I’m experimenting with a new (shorter) format because a) I respect your time and b) I need to get outside and enjoy the early days of summer. There might not be much of it in the UK. And it’s my birthday month!
1️⃣ Went to a Leading Expert talk on the Sorry State of Social Media with Brian Clark – an overview of the evolution of social media from a helpful audience-building tool (Digg and Delicious) to a dopamine-fueled distraction and time suck—with more emphasis on ‘influencers’ and attention than community and connection.
From a business perspective, it’s hard to justify spending time on social media. He’s been experimenting with LinkedIn and succeeding, but “there’s no aspect of fun on LinkedIn.” (I agree—it’s boring AF—what can we do about that?)
Some thoughts on how to fix it: Focus on building your email list and a deeper psychological understanding of your prospects. Test paid ads in other newsletters and/or write guest posts for folks in your niche. The business basics: People and relationships power everything, and that won’t change. He says he’s “lost all techno-optimism,” – noooo! BUT there will be something else—we can’t predict it.
The Mill, which has just reached a six-figure reader milestone. Exciting to hear they’ve announced a major hiring round (hiring 11 staff in FIVE cities) and are expanding into Glasgow and London (making hay as the Evening Standard goes from daily to weekly). Love the ambition! Bringing deeper narrative journalism to local news. What local news to you read/need? Let me know and I’ll ask him.
3️⃣ Went to a Scaling Paid Subs Mind Meld with Lex Roman. I love her new project, Journalists Pay Themselves, for reader-funded journalists. Sharing tiny experiments and helpful resources in her newsletter and hosts free monthly meets to help folks grow their paid readership. We discussed pricing and tiers and tried to work out why anyone would pick the middle tier!? Plus, a hot-seat publication rundown is super useful. I’m hosting the next session on Monday, July 1. RSVP here. Interview with Lex coming soon!
PS It’s the Publisher Podcast & Newsletter Summit / Awards on Wednesday. Esther Kezia Thorpe shared this post on what burnout feels like and how challenging event marketing is as a part-time gig and full-time parent. They’re open to ideas re partnerships, investment, or refocusing to work smarter, not harder. The lineup is insane – last chance to grab a ticket here.
▶️ Tiny Marketing Actions: The Six-Week Experience [Pam Slim on Maven] Like this concept. How to execute TMAs on a daily/weekly basis to grow your business with a community of small biz owners.
Keir Whitaker is a business consultant and coach who supports agencies and app companies in the Shopify ecosystem. Before starting his consultancy in 2019, he spent seven years at Shopify. “It was an amazing run, but I knew it was time for a change and wanted to start my own business focused on helping founders and companies I’d met during that time.”
His initial offers focused on marketing, copywriting, and events. Over time, he also started working with solo agency founders who were looking for someone to support them in their own development as well as their business. “Thanks to my being around the block a few times myself, I apparently had a lot to offer!”
He hosts an intimate event series called Craft+Work, which brings together self-employed folks to share their experiences and learn from each other.
It’s all about conversations, openness, and helping each other through the ups and downs of doing our own thing.
Coming to London on May 31 (bought my ticket!) and NYC and Toronto later this year.
I was going to suggest postponing our chat as I thought he’d be too busy, but he got back to me, “in the spirit of done is better than perfect.” There have been a few unexpected hiccups, but he seems very chilled about it. As our mutual business coach Ellen Donnelly would say, “Stay Calm and Authority On.”
I like how he’s found a way to combine consulting, coaching, and events to keep things interesting. Read on for his best advice and tips for dealing with the messy middle (years!) when you feel like you’re constantly experimenting and questioning everything (more on that in the video chat).
Thanks Keir, and apologies for calling Shopify Spotify – all these tech companies sound the same 😉
Nika ✨
What are you struggling with right now?
Upping my own marketing game. Last year, I started questioning my business, what I was doing, who I was doing it for and even if I should change tack entirely. It’s hard to market with confidence if you’re not sure what you’re offering is right. As a result, I kind of hibernated, and things slowed down.
Thankfully, something clicked earlier in the year, and I’m now in a rebuilding phase and feeling more confident about moving forward. The struggle now is to put the plan into action and build consistency, which has been the hardest part.
What are you most excited about?
Growing my event series Craft+Work and working on attracting a few more 1-1 coaching and advisory clients, as well as serving my existing ones.
After questioning every aspect of my business last year, I have found a renewed interest in my work and feel more positive than in a long while – which is exciting.
How did the coaching thing happen? Did you train as a coach?
