1 Year, 2400+ Subscribers, 8 Practical Lessons
Discover my no-BS lessons from one year of growing a Substack newsletter.
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One year ago, I hit publish on my first Substack post.
2,400+ subscribers later, I’m sharing what worked, what didn’t, and everything I wish I’d known when I started Solopreneur Code.
Whether you’re just starting or knee-deep in your own newsletter grind, these lessons might just save you some time, energy, and a whole lot of second-guessing.
📅 Solopreneur Code: My First Year Timeline
Before we dive into the lessons, here’s a quick look at how the past 12 months played out for Solopreneur Code:
18 April 2024: Launched my Substack newsletter with a simple logo I made on Canva.
No plan, just a clear idea: help solopreneurs work less, earn more, and grow smarter.
24 April 2024: My first Substack Note.
8 May 2024: 108 Subscribers in 14 Days?!
26 May 2024: 258 Amazing Subscribers In One Month!
22 Aug 2024: 1st Paid Subscriber!
8 Dec 2024: Experienced what it’s like to gain 160 subscribers with just 1 Note.
12 Dec 2024: Crossed 1K Subscriber!
29 Dec 2024: How to achieve my best year ever!
6 Mar 2025: Experienced what it’s like to gain a paid subscriber from a Note!
18 Mar 2025: Crossed 2K Subscriber!
22 Mar 2025: Made my first $1,000 in Substack (For subscription)
5 Apr 2025: Looking back at Solopreneur Code’s Growth Over The Past 1 Year!
12 Apr 2025: First Substack Live with
15 Apr 2025: #53 rising newsletter in business category in Substack
Alright.
No fluff, no guru nonsense, no “10x hacks.”
This post is for folks in the trenches, writing newsletters, chasing meaningful growth, and trying to build a community that actually cares.
I launched Solopreneur Code on Substack on April 18, 2024.
My goal was simple: write about solopreneurship, AI, and smart systems to help others work less, earn more, and scale without burning out.
Since then, I’ve grown from 0 to 2,400+ subscribers without any form of viral growth,
Only steady, reliable, no-shortcuts growth.
Here’s what I learned that might help you too.
🔄 Consistency Is Non-Negotiable
Everyone says this, and for good reason. It’s boring advice because it works.
I decided from day one that I would post twice a week — every Thursday and Sunday. No matter what.
It wasn’t just about frequency though.
It was about consistency in what I talked about.
I didn’t jump from crypto to cooking recipes to productivity hacks.
I stuck to solopreneurship, AI tools, and scalable systems.
Your subscribers need a sense of familiarity.
They should know what to expect when your email lands in their inbox.
Consistency builds trust, and trust keeps people subscribed.
Takeaway:
Pick your posting schedule. Stick to it.
Stay within your topic lane (or adjacent lanes).
Be boringly reliable.
🫶🏻 Be Genuine, Lead with Value, and Create Something People Actually Want
I see it too often.
People treating Substack like a transactional market. “I’ll like your post if you like mine.” “Let’s swap subs!” “Recommend-for-recommend!”
Ignore all that.
The real growth happens when you show up with value first, no strings attached.
I genuinely engage with other Substack writers because I respect their work and want to learn from them.
I offer advice for free, even when others tried to charge me for a one-sentence reply early on in my days.
Real connections matter, and people can tell when you’re being authentic.
And while you’re at it, don’t underestimate the power of a good lead magnet.
It’s one of the best ways to prove that you’re here to give, not just take.
A useful freebie that actually helps people solves a problem will do more for your growth than any growth hack ever will.
For example, my Solopreneur Success Hub has been one of the most valuable lead magnets I’ve ever created.
The testimonials speak for themselves.
It’s a way to offer real value upfront while giving people a reason to trust your content and stick around.
Takeaway:
Comment thoughtfully on other writers’ posts
Share advice without expecting anything back
Create a lead magnet people would happily pay for, then give it away
Build genuine, human relationships. Not everything needs a dollar sign attached to it
🗒️ Substack Notes Is Just Another Social Media (But It Works)
You may think of it as a magical platform, but treat it like social media
When Notes launched, people hyped it as “different”.
But honestly, it’s just another feed fighting for attention. And like any platform, the currency is your time and effort.
I post 3-5 Notes daily.
Every. Single. Day.
I engage with other writers, comment, and share useful stuff.
