MRVL WRLD: Quarterly Newsletter (March 2023)

"This is it...this is the precipice"

We're pacing right into the 50th Day of 2023, and still have a good bit of way to make the year unforgettable. There's already been so much that's taken place. I've officially launched my YouTube channel. I, Too, Cry Purple Tears is now available on Amazon, and there's a lot of secrets currently being kept on my end.

Secrets feel weird.

Secrets also don't make friends.

So, let's open up the bag to talk about some important things for you - my friend - to know. We are friends, right? By the way, comments are now enabled on posts, so you can totally comment with "Yeah, we're friends, Alex."

And see, leading the way here with MRVL WRLD is about continuously improving and developing this ship we're driving, and since we've been on this journey together for almost two years now, I'm ready to start cranking some major developments that have been in the works for some time.

Our 1st Quarter newsletter digs into the details for your awareness, excitement, and enjoyment.

I AM ALEX AUGUSTE WEBSITE UPDATES

Subscriber Segment Changes

January of 2022 saw a huge rebrand for me. I transitioned away from "Mistah Marvel" and "Tags By Marvel", and also moved away from using Squarespace as my website. If you're familiar with that process, it takes a whole migration of data, records, posts, and information about you all. Migrating to Ghost.org in January meant that I'm able to merge what I would otherwise do in MailChimp with what I was doing in Squarespace to provide a clean experience for my subscribers to gain instant access to newsletters like this, posts, and the occasional Why The F*ck is Alex Sending Me This Right Now moment.

In full transparency, the way I have my subscribers segmented feels really outdated. I say all of this to say that you can expect posts to slow down tremendously in your inbox so that I can update segments based on your new behaviors.

Some folks are here because of events, but also like books. Some folks are here because they like books, but want jackets. Some folks are here from Instagram, and some folks are here because I looked good in a merlot suit. The point is things need updating, and you'll begin to see those changes roll out in the coming weeks. Don't fret, the only thing you need to do is continue being great (meaning interact with as much sh*t on this website so I know what you like. No algorithms, just the old school way).

Commenting On Posts

As mentioned above, commenting on posts is now enabled, and allows for you to join in on conversations both with myself, as well as other subscribers. I felt like this was important because we are growing into a community very quickly, and there's nothing that I enjoy more than bringing like-minded people together - yes, even if in the comments. The beauty is the comment section on I AM ALEX AUGUSTE will be nothing like those comment sections on Instagram, Facebook, or on articles about Tom Brady's thirst trap.

Premium Content Is Coming

I exited 2022 with over 900GB of unused content. Trying my best to do a follow up to "The Preface is the End" on YouTube, I documented so much experiences and happenings last year, but unfortunately so much of it fell to the wayside. While "premium content" doesn't necessarily mean you'll be bombarded with all of this footage, I've compounded it together with YouTube, Vivid Life Apparel, and starting whipping some opportunities for us all to enjoy something new and exciting.

Beginning as early as February 17th, you can now actually have a free trial of one of the tiers for paid membership to I AM ALEX AUGUSTE.

Paid memberships will be broken out into 4 tiers, with pricing ranging from $1.99/month to $17.00/month. On the low end, you get access to content and on the highest end, add-ons like discounts and first-access to Vivid Life Apparel come in, monthly subscription boxes, and invitations to partnering events as well as MRVL WRLD sponsored events. The trial specifically offers a 30-day test ride for the 3rd tier, which may or may not offer the best value of them all. Again, this is all dependent on your preferences.

Feedback is very welcome.

To kick this off, there's actually two new blog series that are coming to I AM ALEX AUGUSTE in March that will primarily be released as premium content available to paid members, so keep an eye out, and I look forward to having you join!

The Vivid Life Tour

It's been relatively quiet when it comes to that lil' vivid tour thing I do, hasn't it?

Where will I be? Where will WE be?

The Vivid Life Tour is continuing to grow, and that growth is now going to reach out to partner events. You'll hear that come about a few times, and what that means for us (yes, "us") is that we now really get to dig into being a community by being able to share in event experiences.

Partners can contact MRVL WRLD to add their events to The Vivid Life Tour, whether near or far, and we can show up to enjoy the experience they're offering. So, when we talk about partner events and personal invites within those paid memberships. That's what we're talking about.

Dates for the first installment of The Vivid Life Tour will be releasing on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023. Moving forward, the intention is that these releases can be made halfway through each quarter and cover calendar dates as far as convenient for our community, our partners, and my travel anxieties.

Ya know... I'm all good when the plane takes off, but it's the landing that always has me on edge.

For more information on how to become an events' partner, contact me directly via email.

Vivid Life Apparel: Dope Past February (Coming Soon)

Vivid Life Apparel is gearing up to release more merchandise for 2023, including the Dope Past February collection, as we get ready to also kick-off a series called, My Beautiful Dope Contemporaries, highlighting peers and contemporaries making massive impacts in their respective fields to shape the future of Black History.

I, Too, Cry Purple Tears Releases To Amazon

Over the course of the last two years, I've been quietly writing alongside Dr. Brooke Mobley to bring her story as a survivor of domestic violence to life. I, Too, Cry Purple Tears formally released to Amazon Marketplaces globally on Feb. 5th, 2023. The book's official launch took place with a crowd of over 60 attendees at Brio Italian Bar & Grille in Tampa's International Plaza to mark the beginnings of Purple Tears, LLC's official initiatives to support survivors in the Bay Area and abroad.

The launch marks the finish line for MRVL WRLD's official first client project, which offered writing and publishing services to bring the memoir to life. While WRITING remains our first pillar as a company, the process and details about our process have generally gone under the radar and show our commitment to storytelling and assisting with bringing such stories to life.

I AM ALEX AUGUSTE YOUTUBE

And may the storytelling continue! January 1st marked the official launch of I AM ALEX AUGUSTE Youtube, bringing My Real Vivid Life to full swing as continued storytelling rather than just one, isolated docuseries.

The channel has grown substantially since launch, with subscribers increasing by 209% since the first video release of my experience at Doo-Wop R&B Party on New Years Eve in Miami.

The channel not only offers longer form video and storytelling, but finally gives a true home for all of the video content that I've been building over the last year - yes, that includes that 90GBs of footage that's likely going to be part of our premium content off.

I'm excited about the channel because it also offers a home to Video Featurettes, and a lot more experimental content that has been sitting in the back pocket including official videos for sandbagged projects like The Perfectionist, The Insomniac, and long-awaited projects like "Nothing Dies On the Internet" and more.

Be sure to subscribe to the channel for posts, videos, and more.

It's just not said enough how much your support has been appreciated in the journey of building MRVL WRLD and doing the work that I do. Even if it's just your opening of these emails, reading blogs, and checking out the laest videos, your support is felt and always appreciated.

Thank you for letting me be myself.