Started from the Bottom – Now It’s Been a Year
My first anniversary post
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A year ago today, I began this Substack as my one grounding force while I stepped back from the company I built. It became a space where I could release, reflect, and rest—finally. My first post, How I Coped Being CEO, remains my most-read piece. I wrote it just 46 days after stepping down, when I still called myself a “reluctant CEO” in a Bumble fireside chat. This space became a new form of honesty for me, and I’m learning more with each post. Thx for reading and sticking with me through the ups and downs. 💚
Highlights of the Year:
Learning to Let Go of Strategy: In Experimental Goo, I wrote about moving away from rigid plans and finding pleasure in projects that are light, playful, and without attachment. Strategy can be stifling; sometimes you just need to do it and see what happens. Read more here: The No-Strategy Strategy
Finding My Voice: I’ve been through phases of trial and error, from struggling to “become a TikToker” to losing and finding my voice on Substack. December was a blur—everything from nighttime routines to reflections on my life upstate to my exploits during the early days of being out and dating. I completely ghosted May and June on here. By August, things started to click as I shared a more PG version of my unconventional path: From Art School Dropout to Startup Advisor
Experimenting with Content: I’ve changed this Substack’s name three times (keeping the URL consistent, thankfully) and played around with templates, topics, and styles. I’ve determined to revisit pieces like Making Friends is Easy, which I’d love more people to read. It’s also been great to connect with other writers on here like Anna Mackenzie and Matilda Lucy.
Future experiments
I want to write more often in different formats, lists, links, images, sounds.
Interviews!
A hotline!?
I want to bring in you to the conversations and offer more templates, prompts, fun activities that would be helpful to your life (and mine).
This week I’m headed back to the city to do some research at the public libraries and zine archives. I’ll keep sharing what I come up with and open up the conversations in chat. I have some big ideas for what this Substack stick with me to see what develops!
This year of writing has been one big experiment, and it’s taught me that nothing profound comes from overthinking. I’ll keep this space playful and see where it goes—no strategy needed.
It’s been so great to connect with you on here this year. “Nothing profound comes from overthinking” ain’t that the truth 💯. Excited to follow the evolution of your writing / creating