Inside the Economics of Independent Creators | Mostly Growth
Run the Numbers
Memes, LinkedIn Reach, and Algorithm Friction
CJ notes memes sometimes outperform deep work; Kyle describes tactics and LinkedIn's unpredictable algorithm dynamics.
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In this year-end episode of Mostly Growth, CJ Gustafson, Kyle Poyar, and Ben Hillman reflect on what it actually takes to build a modern media business around newsletters and podcasts. They unpack CJ’s first year going full-time, comparing creative intuition versus metric-driven operating styles, and discuss what content truly drives growth. The conversation also covers distribution dynamics, the emotional reality of unsubscribes and burnout, and closes with a candid look at monetization, team building, and the tradeoffs between simplicity and scale.
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SPONSORS:
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LINKS:
Mostly Metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com
CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/
Growth Unhinged: https://www.growthunhinged.com/
Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/
Slacker Stuff: https://www.slackerstuff.com/
Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slackerstuff/
https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/deep-research-for-gtm
https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/2025-state-of-b2b-gtm-report
https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/presenting-the-state-of-the-agentic-financial-stack
https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/the-great-ai-arr-illusion
https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/presenting-the-2025-tech-stack-report
https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/download-the-annual-planning-bible
https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/how-to-sell-annual-plans
https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/get-recommended-by-chatgpt
https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/gtm-vibecoding-ideas
https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/how-to-use-ai-agents-for-marketing
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RELATED EPISODES:
We get roasted for swag and drop some GTM gold
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Pricing in the Real World: Babies, Bots, and Billing
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Preview and Intro
00:01:52 Sponsors — Pulley | Metronome
00:04:12 Action Figure Swag and Year-in-Review Setup
00:05:47 Going Full-Time and the First-Year Reality Check
00:07:24 Writing Schedules, Creative Work, and Time Optimization
00:09:16 Writing Speed, Craft, and the Myth That Time Equals Quality
00:10:51 Perfectionism vs. Throughput in Newsletter Writing
00:13:03 Creator Burnout, Motivation, and Engagement Anxiety
00:14:08 Playing the Long Game vs. Obsessing Over Metrics
00:15:42 Best Work of the Year and High-Leverage Content Bets
00:17:55 Big Research Reports as Career-Defining Projects
00:19:19 When Memes Outperform Deep Work
00:19:52 LinkedIn Algorithms vs. Content Quality
00:20:51 Writing for the Feed vs. Writing to Think
00:22:03 Optimizing LinkedIn Profiles for Credibility
00:23:47 Subscriber Growth, Audience Quality, and Churn Reality
00:27:20 Reports and Research as Growth Engines
00:28:37 Tactical “How-To” Content That Actually Converts
00:30:21 Tactical Value Beats Sounding Smart
00:30:40 Building a Team and Scaling Beyond a Solopreneur
00:32:05 Simplicity vs. Scale in Early Business Decisions
00:35:37 Avoiding Boredom and Shiny Object Syndrome
00:37:12 Balancing Writing, Consulting, and Energy
00:37:54 Making the Leap Financially as a Creator
00:39:01 Subscriptions vs. Advertising as the Real Business Model
#MostlyGrowthPodcast #CreatorEconomy #IndependentCreator #NewsletterBusiness #YearInReview
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com
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