Small Lists, Big Freedom

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• The power of tone in writing makes a huge difference.

This time last year, I had close to 2,000 subscribers.

During my sabbatical, that dropped to 200.

When I started over at Substack, I dropped to 20, and now I’m back to just over 100.

Three years ago, this would have crushed me. I would have seen it as failure, as proof I wasn’t cut out for this creator thing.

Now? I feel free.

Free from the pressure to feed the growth machine. Free from writing for vanity metrics instead of real people. Free from the anxiety that comes with watching numbers fluctuate based on algorithmic whims.

100 engaged subscribers beats 1,000 passive ones every time.

Here’s what I learned watching my list shrink: The people who stayed are the ones who actually care. They’re not subscribers, they’re readers. They don’t just open emails, they reply to them.

The quality of my inbox improved as the quantity decreased.

I used to stress about open rates and click rates and all the metrics that supposedly mattered. Now I write for the 100 people who consistently show up. It’s easier. It’s more honest. It’s more human.

Starting over isn’t starting from zero. It’s starting from clarity.

I know exactly who I’m writing for now. I know what problems they face. I know how to help them. The rest is just execution.

Growth will come. But this time, it’ll be intentional growth. Quality over quantity. Connection over collection.

The freedom isn’t in having a small list. The freedom is in not being afraid of having a small list.

Are you optimizing for the right metrics in your creator journey? Hit reply and tell me what actually matters to you.