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Retiring projects

Hastings at 4 pm yesterday 🌈
Hastings at 4 pm yesterday 🌈

🧩 Q&A with Johanna Renoth, founder of Bye, Social Media! Plus resources for building a biz on your own terms.

I was sad to hear Johanna Renoth is retiring Bye, Social Media! 

She’s had a great ride – and it’s time for a change, she says in her latest post. “Over the course of the past two years of writing this newsletter, I’ve enjoyed connecting with you in the inbox tremendously!…

“At the same time, I struggled with building a brand online. Doing so frequently felt at odds with what I enjoy: exploring ideas and creativity.”

I relate. Building a brand solo is hard, especially if you aren’t visible on social media. Just heard Jenny Blake talking about this and how she’s pausing her pods for a bit to figure out what her broader business wants to become.

Switching context and juggling the maker’s and manager’s schedules is also challenging – Paul Graham’s essay. I’m using my time in units of half a day when I can.

I really admire what Johanna’s built – a strong premise and a reminder to have fun, experiment, and be playful. There’s no solopreneur manual on the internet to follow – “it’s for you to make this digital, marketing, and business world your own.”

She’s keeping the blog on Beehiiv alive to continue to be a resource for those who want to build a biz on their own terms and create an intentional relationship with social media. 

Good luck with whatever you create next, Johanna – and thank you for connecting. I enjoyed our chat – here it is (still one of my most viewed pages, so you’re on to something!!)

interview with johanna renoth

What’s key is choosing the platforms you enjoy that add value – for me, that’s Substack, LinkedIn and Reddit, as they are more conversational and text-based – and then scheduling proper work time to use them.

On Reddit, I’ve helped folks with their Substacks, shared my Newsletter Talent Directory, and met a developer building a similar resource who was keen to collaborate.

I shared my panic after getting heart palpitations with NMN supplements (I thought I was having a heart attack – much too high a dose!), and I’m very grateful to Redditors for reassurance and an explanation. It helps you feel less alone.

This week, LinkedIn has brought me:

  • A free 1:1 call with a high-performance success coach  
  • An invitation to join a free programme of support, networking and mentorship locally to help me grow my biz
  • A new book about newsletters
  • An illustrator who can teach me how to draw (I want to add sketches/doodles to this newsletter)
  • A new client and a testimonial
  • Ideas, inspo and links. I get excited about sharing other people’s stuff – it brings me energy and hope.

Approach it like a dating app – be intentional and get it offline as soon as possible. I offer a free 1:1 intro call because I care about and value connection and relationships. Feel free to book in here if we haven’t spoken yet.

Make use of the digital tools we have available to us. This week, I’ve been testing Sendible for social media scheduling (thanks to Adriana Tica for the recommendation – interview coming soon). I came off Hootsuite as it’s gone all corporate and is far too expensive for soloists.

Enjoying it so far – nice dashboard and a content calendar for inspo. It’s saving me time as I’m not scrolling sites natively and getting distracted by my feed. It also prompts you to re-schedule posts – a reminder to repurpose your content as not everybody sees it. Make your content work harder for you!

Happy writing ✍️

Nika 🙂

PS I’ve had enough of this bloody rain! I got wet on every run this week, and my joints don’t like it. Thanks to Kate Arnold for making me laugh.

5 Things 

CJ Chilvers’ new book, Principles for Newsletters, condenses the most important lessons he’s learned from 37 years of newsletter publishing into 49 short principles. I read this last night with a glass of vino – smart and succinct.

The most important thing that determines our health | Dr Ellen Langer x Rich Roll – on how you can harness mindfulness to take control of your health. Her classes must be such fun. I’ve watched this twice – it’s that good. 

Neal.fun made a museum of the internet – explore artefacts from the early internet – “a collection of everything I made when I’m bored during lecture.” Discover who sent the first spam email (DYK the term ‘spam’ was inspired by a Monty Python sketch?)

How long does it take to find (or generate…) an image to go with your posts? Er, quite a while and I often end up buying one. Drawing could be faster and more fun. Turn your scribbles into professional illustrations – even if you think you can’t draw.