It was a small agency owner based in NYC. We’d met previously, and when he knew I was leaving, he wondered if there was a way to work together. I came up with an amazing proposal (says I) and added a throwaway line: “And we can meet each week for an hour to chart progress.” He came back to me and said, “Can we just do that?” That’s how it began. I started attracting more clients over time.
I’ve had coaching myself over the years and found it very beneficial. I’ve always enjoyed working 1-1, so I’ve gained much experience supporting people’s development. Last year, I did a five-day course focused on Executive Coaching, which was great.
I meant to follow up with an essay to get the formal credit, but my mother-in-law got diagnosed with cancer, so my motivation was at a low, and the writing bit didn’t seem worth it at the time. Maybe I’ll finish it one day, but I’m okay with not getting the certificate.
I also read a lot about coaching and am part of a mastermind of other coaches where we share experiences, tools and techniques.
How do you stay on top of industry trends?
With difficulty. I’ve always been interested in all aspects of business. As a result, I often find myself going down rabbit holes of learning, which distracts me from focusing on developing core skills or staying up on trends directly related to the services I offer. That said, being a “generalist” has paid dividends over the years, so it’s not all bad.
When not in a rabbit hole, I enjoy reading the wide variety of marketing, coaching, e-commerce, and culture-related newsletters I subscribe to.
I also have a group of colleagues and friends who act as my unofficial advisory board. They are great for intel, advice, and updates on what’s happening in our industry.
How are you getting yourself out there and selling your services?
I try to attend as many relevant events as I can. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to meet many interesting people who have become friends and clients at conferences and workshops.
I also host my own events, which means I have a good excuse to reach out to people I don’t yet know and ask them if they’d like to participate or attend. Even if both answers are no, it often leads to a good conversation and has led to work.
Outside of events, I try to engage on LinkedIn. It’s something I want to improve at, as it often feels like an afterthought and is not part of my daily schedule.
How do you define success? Balance ambition and contentment?
I consider myself pretty driven but less by money and more about working to create a life where I can take time out to travel, spend time with family and friends, and stay relatively stress-free. It’s not always easy to achieve, but that’s my goal. Overall, I’m pretty content, but my family might disagree!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
It’s tough to narrow it down, but if you’ll permit me three they would be:
Early in my career, a mentor said, “Focus on getting really good at what you do, and the money will come.”
Business is all about relationships, so take time to invest in building and maintaining them.
The ability to listen well is a competitive advantage.
How do you take care of your health and prevent burnout?
I’d love to tell you I have a well-thought-out regime, but I don’t. I used to travel so much that finding time to exercise proved difficult, but a few years ago, I started playing tennis with a friend. We’ve been very consistent (lockdowns and injuries aside) in getting on the court since. It helps my mental health and blows out the cobwebs from sitting in front of a screen all day.
I enjoy a good walk, eat well, and try to stick to one coffee daily. If getting older has taught me anything, some form of regular exercise and general moderation in most things pays dividends – possibly dull, but true.
Where do you live, and what do you love about it?
I live in Bath, in the West Country. After years of living in London, it was quite a change, but I can’t imagine being anywhere else now (at least while my children are still at school).
Once you get over the fact that every building is the same colour, you appreciate the city and all it offers. There are great pubs and restaurants, beautiful parks, and it’s only a short drive to the coast. Plus, it’s only 1 hr 20 to London by train, and Bristol Airport is a gateway to Europe.
Can you recommend any resources for entrepreneurs?
The Acquired Podcast. I’m going to recommend a podcast where episodes frequently top three hours but hear me out. Oh, and don’t be fooled by the title – it’s not a startup bro fest focused on flipping tech companies.
Instead, each episode covers the back story of great companies, discusses what makes them successful, and explains how we can apply those lessons in our businesses. Yes, there are tech companies in there, but as a child of the 80s, it’s fascinating to learn about Atari, Sega, and Apple. The episodes on Costco, Walmart, and Hermes are equally fascinating.
What help or support have you had that’s helped you get where you are today?
I couldn’t do what I do without spending the last 12 years in the Shopify/e-commerce ecosystem. I couldn’t have done that without the support of my wife, who was often left literally holding the babies when I had to travel. Don’t worry – I did my share upon returning 🙂
I’ve also been fortunate to work with several amazing people who believed in me and gave me opportunities that changed the direction of my career. Many became friends and mentors and still guide me today.
Finally, I’d say the belief that there’s always more to learn and people to learn from keeps me going.
