I went live with Jari Roomer, co-founder of the excellent Substack Write Build Scale, and we dug into the difference between doing more and building something that compounds.
If Hour One was about why ownership matters, Hour Two was about how to build it — without burnout, hustle theatrics, or chasing the algorithm dragon.
Here are a few ideas worth stealing immediately:
Productivity vs. Power
Jari made a clean distinction that I loved:
• Productivity is getting things done
• Power is building assets that keep working after you close your laptop
Writing one newsletter takes the same effort whether it goes to 50 people or 50,000.
The leverage comes from owning the audience, not working harder.
(Yes — this is exactly why newsletters, books, and owned platforms matter so much.)
The Medium Era → The Substack Era
Jari built his early audience on Medium — millions of reads — and the biggest lesson he carried forward wasn’t “write better.”
It was write to be read.
• Clear headlines
• Clean formatting
• Simple language
• Obsessive attention to reader experience
Those principles still matter — but Substack adds something Medium never did:
distribution you actually own.
If You’re New to Substack, Start Here
This was one of the most practical takeaways of the hour:
👉 Start with Notes before obsessing over your publication.
Notes let you:
• Build a daily writing habit
• Test topics fast
• Discover what resonates
• Learn the platform without pressure
One note a day beats one “perfect” post per month.
“I Just Need More Subscribers” (Do You?)
Jari reframed this beautifully.
Often, what creators actually need is:
• Deeper connection with existing readers
• Better retention
• More conversations, not more traffic
If someone comments — DM them.
If someone likes your work — learn who they are.
Growth without connection is fragile.
Connection compounds.
Why Live Video Matters More in 2026
In a world where AI can churn out infinite how-to content, the advantage shifts to:
• Voice
• Presence
• Personality
• Real-time interaction
Live video, chats, Q&As — these are things AI can’t fake.
And they build trust faster than any funnel ever will.
The “Boring” Habit That Wins Long-Term
This one stuck with me:
Most creators don’t fail because they chose the wrong niche.
They fail because they quit before the reps stack.
Consistency is boring.
Consistency is also undefeated.
If you’re watching the launch live, we’re just getting started — I’m on from 7am PT - 7pm PT with incredible guests, giveaways, and deep conversations about creative ownership.
And if this conversation lit something up for you, the full framework of how I approach creative power lives inside my new (!!!) book:
Jari also generously shared a free 12-month subscription to his work during the live to one of our live viewers (congrats!) — and if you want to go deeper into systems-driven growth, you can check out his Substack here:
I’m hopping back to the livestream now — see you there!
Thank you Christopher Arnell, Mary Beth Kaplan🪶, Allison Lau, Dr. Tara Cousineau 💛, Rachael Waldburger, and many others for tuning into my live video with Jari Roomer!
-Amy