My dream writer’s studio. Bringing the outside in. Walk past 1700 poets to get to your desk – with a 180-degree view of nature. Full of distractions but the right kind of distractions. Isn’t this fabulous? 

Thanks for reading. If you have topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, please get in touch: nika@nikatalbot.io. I’d love to hear from you.

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Bold Types: Abha Malpani Naismith 🇦🇪

I spoke to Abha about her shift from corporate to solopreneur, and launching an online course that helps working mums kickstart their AI journey with joy (scroll down for the video!)

Helping working mums use AI to work better and faster – and make their first $ online

Hi Abha, firstly, I’d love to know where you grew up and your first job.

I was born in Mumbai, India. When I was three years old, we moved to the UK and lived there till I was nine. Then, we moved back to a small town in India (Aurangabad), where I finished high school.

Luckily, I was still young and fascinated by Indian culture, so no culture shock as far as I can remember!

When I was 18, we moved to Dubai. I went to university in Australia and then returned to work in Dubai.

Burnout led me to quit my job and try my hand at being a travel writer in Spain. The plan was for six months; I stayed for three years!

After my stint in Spain, I moved back to the corporate world in Dubai, where I now live with my husband and two children.

My first job was when I was 18. I was a production assistant for a film company.

Interesting. So, what inspired you to start your own business? 

Apart from my adventure in Spain, I’ve been in the corporate world my entire life. After I graduated, I worked in advertising, which was short-lived – and then moved to PR.

After working in PR & comms for over 17 years, a lack of flexibility and limited growth opportunities led me to quit my job six months ago to start my solopreneur journey.

I believe in the transformative power of the internet and emerging technology. It will reshape our work and personal lives by giving us limitless tools to grow and reinvent ourselves without prior skills. We just need to start using them!

As I embark on a mission to redesign my life, I’m constantly experimenting with new tools to improve my productivity and efficiency.

This is where the idea for my business came from. It revolves around building a community of working mums who want to do the same: maximise their productivity and potential by learning to use emerging technology like AI.

The biggest challenge with AI is not knowing what to use it for and not realising its potential until we see it applied to achieve a task in record time.

I decided to launch my business to address these challenges, and it’s in its very early stages.

You launched your first online course recently.

Yes. It helps mums start their AI journey whilst having some fun. It teaches you how to write, illustrate, design, and publish a children’s book in one hour by using ChatGPT, Midjourney and Canva.

I also offer free resources on using AI tools and building a side income for those interested.

The aspiration for my business is my pursuit of time and financial freedom and a mission to inspire others, especially working mums, to believe in the possibility of creating a life that combines career and parenthood.

This is now so much easier to achieve with emerging tech at our fingertips.

Yes! Sounds fabulous. What are you most excited about at work right now?

I’ve been learning and reading about how to be a solopreneur for the last two years. I’m finally putting everything I’ve learned into action and loving it!

It’s a lot of work, and being a one-woman show whilst having two small kids is no easy feat, but I believe in what I am doing and feel grateful that I get to do this!

We are lucky in Dubai that home help is easily accessible and affordable. Because of this and my husband’s consistent encouragement, I have everything in place to build a life where I have time and financial freedom.

How do you stay on top of industry trends?

I subscribe to and read a lot of newsletters and pay for a handful of them! There is so much content out there – relying on people you trust and can relate to, who know what they are writing about and are enjoyable to read, is the best way to filter out the noise and stay on top of what you need to know.

In order to get the land of cool, you have to climb Cringe Mountain

How are getting yourself out there, building a network and finding collaborators?

I started focusing on my marketing efforts at the beginning of this year, and I need to get better at it and be more efficient.

Once I started on my own, I realised how much harder it is to do your own marketing than it is to do it for other people or brands.

I’m keeping my email list engaged with a weekly Substack newsletter and working on some free resources to help grow my list. I’ve been repurposing some of that content on social media.

I’ve been showing up on Instagram almost daily and being more active on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Medium. I’m also planning to launch my YouTube channel in February!

I am part of many communities and have been networking there. This has led to several speaking and podcast opportunities, all of which I have taken!

To sell my online course I had to be super active on social media. I feel like I am at the top of the cringe mountain, but I’m past caring, lol. I also experimented with Facebook and Instagram ads.

