Category: WorkCategory: Work

I first saw Kareem Rahma doing Keep the Meter Runnin on Instagram. Then Subway Takes a bit later. Absolutely fascinating talk about his journey, and just how much work and effort goes into putting these sorts of projects together.

I love this part so much:

I had bet on myself so many times that I accumulated so much junk that was useful. Junk knowledge, junk information, junk intangibles. Like, that’s a lot of stuff too—the intangibles. Like, saying “100% agree” or “100% disagree” was not a part of the plan. It’s just what came out of me.

The biggest hook in the show wasn’t planned, it just happened. But it “just happened” because of the many years of accumulated “junk.” It’s easy to think of things that didn’t quiet make it as failures, but maybe it’s best to reframe those as “junk knowledge!”

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My childhood included a home foreclosure and a family split because of it. Calling my parents in their later years meant talking into an answering machine, “hey guys, it’s me, Seth” and then my dad (usually) picking up the phone. “We’re here, we’re here, yes, hello!?”

They screened their calls to avoid debt collectors.

Somehow my sister and I have avoided any major financial disasters, so long as you don’t count credit card debts that come and go every few years.

All that so say, I’ve got some shame around money and (of course) taxes.

I had a phone call with a good friend and we laughed about a tax situation I’m currently facing (don’t worry, it’s fine). We shared our collective money horror stories and I felt better afterwards. Shame crumbles under the weight of laughter.

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Michael Gilbride talks about spending big bucks in hopes of a big return. Most of the time we call this gambling!

“Instead of spending a sh**load of money on a music video and praying it goes viral, what could we do that would guarantee her music gets in front of her target audience?”

The artist had a song about body dysmorphia. Rather than making a music video and hoping her target audience would see it, she ended up booking a performance at an outpatient center for eating disorders.

In doing this, she’ll perform in front of an audience more likely to appreciate her message. That’s the guarantee, the possibility of making one fan.

Spending thousands on a music video may lead to the same outcome, sure, but performing in one space for a few people is a safer bet.

I won’t be thinking about platforms when I’m dead, and I’d like to think about them even less right now.

Recently I got to hear Kato share some wisdom she received from her time working with playwright Paula Vogel:

“…most playwrights, you’re not writing for your current generation. You’re not writing for your peers. You’re actually writing for the generation coming after you. That’s who’s going to pick up your work. That’s who’s going to have the energy for it. That’s who’s going to make things happen.”

Vivian Maier passed away in 2009 and her photography didn’t become widely known until months after she passed.

In my conversation with Ryan J. Downey, he explained how all the work he did at MTV News over 15 years was wiped out when Paramount Global took the archives offline.

The music blog I wrote from 2001-2008, the very foundation of my entire career, is gone now, too.

What do we contribute to future generations when all our work is erased from the internet after we die, or does it even matter?

Here’s a new video drop I made for Sean King O’Grady from their Substack Note, but figured it might be helpful for other folks.

1. Double check all the links in your profiles

On your profile (Substack, socials, whatever), this person has a website URL listed. On desktop, you can click it and it works — but on mobile, it doesn’t. In this case edit your Substack profile and add that link as an external website so it works everywhere.

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2. Should You Start a Separate Newsletter?

If early on in the process, no, I wouldn’t. Put all your effort into your main newsletter and get as many people on that as possible. Tell people there about whatever else you’re doing and selling. Once you’ve made some sales, you’ll have email addresses of people who bought from you — that can become your second email list.

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3. Should Your Newsletter Have a “Name?”

You’re the artist — trust your gut. If your name works, your name works. The success you see from others doing it differently isn’t your path. You’ve done great work so far — keep doing it your way. People who care about what you’re doing will sign up and stick around, no matter what it’s called.