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The Shift

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Bold Types…Adriana Tica 🇷🇴

I’m not big on International Women’s Day (it’s every day, as far as I’m concerned) and it’s hard to get enthusiastic when nothing much changes, but we do need to keep banging on about inequality and helping each other.

So a shoutout to all the strong, kind, and supportive women in my network who lift me up and keep me going. THANK YOU. It is much appreciated.

The other day, I was asked to promote a panel in parliament that was all blokes. “Where are the women?” I asked my colleague.

“Doing all the background work for less pay as usual, probably.”

But he did flag it and asked if we should suggest a more balanced panel. The usual female speaker was ill, so it was last minute, but there are other women who could’ve stepped in. 

I posted on LinkedIn here about #IWD2024 campaigns worth supporting:

  • United Nations: Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress – show us the money! #InvestinWomen #FundFemaleFounders
  • The NUJ’s #ShowUstheMoney pay transparency campaign

And it’s Mother’s Day. First priority today: calling my lovely mum.

I did appreciate the flowers and dark chocolate waiting for me when I got back from the conference 💐 🍫

We’re off to Bella Vista for a mother-and-daughter day dinner.

Nika

Bold Types…Adriana Tica

Wine is my drink of choice. I even thought about becoming a sommelier at some point. I write about some of the gems I discover on Instagram

I really enjoyed chatting with Adriana Tica, a strategist, writer, trend forecaster, and entrepreneur known for her no-BS, zero-hacks marketing strategy. We met on LinkedIn.

She’s built not one but two businesses on her own, with absolutely minimal investment, zero paid ads, and zero PR effort. “My rise to (moderate) internet fame was “more organic” than Whole Foods.”

“Getting hooked on independence doesn’t take much.” I agree!

And now introducing biz no #3: Ideas to Power Your Future, her brilliant weekly newsletter, which she says is the best lead generation tactic she’s ever built.

Semrush named her one of the world’s top 100 Content Marketing Influencers, and Buffer said she knows a thing or two about social media.

She’s a digital nomad who loves working remotely, especially from a Mediterranean island. She also speaks six foreign languages.

I like that she’s not your typical ultra-niched strategy consultant. There’s so much pressure to narrow down and be known for one thing, but broad expertise across industries is a superpower. It gives you an edge.

One of the things the Executive loved about the conference was the “non-industry attendees.” And in the feedback survey, the members always ask for more “speakers outside of the industry.”

Worth bearing in mind when you’re pitching yourself as a speaker. Be bold, and as Cindy says, never give it away for free 😉

Super inspiring. Enjoy! (scroll down for the video 🎦)

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

I grew up in Craiova, Romania, and then moved to Bucharest for college, where I stayed. These days, I’m a digital nomad who enjoys working remotely, especially from a Mediterranean island.

My first job was waitressing when I was 16. It lasted for exactly six days; it turns out I’m not cut out for smiling at jerks 😊. In college, my first job was in ad sales—also not a good fit for the same reason: the utter lack of a poker face.

What do you do and why?

I started my business out of sheer need. It was supposed to be short-lived, with a few freelancing gigs between jobs. But those freelancing gigs took off, and before I knew it, I was making more freelancing for a couple of hours a day than my full-time job paid.

So, I stopped going to interviews and turned my freelancing gigs into a digital marketing agency in 2015. My goal has always been to create great content for our clients, not the SEO fodder you see everywhere, and I’m proud to say I have succeeded.

At the end of 2022, I launched Ideas to Power Your Future, a weekly newsletter about no-BS marketing strategy. As this newsletter and its community keep growing, I’m happy to see how many people are over hacks and quick wins and focus on building a solid foundation for their business instead. 

This is what I set out to teach my subscribers, and despite all the bro marketing out there, it resonates with my community.

What are you most excited about at work right now? 

Growing my newsletter and my consulting business. I love seeing the spark in my clients’ and subscribers’ eyes when something clicks. When they realise they don’t have to hack social media algorithms to grow their audience or sell their soul to sleazy marketing tactics.