Now that I better understand what I am trying to solve, I’m finally building a website that will help me better serve my audience.

I hope all of this will give my business the boost it needs to take off. Consistency is key, as they say, for at least two years!

Good luck with YouTube. You’re very engaging on screen, so I’m sure you’ll smash it!

What does ‘success’ mean to you these days? How do you balance ambition and contentment? 

I think the definition of success changes depending on which phase of life you’re in. Right now, it’s making money by doing what I love and having the freedom to do that in a way that fits with my life and kids.

My ultimate success would be time and financial freedom to spend my days as I please.

Interestingly, I feel lucky that my success and happiness are mutually exclusive. If they come together, my happiness will magnify, but I am happy nonetheless (cheesy, I know!).

I am also of the mindset that I am so blessed that I get to be on this journey, so I have an obligation to succeed! The failing is in giving up; if I don’t give up, I know I will make it. That’s my current mindset.

“Dubai has THE best food in the UAE!” Dishes to devour when you get there…

You mentioned burnout earlier and quitting your job. How do you take care of your health? 

As I’m just starting my business, I am very driven and tend to skimp on sleep; there is so much to do, and I am eager to get on with it. I am so wired, but therefore also tired.

I am very aware of it, though, and I try not to ignore how I feel for too long. Reminding myself of the law of diminishing returns is very helpful in these cases. So, if I feel exhausted, I choose rest – even if I don’t want it!

I am also trying my best to do the basics consistently. Exercise is non-negotiable, and I workout a few times a week. I’m trying hard to take breaks.

I also try to eat clean at least five days a week, but it’s hard when you’re at home and you know where the keys to the snack cupboard are!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

You don’t learn anything by osmosis. You learn by taking action. Get comfortable taking messy action! – Jessica DeRose…also an online business coach.

Yeah. That’s my mantra. It’s easy to get stuck in the ideas phase and think we have to have it all perfectly in place before taking action. But life is too short!

Are you happy? Is there anything you’d change?

I’m the happiest I have been in ages. Not having a stressful and depleting job has shifted my energy enormously. I am using this newfound energy and optimism to build my own business.

I get to see my kids more and manage my own time – I really could not ask for more!

Now I just need to make it work so I never have to go back to a 9-5 😁

Can you recommend one book, podcast, and course for digital entrepreneurs? 

📕The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

This is the last book I read, and it’s been a game-changer for how I think about time.

As a working mum, I struggle with time and have always seen it as being in short supply. The book introduces the concept of ‘Einstein Time’, which makes you realise that WE are the source of our time.

This means time is not finite, and because we are the producers of time, we can create as much of it as we want! This book also introduced me to being in your ‘Zone of Genius’, which was revelatory!

🙇🏻‍♀️Amy Porterfield’s Digital Course Academy 

This opened my eyes to the potential of being a wildly successful online entrepreneur by solving a problem using a skillset I already have.

The way she teaches and her structured programmes enable anyone to do the same. It’s an expensive course (about $2,000) but worth it.

Amy Porterfield did $100 million in her business last year, so you are learning from the best if you want to start your online business.

🎧Steph Taylor’s Imperfect Action

Steph Taylor is a student of Amy’s, and she has a great podcast focused on the magic of taking ‘imperfect action’ and how done is better than good. It’s an important reminder not to get stuck on our quest for perfection that rarely moves us forward.

Who should we interview next and why? 

Anna Burgess Yang would be great for you. She left a 15-year career in fintech during Covid (and her husband did too, I think) as a product manager to pursue work she loves. She creates resources for solopreneurs and small businesses.

I’d be happy to connect you if you’re interested?

Definitely – thank you! Also curious to know more about your Spanish adventure…next time! And I need to get my ass over to delicious Dubai for some sunshine and shopping.

How can readers get in touch with you? 

My website is almost ready! It has all the information here.

Check out Abha’s wild ride so far! You are a part of it, so let her know what you think.

If you enjoyed reading this, join The Shifties for the full experience.

