Can Your Business Survive Without Substack?
Why this sensitive creator is being more intentional about where my time is spent.
Have you ever walked somewhere thinking you were going to explore new territory, but then ended up back in the same place only twenty minutes later? That moment when you realize you've just walked in a complete circle.
That's exactly how I feel about my relationship with content platforms. I left my corporate job to reclaim my life - to go outside, read books, write, and explore my creative side. I proudly deleted Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, thinking I was breaking free from the digital hamster wheel.
Yet here I am on Substack, feeling that familiar pressure creeping back in - the constant need to produce, engage, and perform. I've somehow returned to the same place I was trying to escape: trading my serenity for likes and pennies.
But I truly believe there is life outside of content creation.
Vulnerability for Sales
What is it about these platforms that creates this feeling? For introverts, highly sensitives, and old souls like us, the modern content creation game comes with hidden costs.
It's not that I don't believe in being real and sometimes vulnerable in my writing. It's all the "have to's" that come with it. Whether it's a cubicle, Instagram, or Substack, I feel tethered to something that just doesn't suit who I am.
After leaving a soul-sucking job, I'll be honest - this platform doesn't feel much different. Sure, people are nicer and more willing to read what I put into the world. But it's still competition, basing your worth on subscriber numbers, and feeling upset because you never feel like it's enough. Add to that the constant noise including the occasional rude comment, and I have to ask myself why I'm even doing this.
Do I really have to play this game and jump through all these hoops just to get my name out there — to get my books seen and to grow my business?
Do I have to make myself likable and popular to build a business?
It just doesn't feel good.
Active Engagement
I've noticed a particular culture forming on Substack too - people pushing their blog posts aggressively, others insisting you have to share your posts in notes to gain visibility.
There's this unspoken rule that you need to play the platform game to succeed here. But that approach doesn't align with who I am or how I want to connect with readers.
While everyone else is scrambling for attention on yet another social platform, I'm refocusing on what matters most to me: building genuine relationships through what makes the most sense to me and what makes me feel good about myself. Being a pushy marketer isn’t it. I’m not here to convince you to buy my shit.
I've realized I don't need to trade my soul for visibility. What I need is to reclaim my creative energy and refocus it where it matters most:
My email list, where I can connect directly with readers who truly value what I share
My website, a digital home I control completely
My books, the heart of my work and purpose
Passive Visibility
I'm not abandoning creating content altogether—I'm just being more intentional about it. The content I create will have purpose beyond feeding a demanding algorithm. The relationships and interactions will have meaning beyond metrics. And I won't exhaust myself chasing whatever "best practices" are being thrown at me to stay relevant.
For fellow introverts, old souls, and sensitive creators feeling trapped in this cycle: there is another way. You don't have to participate in the content creation marathon if it drains your spirit. Sometimes the bravest business decision is choosing to build connection on your own terms.
I'm walking away from the circle I've been trapped in—not to stop walking altogether, but to finally explore new paths that actually lead somewhere I want to go.
Will your business survive without Substack (or Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and so on)?
Or is your business model one where you create fast food content at the expense of your own soul?
FYI - I’ll be focusing on writing, creating courses to help my readers, and building opportunities to work together on your book all while supporting my own energy and gifts.