The Pipes are Flowing: Hoopla, Substack, and Scaling the Collective

In my last update, I talked about laying the "pipes"—the unglamorous, backend distribution networks required to get independent art out of Portland and into the global marketplace.

For the last few weeks, my head has been down (and admittedly, fighting off a nasty cold—a harsh reminder of the very human side of the "indie label journey"). But while the studio was physically quiet, the digital machine was roaring to life.

Today, I am incredibly proud to announce that the pipes are officially flowing. We aren’t just building platforms anymore; we are operating them.

Here is an open-source look at the milestones we hit this week across the Foundry.

1. The Ultimate Proof of Concept: Hoopla Integration

When we launched NBGee Publishing with Trish Ginther’s Learn to Grow: Life Skills for Teens, the goal was never just to sell books on Amazon. The goal was to democratize access to vital knowledge.

This week, we hit a massive milestone: Trish’s book is officially live on Hoopla Digital.

Hoopla is the primary digital gateway for public libraries across the United States. This means an independently published book by a senior creator in our collective is now sitting in the national library ecosystem, accessible to millions of patrons for free, while still generating revenue for the author. This is the exact proof of concept NBGee Foundry was built to achieve.

2. NBGee Studios and the "Video Comic" Model

As the publishing wing expands, so does our visual storytelling. We are officially moving into full production on our next major property: Gus Tells Terry, an original manuscript by our featured artist and author, Juanita Buckles.

To bring this to life, we had to upgrade our tech stack. I spent the week building and deploying a custom upgrade to our internal NBGee Audio Lab. We can now direct and mix up to five AI voice actors simultaneously, allowing us to produce fully scored, multi-actor "Video Comics."

But making the art is only half the battle; you need a stage. We have officially launched a dedicated series channel for Gus Tells Terry over on our Substack (studios.nbgee.com). We are utilizing Substack's "Sections" feature to build a Netflix-style infrastructure. Subscribers can pay a single monthly fee to access our entire slate of upcoming shows, including the NBGee Alien Universe (animated stories based on our best-selling merch characters).

Most importantly, this subscription revenue will be split with the creators exactly like our merchandise model.

3. Scaling E-Commerce: Gallery Views & The Spring Collection

Over on the retail side, our 2026 Spring Collection is officially live. It features incredible new botanical and abstract pieces from Kim Poff and Juanita Buckles.

We also launched a fascinating hybrid product: physical artisan soaps by Carrie Taylor ("Neon Sugar" and "Indigo Salt") designed specifically to accompany her digital audio capsules.

To support this expanding catalog, I rolled out a brand new UI update: The Gallery View. Store visitors can now click on a specific piece of art and instantly see every piece of NBGee merch that features that image. It shifts the shopping experience from "browsing products" to "browsing art," which perfectly aligns with our creator-first mission.

4. Locking in the Financial Backend

You can’t run an indie record label without securing the royalties. Behind the scenes, I successfully completed our SoundExchange, DistroKid, and UnitedMasters audits. We officially cleared all past catalog disputes and have firmly routed our Master and Label royalties to the new NBGee Records and NBGee Publishing entities. The financial backend is fully locked in, legally compliant, and ready to scale.

The Next Chapter

The infrastructure is built. The royalties are routed. The creators are in the national library system.

Now, we make movies.

If you want to see the new audio lab in action, head over to studios.nbgee.com and subscribe. The pilot episode of Gus Tells Terry drops this week.

Thank you for being part of this journey. The Foundry is officially humming.

— George Bowden Founder and CEO, NBGee Foundry

The Storm, The Voice, and The Machine

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for tools we use and trust (like ElevenLabs and CapCut). If you use these links to build your own studio, NBGee Foundry may earn a commission.

The Plumbing is Done

In my last update, "Going Global," I talked about plumbing—the unglamorous but vital work of laying the "pipes" to get independent art into the biggest marketplaces in the world.

Those pipes are now live.

• Trish Ginther’s Learn To Grow: Life Skills for Teens is finding its way into libraries and onto devices from Portland to Europe via Draft2Digital.

• Juanita Buckles’ "Sky Fire" collection is officially out in the wild, turning abstract art into wearable energy.

The distribution machine is humming. But a Foundry isn't just a shipping center; it is a place of creation. And right now, the hammers are ringing loud.

Today, I want to pull back the curtain on the next phase of NBGee: The expansion of the Guild.

Enter The Storm: Indigo Salt is Live

If Trish provides the roots (resilience), and Juanita provides the color (joy), our newest Artisan brings the atmosphere.

I am proud to officially welcome Carrie Taylor to the Foundry as our resident Poet & Artisan.

For the last month, Carrie has been building something entirely new for us. It isn't just a book, and it isn't just an audiobook. We call it a Digital Capsule.

Today, Indigo Salt (Digital Capsule 001) is officially available in the NBGee Shop.

It is a blend of spoken word, atmospheric soundscapes, and raw poetry that feels less like reading and more like weathering a storm. It is moody, it is grounded, and it is exactly the kind of brave work we built this platform to support.

