The Truth About My First Year on Substack (Starting from Zero)

What Worked, What Didn’t, and What I’d Do Again

I started my Substack journey last May. Almost a year ago.

Unlike others, I actually started from zero. I didn’t have an email list, a social media following, or a network I could tap into. I built everything from scratch and only on Substack.

To this day, it’s the only platform I use and it has truly become my online home.

After being here every single day for nearly a year, I’ve learned a lot.

Let me share my main lessons and what not to do if you want to build a successful Substack journey and get paid for your words.

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Do you want to bring your newsletter or products in front of 7,000+ creators and entrepreneurs? Reach out to me here.

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The Substack Assumptions I Came With (and Why They Were Totally Wrong)

#1: Substack is for experienced writers only.

I genuinely thought you had to be some kind of published author or full-time writer to even belong here. But then I saw people sharing notes, short reflections, messy thoughts and readers loving it.

Turns out: people connect with honesty way more than polished essays.

I started by just showing up consistently and sharing what I knew and experienced.

That was enough.

#2: You need to have a following somewhere else first.

I believed this one hard. I thought: “How will anyone even discover me if I don’t already have a big audience on Twitter or Instagram?”

But Substack has its own ecosystem.

All of my now almost 7,000 subscribers came from inside Substack. People finding me through Notes, Posts, recommendations…

You get it. Show yourself and you will be found.

#3: You need to be on every platform from day one.

Facebook! LinkedIn! Twitter! YouTube! TikTok!

I was exhausted just thinking about it.

But honestly, I didn’t post anywhere else (every now and then a post on Medium, but that did not help at all). I focused on building relationships in the Substack.

That alone helped me grow.

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This is my final month before completing one full year on Substack.

If you’ve followed my journey, you know I started from zero: no social media following, no email list, no other platform to post on.

I literally sat down, started writing on Substack every single day, and see where it took me:

• After 3 months, I had my first two paid subscribers (both triggered by one single Note).

• After 6 months, I started making a decent income.

• After 11 months, I had the highest-earning month of my entire life.

I think it’s fair to say: Substack has changed my life. As a writer. As a creator. As a solopreneur.

I made my dream come true: Switching from a traditional entrepreneur, dictated by investor calls and outside opinions, to a solopreneur working on my terms.

I reinvented myself in under a year, and I’m here to help you do the same.

(And by all means: you don’t need a 100k subscriber list.)

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What I Don’t Recommend Doing ✨

#1 Don’t show up once a week, post something, and then disappear the rest of the time.

That’s not how you build trust or community. People forget you. You forget them. Substack works best when you are present, even if it is just a quick note or reply here and there.

#2 Don’t do follow for follow or subscribe for subscribe.

It might feel good at first to see the numbers go up, but you will end up with a list full of people who do not actually care about your writing. That means low engagement, low energy, and eventually giving up. I keep seeing it happen.

#3 Don’t underestimate Notes or your Chat.

They are seriously one of the best ways to grow. In the beginning, it might feel like you are just talking to yourself, but keep going. People do see you. Notes and direct chats are where connections happen.

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My Top 3 Lessons Learned

Now to the best part. The things I actually learned, and what do exactly like this all over again.

#1 Writing alone isn’t enough (for better or worse)

You can’t just hit publish and hope people find you. You’ve got to show up. Be yourself. Let people be part of your journey.
That doesn’t mean you need to do LIVE sessions on here all the time (though they do help).

But: you are the content that connects.

So share your process, your thoughts, your day. The good, the messy, the in-between. That’s what builds trust. That’s what makes people want to stick around.

#2 How I find other writers

One of my favorite ways to connect is by going to a Note or Post I enjoy, then clicking on the people who liked or commented.
Not to subscribe to everyone, but to follow them.

Chances are, if they liked a post you liked, you already have something in common. You can hover over their name, read their bio, and see if it feels like a good match.

From there, you might start seeing their Notes pop up, and a real connection can form.

#3 Use Chat to connect and your Group Chat to build community

This feature is still so underrated. But it’s one of the best ways to get closer to your readers in a more personal way.

You can send a quick message, get to know them, and eventually open up your publication chat, where people support each other.

And let me tell you, when writers cheer each other on, it’s magic.

Substack feels special to me because it’s built on real human connection.
People here care. And that’s what makes all the difference.

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My Substack Journey 🚀

Within one year, I didn’t just build a community of almost 7,000 incredible writers, I also:

• Created a space that gives me energy every single day

• Got inspired by so many people I never would’ve met in real life

• Built an online business around my newsletter that allowed me to reinvent myself as an online entrepreneur and start creating the life I want, on my own terms.

My Newsletter Journey

And I would be thrilled to help you have a similar journey.

I know that it takes to start from 0 and being paid for your words with your newsletter.

Here is how I can help:

• Subscribe to my publication for community and direct support

• Check out my 2 Substack courses (for beginners and to grow)

• Want to work 1:1 with me? Place an ad in this newsletter? Want to work with growth tech tools to make your life easier? Check it here.

I can’t wait to work with you.

If this post was helpful, feel free to comment, like, restack. It really helps. 🧡

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