Make Belief with Calvin Nowell

Calvin Nowell
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship

Make Belief with Calvin Nowell is a podcast for creative entrepreneurs who are tired of waiting for permission to build their dreams. Calvin Nowell as he shares 25 years of music industry experience, real strategies, and honest conversations about turning belief into reality- starting with the Artist Series.

  1. 3d ago

    Calvin's Favorite Creatives

    In this episode of Calvin's Favorite Creatives, I’m showing love to some of my favorite artists, visionaries, and entrepreneurs whose work constantly inspires me. From their bold ideas to their dedication to the craft, each of these individuals brings something truly special to the table. Join me as I highlight who they are, why I admire what they do, and the creative spark their work brings to anyone chasing their passion.

  2. Sep 28

    Leading With Intention

    Most leaders are reactive — something happens, then they respond. In this episode, Calvin breaks down a different way to lead: asking one question before you ever walk into a room — "who else, besides me, needs this to go well?" Calvin gets into what it actually looks like to lead with intention instead of just managing whatever comes up. He talks through preparing versus repairing, a real moment leading worship where he had to stop and read the room instead of just powering through, and the honest, sometimes uncomfortable line between being intentional and just people-pleasing. This one goes deeper into faith than usual — Calvin unpacks how Jesus led with more intentionality than anyone who ever lived, including the story of the woman at the well in John 4, and ties it to a modern moment that wrecked him this past week watching a stranger's random act of kindness change someone's life. If you lead anything — a team, a stage, a room, a family — this episode will change how you walk into it. In this episode: Why most leadership is reactive, not intentionalThe John Maxwell line that reframes preparing vs. repairingA real story from leading worship on Isaiah 6Telling the difference between intentionality and people-pleasingHow Jesus led with intention — the woman at the well, John 4A modern-day echo of that same heart, caught on camera🎙️ New episodes of Make Belief drop weekly. 👉 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss what's next. #MakeBelief #LeadingWithIntention #IntentionalLeadership #Podcast

  3. Sep 21

    Releasing Your Potential

    In this episode, I'm getting personal about the years I knew I had something real in me and still didn't let it out — from background vocals and artist management, to the moment CeCe Winans asked me a question that changed everything: "Are you waiting to turn eighty to release your music?" I'm walking through the whole arc: the grief that made me hide, the inner work that turned pain into purpose, why I believe every artist needs to think like a media company, a true story about a billion-dollar Powerball jackpot that taught me something bigger than money — and why I started the Make Belief Mastermind to help other people unlock what's already in them. If you've been sitting on your gift, waiting for permission — this one's for you.

  4. Sep 14

    The Long Game: Reinvent Your Artistry with Danny Gokey

    Fifteen years after American Idol, Danny Gokey didn't need to change anything. The catalog was built. The career was proven. He signed with a new label anyway. In this episode, Danny sits down with Calvin Nowell to talk about what nobody tells you about staying in this industry long-term — the years after the spotlight fades, the genre pivots that weren't always planned, and why betting on yourself again is harder the second time than the first.

  5. Sep 7

    Creating Outside the Box: Tommee Profitt on Building Without Boundaries

    Tommee Profitt doesn't fit in one lane, and he's never tried to. He's the producer behind cinematic film and TV scores, genre-bending collaborations with artists like NF, and worship music that's reached arenas like Bridgestone, including a recent collaboration with CeCe Winans. On this episode of Make Belief, we talk about what it actually looks like to build a career without picking a category, why versatility became his advantage instead of a liability, and how staying faithful to the craft in front of him opened doors he never could have planned for. If you've ever felt boxed in by what people expect you to be, this conversation is for you. 🎙️ Watch, listen, and subscribe for new episodes of Make Belief every week. #MakeBeliefPodcast #TommeeProfitt #CreativeEntrepreneur #MusicProduction #FaithAndCreativity

  6. Aug 31

    Weight Discrimination Is Real. Here’s My Story

    This one’s personal. For a long time, I haven’t talked publicly about my weight, what it’s been like to live in a body that’s been judged before anyone knew my work, my heart, or my story. Today I’m changing that. In this episode, I’m opening up about weight discrimination, what it’s looked like in my life, what it’s cost me, and why I’ve stayed quiet about it for so long. This isn’t about calling anyone out. It’s about finally telling the truth about something I’ve carried for years. If you’ve ever been judged for how you look before anyone gave you a chance to show who you are, this episode is for you. In this episode: - What weight discrimination has actually looked like in my life - Why I stayed silent about it for so long - What it’s taken to finally talk about it out loud - What I want you to know if you’re carrying something similar You’re not alone in this. And you’re gonna make it.

  7. Aug 24

    State of Marketing: What’s Actually Working in 2026 (and 2027) with Nick Brucker

    Make Belief with Calvin Nowell

  8. Aug 17

    The Silence of Artist Development with Sal Oliveri

    There used to be a system in the music industry that gave artists 2–3 years to grow before they ever had to prove anything. Labels funded that growth. They carried the risk. That system is basically gone now, and almost nobody talks about it. In this episode of Make Belief, I sit down with Sal Oliveri — Nashville-based producer, songwriter, and artist development specialist who helped shape me early in my own career. His credits span pop, rock, R&B, country, Christian, and film, with a Grammy nomination and work connected to artists like Pink, Jack Antonoff, and Billy Joel. We get into: - What artist development actually looked like before streaming changed everything - Why labels shifted from developing talent to demanding artists arrive “fully formed” - What gets lost — for the artist and the music itself — when that development never happens - What real self-development looks like when there’s no label footing the bill - What Sal saw in me early on that needed developing, and how he approached it If you’re building something right now without a system behind you, this episode is for you. You’re not behind. The system changed — quietly — and you deserve to know what actually happened.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Make Belief with Calvin Nowell is a podcast for creative entrepreneurs who are tired of waiting for permission to build their dreams. Calvin Nowell as he shares 25 years of music industry experience, real strategies, and honest conversations about turning belief into reality- starting with the Artist Series.

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