Newsletter success chat with bestseller Kate Eskuri
Could your Newsletter become your favourite part of the internet too?
Hi there,
Today’s letter is bursting with inspiration for anyone interested in launching and/or running a paid newsletter business (Hey, that’s me! You too?!).
I’ve made no secret that I’m new to Substack (the platform I use to host this newsletter-blog). But I am a senior when it comes to running a creative art business online (have about 500k+ across platforms) and utilise email to have a greater positive impact as well as absolute creative freedom.
As such, I’m beyond thrilled and inspired whenever I come across creatives who have mastered the newsletter arena and created an authentic space for connection, impact as well as creative autonomy (all things that I aspire to do here as well!).
The lovely
is one such power-woman, who has in less than a year, grown to become a top 15 best-selling newsletter-blog in the health and wellness category on Substack (YAAAS MAMA!).She was generous to have a chat with me and answer 3 juicy questions as part of a joint effort to enhance bridge-building over comparison on this platform - very important!
I have somewhat of an aversion against reading instructions whereas case studies and real humanness (Kate will mention more about this later on) on the other hand, is what moves me and creates the “let’s-get-this-sh*t-moving” energy, which I absolutely love.
For me, it’s like reading success stories of inspiring people gets the fingers itching to create and to keep working on my creative dreams. You feel me?!
The questions are focused on why Kate chose Substack as her writer home and what has been working for her in growing and monetizing her Newsletter to become (in her own words) “her favourite part of the internet”.
Without further a due… let’s dive in!
First, let’s bring everyone up to speed with who you are and what you do:
What a joy it is to connect with you, Elin! (likewise ❤️)
My name is
. I have been a registered nurse for 8 years and have my doctorate degree specialized in integrative health. I strive to give realistic health advice in an evidence-backed (yet easy to understand) way. While I am passionate about natural remedies, holistic habits, and lifestyle changes to improve health, I also understand and respect modern medicine. (I've been told that I’m “where ‘crunchy’ meets science.”)While my “real” job is teaching college courses, my main gig is… right here! Over the last 5 years, I have cultivated an online presence where I share holistic (and realistic) health information online and work as a private-practice health coach.
Last March, I pressed "publish" on my Substack, The Reset– a melting pot of all things health, nourishing recipes, home decor, motherhood, & lifestyle topics. Basically, it is the "behind the scenes" tips and tricks on how to cultivate a feeling of vibrant well-being, creativity, & peace amidst a busy season of life.
Over 15,000 readers later & officially ranking as 14th on the Substack health charts, my newsletter has become, hands down, my favorite corner of the internet and one of my most fulfilling ventures yet.
Q: When I read your first post “A new way of sharing…” and saw the following sentences:
“Substack is a unicorn, God-send, holy-crap-this-is-the-perfect-platform-for-me opportunity. Because it allows me to create *freely* in a variety of ways. Solely for the people who truly want it.”
I almost wanted to scream out: ME TOO. Could you go into this a bit deeper of when, why and how you chose Substack to be your writer home to further grow your business in the health and wellness space?
What a great question. I think, similar to many other creators, I was feeling burnt out and frustrated by my options for monetizing the work I put into creating online. I italicize work because it took me a long time to accept that what I was putting onto the internet was, in fact, work.
No, this is not the hardest job on the planet. Yes, this is my passion—but it still requires effort, time, and investment. That IS work, and it deserves to be respected. That mindset shift alone took me years to fully accept and own.
So, once I battled that imposter syndrome and felt empowered that I did want to make money for the writing, health tips, and content I created, I felt lost on HOW to do that as the “typical” routes of monetizing online didn't feel aligned to me whatsoever—formalized sponsorships, running annoying ads all over my blog, etc. I simply wasn't willing to succumb to those options.
I kept showing up consistently (essentially for free), but trusted that I was building a loyal readership in the process. I wanted to play the “long game” and not sell out-- and trusted that someday, it would all "click". Because I did find joy in being creative, in sharing my writing, in showing up on my traditional blog/Instagram, but I was burning out. The moment I had my son, I realized that I simply could NOT keep investing hours and hours each week creating for free. It simply wasn't worth it when I could be spending that precious time with my child.
After searching and weighing MANY different options for monetizing (Patreon, YouTube, an app, running ads on my blog, etc.), Substack felt like an answered prayer. This platform allows me to be READER-supported, which gives me creative freedom, community, and connection—and allows me to monetize and grow my small business in a way that feels authentic, ethical, and aligned for me. No forced sponsorships, no click-baity ads required?! Sign me up!
I truly feel so grateful every day for this platform (but mainly, just overwhelmingly grateful for the incredible readers who support me and my work).
Q: In your post “10 months into Substack and I never *expected this*, you share how you always had the best intentions for your publication, but never anticipated it would gain momentum so quickly….
Looking back is there something particular that stands out as a major contributing factor to your success or do you rather think it’s a result of a consistent intentional effort?
