Author: Neera

This week, something beautiful happened.

Neera

One of my long-time LinkedIn followers became a paid subscriber to my newsletter.

As I do with all the new paid subscribers, I asked her two simple questions. Her answers left me feeling deeply honoured, and grounded.

Question 1: What motivated you to become a paid subscriber?
This question helps me understand which one of my growth strategies are working

Her reply?
“I became a paid subscriber because you intrigue me. You are doing exactly what I would like to be doing. And, I believe 100% in you. You have always impressed me, and so it was a simple decision. I believe in YOU.”

We talk about building trust all the time. But this is what trust-in-action looks like.

Question 2: What’s your #1 challenge at the moment?
This one helps me understand how I can help my subscribers move forward.

She wrote:
“My number 1 challenge is creating a business that aligns with who I am now, at 65 (on Saturday!). I want a business like yours—sharing my knowledge and insights with others, while making some money at it. My challenge is trying to figure HOW to do that. Your PDF came at the right time… now I just need to follow your instructions, starting with creating a signature offer. That is my first step.”

In that response, I saw not just a hurdle—but a clear desire.

And at the root of it

Trust.

That’s the real currency of this creator economy. Not likes. Not followers. Not viral posts.

Trust that you can deliver.
Trust that you walk your talk.
Trust that you care.

If you’re building something online, don’t chase attention—earn trust.
That’s what turns followers into clients.
And readers into believers.
Subscribe to learn more.

If selling makes you cringe, this is for you

Neera

You’ve got an offer.
You know it helps people.
But the moment you have to sell it, you freeze.
You don’t want to sound pushy, or desperate, or fake.

Here’s the mindset shift that helped me:
You’re not trying to convince anyone.
You’re just inviting the right people to take the next step.

When your content builds trust, your offer becomes a natural next move.
Not a pitch, just a suggestion.
No pressure.
No weird energy.
Just: “Hey, if this helped… I’ve got more.”

If you want to learn how to sell through trust, not tactics.
Subscribe to my newsletter.

People don’t buy because you’re smart.

Neera

They buy because they trust you.

You’re sharing tips. Posting value. Showing up every week.
But it still feels like your audience is watching, not buying.

Here’s the missing piece: story.

Not just any story but specific kinds of stories.

There are five types that build trust:

– Your origin story (what got you here)
– A transformation (yours or a client’s)
– A win that proves your system works
– A values story (what you stand for)
– And your mission story (why you’re doing this in the first place)

You don’t need all five in one go.
Start with the one that feels easiest.

Tell it in your words. Your voice. No polish needed.
That’s what makes it land.

Want more trust-building tools like this?

I send them out in my newsletter every week.
You can subscribe here.

Why is your course/offer/product not selling?

Neera

Derek Sivers tells the story of two candlemakers.

The first candlemaker proudly says:
“I use the finest wax and the highest-quality wick.
Every candle is crafted to perfection.”
And he sells… a few dozen.

The second candlemaker says”
“I make prayer candles, the kind you light while you’re praying.”
His candles are of lower quality.
But he sells thousands.

Same product category.
Different result.
Why?

Because people don’t buy products.
They buy purpose.

The second candlemaker connected his product to something deeper:
Meaning.
Ritual.
Emotion.
Intention.

While the first focused on features,
the second focused on the story people told themselves while using the candle.

This is the mistake many creators, makers, and entrepreneurs make.

We fall in love with our product.
We polish it, perfect it, add more features…

And then we wonder why no one’s buying.
The truth?

People don’t care how perfect your candle is.
They care what lighting it means to them.

So if your incredible product isn’t selling,
don’t start tweaking the ingredients.

Start asking:
What does my course/offer/product help people do,
become, or believe about themselves?

Because when you understand the job your product is being hired to do…
You’ll stop selling a candle.
And start selling a moment.

How to find your signature offer? I explain it here.

Subscribe to my newsletter.

How I’ve added 612 subscribers to my newsletter in 34 days

Neera

Have you ever heard of the term ‘Radical Incrementalism?’

It’s a concept first introduced by legal scholar Cass Sunstein in his 1999 book ‘One Case at a Time: Judicial Minimalism on the Supreme Court’

He advocates for a judicial approach that emphasises making narrow, case-specific decisions rather than broad, sweeping rulings.

He argues that such incremental steps allow the law to evolve thoughtfully, accommodating new information and societal changes without causing abrupt disruptions.

But ‘Radical Incrementalism’ is not limited to the legal system.
It applies perfectly to building a solo business.

At its core, it means this:
– Start with a big, transformative vision
– Move toward it in small, deliberate steps
– Learn, adapt, and improve along the way

The idea is a quiet rebellion against two extremes:
– The overwhelm of total reinvention
– The slow drift of aimless tweaks

Instead, Radical Incrementalism says:
“Make small bets, work smartly, toward a bold goal.”

And it works beautifully for building my newsletter business.

Here’s how I’ve applied it (and how you can too):
Big vision: Build a writing-based business from my expertise on Substack
Tiny actions:
– Write 2 Notes a day
– Test a paid offer with 10 readers
– Create a simple lead magnet
– Build one automation, not five

In the past 34 days, I gained 612 subscribers, including 20 paid using this exact approach.



No hacks, no funnels, just small strategic actions stacked daily.

You don’t need perfect timing or a 6-month plan.
You need one courageous step today
and another one tomorrow.

That’s Radical Incrementalism in action.

Subscribe to my newsletter and learn the system.

A Note That Changed Everything For Me

Neera

How I went from being invisible to game-changing 350+ subscribers
with one note at Substack.

A few weeks ago, I made myself a quiet promise.
No overthinking. No big expectations. Just one simple challenge:
Write 2 Notes a day on Substack for the next 30 days.

Why Notes?

Because I knew I was writing in the dark.
Notes are little posts on the Substack platform like X(Twitter).
Publishing my weekly newsletter was great, but my audience wasn’t growing.

I wasn’t building visibility.
I wasn’t getting feedback.
And let’s be honest: it’s hard to stay motivated when you feel like no one’s reading.

So I started posting daily Notes.

Note #1: A simple tip.
Got 3 likes.

Note #2: A short story.
2 likes and a kind comment.

Note #3 through #6?
More of the same, low numbers, low traction.

But I kept going.
Because that was the deal I made with myself.

Just show up. Twice a day. For 30 days.

Then came Note #7.
It wasn’t revolutionary.
I just told my journey of retiring early to follow my dream of writing.

For some reason, it resonated.

1,400+ likes.
190 comments
63 reposts
Over 350+ new subscribers.

It may not be big in LinkedIn terms
But it is huge on Substack

My inbox lit up with subscription notices.
I spent hours responding to people’s comments.

Some said they were amazed at my achievements.
Others said I gave them hope that it’s never too late to
– Follow a dream
– Write a book
– Start a business

What changed?
Nothing, except visibility.

I was the same person with the same ideas.
But now, people saw me.

That’s the real lesson here:
👉 If you’re not consistently visible on the platform you’re using,
you’re not giving your work a fair chance.

You don’t need to go viral.

You just need to show up often enough to get noticed.
Because your Note #7 moment won’t happen if you quit after Note #3.

Now, I use Notes to build momentum, test ideas,
and attract the right people.

And you can too.

Pick a platform.
Commit to showing up.
Even if it’s small. Even if it’s slow.

You’re only one post away from being seen.
Want to read the Note that started it all?
Here it is: Activate to view larger image.