It’s helped me stay visible and connect with new audiences. But don’t get lost doomscrolling.
Be intentional about it.
Takeaway:
Treat Notes like Twitter or Threads.
Share consistently, engage intentionally.
Set time boundaries. (I do 30 minutes a day.)
⭐️ Your Content Won’t Get Discovered by Accident
No matter how good your writing is, it won’t magically go viral.
You have to work for distribution.
I used to think, “If I write amazing posts, people will find them.”
Nope.
You need to actively promote your work.
Here’s what I do daily:
Post 3-5 Notes
Spend 30 minutes engaging with other newsletters and Notes
Collect ideas for future posts while reading others
Takeaway:
Promotion is as important as creation
Build a repeatable distribution workflow
The best creators are also the best distributors
🤝 The Substack Recommendations Feature Works (If Used Correctly)
About 20% of my subscribers came from Recommendations.
It’s hands down one of the most effective growth tools on Substack, if you use it wisely.
The worst thing you can do is a “rec-for-rec swap”.
It might boost your numbers temporarily, but those subscribers won’t care about your content, won’t open your emails, and will bring down your overall stats.
Instead, I:
Find newsletters with similar or complementary audiences
Recommend theirs FIRST
Send a friendly DM explaining why I did it (no strings attached)
Here’s my exact message template:
Hi [Name], I just wanted to drop you a quick note and inform you that I’ve recommended your Substack because I genuinely believe our newsletters align well and can complement each other in bringing value to our subscribers.
That said, I’m not a fan of “recommend for recommend” exchanges. I believe recommendations should be earned, not just traded.
I’d love for you to check out my newsletter, Solopreneur Code, and see if it’s something your audience might find valuable. If you think it’s a good fit, I’d truly appreciate a recommendation—but no pressure at all! Whether or not you choose to recommend it, my recommendation for yours stands.
Looking forward to seeing more of your work, and wishing you continued success on Substack!
Takeaway:
Use Recommendations, but with care
Focus on alignment, not numbers
Build long-term, win-win relationships
⏳ Always Be Prepared for Changes
Substack recently hit 5 million paid subscriptions, which is incredible. I’m sure you see it everywhere in your Notes feed.
But as any growing platform goes, changes are inevitable.
There might be new algorithms.
Maybe ads (hope not).
Maybe investors influencing priorities.
The key is to ride the wave while it lasts and build direct relationships with your readers through email lists or communities you fully control.
Takeaway:
Enjoy platform growth but don’t get complacent
Diversify where you engage (Twitter, Threads, personal site)
Build direct, ownable relationships
🔢 Don’t Get Addicted to the Numbers
I won’t lie, watching your subscriber count tick up is addictive.
I’d refresh my dashboard every morning when I first started. Especially when I gained 108 subscribers in 14 days a year ago.
The dopamine hit felt great, but it also distracted me.
I started chasing growth instead of focusing on writing valuable posts. I checked my follower count every other minute 🤣!
I’ve learned that we control our efforts, not the outcomes.
I focus on creating content I’m proud of and trust the numbers will follow.
Takeaway:
Track your numbers, but don’t obsess
Focus on daily actions you can control
Growth is a side effect of consistent, valuable work
⏱️ The Best Time to Start Was Yesterday. The Second Best Time Is Now
I procrastinated for weeks before starting my Substack.
Told myself I wasn’t ready, didn’t have the perfect idea, didn’t have the logo right.
Looking back, none of that mattered.
Once you start, you figure it out as you go.
The platform rewards action-takers, not perfectionists.
Takeaway:
Stop waiting for perfect
Start where you are with what you have
Publish, then refine
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this past year, it’s that waiting for the perfect moment is a good way to stay stuck.
The truth is, you’ll never feel 100% ready, and the timing will never be just right.
And that’s fine.
Start where you are, with what you’ve got, and learn along the way.
Every person you admire was once a beginner too, unsure of what would happen next.
The difference is, they started.
You can too.
If you’re dreaming of starting a newsletter or growing your Substack, don’t overcomplicate it.
Write good stuff.
Show up consistently.
Build genuine connections.
Promote smartly.
And most importantly.
Just start.
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A year of learning, a year of growth, and a year of transformation.
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Anfernee
Love the clarity of this post. Thank you for sharing!! I need to work on the consistency part..
Lovely work, thanks for sharing