How I Write

Lenny Rachitsky: How This Ex-Airbnb Product Manager Created A Top Newsletter On Substack

Oct 25, 2023

Lenny Rachitsky, ex-Airbnb Product Manager, shares his secrets to creating high-quality content and rising above the noise in the oversaturated market of product management. He emphasizes the importance of adding value and spending time researching and revising. The podcast explores topics like writing with high signal to noise, using storytelling and metaphors, and the challenges of taking on additional projects. Lenny also discusses dealing with criticism, fears of making mistakes, and the benefits of specialization in writing.

01:23:01

Creator website

Episode guests

Lenny Rachitsky

AI Summary

Highlights

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Content creators should focus on delivering high-quality and valuable content consistently.

Word-of-mouth is a powerful growth strategy for content creators.

Guarding your time and focusing on what you enjoy leads to better content.

Niche-focused newsletters can lead to significant success by providing fresh insights and unique value.

Deep dives

Focus on the job your content does for your audience

People buy your product, listen to your podcast, or read your newsletter because they have a job they want you to do for them. It is important to understand what job your content is fulfilling and how it provides value to your audience.

The Importance of High Signal-to-Noise Actionable and Succinct Information in Writing

01:16

Rising Above the Noise: Making Time for Great Content

01:02

Writing with Intent and Prompts

01:54

The Power of Recommendations in Growing Newsletters

01:30

Introduction

4min

The Power of Word of Mouth and Informative Posts

10min

Using GPT to Generate a Pop Culture Reference for Storytelling

2min

Writing with High Signal to Noise

9min

The Hesitation to Take on Additional Projects

17min

Advice for writing at work and dealing with criticism

2min

Fear of Making Mistakes and Losing Credibility

2min

Approach to Writing and Writers We Admire

19min

Creating a Personal Monopoly

14min

10.

Crafting Meaningful Content with Web Developer Experience

5min

Lenny writes one of the top five business newsletters on Substack — which has amassed over 500,000 subscribers. He hosts a podcast that makes him more money than he made in corporate America. And he’s built a raving X audience of over 188,000.

No training. No ego. And to top it all off, he writes in one of the most oversaturated markets on the Internet: product management.

How does he do it?

After his first Substack post went viral, “What Seven Years at Airbnb Taught Me About Building a Business”, Lenny saw the positive impact that his ideas had on his readers. He became obsessed with adding value. His motto?

“There’s always room for better content.”

In an age of cheap, viral-hungry clickbait, Lenny’s quality bar is through the stratosphere. He spends hours researching and revising. He takes ten, twenty, thirty passes on every piece he writes. He’s hyper-focused on adding value. And his audience loves it. His commitment to quality catapults his content above the noise.

In this episode, you’ll see inside Lenny’s process. He opens up about creating high-signal content; following what energizes him; balancing storytelling with practicality; protecting his writing schedule; and above all, rising above the noise.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan

Website: https://www.lennyrachitsky.com

Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com

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