I get this question all the time: “If you were moving to a big city like Los Angeles and didn’t know anyone, how would you do it?”

Here’s exactly what I’d do — and what I did when I made the move.

1. Save Before You Go

If you’re not relocating with a job already lined up, I highly recommend saving at least 3 to 6 months of living expenses before you move. Why? Because you’re not just moving to pay rent — you’re moving to build something. You’re moving to advance in your career. You’ll need time and mental space to meet people, find collaborators, and most importantly, to say no to opportunities that don’t align with your long-term goals. The last thing you want is to land in a new city desperate for any job. That mindset can derail your path before you even start. A financial cushion gives you the freedom to look for the right opportunities — not just the first ones that come along.

2. Prioritize Community Immediately

The biggest game-changer when you arrive is simple: find a community of like-minded people as soon as possible. Start looking for meetups, groups, or events in your field. Go out of your way to meet people in your area of expertise and start building genuine relationships. When my wife and I moved to Los Angeles, we only knew two people. That’s it. So we took a chance and joined a local songwriting group. We didn’t know if it would be good — but that one decision changed everything.

From that single community, we met lifelong friends, found creative collaborators, and I met someone who introduced me to the mastering engineer who became my mentor for the next four years

3. Opportunities Come From People Within just four months of moving to Los Angeles — a city that can feel overwhelming with its millions of people — I was working in a dream studio, learning how major records are made from the inside of the music industry. And here’s the thing: every door that’s opened since then — every opportunity, every project, every milestone — has come from the relationships that started with that first community.

It’s been six years now, and that lesson has never changed: your network is the bridge to your next chapter. If you’ve already made the leap to a new city, I’d love to hear your story — how did you do it? And if you’re planning a big move… where to?

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