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Brian Clark on AI: ‘Be a leader, not a creator’

AI chatbot concept with typewriter
Visual by Visual by Eoneren | Getty

Your go-to mission plan 🤖

I did a webinar with Brian Clark on ‘How to Become a Market Leader in the Age of AI’.

Why radical change is a leadership opportunity for savvy marketers, and how to navigate these uncertain times.

AI is one of the top 5 big disruptors. Now the hype has died down regarding ChatGPT, it’s time to pay attention. AI is being baked into everything, and we still don’t know what the impact will be on the broader job market.

He shared an important paper in Gen-AI [MIT], which found people preferred the AI content over human content. A bit depressing, but “change brings opportunity – this is opportunity on steroids.”

Beat the ‘push button’ crowd

The basic advice we’ve been given is you’ve got to be human – not very useful. The ‘Be human’ mantra has been chanted since the early days of blogging – fighting against corporate jargon and non-sensical marketing speak.

We need to be ‘more human than human’ – Tyrell’s motto in Bladerunner.

By intimately understanding human psychology and how words influence people rather than getting hung up at the tactical level.

Exploring human values and needs – trust, purpose and belonging. Unity is the most persuasive principle and is included in the new edition of Cialdini’s book Influence.

Building together around a shared identity – the Unemployable community is a great example.

Be a leader, not a creator

Brian talked about redefining how we use content for marketing purposes and prefers ‘empowerment marketing’ to ‘content marketing’. Empowerment is the objective, not content creation.

Thinking in terms of missions, movements and mentors is way more powerful than marketing and niches.

“Because when content can get generated at the push of a button, hey maybe that’s not what I want to be known for, right.” It’s become meaningless and watered down.

I agree. It’s something I’ve been struggling with. Just listened to Chris Cantwell on a pod talking about why he doesn’t like the word ‘content’.

The creator economy is a sea of sameness – lots of creator-named brands, tips and tactics. We create content to make a living. But the creator ethos is backwards – focused on vanity metrics – likes and comments, while not getting to the building a business part because they can’t inspire action.

Connector is a better word.

So, what’s next for Movement Ventures and the community?

Their new focus is the Leading Expert (Copyblogger for grown-ups) – a person fighting against the status quo as part of a movement.

Leading is the key word because “Leadership is what’s needed – and what people are begging for in terms of navigating the change we’re facing.” It doesn’t really matter if you’re working for yourself or for an org.

Outward-focused on the person over the content, and psychological over tactical – the whole human. They are bringing their universe together and unifying things in one community. I love that.

I said the expert hat is tricky sometimes especially if you’re learning in public and on the journey with your readers. I’m seeing more ‘how I did it’ over ‘how to do it’ posts these days.

Brian said but ‘how I did it’ at beginning of the journey is just as viable. When Darren Rowse started blogging in photography back in 2003, he didn’t know a huge amount about it and was very candid about that. “I would research. I would write. I was one week ahead of my audience.”

His Digital Photography School is now hugely successful. He’s pioneered an online movement by sharing his journey with pro blogging.

“So, you’ll be teaching us how to be leading experts?” 💬

“Yes, that’s the idea. This has always been the way, but most people got lost in the content, and more content, and more content. And never understood what they were trying to accomplish with all the content.”

An emphasis on creating the right type of content for your people – which is what content design is all about.

Back to that MIT study he quoted at the start (Title: Human Favoritism not AI Aversion). The most important finding. “When people knew that a human created the content all by themselves they liked it better than if it was AI-generated.”

Human nature is the one thing that’s not going to change. Thank you for giving us some hope!

“Augmented humans will be the leaders going forward, not robots.”

Inspiring stuff – got me all fired up!! An excellent presentation.

Yes to being part of a true alliance of people who want to help each other out.

Want to be part of it? Brian is doing Expert lessons over on the Longevity Gains newsletter for the longevity market, but they are general principles applied to the over-50s. The biggest consumer market the world’s ever seen (think about it, none of us want to get old and die!!).

Leading expert. All rivers flow into this:

• I did a Skill Session with Josh Spector called ‘The Expert Positioner’. He’s changed his messaging to ‘I’m a marketing strategist who helps experts…”

• Ellen Donnelly at The Ask launched the Authority Club this week.

