It's not a lot, but it's come a long way from the 68 I had when I started on the Newsletter Growth Lab!

Hey Newsletter Growth Lab — sharing something I think will resonate here. I just published The Politics of an Overthinker — it's about what happens when you stop treating your overthinking mind as a flaw and start listening to what it's been trying to tell you all along. Read it here → https://juliaw.substack.com/p/the-politics-of-an-overthinker And tomorrow, Saturday July 11th at 4pm EST, I'm going live on Substack with Jessica Huckabay. We're getting into writing, building intentionally, faith, and the honest parts of putting your work into the world. Come join us → https://open.substack.com/live-stream/265815?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1r75qd This community is part of why I keep showing up. Would love to see you there. 💛

When I created this community, I honestly had no idea if anyone would join. I remember looking at the member count every day. 2 members... 5 members... 17 members... wondering if I was building something people actually needed or if I was just talking to myself. Today, we crossed 100 members. I know 100 isn't a crazy number compared to some communities with thousands of people, but for me, it's a reminder that every big community starts with the first person who decides to believe in it. More importantly, it's not just 100 members. It's 100 people trying to build something for themselves. People publishing newsletters, getting their first subscribers, landing clients, asking questions, sharing wins, and helping each other. That's what makes this community worth showing up for. So thank you. Whether you've been here since the beginning or joined yesterday, I'm genuinely grateful you're here. That said, we're just getting started. I want this to become the best place on the internet to learn how to grow a newsletter, and that only happens if we keep improving together. So I'd love your honest feedback: - What's been the most valuable part of the community? - What should I improve? - What would you like to see more of? Every suggestion gets read. Also, over the next little while, I'm opening a few newsletter audit calls where I'll personally look at your newsletter, growth strategy, and give you personalized feedback on what I'd focus on next. If you're interested, just comment: Audit I'll send you all the details in DM so check your message :). Here's to the first 100. Now let's build something even bigger together. 🚀

I'm opening enrollment on July 8 for a 90-day cohort called The Glow-Up Reset. Ten spots, women in life transition, 90 days of guided work with tools and a private audio series. I've been a free newsletter writer for four years. Converting that audience to a paid cohort is a completely different muscle. A few things I've learned in the build-up: The landing page matters less than the relationship you've already built. People aren't buying the program — they're buying the person they've been reading for months. Naming the transformation specifically ("you'll have clarity, alignment, and direction") converts better than describing the deliverables. I'm still figuring out how to drive more survey responses before enrollment opens. If anyone has cracked that, I'd love to know what worked. Would love to hear from anyone who has launched a cohort or paid program from a Substack audience — what surprised you most?