MasterMind Drummer
Dec 31st, 2024
Newsletter #54
It’s Monday, December 30th, and I’m sitting on a plane somewhere between Melbourne and Christchurch, listening to Primus, and on my way to wrap up the year with the incredible Natasha Bedingfield. (By the way—Australia WENT OFF!!!)
Let’s start here… what a year. Easily one of my absolute favourites to date.
But…
If I’m being honest, this was also one of the hardest.
I’ll get to the wins in a minute, but first—let’s put things into perspective.
It’s only been 12 months since I decided to pivot and came up with the concept for MasterMind Drummer—developing the person and the player. This was when I finally figured out how I wanted to carve out my spot in the (let’s face it) saturated world of online drum courses.
I’d been wanting to release courses for years because I knew that what I teach actually works. It’s specific to me. But even with that, I still hadn’t nailed down what else truly separated me from the pack.
Then it hit me.
The other side of me I share online—the mindset, the hard work, showing up for yourself, the commitment to craft, early mornings, reading, exercise etc—that was the missing piece. I was treating these things like two separate parts of who I am, but the reality? They were always one and the same.
Funny thing is, that’s exactly how I’ve always taught in person, too.
I’ve always made it clear to my students—nothing happens without real, consistent effort. Progress isn’t just about having the information. It’s about doing the work, but, let’s be real—
A. It’s more work than most realize.
B. It’s more work than most are willing to put in.
Anyway, once I figured this out, I thought everything would fall into place… but, of course, that was just hurdle #1.
I now knew how and what I wanted to teach. I had a clear direction. But had I ever built an entire online course from scratch? Filmed it, edited it, and put it all together into something I could be proud of?
Nope.
Had I ever built and run a website? Handled the backend for payments and course hosting?
Again… no.
Let’s just say the learning curve was steep.
And to make things even more interesting, I decided to start a weekly newsletter on January 1st—where I’d share ideas about all this stuff. Roughly 2000 words each week, every week. Plus, staying consistent with social media content to get the message out there.
The idea was simple—after 27 years of playing, I’d build an honest, no-BS ecosystem around everything I care about—on and off the kit.
But let’s take it even further…
That’s just the drumming side. On the personal front? I’d just bought my first house… and my wife and I had our third child.
Yeah. When it rains, it pours!
Little Maximus arrived in late September ’23, and MasterMind Drummer was born just a couple of months later. 
Add to that mortgage payments, sleepless nights, baby life—and let’s not forget my other two kids and wife needed me to be present, engaged, and fully there.
A lot on my plate? Absolutely.
But… This is actually when I thrive. When the pressure is on.
This is life. My life. It’s all my responsibility—and I f**kin love it.
I love being a husband. I love being a dad. I love being a friend. And I feel it’s my job to show up for the people in my life, every single day. I need to be stable, consistent, and someone they can always count on.
It’s also my responsibility to provide and make sure my family feels secure. That’s a gift I don’t take lightly.
And this is why I do what I do—exercise, nutrition, mindset—because it works.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again—success leaves clues. The results I want, in all areas of life, always come back to simple fundamentals—done consistently.
So yeah, this year has tested me… but all of it led to growth in areas I wouldn’t have leveled up in otherwise.
Now let’s talk about the wins.
Firstly, I’m incredibly proud that I now have a fully functioning website hosting 6 courses of my I.P. (with more on the way). These are courses I wrote, filmed, edited, and manage—by myself.
I didn’t hire a team—I learned and did it all.
MasterMindDrummer.com is something I’m really proud of.
Some other highlights from 2024…
On the kit:
- Performing at the New Zealand Music Awards with Georgia Lines (when she won Best Pop Artist).
- Touring New Zealand with Black Comet and releasing our debut album.
- Holding MasterMind Drummer Clinics across the country.
- Jumping on with Natasha Bedingfield for shows.
- And, to top it all off… getting an audition with PRIMUS.
Off the kit:
- Celebrating my 10-year wedding anniversary.
- Turning 40 (and running 40km to celebrate).
- My youngest turning 1.
Not bad, right?
The biggest lesson/confirmation for me this year? That progress is always self-determined.
It’s about the work you put in. Period.
I’ve never claimed anything more than just showing up and putting in the hours. And honestly? Every win I’ve had this year traces directly back to that simple principle.
I want to thank you for being part of this journey. Your support, messages, and engagement mean the world.
2025 is already shaping up to be my biggest year yet—and I can’t wait to dive in.
I’ll leave you with this—
Opportunities are simply where ability meets a positive attitude.
So, for 2024—set some strong goals on and off the kit, show up daily and be consistent, and trust me… the needle will start moving.
Happy 2024! Have a safe and positive entry into 2025.
—————
Let’s leave it there this week.
As always, thanks for reading these, and thanks for all your feedback, too. I really appreciate it.
I read them all. So please, if you have any thoughts, send them through, and let’s get a dialogue happening.
Don’t forget… Stay hungry (and stay healthy!)
See you next week.
Stan