> Listen to the preview and download the capsule here.

The Voice: Upgrading the Digital Forge

One of our core beliefs at NBGee is that technology shouldn't replace the artist; it should amplify them.

To create the immersive soundscapes of Indigo Salt, we needed tools that could keep up with Carrie's vision. I am excited to announce that NBGee Foundry has been approved as an Official ElevenLabs Affiliate.

ElevenLabs is the world leader in AI audio research. We gained access to the tools that allowed us to layer human performance with digital textures, creating a sonic depth previously reserved for major studios.

• Editor's Note: To ensure we heard every detail of those textures, DJ NBGee mixed this project exclusively on Steven Slate VSX Modeling Headphones, which allowed us to simulate world-class studio acoustics in our home offices.

The Machine: Reaching the Unreachable

While the art was being made, the machine was finding an audience.

The most exciting stat I saw this week wasn't a sales number; it was a "reach" number. Our latest video campaign reached over 7,000 people. But the stat that mattered? 100% of them were non-followers.

That means we are no longer just talking to our friends. We are talking to the world. We are proving that an indie studio in Oregon can hold the attention of a global audience.

How do we do it?

1. Creation: We produce our high-retention social clips using CapCut Pro, which allows us to edit music videos and add dynamic captions right from the studio.

2. Distribution: We schedule our cross-platform blasts using OneUp, allowing us to manage 10+ social accounts from a single dashboard.

The Studio Lot: NBGee Studios Goes Live

While NBGee Records is handling the audio and NBGee Publishing handles the text, we needed a dedicated home for our visual storytelling and "Building in Public" narratives.

We realized that social media is great for clips, but it’s terrible for context.

So, we have officially launched studios.nbgee.com.

This is the new digital headquarters for NBGee Studios. It is where we will post:

• NBGee Vignettes: Exclusive premieres of our new micro-cinema series—short, narrative films that capture the essence of the Second Act.

• Deep-Dive Journals: The real "making of" logs for projects like Indigo Salt.

• The Blueprint: Script developments, storyboards, and visual concept art.

• Director's Commentary: Honest breakdowns of the tech stack and tools we used to get the shot.

If you want the product, go to the Shop. If you want the process, meet us at the Studios.

> Subscribe to NBGee Studios (It’s currently free)

What’s Next?

The pipes are built. The storm has been poured into them.

1. Go listen to Indigo Salt. It’s unlike anything we’ve released before.

2. Join the Studio. See how we built it.

3. Watch this space. February is only getting louder.

— George Bowden Founder and CEO, NBGee Foundry

P.S. Want to build your own "Machine"?

People ask how we manage books, music, and film simultaneously. I just launched the Foundry Tech Stack—a transparent list of the exact software and hardware we use to run NBGee. See the full list here.

Beyond the Walls: Taking the Mission Global

In my last post, "The Spark Has Caught," I shared a quiet, profound moment: sitting with Trish Ginther (trWolf) as she held the very first physical proof of Learn To Grow. It was the tangible proof that a "Second Act" is possible.

Since that day, the Foundry has been anything but quiet.

If December was about igniting the spark, January is about spreading the fire. We made a strategic decision early on: we weren't just going to launch this book; we were going to democratize it.

Today, I am proud to announce that Learn To Grow: Life Skills for Teens has officially left the neighborhood and gone global.

Choosing the Hard Road

In independent publishing, there is an easy path: hand everything over to the biggest retailer in the world, sign an exclusivity agreement, and let their algorithm do the work.

We chose the hard road.

NBGee Publishing was built on the belief that vital stories belong to everyone. Trish didn’t write this book just for the teenagers with Prime memberships. She wrote it for the kid reading on an old Android phone using public library Wi-Fi. She wrote it for the grandmother in Europe who reads on a Kobo.

To honor that mission, we spent the last few weeks building a massive distribution infrastructure. We bypassed the "walled gardens" of exclusivity to ensure accessibility.

The Result: A Global Footprint

As of this week, the "pipes" are officially live. Learn To Grow is propagating to over 50 retail and library channels worldwide.

• For the Digital Native: The eBook is going live on Google Play, Apple Books, and Amazon Kindle.

• For the Community: We have opened channels to OverDrive and Hoopla, meaning soon you will be able to request this book at thousands of local libraries.

• For the Traditionalist: Listings are populating on Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Bookshop.org.

We took a manuscript from a drawer in Portland and made it available to billions of devices around the planet. That is the power of the Second Act.

Fuel for the Spirit: New Art from Juanita Buckles

While Trish provides the tools for the mind, our Featured Artist, Juanita Buckles, is providing the fuel for the spirit. Just as the book launches, we are unveiling Juanita's latest "Wearable Art" drops—tangible pieces of resilience and joy.

• Wearable Energy: The new "Sky Fire" Organic Cotton Tee transforms dynamic abstract art into high-end streetwear. With "Sky Fire" on the front and the intriguing "Mystery" piece on the back, you become a walking gallery.

