Humans of Patreon: Hayley Rosenblum

Meet Hayley Rosenblum, the heartbeat of Patreon's creator community. As our Head of Online Community, Hayley specializes in building bridges between creators and their fans, fostering engagement, and driving sustainable growth. With over 15 years of experience in independent artist management and online community building, Hayley brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Her extensive work with musicians like Amanda Palmer have given her unique insights into fan monetization and audience development. Let's dive into Hayley's world of community cultivation, fan engagement, and her unwavering commitment to empowering creators.

Question: Explain what your job is if you were talking to a 5 year old.

Hayley: I lead Patreon's online community, we bring creators together online to learn from one another and to stay connected with the latest Patreon news. I help creators navigate the resources Patreon offers, and in turn, I help bring our creator community’s perspective, experiences and needs back to the Patreon team so we can continuously build the best Patreon possible and support our scaled community of creators.

Question: Who is your favorite creator & why?

Hayley: Amanda Palmer, I've worked with her in some capacity since 2009, and from 2016 to 2021 I helped her run her Patreon page and support her large community. It is through that experience, using Patreon as a creator on behalf of Amanda's team, that I've learned the value and potential that Patreon has to connect fans and inspire artists through that connection and creative freedom. I really admire the way Amanda uses her Patreon to connect with her fans in a deep and authentic way, often inspiring her own creative work, and supporting countless other artists through collaborations.

Question: If you started a Patreon, what would it be and why?

Hayley: I would make a Patreon for my concert photography. I really enjoy sharing my photography with others, and beyond sharing the visual work, I love to tell stories - about the photographs, the concerts, the bands, and everything in between.

Question: What's one thing about working at Patreon that surprised you the most?

Hayley: I didn't realize how popular of a genre True Crime podcasts were until I began working at Patreon.

Question: If your career was a reality TV show, what would be its tagline?

Hayley: Music enthusiast turned art enabler, I put the unity in Community.

Question: If you could have any creator as your mentor for a day, who would it be and what would you learn?

Hayley: I would love to spend the day with my favorite photographer, Todd Owyoung. Todd often hosts educational classes as a Nikon Ambassador, and generously shares music photography advice through his website and other places online. There's so much to learn from him, and I'd be particularly excited to see how he makes, edits and turns around images very quickly. I'd want to dig in to see what kind of presets, if any, he uses in post production, and learn how he gets through decision fatigue to pick out his favorite photographs for his portfolio.

Question: If you could instantly master one skill to help creators, what would it be?

Hayley: If I could instantly master a skill to help creators, it would be engineering, in order to singlehandedly build product prototypes to test out different feature ideas instantly.

Question: What is the best career advice you have ever received?

Hayley: Danya, my hiring manager at Patreon, had great advice for how to deal with people who are upset online: to read their messages in the voice of someone you love, like a grandparent, to cut away at their stinging tone to get to the substance of what they're trying to communicate.

Question: What are your words of wisdom to anyone trying to enter your field?

Hayley: In Community work, you'll find that everything boils down to this: people just want to be seen and heard. If you show up for your community, listen, acknowledge what you hear, and whenever possible share back how what you've heard is being considered, you'll build an authentic trust and reputation within the community you're representing and leading. It's important not to over promise and under deliver, so try to be candid and direct, and whenever possible, demonstrate the care you bring to your community, and the impact that community members have on each other.

Hayley's approach to community management - rooted in empathy, active listening, and authentic engagement - embodies the spirit of what makes the creator economy thrive. Her ability to connect with creators, understand their needs, and translate those insights into actionable improvements for Patreon showcases the vital role of community in the platform's success. Hayley's journey from music enthusiast to "art enabler" is a testament to the transformative power of supporting creativity. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our next "Humans of Patreon" feature!