• Thomas Strider shut down his newsletter to start something mission-backed, sparked by a remote work revolution and online entrepreneurship.

• Joe Pulizzi has a new website written in the first person. ‘Father, Husband, Son, Friend, Entrepreneur, Marketer, Author, Podcaster, Speaker.’ Bringing his whole self to it. 

• Jan Murray has rebranded her pod to The Courageous CEO (prev. Courageous Content).

Overall, it’s about relationships – important in the golden days of blogging – and bringing that back. LinkedIn and Substack are filling a gap – the number of folks flocking to these platforms shows it’s much needed.

I’ve been thinking about the ‘whole human’ thing and the direction of this newsletter. Trying to figure out a way to bring all my passions and interests together in one place rather than having work and life in separate buckets, which doesn’t make sense.

It’s never been about content creation, personal branding or building an audience. It’s about growth and impact and helping people to reach their true potential. Being the best person we can be. Leaving a legacy, if that’s what you want.

And helping women gain power, health and wealth. The UK has an unaffordable childcare system, which restricts women’s freedom, fun and happiness. I’ve experienced that first-hand. Digital entrepreneurship and remote work were the game changers that kept me going.

Resources 

📧 AI content is preferred over human content | Awaken Your Superhero by Christopher S Penn

🎧 Questioning content with writer, producer and director Chris Cantwell | Content People 

📚 Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini 

Living well 

The little (and big) things that made me feel better this week

  • I made gluten-free oat bread
  • I did a one-day yoga detox retreat
  • I had a two-hour chat with my sister about her Camino adventure
  • I took the afternoon off to potter around Rye with Julieta
  • I read a few chapters of Marie Forleo’s book Everything is Figureoutable
  • I offered an older man a seat on the bus. He looked at me and said, “No thanks. I’m 79 and fit as a fiddle. I’m very strong. I prefer to stand up.”

It sparked a conversation about healthy ageing. “I’m curious about everything. I’m very nosy. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I exercise. Do all these things, and you’ll live a long life.”

Sorry this is so long. I got really into it!!

If you have topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, please get in touch: nika@nikatalbot.io. I’d love to hear from you.

Sorry this is so long. I got really into it!!

If you have topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, please get in touch: nika@nikatalbot.io. I’d love to hear from you.

Newsletter Talent Directory! – feel free to add your deets here if you want to connect and collaborate.

It’s editable, so a bit of a social experiment!

To support my work and unlock extra features, subscribe now or leave a one-time tip.

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🕵🏻‍♀️ Insights on Israel-Palestine, Shoplifting woes, self-care, and a bit of Mitski

Marcio Waismann | Getty

Five solidarity actions you can take right now

It’s a week since Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, and the footage coming out of Israel, Gaza is horrific and heartbreaking.

Can’t look at it, but can’t look away.

My thoughts are with the people of the Middle East – Israel, Gaza and beyond. Praying for peace and hope for the future.

I was in two minds about whether to post anything this week – it’s not BAU, is it? It feels insensitive and inappropriate to be posting humorous content right now.

And we need to be mindful about what we’re sharing on social – lots floating around from unverified accounts.

upgrade to paid

As Prof Samuel Woolley said about Russia-Ukraine, sometimes it’s better to say nothing and let the witnesses and experts take up the space.

People need to practise strategic silence. We should leave it up to the people who really understand the situation to post as much as possible.

We should give them our support, but we should allow people with expertise to do the talking.

Kaya Yurieff posted about this dilemma and how some creators are pausing brand partnerships and usual content now.

There’s no right answer. It’s a tricky balance – damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Silence is communication.

So, you do whatever feels right, which for me is to share stories from human rights monitors, shine a light on them, and let the oppressed educate us.

Graphic war images go viral

I’ve never seen such graphic imagery on social media – photos of dead babies promoted as ads on X from Israel’s government account.

It is shocking and deeply uncomfortable, but I can see why they’ve done it to ensure maximum visibility and tackle any conspiracy theories. There is a lot of misinformation. I have to verify my X account every time I post/update.

Seeing regular ads pop up on my feed is also jarring and annoying.