Where can readers find you?
Everything is on or available via keirwhitaker.com
I couldn’t make it to CEX this year, so I’ve compiled a post-event summary from socials. Got my piggy jar and am saving for next year!
Here are the big ideas and themes that shaped this year’s event, plus some practical things you can do right now to grow your biz.
Big topics tackled? Algorithm chaos in Google and socials, the genius/evil of AI (including creating your digital doppelganger – thanks, Andrew Davis, for your sticky presentation phrase that, UGH, I can’t shake!), owning your own land/community, showing your humanity, REALLY understanding your customer and adding VALUE before jumping to monetization. — Wendy Covey
1. Using AI to survive and thrivein a competitive market (automating content production, personalising user experience, analysing audience data). AI was top of mind, but as a tool to streamline and organise content production rather than for organic copy. The hype around AI is starting to die down a bit because it’s becoming part of our everyday lives.
Just looking at this map from Visual Capitalist, which shows the number of AI startups by country. The US has 5,509, and the UK is third with 727. It’s mind-blowing. I’m using GPT Plus as a helpful agent and trying to figure out how it can help with distribution and discoverability. How do we develop our own distribution?
AI doesn’t have feelings. You need to tell your unique story. — Latasha James (her keynote on the importance of human stories)
Always say, “Take your time” after inputting the prompt. You’ll get better results that way. — Brian Piper (loving how he’s using AI for meal planning for his family of 8!)
2. Building revenue streams independent of big tech – strategies to help you make sustainable revenue streams without relying on tech platforms, e.g. direct revenue through subscriptions and memberships.
3. Community engagement and the importance of nurturing and building online communities as a growth strategy. Strong community ties can lead to a more robust business model in the content space.
Community can feel complicated and heavy, so I always think about Rosie Sherry, who talks about being kind and caring as a business strategy. “To care, over time, becomes your difference.” I love that. And with newsletters, you have a community of readers.
Solve small problems, then big problems. Then people will trust you. That’s how expertise is built. — Justin Welsh
Reminds me of Paul Graham on building world-class products that people love. “Focus on making a small group of people super happy.”
4. The value of networking and collaboration and how you can grow faster and achieve more by teaming up with other entrepreneurs. The Content Entrepreneur book was a group project that worked – conceived at last year’s CEX and written over the year to be released ahead of this year’s event.
More from The Tilt on that experiment here. Pamela Muldoon’s chapter is on content strategy and planning, which is her passion topic, and she narrates the audiobook.
They say two heads are better than one. So, imagine how powerful a book by 30-something content experts is! — Diane Burley
It’s also a brilliant distribution tactic—most of the posts I found on LinkedIn #CEX24 were about the book.
5. Diverse content platforms from traditional blogs and newsletters to newer formats like podcasts and video series. Good to hear Jay Clouse talking about prioritising trust over attention—long-form content over short-form.
Julia McCoy says it also has SEO benefits. “One of them is that long-form, well-researched content, with all the right schema and link profiles, is still the best way to rank on search engines.”
Roundup posts
▶️ Go Forth and Do: 5 ideas from 5 presenters you can do right now [The Tilt]
▶️ Best video on what she learned from other speakers [Latasha James]
▶️ Insights on solopreneurship + ‘opposite thinking’ from B.J Novak [Austin L Church]
▶️ Throwback from CEX ’23: Killer newsletter editorial and operational tips [Ann Gynn]
Love this tip from B.J. Novak about his writing process. He carries a notebook everywhere and then transfers his thoughts to his laptop (the bit I’m not very good at) so he can group similar ideas and themes to create from.
You can do the virtual thing, but really, the magic is in meeting other content creators, getting inspired, and even finding a few to collaborate with. — Mary Rose ‘Wildfire’ Maguire
I agree, that would carry me along for the rest of the year.
Kudos to the team and their mad event skills – three days is a big job 🥂
Tilt Your Business: Lessons and takeaways from Content Entrepreneur Expo, May 14 – register here.
Did you go? If so, let me know, I’d love to hear your insights.
Nika ✨
Work with me
Wanted to be Jane Bond but ended up in journalism 🤷🏻♀️
I run Firebird, the content consultancy helping entrepreneurs impact the world with their personal stories. Life is too short to play small. See my services here.
Newsletter Talent Directory! for creative collaborations—feel free to add your deets here.
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
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.
🧩 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!!)
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.
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?)
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.
Newsletter Talent Directory! Add your deets here for collabs
Nika Talbot 