Estimated read time: 5 mins

Most people give up too soon.

I really believe that. Which is why when I created this newsletter, I committed to writing it for at least a year. 

Growth and real goodness takes time! 

I knew it wouldn’t be perfect right out the gate. 

I knew there would be weeks where I wouldn’t feel like writing or I’d be “too busy”. 

I knew because I’ve been there a million times as a business owner with a million different things. 

So here we are, almost exactly 1 year into producing Spill the Tea every week 🥳 and boiiiii have I learned a thing or 10… 

What you’ll learn in this article:

🍵💲Lessons from 1 year and 150+ hours writing this here newsletter! 

🍵💲Should you write a branded weekly newsletter?! 3 questions to ask yourself before you do… 

🍵💲What’s next for STT? Spoiler: I need your help.

The tea: what I’ve learned writing Spill the Tea for the past year… 

1. A consistent newsletter structure is a double-edged sword

Having a framework for what you’re going to write every week can be SO helpful, buttttttt it can also be a little stifling. 

I like to leave some space for spontaneity. Being able to change up the flow of things makes my writing feel more alive — but you can’t really do that when your newsletter has defined sections.  

2. Momentum is fueled by feedback

In the early days of the newsletter I got so much feedback through Feedletter. This helped me gauge what was landing, but eventually I think people got used to it and it became less effective.

I noticed that when feedback slowed, so did my momentum. It’s been a good reminder that connection, not just clicks, drives creativity.

3. Tracking direct revenue from the newsletter is tricky, but I can say with certainty that most of the sweet humans in my community and mentorship circle, read STT every week 

I make a few direct shop or template sales from most issues of STT I send out, but what’s more interesting to me is how it builds trust long-term. To the point where with my recent community launch, almost everyone who joined is a regular reader. 

4. Growth takes time and, erm, EFFORT 

I’ll be real with you because it’s what I do — I devote 2-3 hours a week writing this newsletter, and I devote exactly 0 hours to growing and promoting it 🙈 

Growth takes time and energy — and I regrettably haven’t poured much of either into it. 

Why? I have my excuses, but at the end of the day it just hasn’t been a priority. I’ve spent most of my career putting other people’s businesses before my own, a pattern I am hyperaware of and trying to change. 

5. Repurposing is harder than it sounds

Speaking of growth and promoting this thang — I thought I’d create a seamless “content flywheel” where newsletters would spin off into a million directions, but again, smart repurposing takes time and effort that I haven’t quite given it. 

6. The premise will evolve — let it

What I thought this newsletter would be at the start isn’t what it is now. 

I thought I would keep the emphasis on what I’ve learned working behind-the-scenes in 7 and 8-figure businesses, but the way those lessons infuse themselves into my content is less “loud” than I thought it would be. 

Ultimately it all filters through my perspective and often how I apply those experiences to my own business, what you get is hopefully still a strong cup o’ truth and real talk. 

7. Sharing struggles > polished wins

The issues that get the most love are the ones where I pull back the curtain on my own launches and challenges. Turns out, vulnerability and real talk resonate way more than perfectly packaged tips 💁‍♀️ WHO WOULDA THOUGHT?! 

8. Publishing a blog version — results TBD!

I started publishing blog versions of my newsletters, but I’m still figuring out whether they’ve made an impact SEO wise. If you’re reading this on my site, let me know!

9. A strong process makes all the difference
   

A solid process is so key to maintaining consistency and quality! 

For me, that looks like blocking time each week to write and edit, getting into “research mode” every few weeks to plan future editions, and pulling inspiration from trends, audience requests, and what I’m doing in my own business. 

I also align content with my launches and whatever I’m focusing on that season. When I stick to this system, everything feels easier and flows better. 

Where do we go from here?!

After a year, I’ve learned so much about my business, my audience, and myself through this newsletter experiment — but I’m honestly still not sure if this newsletter in its current form is where I can be both of greatest contribution AND make the wisest use of my time.

Discovery is a challenge, and I’m considering whether a different format (like a podcast or YouTube channel) might make more sense for the next chapter OR if I should take a tsp. of my own medicine and not give up too soon. 

Clearly there’s LOTS I still haven’t done to grow my subscriber base. 

Whatever happens, I know writing and sharing honest AF emails will always be at the heart of what I do. The format might change but that’s about it. 

Thanks for being here, whether it’s been from the beginning or you’re a more recent reader. 

You are the bergamot to my Earl Grey 💚

I’d love to hear from you! What do you love (or not love) about Spill the Tea? What topics or stories do you want more of? Is there something I haven’t covered that you’re curious about?Let me know right here and I’ll enter you to win a template of your choice! Your feedback will help me shape what’s next — and I’ll be spilling the tea on the results real soon.

Sip on this…  

🧋 ”I trust the next chapter because I know the author.” 

— Sara Blakely