A simple and succinct historical background

I’m trying to understand this conflict better – often described in Western media as complicated and deadlocked. So, you have to choose your media wisely and seek out writing by indie journalists in Israel and Palestine.

• A simple guide to break down one of the world’s longest-running conflicts [Aljazeera English]

• Five solidarity actions you can take for Palestine and Israel [Quakers in Britain]

This escalation must be understood in the context of 55 years of Israeli military occupation of Palestinian land and 75 years of dispossession and oppression of the Palestinian people.

It has been proven time and time again that there can be no military solution. Without an end to the occupation, equality, and full dignified human rights for all, this cycle of violence will never end.

• +972 Magazine is an independent, online, nonprofit magazine by Palestinian and Israeli journalists.

I don’t know the solution for Israel/Palestine, but war isn’t the answer.

As the son of a missing Israeli peace activist said, “You can’t cure killed babies with more dead babies. We need peace.” Vengeance is not a strategy. 

5 solidarity actions you can take

Shoplifting woes  

I bought some eco pens from WHSmith yesterday – £9.99 and security-tagged with a plastic padlock 🙄

This is a new thing. I asked the sales assistant why, and he said, “It’s not just pens; it’s everything.”

Shoplifting is a big problem.

The cost-of-living crisis is still with us, and Xmas is coming. I saw on CBS News that Target is closing nine stores because of surging retail theft.

People are struggling everywhere – it may be less visible, but it’s no less important.

Have you noticed there are more security guards in the shops? Chatting on their walkie-talkies and sharing intel.

I’ve had them follow me round. I hate it. Puts me on edge and doesn’t make for a relaxed shopping experience.

Stealing isn’t right, but again, it’s context and empathy. People must be desperate to steal pens and food.

There’s bad shit happening, and the world can feel scary sometimes – planes are flying overhead as I write this.

A gentle reminder to step up the self-care, look after No 1 and check in with others this weekend 🙏

I’m enjoying Mitski’s new album. There’s something about the simplicity and purity of this that’s resonating with folks – My Love Mine All Mine is beautiful. 

Miski: The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We

– Nika

PS I applied to host a Substack Writer Meetup. I was planning to start one, so am happy they’re providing support.

Let me know if you’re local (Sussex/Kent) and fancy co-hosting one 👯‍♀️

Smart move – the network effect. Like Avon, Ann Summers, and Tupperware had strong communities – Substack will soon be a household name.

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Thank you for being my subscriber – and on this journey with me.

Thoughts, ideas and suggestions welcome. Let me know if there’s a topic you want me to write about or someone you’d like me to interview: nika@nikatalbot.io.

Guest posts are welcome too. I love getting your emails, and I read and reply to every.single.one.

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🌟🚀 Success on Substack

CSA Images

It’s ok to grow slow

Happy September! It’s good to be back at my hot desk with some entrepreneur energy, art, dogs, and stuff happening around me. I’ve missed it. 

Coastal Currents art festival opens today – fully independent this year, with no Arts Council funding – go Tina & team! 👏

I keep trying to take August off like the Europeans do for proper rest and reset, but it doesn’t work at home. I slip back into the usual habits and routines.

To take the entire month off(line), I need to go AWAY and be in a different environment. So, something to work towards for next August.

Back-to-school vibes… Farrah Storr sums it up perfectly in her newsletter: 

As summer fades, change at this time of year feels inevitable. One of the things that has always struck me about September is its capacity for renewal, especially creative renewal. I think it’s something to do with the summer months allowing our ideas to just sit and be, and in their being, that’s when they truly take shape. 

September is the perfect time to give those ideas a little push out into the world.

Farrah Storr – Things Worth Knowing

I like working in seasons/12-week sprints and setting small goals. Enjoyed this piece in Vox on why dividing your life into semesters, even when you’re not in school, can help with goal-setting, time management and motivation.

It gets us going and out of a rut. And it gives you something to aim for and look forward to – the next break from mid-Dec to mid-Jan.

Seems like a productive way to organise the year. 

📚 The 12-week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months is about breaking down the activities that are most important and creating a sense of urgency to get stuff done.

Time to ditch the annual plan?

