You're a category of one, so own it
If you think there's no room for you online, read this.
If you’re a 20-50 something in a traditional career with a dash of work trauma and a burning sense that there’s more to life, you’re probably writing, or thinking about writing, on Substack.
I love it here, truly. It’s fun, warm, joyous and vibrant, but between you and me, recently it’s felt like things have plateaued a bit. My growth has slowed, engagement has softened, and while I know this is standard operating procedure for writing online, I also feel that perhaps Substack is changing. Many big creators and writers have recently jumped on the orange train and sometimes it feels like they’re sucking up air and commandeering people’s limited attention.
In fleeting moments I question…
Do I still have unique things to say? Interesting ideas to share? Gripping stories to tell?
Is there still room here for me?
But then I shake myself by the shoulders and remember something. That while incredible writers (and recent Substackers) like Dan Koe and Justin Welsh have millions of followers, they don’t know what I know. They can’t write what I write.
No one can tell my tale of going through a yearlong recruitment process for an intelligence agency only to bomb out at the final round and be told I couldn’t reapply for seven years, and how that devastating failure taught me soldier on even if I didn’t know which direction to march.
No one can tell the story of spending six months working on a $50k deal before the brand pulled out on Christmas Eve, taking cash flow (and my mental health) with it.
No one else has ridden the exact dream job > excited founder > exited founder > identity crisis > portfolio career pipeline that I have.
My fingerprints are smeared all over my essays, Tiktoks, products and services, and the same goes for you and everything you create. You’re an unmistakable blend of experiences, stories, perspectives, feelings, emotions and ideas that are yours, and yours alone. No one can copy you and no one can compete with you because, simply put, you’re inimitable. A category of one.
You might be sitting here reading this and wondering if you’re “too late” to get on Substack or “too generic” to share your ideas or “too boring” to show up online. But you’re not.
You might feel full of self doubt about competing with big creators and their even bigger legion of fans. But you shouldn’t.
It’s been imagined before, but not by your mind.
It’s been said before, but not in your voice.
It’s been done before, but not by your hands.
So hold on. Press down. Grip hard. Speak up.
It’s time to make your mark.
Join the Portfolio Career OS Sprint Month (final days)
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make in their portfolio career is that they try to run a multi-channel business, by themselves, with zero systems. No central task list. No sales system. No client manager. No repeatable workflows. Just a notebook, a never-ending to-do list, two crossed fingers and vibes ✌🏼
And while that might work in the early days, at some point the mental load becomes too much. Flying by the seat of your pants ain’t it! To truly thrive in this portfolio work model you need a functional way to operate and a system that supports you.
That’s why I created the Portfolio Career Operating System and next month I’m running a focused 4-week sprint to help you set up the OS and embed it into your working week. You’ll get structured time, light-touch accountability, access to a community of other builders, async support and live access to me if you get stuck.
Doors close 11:59PM AEST Wednesday May 29. I hope you’ll join us!
This one’s for the writers: my thoughts on the rise of big names on the platform, what that means for Substack-first creators, and why the ‘personal’ in personal brand is really all that matters.
🫶🏼 When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help:
Free Training: Stabilise, Systemise and Scale Your Portfolio Career in 2025: learn the inbound and outbound acquisition strategies to generate a consistent flow of leads and grow your income, and the workflows to that will help you increase capacity beyond your time.
The Portfolio Career Operating System: a fully fledged system for people who do multiple things and want to do them well.
Portfolio Career Mentoring: 1-1 sessions to help you get started and build a career that sits at the intersection of freedom, creative fulfilment, meaning and money.
❤️🔥 Subscribe for more ideas and frameworks…
…to help you build a financially lucrative and creatively fulfilling portfolio career and life.
Loved this post. Great point about how those creators that have big followings don’t know what you know. We’re all so unique and special and I’m so happy I found you!
I’ve just started on Substack and didn’t know audio was a thing 🙊 listening to your voice was such a beautiful way to experience your writing. I noticed you have done audio for all your articles. Do you recommend doing this?
This is exactly what I needed to read today! Thank you for always writing the things that need to be said at the right time x