Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Articola.
Christy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I run a music publication – specifically, a fan magazine for fans of the band Phish. I started this publication in 1998, when I was 22, while living in my hometown of Latham, New York. This week, I turn 50. I never thought when I started it that it would be something I’d still be doing all these years later. I have been a Phish fan since 1994. I graduated college (Fordham University; Bronx, NY) with a degree in journalism in May of 1998 – and all I wanted to do was travel around the country and see this band. I started Surrender to the Flow in the summer of 1998 and our first issue was published in the Fall of 1998. Right now, we are working on our 94th issue for Phish’s annual, upcoming, Labor Day Weekend run at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. I always really enjoy putting together the Colorado issues in particular since I moved here in 2013 and am still in love with and am enamored with everything about our great state. Surrender to the Flow is not my job (I’m a freelance travel writer, museum and environmental educator, and I own and operate a busy pet sitting business), but rather, a passion project. Our team is made up entirely of volunteers; our printing is entirely supported by advertising sales. Print copies of the magazine are distributed for free to fans at all of Phish’s concerts nationwide, and we also offer a free, downloadable print version. I am honored to be able to give back to the Phish community in this way, and also to give other fans a forum through which they can also give back, either by writing, proofreading and editing, advertising, distributing, or submitting art. Over the years, Surrender to the Flow has become very well-known in the Phish scene, even though it is completely independent from the band itself. We print about 20,000 copies a year over four or five issues and we have 50,000 followers on Facebook. Its been a joy to be a part of it all these years and to watch it grow, and we plan to continue publishing as long as the now-43-year-old-band keeps performing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, it has been a smooth road. We never run out of ideas of content and we never have trouble finding people who want to contribute and be a part of it. In the earlier days, it was sometimes challenging to sell enough advertising spots to support printing and shipping costs – and sometimes, it still is, there’s an ebb and flow to it – so that can be challenging. Also, deadlines are always a bear to battle. But for the most part, all along the way, we have experienced ongoing growth in readership, participation, and fandom, and people often express their gratitude to us for what we do – which is a huge help that keeps us going.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When it comes to Surrender to the Flow, I manage the whole publication. I do some writing for it, but less than I used to, as we have so many other talented writers on our volunteer staff, and we are always finding more people who want to write and contribute art and so on. I personally focus on ad sales, content acquisition and management, layout, distribution organization, and stuff like that. I wear many hats in the creation of Surrender, but I also always like to remind people that it’s a huge group effort to create every issue; we couldn’t do what we do without everyone being on board.
In my personal/professional life, if you’re interested to include that, my work is primarily writing. I am a freelance writer who writes about a number of different things, but most of my main clients are in the travel realm. I write for a few different clients that are travel/food websites that focus on Colorado food and travel and travel in the Southwest. I also cover other topics for other clients. I also work as an educator at CSU Spur in Denver and at the Plains Conservation Center in Aurora. And, I started a pet-sitting business when I moved to Colorado in 2013 – Christy’s Pet Care and House Sitting on Facebook – that is still going strong; I have many clients for whom I pet sit in their homes when they travel. This business is always growing, too – I have more business than I can handle, so I also have a team of pet sitters for referrals when I can’t fulfil a client’s need personally.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I just want to say here that I feel so fortunate to live in the Denver metro. I love everything about Colorado. I first visited this great state in 1997 and loved it immediately, but it took more visits and many years to finally make the leap to move here. I’m so glad that I did. This state has a little bit of everything but not too much of anything; it’s the right balance in so many areas. We have great museums, history, food, sports, music, events, natural spaces, mountains, beauty, cities, and friendly people. We are so lucky to be where we are, and I truly try to appreciate that and reflect upon it every day. Hooray for Denver, and hooray for Colorado life!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/sttflow
- Other: https://www.gumroad.com/sttflow
