The Business of Your Substack in 2025
What I’m investing in to grow my Substack (and my business) next year and why.
Sparklers!!
✨ If I don’t pop in again this week I’ll say; Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who are celebrating! 💫
I love this time of year. I love celebrating what it’s brought and giving ourselves a big ole permission slip to slow down, reflect and take stock. Maybe I’ll write, maybe I’ll just read and re-send my archive out into the world.
What I know to be true is that we’ve all done enough. There’s nothing to push, nothing to get done, everything to celebrate.
Members, are you registered for our end of year celebration yet? Bring your crown and a sweet treat!
That said, I already have plans for early 2025 because as a business owner, I’ve learnt it’s good to not fall off the metaphorical cliff that mysteriously appears at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
We don’t want to come to January in a funk. We want to know who we are and who we’re here to serve.
Rest is important throughout the year and this year despite a worryingly busy summer, I pulled it back and kindled some deep rest and relaxation. Maybe this is your time to do the same? If it is, I hope you have fun.
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Markers in the sand/ dates in the diary
My work enthuses and excites me and I love the shiny feeling of a New Year. That combo is FIRE to me in the goal setting classes I hold as part of the (January) membership at Sparkle on Substack. I’m doing the work with you.
Last year, I was really cautious not to over stretch with goals. I met my 2025 goal (consistent 25k views here on Substack) in the first quarter and as I write this my sparkly space just hit 104k monthly views yay.
I’ve learnt that subscriber numbers go up and down. Especially if you are BOLD with your intention. Things recalibrate so although I notice the steady climb I don’t have numerical goals, just feeling ones…
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“Holding data gently.”
Does my community feel like it’s working, is it clear how folks can get support, am I delivering my best work? Then all the rest is just data I can come to another day.1
I take time to feel into the relationship I want with a new year across wellbeing, creativity, business and home and I know it will all become crystal clear early in January. We have those classes together next year. More here.
Our up-level
My own mastermind for business owners who use Substack – The Business of your Substack has taken me nearly a year to put together. Need clarity on your business and content eco system? Want more down time? You don’t have to be ‘everywhere’ online, you need to be strategic. Set up systems that work, build a fan base who share your work for you. Celebrate your assets, know your worth and when to push/ launch/ plug in to other spaces strategically.
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My top four 2025 Investments.
Want to choose one for yourself? What would it be? Let us know in the comments so we can learn and grow together?
1. Niche specific gurus – I’m in
at Brand Season’s programme and will work with at The Editing Spectrum again to get geeky about the data. Amanda is also guesting for my members here in February. I think it can be so helpful to drill down with experts. I adore space for leaning into my soul whispers around my writing craft. I have recently discovered Coco Mocoe via one of my pals. I love her insight on the creator economy and trends. I plan to be a paid subscriber once I trim down my input in the New Year.2. A Mentor - Leonie Dawson. I use Leonie’s biz/ life planners and love their cheerleading in my ear. I’ve been in Brilliant Business Academy for four years. Most of the external success you guys see is down to staying connected to the classes and teaching there. I’ve literally retrained my imposter syndrome and sense of possibility, I’ve learnt systems, sales, marketing and so much more. It’s reframed everything for me. 2
3. Colleagues - I am so deeply grateful for my colleagues - you know who you are.
4. Community – I will hold my hands up and say my own community is my favourite thing about the work I do here at
. I love our Friday writer’s room, our Substack chat space. I love that you guys meet up IRL and start collaborations together - it’s the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done.Two years ago decided to create the thing I wished existed in the world.
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A community where everyone feels safe to share their sparkle, their voice and all they want to say in the world. ✨
A space where you are welcomed… whether you pressed a button with a tentative;
“hello, Substack I’m new here, I think I have things to write…”
or you arrived being like
“ok, I’m all in Substack show me 6figures and a new way to get paid for my art please!”
How about you, what one thing are you investing in to grow your Substack in 2025? I’d love to know. Meet me in the comments and share your cookies with the world?
Claire
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PS - BOOK LOVERS UNITE - A huge congrats to 💎Diamond Members
and who released their new podcast into the world last week and topped the Apple Podcast charts. They met here at and created a BEAUTIFUL gift of a listening experience for you all. You can listen here.🎧
Affiliate link. If you purchase via my link Leonie sends me a thank you.
As a newbie member I’m already feeling so great about being in this space. Thank you, Claire 🙏❤️ One thing I want to work on in 2025 is a series where I speak with other creatives and get their views on what a successful creative life looks like to them, where they’re at now, where they’re wanting to be and so on. I’ve already got a handful of interested creatives so I’m eager to get moving on it.
This is so inspiring. Thank you for all you do ♥️