The Self-Guided MBA for Substack Creators (in 12 Months or Less!)
Traditional MBA programs are expensive, time-consuming, and irrelevant to the unique challenges of running a Substack.
Feeling exhausted from creating Substack posts without seeing the growth you crave?
You're not alone. Many creators struggle to turn their passion into a profitable business.
It's not about your writing talent. The missing ingredient is often a solid business foundation—the kind you'd get from an MBA, but without the hefty price tag and time commitment.
Imagine having the skills to build a thriving Substack, attract a loyal audience, and generate sustainable income. It's possible, and you can do it in just 12 months with this self-guided MBA designed specifically for Substack creators.
Transform your Substack into a profitable business that fuels your creativity and gives you the freedom to do what you love.
Without a strong business strategy, you risk getting lost in the sea of Substack creators, struggling to monetize your content, and ultimately burning out.
Traditional MBA programs are expensive, time-consuming, and often irrelevant to the unique challenges of running a Substack.
You've tired to:
Rely solely on 'winging it' and hoping for the best.
Jump from one growth hack to another without a cohesive strategy.
Invest in generic online courses that don't address the specifics of Substack.
What if you could gain the essential business knowledge of an MBA through a curated selection of powerful books tailored to your needs as a Substack creator?
Introducing: Your 12-Month Self-Guided MBA Reading List
Month 1: Validate Your Substack Idea
Book: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries (2021 Edition)
Why: Treat your Substack like a startup! Ries introduces the Lean Startup methodology, emphasizing validated learning, rapid experimentation, and iterative development to build a successful business.
How: Apply the build-measure-learn feedback loop to test your content ideas, gather audience feedback, and continuously improve your Substack.
Action: Identify your riskiest assumptions about your Substack and design experiments to validate them (e.g., A/B test different headlines, survey your audience about their preferences).
Month 2: Craft a Compelling Narrative
Book: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller (2017)
Why: Clarify your message and connect with your audience on an emotional level. Miller provides a framework for positioning yourself as the guide in your readers' journey.
How: Identify your Substack's hero (your reader), define the problem you solve for them, and guide them towards a successful resolution.
Action: Revise your Substack's about page and welcome email sequence using the StoryBrand framework to ensure clarity and emotional resonance.
Month 3: Build a Subscription Business
Book: Subscribed by Tien Tzuo (2018)
Why: Understand the power of subscription models and build a recurring revenue stream for your Substack. Tzuo, the CEO of Zuora, shares insights on the subscription economy and its implications for businesses.
How: Explore different subscription models, identify the key metrics for subscription businesses, and build a loyal subscriber base.
Action: Analyze your current monetization strategy and explore opportunities to introduce or optimize subscription offerings for your Substack.
Month 4: Develop Consistent Creative Habits
Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear (2018)
Why: Success on Substack requires consistent effort and continuous improvement. Clear provides a practical framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones.
How: Apply the Four Laws of Behavior Change to establish a productive writing routine, improve your content creation process, and achieve your Substack goals.
Action: Identify one key habit you want to build or break related to your Substack (e.g., writing daily, publishing consistently) and create a plan to implement Clear's strategies.
Month 5: Foster a Thriving Community
Book: The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle (2018)
Why: Build a strong community around your Substack by fostering a culture of belonging and collaboration. Coyle explores the secrets of high-performing groups and how to create a thriving community.
How: Apply Coyle's principles to cultivate a sense of safety, vulnerability, and shared purpose within your Substack community.
Action: Create a dedicated space for your community to interact (e.g., Discord server, online forum) and organize online or in-person events to foster connection.
Month 6: Set Goals and Track Progress
Book: Measure What Matters by John Doerr (2018)
Why: Track your progress and make data-driven decisions to optimize your Substack's growth. Doerr introduces Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), a framework for setting goals that Google and other successful companies use.
How: Set ambitious goals for your Substack, define measurable key results, and track your progress to ensure you're on the right track.
Action: Define 3-5 key objectives for your Substack and establish measurable key results for each objective. Regularly review and update your OKRs to stay focused.
Month 7: Understand Your Audience
Book: This Is Marketing by Seth Godin (2018)
Why: Understand the principles of effective marketing and apply them to your Substack. Godin challenges traditional marketing approaches and emphasizes the importance of empathy, authenticity, and building trust.
How: Identify your ideal audience, create content that resonates with their needs, and build a loyal following by providing genuine value.
Action: Revisit your Substack's positioning and messaging to ensure it aligns with Godin's principles of permission marketing and building trust with your audience.
Month 8: Build a Long-Term Vision
Book: The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek (2019)
Why: Adopt a long-term perspective and build a sustainable Substack for the long haul. Sinek contrasts finite games (with winners and losers) and infinite games (with no end in sight).
How: Focus on building a loyal audience, fostering a strong community, and continuously improving your Substack to stay ahead in the infinite game of content creation.
Action: Define your Substack's Just Cause - a vision that inspires you and your audience for the long term. Align your actions with your Just Cause to ensure sustainable growth.
Month 9: Embrace Diverse Perspectives
Book: Range by David Epstein (2019)
Why: Embrace diverse perspectives and explore different areas of knowledge to enhance your creativity and problem-solving skills. Epstein challenges the notion of early specialization and highlights the benefits of broad experience.
How: Cultivate a sampling period to explore different niches and writing styles, draw inspiration from diverse sources, and develop a unique voice for your Substack.
Action: Experiment with new content formats, collaborate with creators in different fields, and explore new areas of knowledge to broaden your horizons and enrich your Substack.
Month 10: Master Your Focus
Book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
Why: As a Substack creator, your most valuable asset is your focused attention. Newport provides a framework for cultivating deep work habits and maximizing your productivity.
How: Learn to eliminate distractions, prioritize tasks, and schedule dedicated time blocks for deep work to produce high-quality content consistently.
Action: Implement Newport's strategies to create a distraction-free workspace and establish a daily routine that prioritizes deep work.
Month 11: Understand Your Relationship with Money
Book: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel (2020)
Why: Understand the psychological factors that influence your financial decisions and develop a healthy relationship with money. Housel explores the emotional and behavioral aspects of personal finance.
How: Learn to manage your finances effectively, make informed investment decisions, and build a sustainable financial foundation for your Substack business.
Action: Reflect on your own money mindset and identify any limiting beliefs or biases that might be hindering your financial success. Develop a financial plan for your Substack that aligns with your values and goals.
Month 12: Embrace Continuous Learning
Book: Think Again by Adam Grant (2021)
Why: Cultivate intellectual humility, embrace lifelong learning, and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of content creation. Grant encourages us to reconsider our assumptions and embrace the joy of being wrong.
How: Develop a growth mindset, seek out diverse perspectives, and be willing to revise your beliefs in the face of new information.
Action: Engage in thoughtful discussions with your audience, solicit feedback on your content, and be open to changing your mind about your Substack's direction.
Ready to turn your Substack dreams into reality?
Dive into these books and start implementing the strategies today.
Your future self will thank you.
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Wow, you've given us some great homework here, Magdalena! Some I've read, but some new ones to explore and implement, most importantly. Thank you!!
This is an awesome reading collection and very helpful annotations! I can't wait to jump in! Thank you, Magdalena