Grow your Substack SLOWLY

This is your permission to grow slowly.

Welcome to The Permission Series, where we're challenging the "shoulds" of creative entrepreneurship and giving you permission to build a business that feels true to who you are.

I grew too fast. I wasn’t ready.

One day, I was running a cozy little blog about sustainable living, writing about things that actually mattered to me. The next? It was like my brand morphed from a car I was driving into a runaway train, barreling forward at full speed, with me sprinting behind, trying to catch up.

Strangers started DMing me on Instagram, saying they saw me on the street. Worse? They recognized my kid. Companies threw money at me, big brands wanting collaborations, people inviting me to speak on topics I barely felt qualified for (but still said yes to, because… how could I not?).

I wasn’t at the level to handle any of it. The growth was too fast. The world expected me to be ready, but my own pace of growth? Nowhere near catching up.

It happened a few years ago, and I learned the lesson…

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Growth is the ultimate flex. More followers. More revenue. More offers. Bigger launches. Bigger stages. Bigger everything. We hear it all the time: "Go big or go home."

Substack is full of posts about "How I Gained 5,000 Subscribers in 10 Days" and "Growth Hacks to Skyrocket Your Audience." But there’s far less talk about how to write content that keeps people coming back. How to deepen connections with your readers. How to build something that isn’t just big but meaningful.

No one tells you that fast growth can be just as overwhelming as no growth at all. The hidden costs of scaling too quickly? Burnout. Loss of creative control. Feeling like you’ve built something you no longer recognize.

The Small & Mighty Advantage

Here’s the thing: staying small has power.

You get to build real relationships with your audience, not just chase numbers. You get to focus on depth over reach. You get to create with intention instead of scrambling to keep up with an ever-growing demand. Some of the most impactful creators aren’t the ones with millions of followers, but the ones who build tight-knit, engaged communities that actually care about what they have to say.

Think about it: do you want 100,000 passive followers or 1,000 people who hang onto your every word? The second option wins every time.

Quality Over Quantity

Slow growth isn't sexy. But it’s solid. It gives you time to refine your voice, master your craft, and build something that lasts.

When you grow too fast, you risk losing touch with why you started in the first place.

You start creating for the algorithm instead of for yourself.

You start saying yes to things that don’t feel aligned just because they seem like the "right" opportunities.

The businesses and creators who play the long game—who resist the pressure to chase quick wins—are the ones who build legacies, not just viral moments.

Practical Slow Growth Strategies

So how do you embrace slow growth in a world that’s obsessed with speed?

• Set aligned growth goals. Instead of fixating on metrics, focus on impact. How do you want to grow? What feels sustainable?

• Redefine success. What if success wasn’t just about numbers? What if it was about creative fulfillment, deep engagement, or the ability to work on your own terms?

• Build sustainable habits. Instead of chasing trends, develop a creative rhythm that you can actually maintain.

• Nurture your audience. Stop worrying about getting more followers and focus on serving the ones you already have. Create content that makes them feel seen and valued.

You don’t have to go viral. You don’t have to scale at lightning speed. You don’t have to prove your worth through numbers. Your path, your pace, your rules. Sustainable success comes from growing at your natural speed.

And that’s more than enough.

Okay, so let’s talk about it!

What are your feelings about slow growth? Tell me in the comments!

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Next week, we’ll explore how pivots are actually a sign of growth, not failure, and how to navigate changes without losing your audience. I’ll also share inspiring examples of successful creator pivots, showing how change can lead to even greater success. Don’t miss it!

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Until next week,
Andi