“The Swedish term lagom (pronounced roughly as 'lah-gom') is a word and cultural concept that roughly translates to "just the right amount" or "not too much, not too little". It has no single direct English translation but encapsulates the Swedish principle of balance, moderation, and sufficiency in all aspects of life.”
“Those I’ve followed for 10 years are those that allowed themselves to evolve and experiment. People follow the energy and excitement, not the sameness.”
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Ai summary - thanks Claude
Joyful Growth: A Conversation with Elin
Overview
Claire and Elin discuss maintaining joy and authenticity as creators across a decade of building online businesses, part of the January Joy(ful) Growth Club with Russell and Claire
Key Themes
The Reality of Creative Work
Not always joyful: Elin emphasizes that building a creative business online hasn’t been joyful every single day
Cycles are natural: Both creators experience periods of high creative output followed by quieter, more difficult phases
Return to basics: When overwhelmed, the solution is always returning to the art itself—creating for the joy of it
The Journey
Elin started in 2016 on Instagram with hand embroidery, experiencing rapid viral growth
Built across multiple platforms gradually: Instagram first, then Pinterest, then YouTube
Started writing on Substack two years ago as a way to reconnect with creative joy
Has been running some form of subscription for eight years
Managing Growth and Expectations
Cultural conditioning: Elin discusses Swedish “lagom” culture (don’t be too much, be steady) and how it influenced her approach
The hamster wheel trap: Easy to replicate the same patterns you’re trying to escape when monetizing passion
Outsourcing excellence: Never give control of your creative practice to external rules—whether business coaches, algorithms, or platform requirements
Pivots and Transitions
Ellen launched a second Substack (art magazine) while guilt-ridden about leaving Instagram
Faced challenges when moving existing email subscribers to Substack
Currently in another transition phase, rebranding and moving away from subscriptions
Recognizes different business models serve different life seasons
Key Insights
On Authenticity: “I deeply struggle with performance. The way I keep going is by committing to being transparent about it as a way to kill the shame.”
On Starting: “Move your ass and your mind will follow” - you can’t think your way out of creative blocks; you must physically create
On Qualifications: “Nobody can target me for not being an expert at my own experience because literally that’s what I lived.”
On Platform Relationships:
Think of platforms as marriages—there will be honeymoon periods and difficult seasons
Building on borrowed land has trade-offs, but can still be valuable
The key is maintaining your own creative center regardless of platform changes
Practical Wisdom
Create one thing daily (stitch away keeps the doctor away)
Add platforms gradually, not all at once
Keep non-monetized creative practices alongside business
Self-care checklist: When wanting to quit, check—are you tired? Hungry? Need a walk?
Use triggers as mirrors: When feeling envious or frustrated online, examine what it reveals about your own needs
Create before you consume: Protect your creative energy from comparison and distraction
You only need one reason to start: “I want to” is enough
On Subscriptions and Sustainability
Subscriptions can provide stability during intense life seasons (young children, house moves, life pivots)
They serve as an anchor to keep creating during difficult times
Different business models suit different life phases
It’s okay to pivot when something no longer serves you
Final Message
The only constant is change
Never outsource your excellence to external validation
Vulnerability is part of our humanity, not a weakness
Joy comes from the art itself, and growth follows as a byproduct
“Evolve or die”—not physical death, but the death of living asleep to your creative potential - Claire attributes to Ana Forest - her yoga teacher - the concept of evolving to stay awake.
