How I Write

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

Oct 25, 2023

Lenny Rachitsky, an ex-Airbnb product manager, now runs a top Substack newsletter with over 500,000 subscribers. He shares his journey into content creation, stressing the value of prioritizing audience needs over ego. Lenny discusses his rigorous writing process, which involves extensive research and multiple drafts. He also delves into finding inspiration in busy workspaces, managing distractions, and cultivating niche writing expertise. His motto? "There’s always room for better content," and he exemplifies this with his commitment to delivering quality.

01:23:01

Creator website

Episode guests

Lenny Rachitsky

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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

02:01

Creating Better Content with Clear Objectives

00:35

The Power of Recommendations in Growing Newsletters

01:30

The Blindness of a Writer to Their Mistakes

01:05

Intro

4min

Writing for the Audience: A Pragmatic Approach

12min

Crafting Quality Content Strategies

19min

Mastering Focused Writing in a Distracted World

25min

Exploring Writing Inspiration and Optimal Workspaces

2min

Balancing Comfort and Distraction in Writing

2min

Finding Fulfillment in Niche Writing

14min

Cultivating Expertise and Focus in Writing

2min

The Importance of Systematic Writing and Prioritization

3min

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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