🛠 Substack Toolkit 

So, I’ve been thinking about where to devote my energies this season and the ONE thing I want to focus on.

Growing on Substack and getting to know the community better alongside my 1:1 client work. 

I’m compiling a toolkit of resources for Substack writers – industry trends, articles, experiments, opportunities, and folks to follow.

It will live here on Google Docs; I’ll update it as I go. Let me know if you have a link or story to share, and I’ll add your name and newsletter. 

I see a lot of resources for general newsletter growth, so it’s good to find some support with a Substack-specific focus. 

Exploding Topics

Substack has launched two new features this month. You can find and follow friends and AI-powered tools to generate transcripts and create social sharing assets (useful if you do interviews).

🗞 Read 

👉 Writer making six figures on Substack says ‘I won’t write for free anymore.’ | Press Gazette

👉 Revealed: Top 27 highest-earning Substack newsletters generate over $22m a year | Press Gazette 

👉 The people earning 56K a year through their Substack side hustles | iNews 

👉 Substack faces fresh competition in the newsletter wars | Vanity Fair

👉 Digital platforms and journalistic careers: A case study of Substack newsletters | CJR 

👉 Why New Statesman became the first major publisher to exclusively host newsletters on Substack | Press Gazette. Be interesting to see if other publishers follow suit.

🌱 Grow

I’m seeing a desire for cohort-based courses over standalone training/videos you do solo. People want to learn with others who are doing the same thing. Be part of a community and a challenge. Just keep ‘em affordable!

👉 Ready to kick-start your creative future? | Things Worth Knowing – Farrah Storr’s new Substack support channel and writing group dates. Pitch her (and get paid £200 – she’s now commissioning writers). 

👉 Substack Soiree – Starts Sept 11 – a 5-week supportive group programme for anyone looking to start, grow or expand their Substack. Covers: optimisation, subscriber growth, sales, self-promo and community, what to write about, getting out of your own way, and sharing with love.  

👉 Success on Substack: Craft a Subscription Newsletter Worth Reading | Marlee Grace. “Everything I know about writing a digital newsletter for over a decade, and specifically choosing to monetize it – sending it weekly to 25k subscribers, 1400+ paid subscribers, and a gross annualised revenue of over $80k a year.” (1-month free trial on Skillshare).

Marlee writes Monday Monday, a weekly Substack on creativity.  

👉 Substack Course: The Ultimate Guide to Creating, Operating, and Monetising a Substack Newsletter | Casey Botticello (he also has a Facebook group for Substack writers).

👉 Grow – How Laura Kennedy made more money on Substack than anywhere else. On moving from Patreon and earning a steady income. Plus, updated resources, a workbook and creator interviews – one to bookmark.

👉 Bringing your LinkedIn followers to Substack | Linda Lebrun (and what to do with your LinkedIn newsletter).

👉 It’s OK if you grow your audience slowly | Inbox Collective. Claire Zulkey on why, for some indie newsletters, focusing on content – and community – is the right move. 

I’m with her on this – a refreshing perspective and an antidote to all the 7-figure newsletter biz articles and podcasts.

Yes, most of us need to make money. But it’s not the only goal.

What about building for impact while you earn a shit ton of money? That’s my plan. I’d love to hear more stories about global initiatives, impact projects, celebrating cultures, and telling stories to build connection and empathy – Substack for Change? 

After years of struggling as a freelance journalist in London trying to make writing pay, it makes my heart sing to read posts like Emma’s about earning six figures from her Substack.  

I enjoy seeing writers flourish on the platform, building an audience, earning a steady income, and paying others to write. 

Yes, you need to have your eyes open. Substack is VC-backed and under pressure to grow. But it’s exciting and inspiring to see what’s possible – and great to see people experimenting.

Platforms may come and go, but the humble newsletter isn’t going anywhere.

This week’s fave Substack post: We need more jazz vinyl cafes by Ted Gioia. Oh, for a trip to Tokyo to check out the jazz joints! 

To your success! 🥂

Nika

PS, I’m doing Joe Dispenza’s Walk for the World on Sept 23. I love his work – inspiring stories of transformation.

His ‘You Are The Placebo’ meditation is 👌

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