Executive Talent Network.Subscribe

Substack growth studio

From first post to first paying subscriber.

You give everything to everyone else. This is where you finally give something back to yourself — practical playbooks and hands-on help to launch, grow and monetize your newsletter.

Get a free audit Email me
3
fixes that turn visitors into readers
90
day path to a paid offer
21
free growth guides from our team
A sunlit writer's desk with an open notebook, letters and coffee

This week in the studio

Why your welcome email is the most-read post you'll ever write.

Start Here posts ✳About pages ✳Welcome emails ✳Notes ✳Paid tiers ✳Recommendations ✳Subscriber tracking ✳Community chats ✳Start Here posts ✳About pages ✳Welcome emails ✳Notes ✳Paid tiers ✳Recommendations ✳Subscriber tracking ✳Community chats ✳

The free audit

Three small fixes. Real worth.

Here's what I look at first on every publication. Pick the number that stands out most — I'll show you exactly how I'd structure it for yours.

Fix 01

A guided path

How your publication is presented

What I often see

A first-time visitor sees your posts, but there is no clear entry point or categorization for your different themes.

The worth

Pin a “Start Here” post that acts as a directory for your best essays. A casual reader becomes a dedicated follower — they instantly know where to look to understand your broader thesis.

How I'd structure it

  • One-line promise of what your publication is for
  • 3–4 theme shelves, each with your strongest 2 essays
  • A single, clear subscribe moment at the end
Email me about fix 1

Work with me

Pick the pace that fits your publication.

Whether you need one clear session or three months of hands-on growth, every option ends with something you can use the same day.

1 session · 60 min

Publication Audit

A 1-on-1 strategy call. We find your publication's core positioning, then fix the Start Here post, About page and welcome email.

  • Positioning & niche clarity
  • Homepage + About rewrite notes
  • Welcome email template
Ask about this

2 weeks · hands-on

Two-Week Launch Intensive

Hands-on help to launch or relaunch. We set up the publication, plan your first posts and build a Notes rhythm that brings readers in.

  • Full setup & design
  • 4-post content plan
  • Daily Notes playbook
Ask about this

3 months · accelerated

90-Day Growth Path

Treat Substack as business infrastructure: lead generation, a paid offer that converts free readers, and a tracking system you can read at a glance.

  • Paid tier & paywall strategy
  • Lead magnets & recommendations
  • Monthly growth reviews
Ask about this

Client stories

Writers who found their paying readers.

Ten creators, ten publications — in their own words.

“The Start Here post alone changed everything. New readers finally know where to begin, and my free-to-paid rate doubled in six weeks.”
Morgan L. · Policy & Pocketbooks
“My About page used to be two lines. Now it actually sells me — I got 140 new subscribers the week we rewrote it.”
PKPriya K.The Quiet Economist
“The welcome email template is gold. People reply to it! I've never had readers write back before.”
DODaniel O.Field Notes on Money
“The Two-Week Intensive got me from zero to launched with a real plan. I stopped guessing and started publishing.”
HRHannah R.Slow Kitchen Letters
“Their Notes playbook is the reason I grew past 1,000 subscribers. Simple, daily, and it works.”
KAKwame A.Lagos After Hours
“I launched my paid tier with confidence instead of fear. First month: 38 paying readers.”
EVElena V.Inflation, Explained
“Finally I can see which posts bring people in. The weekly tracking sheet takes me five minutes.”
MTMarcus T.The Builder's Ledger
“Honest, kind and very practical. Every session ended with something I could change that same day.”
SBSophie B.Letters from the Studio
“They connected me with three writers in my niche. Those recommendations now bring a third of my growth.”
TFTunde F.Social Impact Weekly
“The 90-Day Growth Path turned my hobby newsletter into a small business. Worth every minute.”
RMRachel M.The Second Draft

The playbook

Engagement in, income out.

The four habits I build into every publication I work with.

01Notes

Boost engagement with Notes

Post short, useful Notes daily. Restack peers, reply generously, and turn your best Notes into full posts.

02Track

Automated subscriber tracking

Export your subscriber dashboard weekly into a simple sheet: new free, new paid, open rate, and which post brought them in.

03Monetize

Monetize your traffic

Add a paid tier only when readers ask for more. Pair it with one-time products, workshops or a community chat.

04Grow

Grow through people

Recommendations, collaborations and guest posts with writers in your niche outperform almost every other channel.

The team

The experts behind every publication we help.