While I don't think there's any silver bullet, here are a few things that I think helped cultivate consistent growth. I could absolutely elaborate on ALL of these in full essay-style, but here's a quick list of things that I think contributed to The Reset's success:
HAVE MULTIPLE POSTS READY TO GO: I had 4 completed essays go live on my "opening day". They showcased a variety of topics, interests, and themes I'd be writing about. I feel that it gave people a comprehensive "taste" of what I'm all about from the very beginning.
RESPECT & CONSISTENCY: I make it clear that I respect the value of a dollar, and that I’m grateful they chose to support me with their hard-earned money. One way of showing this is by being VERY consistent—always showing up 1-2 times each week. Every week. No matter what. No excuses.
SURVEY SAYS: Throughout 2023, I did regular polls, anonymous surveys, and asked for feedback from my subscribers—both free and paid. I want to ensure that I am giving my readers what they want (and not just what I assume they want).
HAVE A ROUGH PLAN & CONTENT SCHEDULE: While it's hard to know *exactly* what you'll be delivering at the beginning, I think having a general idea of how often I would be posting, what my readers could expect, and the various pricing tiers helped. I very clearly stated what paid subscribers & free subscribers would get from the very beginning, and I find it important so that they can pick their membership accordingly.
PROVIDE FREE CONTENT: Accessibility is important to me. Not everyone can purchase a paid membership, so I want to also serve and respect my free subscribers by providing at least 1-2 free posts per month. It not only serves them and shows that I value your subscription, but it also creates the opportunity for them to get a consistent taste of my content which may help entice them to become a paid reader later on. That said, regardless of if it "converts" or not, it feels good to show up for my free readers at least once per month.
BE STRATEGIC ABOUT PAYWALL PLACEMENT: I don't just let Substack automatically choose where the paywall will be placed. I strategically put it in a spot where I think the reader will have interest and want to continue reading.
GRATITUDE! Showing gratitude and giving back to your readers is key. I often do giveaways, say thank you, ask for their input, and truly engage with them in the comment section. I'm truly grateful they support my work, and I make sure to say (and show!) that often.
FINE-TUNE: While I'm proud of what I've built, I never want to get complacent. I have big goals for my little ol’ newsletter! In 2024, I want to continue to edit, refine, and fine-tune my newsletter’s small details: my welcome email, my branding, my about page, my refer-a-friend bonuses, etc., to optimize the small things. Refine, refine, refine! I will always be a "work in progress" over here ◡̈
Q: What would you say is the biggest difference in driving conversion to free vs. paid subscribers on Substack (and why is that)?
Hmmm, what a great question and one that I had to sit with for a while. I think the difference really is connection—connection to you, your work, your voice, your style, your taste, your humanness.
Initially, many people subscribe for free out of intrigue, interest in the topics you write about, or simply to see what you offer. But what makes them convert to paid subscribers? I think it's when they feel that deeper connection. So, don't be afraid to be human! Vulnerable! Honest! While it doesn't mean you have to spill every detail about your life online, I firmly believe that including personal details can make a significant difference.
Whether it's the occasional picture of you, a small story from your weekend, engaging purposefully in the comment section, or sharing a glimpse into your day-to-day life-- these touches humanize your content. True connection is where the magic happens.
I firmly believe that people want to feel like they're not just consuming content, but engaging with a real person who genuinely cares about their audience (which I truly do!).
So, don't be afraid to peel back the curtain a bit. Share your experiences, your thoughts, your personality, and your "mundane" moments. It's these authentic connections that can turn a casual reader into a dedicated supporter-- and subsequently, cultivate a true, diverse community.
What a gift!
And…
WHAT A GIFT to have had come on here!
I don’t know about you, but I get Follow Your Gut vibes all over her experience from choosing Substack as her writer home to how she has been able to grow and monetize her work.
If you enjoyed this interview, please let us know in the comments what valuable lessons you took from it!
Me, for one, I truly felt the emphasise on the humanness of the whole experience to touch me deeply. At the end of the day (and this keeps getting confirmed through time), we’re all just humans yearning for human connection in one way or another.
Thanks to the internet, we’re able to find such connection across cultures, continents and languages, which is the admitted beauty in our digital world (despite the many downsides too).
Hi there, new here?
I’m Elin, Swedish (expat) artist and mother of two who have plunged into the unknown of Substack as a new writing home. Despite having 500k+ across mainstream social media platforms for my embroidery art, I decided to start afresh here. It’s hard, thrilling, heavy and joyful all in ones. Come and join me for the ride if you haven’t done so already! You can expect writing about the creativity, life and soulful business with a touch of motherhood.
You can also check out the how, why, who and what in the post below:
Kate is the reason I came over to Substack after much burnout with other apps. I feel like this is some secret society on the internet because it feels so cozy and nice 🤣 I have learned a lot in setting mine up over the last 2 weeks and find it to be very therapeutic in writing and designing. I also love that it's basically a website for my work that I don't have to research too much to get it up and running! Substack makes it simple, and I love simple. :)
Love this, what a great interview- show your human-ness! (And value the hours and hours of work you put in 🥴) great food for thought as I think about my happiness newsletter - and definitely have some blocks around $ 😅