching the country side in vlogs — and eating.

Everything is always subject to change; that's the nature of the game. This marks the beginning of a gradual transformation, and my aim is to navigate it with precision. While the pace might feel like a snail's, bear in mind that I am a one-person team dedicated to ensuring timely deliveries. I'm committed to bringing you authentic content—no fakery, no clout chasing, no throwing others under the bus. I'm not here to step on anyone or build lies masked as a disguise to grab your hard-earned support. My mission is to hype things up genuinely, forge a true community, even if it's a hit-or-miss sometimes. I won't fake it to win your support; I'd rather earn it authentically. I show up, I put in the work, and with a little support and encouragement, we can achieve great things together. Just remember, don't kiss my ass though. Being overly positive for the sake of being positive is a bit cringe and over the top.

Ringside Fan Experience - Private Wrestling Facebook Group

ypically, signing up for a membership service grants access to a private group chat. If I still had a paid subscription here on Substack, we'd be using the Substack Chat feature, which allows for paid-only threads. I've observed fellow Substack creators implement this and wondered about its success. Personally, I enjoy conversing with everyone to understand who they are, what they like, and whether we vibe together. Reiterating multiple times that I want everyone to experience my work is intentional. That's why my podcast review shows aren't behind a paywall—I desire conversation, engagement, excitement, and even pushback if you disagree with my wrestling opinion. The art of conversation, after all, lies in finding common ground, understanding each other, and sharing knowledge while avoiding a know-it-all demeanor.

Hence, I leave most (if not all) of my content free to foster these conversations.

The Private Wrestling Facebook Group aligns with this goal. It's an immersive wrestling experience—a space to share your experiences, recount enjoyable wrestling shows, narrate meet-and-greet encounters with your favorite wrestler, or post pictures. Wrestling holds profound memories for us all, from watching WrestleMania to enjoying pay-per-views with friends. These shared moments are invaluable.

Creating this Facebook Group is new for me. During challenging times, when burnout loomed large, I contemplated creating a Facebook group and a new business profile to enhance bookings. The driving force behind these thoughts is my need for an audience—a unified community under the banner of wrestling.

I genuinely love and appreciate each of you. You're not just numbers to me, unlike many content creators. Instead, you are friends and supporters of something we all cherish—professional wrestling. Thank you for being on this journey with me, witnessing the unfolding chapters as I navigate life post-WWE through podcasting, livestreaming, content creation, Patreon goodies, and more. While some content creators chase numbers, I'm grateful to have friends and supporters who share a passion for professional wrestling.

I wonder if you’ll join me in the Facebook Group after that? We’ll be talking about WWE Fastlane at 8pm EST.

I’m loving there are only 5 matches on the card. It’s easier to breath during the event. And I just joined WWE’s Fastline IG Channel for exclusive content!

I’ll see you in the Ring-Side Fan Experience Private Facebook Group Chat!

I’ll see you on Patreon too!

After thoughtful consideration, I've chosen to conclude my membership with the Full-Time Creator Masterclass Mastermind program hosted by Chris Van Vliet and Travis Chappel. The current fee of $79 per month (originally $49) no longer aligns with the value I expected.

The program offers guest Q&A sessions with small lessons, networking opportunities, and ample down time between sessions or lessons. In the initial stages, the majority of discussions revolved around fundamental aspects of YouTube content creation: thumbnails, increasing viewership, and determining an ideal video length. While the formation of the curriculum on the go isn't inherently good or bad, there's room for improvement. A survey was conducted, gathering valuable insights into each participant's struggles as content creators. It's disheartening that these surveys weren't leveraged to construct targeted, pre-made curriculum courses. This would have mitigated the substantial downtime experienced while waiting for the two weeks to conclude and determining who could afford to stay or leave. Without that approach to the overall masterclass, it now feels somewhat disingenuous.

Given these factors and my observation, the cost feels disproportionate to the provided value. I'm excited to redirect my focus and energy into charting my own course, with your incredible support, love, and guidance by my side. Here, each of you is an individual, not just a number in the crowd, and we share a genuine love for wrestling.

Thank you.