A small studio of specialists. Depending on what you need, one of us may join your strategy call or reply to your questions.

Founder

AO

Afisu O.

Founder, Executive Talent Network

Afisu started Executive Talent Network to give creators the clear, honest help he wished he'd had — practical playbooks that take a newsletter from first post to first paying subscriber.

Request a call
DS

David Smith

Growth strategist

Positioning & niche clarity

JC

Jose Cleveland

Notes & engagement lead

Daily Notes rhythms that bring readers in

PP

Paul Peterson

Monetization advisor

Paid tiers, paywalls & pricing

TN

Terry Nichols

Publication designer

Homepages, About pages & Start Here posts

GG

Gerald Goodwin

Editorial coach

Welcome emails & foundational essays

DS

David Samson

Analytics & tracking

Subscriber dashboards & weekly reports

JJ

Joshua Johnson

Partnerships lead

Recommendations & collaborations

DR

Donald Roberts

Team member

HM

Hector Murphy

Team member

Team members are available for strategy calls by request.

Learn from the best

Our coaching programs, built by the Executive Talent Network team.

Great growth doesn't happen alone. Pick the program that fits where you are, and our experts will guide you from there.

Growth strategy

Find Your Newsletter DNA

Positioning program

Discover your authentic positioning and niche. Includes a 3-month accelerated growth package and 1-on-1 strategy sessions with our team.

Fast-track

Two-Week Writing Intensive

Make writing your job

A focused two-week sprint to set up, publish consistently and grow toward bestseller status — plus an ongoing mastermind group.

Business infrastructure

Newsletter as a Business

Plan • Build • Scale

For coaches, founders and experts: use your newsletter for lead generation and turn free readers into paying subscribers.

Beginner-friendly

Creator Coaching Circle

Community support

Step-by-step setup guidance and ongoing strategy support through regular Q&A chats and video tutorials from our team.

Network Picks

21 lessons to grow and earn.

Our own advice and guides from the Executive Talent Network team. Read online, get the PDF, or join a live session.

  1. 01Sell directly to your readersOwn the relationship and let a small, loyal audience fund your work.
  2. 02Find your niche and avoid burnoutClarity protects your energy — systems, prompts and templates.
  3. 03Earn more from fewer readersDaily income by writing to the right people, not more people.
  4. 04Write from real emotionTurn feeling into writing readers can't ignore.
  5. 05Grow fast with strong foundationsBrand deals, opportunities and bestseller-level growth.
  6. 06Earn without paid subscribersLead generation and headlines that convert.
  7. 07Build a paid communityCommunities and digital products readers love.
  8. 08Publish daily, email weeklyBuild a deep archive without flooding inboxes.
  9. 09If you started from zeroWhat successful creators would do differently.
  10. 10Build multiple income streamsNewsletter, LinkedIn, products and services working together.
  11. 11Break through a growth plateauSix moves when your subscriber count stalls.
  12. 12Fix your money mindsetGet past the mental blocks around charging for your work.
  13. 13Grow through communityEngage first, promote second.
  14. 14Get more likes and repliesSimple nudges that boost engagement and visibility.
  15. 15Make Notes work for youTurn short Notes into a steady stream of subscribers.
  16. 16Think like a product builderConversions, retention and transparent numbers.
  17. 17Polish your publication settingsDesign, settings and the details readers notice.
  18. 18Your first paid offerSimple monetization for writers just starting out.
  19. 19A week-by-week growth planProductize your expertise and grow on a schedule.
  20. 20Avoid subscriber bloatWhy more subscribers isn't always better.
  21. 21Make readers feel somethingStory and feeling over flawless grammar.

The Studio Resource Center

Everything you need to succeed on Substack.

Our own step-by-step guides — from setting up your publication to building a media business. Free to read, written by Executive Talent Network team.

Essentials

The fundamentals of setting up and publishing your newsletter.

Growing your list

How to get your first 1,000 — and your next 5,000 — subscribers.

Going paid

Launching a paid newsletter readers are glad to support.

Fostering community

Threads, chats and rituals that bring readers together.

Podcasting & audio

Bring your voice into your publication.

Media business

Think like a business owner: money, rules and teams.

Open the Resource Center

Book a call

Tell me what you need.

Fill this in and it opens a WhatsApp chat with your message ready to send.

New every week

Practical playbooks. Honest breakdowns.

Join Executive Talent Network newsletter and get the next step for your publication in your inbox.

Subscribe free Start with the audit