media | StreetJelly.com Blog

With a Little Help from me Friends

We live in interesting times. Anyone with a few free computer programming tools can create an internet company. Anyone with a guitar and webcam can broadcast their music to the world and reach millions. Oops, did I just peg the Bullsh!t Meter? I did. While those statements are technically true, they are extremely hard. Extremely hard!

It’s so hard, we often think it is purely a one-in-a-million chance to make any headway in this world. Reality TV shows like The Voice and SharkTank give us this sense that we have to “win” our way to the top with luck. Having great luck does help, and most humble, successful people will tell you that luck did play a major part in their accomplishments. But I also believe helping-others-to-the-top exposes us to the best opportunities …and is the most satisfying way to get through our busy lives.

It’s really simple, when you can help another person – just do it. It doesn’t mean you have to fall over everyone you meet (people will think you’re creepy), nor does it mean you have to give-away every product or service you sell for free (people understand you have to make a living, run a business, obey your boss). But it means a simple gesture of support, an email or phone call to a new contact, or even a purchase of a product or gift can make all the difference in the world to someone. StreetJelly people are the BEST at this! <3

Yes, I’m starting to sound a bit preachy – but it’s something I try to do as often as possible in my tech world and, of course, on StreetJelly. Let me tell you about the community I live in and the support StreetJelly gets. I live in Knoxville, TN, a medium sized city in the foothills of the great Smokey Mountains. Three main industries prevail in the area: the Oak Ridge National Laboratories (technology/engineering), the University of Tennessee (education/research), and Media/Entertainment. After the big cities like New York, LA, etc., Knoxville is the 5th or 6th largest city in media and entertainment. Most of your cable TV programming comes out of companies in Knoxville like HGTV, the Food Network, and so on. It’s a great place to live and work.

We also have a thriving entrepreneur community supported greatly by these industries (see more about the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center). As a young start-up business, StreetJelly receives support from a slew of these organizations. It’s the “rising tide lifts all boats” thing. This support system works not because of some mandated budget by any one organization, but because the folks involved enjoy (as much as I do) to help others succeed.

LineShark Audio

I tell you all this because in the coming weeks, StreetJelly is going to do its part and help promote another music start-up from Knoxville. The company is LineShark. It’s a new business where a pair of engineering geeks (I say that affectionately) and part-time musicians have invented a cool universal connector device. It allows musicians to plug their instrument into an iPad and perform LIVE music back out to an amp with a full studio console of affects. Yes, Androids work too, but most of the cool music apps are on the iPad.

LineShark is in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign, set to end April 24th, 2014. We are going to host a “Kickstarter Party” on StreetJelly, April 9th, to help promote their venture. The actual event will be held at the entrepreneur center, downtown Knoxville. We will stream a live demo of the product on StreetJelly, plus have guest musicians perform with the device. It will be a hoot. It’s the least we can do!!!

~frankie, a.k.a. The King of StreetJelly

ps – Be on the look out for more fun StreetJelly partnerships with local music businesses.

How do you Thank a Community?

Hello, this is a personal note from me, Frank Podlaha, founder of StreetJelly.com. I have the best seat in the house to witness the community that is forming around this little experiment of streaming live musicians for the world. It’s March 2013 and StreetJelly is about six months old. I am blown away by the support we have received by the members of StreetJelly.

We can all relate to having fans, whether we create music, art, or even websites. But it’s something even more special when this thing you create takes on a life of its own. And this thing takes on the life of the people, the super fans, who add their own passion to it. StreetJelly is not about me, Frankie the computer programmer from Tennessee.
StreetJelly is the community of everyone that works so hard to make it special.

Here’s one recent example. StreetJelly was a sponsor at the world’s first Virtual Music Conference. StreetJelly was on an international stage in front of music industry execs, vendor experts, and a worldwide slew of musicians. It was a lot of work. And the Jellyfish stepped up to the plate to help man the virtual exhibitor booth, mingle with conference goers, perform three days straight of music on the site, and overall “spread the jelly.” I hesitate to list names of all those that helped because I fear I may miss someone. But here it goes. Thank you Damian, Clifton, Aaron, Rick, Denise, Martina, Amanda, Robert, Jayro, Chris, Kevin, Jersey, Michael, Lindley, John, Diana, Maureen, and especially Merv for the many hours of tireless promotion of our community. (Oh crud, I feel like I forgot someone already.)

I am humbled by all this help. But just saying “thank you” doesn’t feel like enough. I think the best way to show my gratitude is to continue to work as hard as I can to help create an even bigger and better community. Below is a recent quote about StreetJelly from William Buckley of Fare Play on a Digital Music News article. He sums up well where my heart is:

Nice guys finish first. http://www.streetjelly.com/

Six months ago I had the pleasure of having StreetJelly founder, Frank Podlaha, as our first guest on FarePlay Radio. It was one of those rare moments when you find yourself having a conversation with someone who genuinely cares about helping others.

In many ways Frank and his growing stable of musicians epitomizes everything that FarePlay stands for. Passionate individuals going after a dream no matter how hard the climb. Musicians chasing a dream that perhaps someday will lead them to a career as full time musician.

If you’re a musician you should check out StreetJelly. Frank is a tireless promoter of “his” acts. If you just love music you might find someone you want to follow. And if you’re walking past someone playing on the street you might just pause for a few minutes and check them out. They’ll like that, even if you don’t tip them.

Music is like the air we breathe, we can never get too much.

Thanks Frank.

Thank you, Will. And thank you, StreetJelly Nation! Onward!


StreetJelly BLOG: Community News, Video Streaming, Online Busking, and more…