Sparkle on Substack (Live) Why we don’t need 1001 paid subs
May 30, 2025
Discover why chasing 1,001 paid subscribers may not be the key to success. Explore the five motivations for why people subscribe, from inspiration to community. Hear about the balance between creative joy and milestone pressure. Claire shares her journey with the attention economy through Substack and emphasizes its role as a complementary income source. Uncover practical insights on conversion rates and operational costs associated with subscribers, and learn effective strategies for a sustainable creative business.
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Milestones Don't Replace Daily Creative Work
- Claire Venus says chasing arbitrary subscriber numbers doesn't change your daily creative work or mindset.
- Milestones feel good briefly but the meaningful interactions are in community and consistent practice.
Do The Revenue Math First
- Do the math: estimate realistic revenue from Substack using conversion rates, churn, Stripe and fees.
- Use that result to plan other income streams rather than assuming subscriptions alone will pay your bills.
Substack Is One Piece Of A Business
- Substack can only be part of a business unless you are already a celebrity or have a large existing platform.
- Build complementary income streams rather than expecting subscriptions alone to sustain you.