Unless you are a very old subscriber, you probably don’t know this.
I started this Substack on January 1, 2025.
I already had an account before that.
But I had only posted a few notes and never took it seriously.
Before coming to Substack, I had a decent following on Threads.
Around 50,000 people.
So like most creators, I came here to start a newsletter.
But I had no idea this decision would completely change my life.
Starting without expectations
On New Year’s Day 2025, I made one decision.
I will stay consistent on Substack without obsessing over results.
The first two months were slow. Painfully slow.
around 500 subscribers, most of them from Threads
barely any comments
two digit likes on Notes if I was lucky
Nothing impressive.
Honestly, nothing motivating either.
The first breakthrough
Somewhere near the end of February, one of my Notes took off.
It was about how new creators post daily and get no engagement. And why that should not make us stop.
Because consistency compounds, even when it feels invisible.
A funny coincidence it was.
After that even my older notes and articles started getting engagement.
And new people started finding my work.
Around the same time, , someone I am close with here, recommended my newsletter.
That single recommendation brought in more than 1,000 subscribers in 30 days.
Once again, thank you, Karl!
Patterns start to show up
Once I noticed what was working, I doubled down into it.
I started writing more intentionally based on patterns I could clearly see.
In the next three months, I focused on writing content that was genuinely:
helpful
relatable
and honest
By May 24, I had crossed 10,000 subscribers.
The surprising part was, more than 84 percent of them were from Substack.
Why Substack felt different
After 5 months on this platform, one thing stood out to me the most.
People here think differently.
Instead of rage or negativity, people:
share thoughtful opinions
ask real questions
engage with intent
At that time, there were almost no bots.
I actually enjoyed conversations in comments and DMs.
That is why I was spending more time here than on Threads.
Even though I had five times more followers there.
The first proof of trust
When I was about to hit 10K subscribers, I launched my first book.
It was without any big campaign or a complex funnel.
Just a simple launch.
I sold 50 copies in four days.
I learned a very cruical lesson from this launch.
People here genuinely support creators they trust.
If you stay authentic and genuinely try to help people, they will reciprocate with real support.
Not only by likes or vanity metrics.
One year later
It has now been more than a year.
Here are a few things that happened because I stayed consistent on Substack.
Things I have not shared openly before.
I left my job and started writing full time
moved to a new city with my family
launched two books with more than 300 copies sold each
received thousands of messages from people around the world
Messages saying my writing helped them in some way.
That still humbles me.
Why I am doubling down on Substack
Because of all this, I’m taking Substack more seriously than ever.
I genuinely believe this is the best platform right now to build long term leverage.
People here:
have higher attention spans
are more mature on average
think more deeply
support creators instead of tearing them down
That combination is rare.
What I am building next
Because of everything I have learned, I am launching a new project on February 7.
It is called The Substack Operating System.
It is for people who want to build real leverage on Substack.
Not through viral hacks or shortcuts.
But through a clear, long term system to grow a premium newsletter that:
stands out from your competitors
and is easier to monetize in 2026 and beyond
This system is based on:
my own journey
patterns I have noticed
and what other big creators are doing
This first batch will be limited to 50 people.
Pre launch has already started.
The first 10 people will get 33 percent off.
If you’re serious about growing on Substack and want to build something for the long term, this is for you.
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