• A Daily Reset: Start your morning with the "Kitchen Calm" Art Mug. Whether it’s coffee or tea, wrapping your hands around this rustic artwork offers a daily reminder to breathe.

• Customizable Inspiration: The "Abstract Energy" Sticker Sheet lets you peel and stick a masterpiece anywhere, from laptops to water bottles.

The Lighter Side: Aliens & Magnets

Finally, because we believe life shouldn't be all serious business, NBGee Charters has returned with something… unexpected.

We dug around in the cargo hold and found the "Galactic Stowaway." This new Graphic Tee features our resident Alien Octopus rocking a shade of red lipstick that can be seen from orbit. Is it from the deep sea? Deep space? We aren't sure, but it’s definitely fabulous.

And for those of you who just want to keep it practical, we’ve launched the Official Team Magnet. It’s heavy-duty, weatherproof, and features our custom "Role Reversal" art (yes, the fish is catching the fisherman). Perfect for the truck, the boat trailer, or the garage fridge.

The Heart of the Foundry

While seeing our logo on major retail sites is a thrill, the heartbeat of NBGee remains our direct connection to you.

We are building an ecosystem where the creator—not the middleman—reaps the reward. When you buy directly from the Foundry, you ensure that artists like Juanita, authors like trWolf, and even our weird Alien Captain are supported directly.

The infrastructure is built. The book is live. The art is ready. The aliens are dressed.

Now, the real work of growing begins.

Explore the New Releases: 👉🏾 The Book: Get Learn To Grow Direct 👉🏾 The Art: Shop Juanita’s Collection 👉🏾 The Fun: Meet the Galactic Stowaway

— George Bowden Founder and CEO, NBGee Foundry

The Spark Has Caught: Igniting the Second Act

It has been a while since I last wrote. In my previous post, "From Dots to Triumphs," I talked about connecting the dots of my life to form a picture of what comes next.

For the last few weeks, the Foundry has been quiet on the outside, but inside, the fires have been burning hot. We moved from connecting dots to building foundations. And today, I am proud to say that the "Second Act" is no longer just a theory.

It is a reality you can hold in your hands.

The First Book is Here

This week, I experienced one of the most profound moments of this entire journey. I sat with Trish Ginther (trWolf) and watched her hold the very first proof copy of her debut book, Learn To Grow: Life Skills for Teens.

Trish isn’t just a "senior." She is a poet, a mother, and now, a published author. Her book is a guide to resilience and self-sufficiency that the world desperately needs. Seeing her wisdom go from notes to a professionally published trade paperback proved everything I believed about this mission: Creativity has no expiration date.

Art in Motion: Juanita Buckles

While we celebrate Trish’s book launch, the Foundry is also igniting the visual arts. Juanita Buckles, a talented artist who paints to find her "Happy Place," is now officially in the shop.

We aren't waiting for the future; we are launching it now. You can support Juanita today by bringing her vibrant, resilient energy into your daily life. We have just released a curated collection of her signature works:

• Carry the Art: The "My Happy Place" Eco Tote Bag is live.

• Transform Your Space: Her stunning "Summer Fun" Poster and "My Happy Place" Art Print are available for order.

Every purchase directly supports Juanita and proves that art is a vital form of human connection.

The Lighter Side: NBGee Charters

The Foundry isn't just about serious art and memoirs; it's about listening to our neighbors. Sometimes, that means publishing a book on resilience. Other times? It means fulfilling a request for a fishing buddy.

By popular demand from "Big John," we’ve launched the NBGee Charters collection. It’s fun, it’s irreverent, and it features our legendary Alien Captain.

• For the Fisherman: Check out the hilarious "The Big Catch" Poster—perfect for the garage or man cave.

It’s a reminder that while our mission is serious, we never forget to have fun along the way.

Igniting New Narratives

NBGee Foundry was built on the belief that everyone has a vital story to tell, but not everyone has the platform to tell it. We are changing that.

We have officially launched NBGee Publishing with a crowdfunding campaign to fund our entire 2025 slate. We are raising funds to produce Trish's full print run, expand Juanita's art projects, and launch a photography collection by Chuck Alexander.

We are calling this campaign "Ignite New Narratives."

Why? Because these stories have been sitting in boxes, in drawers, and in the minds of my neighbors for too long. They are ready to catch fire. But a fire needs fuel.

Join the Founding Family

We are looking for Founding Supporters to help us bridge the gap between "manuscript" and "market." By backing our Indiegogo campaign, you aren't just buying a book; you are proving that independent voices matter.

How you can be part of this chapter:

1. Back the Campaign: Visit ignite.nbgee.com to secure a signed First Edition of Learn To Grow or limited-edition art.

2. Read the Book: Order an early-access copy of Trish's book directly at grow.nbgee.com.

3. Shop the Art: Visit the shop to see Juanita's latest releases (and the Alien Captain!).

From a fishing boat captained by a fish to the quiet resilience of a grandmother’s advice, we are building a universe of real stories.

Thank you for being part of the spark.

— George Bowden Founder and CEO, NBGee Foundry