I know everyone hates marketers – and they have good reasons to. I’m here to show there’s a better way to market your business, one that lets you sleep easily and doesn’t annoy your audience.

How do you stay on top of industry trends?

I read a lot, perhaps too much. I focus on mainstream media (The Economist, HubSpot, Forbes, and so on) and obscure blogs, newsletters, or social media accounts that border on fringe. It’s very easy to dismiss them, but they are usually trendsetters.

Piecing the information together is my favourite thing to do, along with finding correlations between seemingly unrelated industries or trends, i.e. how does the state of the economy affect the creator economy? Or is there a connection between the housing market and the travel industry? Fun questions to answer!

Tell us about your marketing process. How are you finding clients, and building your network?  

Most of my clients and subscribers come from LinkedIn and Twitter, the platforms I’m most active on. My newsletter is the trust bridge that establishes me as a credible strategist and the best lead-generation tactic I’ve ever built.

Social media is also where I find partners, friends, and networks like Lettergrowth (for newsletter cross-promos) and the Convert Kit Creator Network.

Samaria Gorge in Crete, Greece – her favourite place

How do you define success? And balance ambition and contentment?

Success is the most subjective word. For me, success means not dreading my work and being excited about the future. Every job and every business has ups and downs. But as long as there are more ups than downs, I count it as a success.

I never set out to rule the world, so I’m content with carving a small corner of the internet for myself and a business that feeds me and allows me to travel without claiming my soul in return.

How do you manage your health and prevent burnout? 

I’m afraid I don’t do enough here. I love what I do and tend to become hyper-focused on my work. Since I’ve already dealt with severe burnout once and definitely don’t want to go back there, I force myself to take breaks, exercise, and disconnect at least one day a week—even when I’d rather be working.

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

Before you get to the trendy books, I recommend reading Philip Kotler’s Principles of Marketing. The book may be slightly dated, but it has everything you need to understand the foundations of marketing. Mastering a new trendy channel or tactic will be a breeze if you read this.

My favourite podcast is Everyone Hates Marketers by Louis Grenier. His conversations with his guests are refreshingly candid, with zero boasting and posturing.

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

Paul Graham’s “Do the things that don’t scale first” is my guiding light. This is what you need to do in the beginning – talk to your customers and your partners, gather feedback and ideas, and mine the web for information.

And you have to do all this yourself, not by automating DMs through AI. It’s a crucial step most digital entrepreneurs miss in their chase for quick hacks.

Are you happy, and what would you change? 

Oh, that’s a loaded question! Yes, I’m happy and content overall, but there’s always room for improvement. If I were to change one thing, it would be my working hours; I need a better balance here. I’m working on it!

Who should I interview next and why? 

Hannah Szabo and Michael Scott Overholt are the smartest, most fascinating people I’ve met on LinkedIn, and I’m proud to call them friends. I think you’ll like how their businesses are built on solid principles and ethics. (I surely will! Send me your questions for Hannah and Michael).

How can readers get in touch with you?

The best way to get in touch with me is to subscribe to my newsletter, Ideas to Power Your Future. This is where I publish my best work and answer every email from my subscribers. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Resources

  • Special issue: One-year anniversary – How I grew and monetised this newsletter in the past year (what fuels the growth of her newsletter – ranked from best to worst). Read it here. 
  • Spending too much time creating content? Read this! (why repurposing and reusing are your best friends). Read it here.
  • Is the subscription economy in trouble? (tips on how to price a paid newsletter or paid community and future-proof yourself as a newsletter writer). Read it here. 

How am I doing?

I love hearing from you, and I’m always looking for feedback. Is there anything you’d like to see more of or less of? Which bits of the newsletter do you enjoy the most?

Hit reply and say hello – or email me: nika@nikatalbot.io.

Join the Newsletter Talent Network! Directory for collabs – online and local: Go here.

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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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Newsletter

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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Newsletter

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.

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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.

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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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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.

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