In 2005, I was working in a gray cubicle at a magazine publisher and media company on Park Avenue South in New York City. At the time I worked in the Corporate Communications department, and one of our big responsibilities was sending out an internal newsletter to thousands of employees every Tuesday.
I started my newsletter in June 2022. Last month, I migrated to Substack with just under 300 subscribers, most of whom were Facebook friends (and colleagues or friends in my field) who I have individually invited to subscribe. In less than a month, I have gained 50 more followers, primarily from within the Substack world, with the help of Notes! This, to me, shows a clear advantage to Substack: It makes my work publicly accessible to readers who I wouldn't otherwise have contact with. This is very exciting, and has already changed how I write, so that I am more cognizant of the wider diversity of my readers.
Thanks for all this information about your decision, Dan. I plan on changing my newsletter to Substack within the next few months. Thanks for the story of your newsletter-writer beginnings, too. Love the logo.
Great story, Dan! I smiled at the corporate culture of the CEO not seeking you out to tell you how much he liked your newsletter, but just telling your boss instead.
Thanks Dan for this wonderful article. I loved hearing the story of how you've built your newsletter (which I've been subscribed to for quite some time,) the reasons why you moved to Substack, and some of your hesitations. The vibrant community with a diversity of viewpoints makes Substack attractive to me, and there's many people I admire who are on Substack including you. But I wonder what will happen with my various offers etc. and automations. How do you manage automations, and offers around webinars and things you maybe promoting from time to time but are separate from your newsletter?
Hi, Dan, I had time to scroll through my queued podcast episodes and saw this one. I love your story and admire your courage. Gray cubicle land feels so threatening and I think the upper management often wondered why employees don't bring all their talents to the table. About Substack, do you think we've just come full circle? WordPress blogs had a community share function that was popular in its time. They offered advertising as a form of payment and we had blogs with password only entry. In the past, there has been a lot of "you must build on your own land" for websites and email , but maybe people have realized that email providers aren't our own land either? If we have come in a circle, what might that mean for us as creators? A few friends have resisted joining Substack or objected because their email was signed up for the service, as if it were just another email service. But the entry gate doesn't feel the same and is even a little confusing for readers, I'm guessing. As always, I appreciate your thoughtful analysis of this creative , well it is actually a shift, isn't it? :)
@Dan Blank enjoyed your newsletter, but I really am left wondering exactly how you found pictures of our family kitchen from my childhood.
Our living room decor was different, but the wood paneling was the same. Wood paneling in the 70’s was omnipresent. Ubiquitous. You could not escape the wood paneling.
I enjoyed seeing the background development of your logo. It looks like you. I have not heard of notes since I started my Substack this year, so thank you for mentioning it!
I have a Wordpress blog as my author site for my memoir. It's still very small, with maybe 15 followers and 45 on my MailerLite email list. I'm working on a list of questions to ask myself to help decide whether to move to Substack, and starting to research technically how to make the switch. Every outlet feels so different from all the others. If you have any decision-tree questions to suggest, I would love to read them. Thanks.
Why I moved my newsletter of 18 years to Substack
I started my newsletter in June 2022. Last month, I migrated to Substack with just under 300 subscribers, most of whom were Facebook friends (and colleagues or friends in my field) who I have individually invited to subscribe. In less than a month, I have gained 50 more followers, primarily from within the Substack world, with the help of Notes! This, to me, shows a clear advantage to Substack: It makes my work publicly accessible to readers who I wouldn't otherwise have contact with. This is very exciting, and has already changed how I write, so that I am more cognizant of the wider diversity of my readers.
I’ve been thinking the same thing… move my newsletter to Substack or not?? Finally, someone has answered (many) of my questions. Thank you Dan!!
Thanks Dan
Thanks for all this information about your decision, Dan. I plan on changing my newsletter to Substack within the next few months. Thanks for the story of your newsletter-writer beginnings, too. Love the logo.
Great story, Dan! I smiled at the corporate culture of the CEO not seeking you out to tell you how much he liked your newsletter, but just telling your boss instead.
Thanks Dan for this wonderful article. I loved hearing the story of how you've built your newsletter (which I've been subscribed to for quite some time,) the reasons why you moved to Substack, and some of your hesitations. The vibrant community with a diversity of viewpoints makes Substack attractive to me, and there's many people I admire who are on Substack including you. But I wonder what will happen with my various offers etc. and automations. How do you manage automations, and offers around webinars and things you maybe promoting from time to time but are separate from your newsletter?
Hi, Dan, I had time to scroll through my queued podcast episodes and saw this one. I love your story and admire your courage. Gray cubicle land feels so threatening and I think the upper management often wondered why employees don't bring all their talents to the table. About Substack, do you think we've just come full circle? WordPress blogs had a community share function that was popular in its time. They offered advertising as a form of payment and we had blogs with password only entry. In the past, there has been a lot of "you must build on your own land" for websites and email , but maybe people have realized that email providers aren't our own land either? If we have come in a circle, what might that mean for us as creators? A few friends have resisted joining Substack or objected because their email was signed up for the service, as if it were just another email service. But the entry gate doesn't feel the same and is even a little confusing for readers, I'm guessing. As always, I appreciate your thoughtful analysis of this creative , well it is actually a shift, isn't it? :)
A great powerful story this is
@Dan Blank enjoyed your newsletter, but I really am left wondering exactly how you found pictures of our family kitchen from my childhood.
Our living room decor was different, but the wood paneling was the same. Wood paneling in the 70’s was omnipresent. Ubiquitous. You could not escape the wood paneling.
Welcome to Substack! It’s wonderful to have you here.
I enjoyed seeing the background development of your logo. It looks like you. I have not heard of notes since I started my Substack this year, so thank you for mentioning it!
Always look forward to your newsletter, now will be looking forward to your substack :)
Like the logo!
I have a Wordpress blog as my author site for my memoir. It's still very small, with maybe 15 followers and 45 on my MailerLite email list. I'm working on a list of questions to ask myself to help decide whether to move to Substack, and starting to research technically how to make the switch. Every outlet feels so different from all the others. If you have any decision-tree questions to suggest, I would love to read them. Thanks.
Glad to see you switch over to Substack! 🙌
Dan - I'm one of those 700 subscribers and I still read your newsletter every Friday morning (and I'm in finance). Keep up the great work.
Just one question--why send your newsletter for only for the next 18 years? Congratulations!