The Surprising Cost of Not Having a Substack in 2025 for Creators, Writers, and CEOs (it's not what you think)
The compound cost of staying invisible while others build authority, income, and opportunities with the audience you could have had
Earlier this week, I got a DM on LinkedIn from a subscriber.
A marketing consultant—someone with 15 years of experience helping businesses grow—reached out for advice about starting her newsletter. Here’s what she said:
"I've been thinking about this for two years. Every few months, I tell myself I'll start next week. Meanwhile, I'm watching people with half my experience become the recognized experts in my space. They're getting the speaking gigs, the podcast invitations, the high-paying clients. And I'm still... thinking about it."
Two years of thinking. 730 days of "someday."
While she was perfecting her strategy in her head, others were building real authority, real audiences, and real businesses.
Here's what stood out in her story: she wasn't lacking expertise. She had the case studies. The client results. Insights that could genuinely help thousands of businesses.
But none of that mattered because she was invisible.
No newsletter. No platform. No voice in the conversations happening in her industry every single day.
The Hidden Cost Reality Check
Everyone thinks the cost of not having a newsletter is just lost income. They're wrong.
The real cost? It's becoming invisible in your own industry.
While you're waiting for the "perfect moment" to start writing, here's what's actually happening:
Authority erosion. Every month you stay quiet, someone else is establishing themselves as the expert in your field. They're sharing insights, building trust, and becoming the name people think of when they need help.
Opportunity invisibility. The speaking gigs, podcast invitations, consulting offers, and collaboration requests that never come because no one knows who you are. Opportunities don't find invisible people.
Network stagnation. You're missing connections with other creators, potential collaborators, future business partners, and industry leaders who could transform your career.
Credibility gap. In 2025, NOT having a newsletter signals you're behind the curve. When someone looks you up and finds nothing, what does that say about your commitment to your expertise?
I know this because I almost made the same mistake.
Eight months ago, I was in her exact position. I had knowledge worth sharing but kept waiting for the "right time" to start my newsletter.
Maybe when I had more experience.
Maybe when I figured out the perfect angle.
Maybe when I felt ready.
Then I realized something: the perfect time doesn't exist.
So, I started anyway. Zero subscribers. No real strategy. Just hit publish and figured it out as I went.
Today? Over 8,000 subscribers. $5K+ monthly income. And just last week, I was invited to speak at a virtual conference for small business owners about newsletter strategy.
The difference between where I was and where she is isn't talent. It's simply that I stopped waiting and started writing.
2025 is the “Year of the Newsletter”
We're not just in any year—we're in the newsletter boom year.
Think about it: Google searches for "Substack" surpassed "newsletter" for the first time ever this year. Something massive is happening, and it's happening right now.
Here's why 2025 is different:
Technology barriers have collapsed. Platforms like Substack and Beehiiv have made starting a newsletter as simple as sending an email. No coding, no design skills, no technical knowledge required.
AI has eliminated your excuses. You can't claim you don't know what to write about or how to improve your writing anymore. AI can help you brainstorm topics, refine your niche, generate ideas, polish your drafts, and create action plans.
Economic uncertainty makes multiple income streams essential. Your day job might feel secure, but in 2025, smart people are building backup plans. A newsletter isn't just a hobby—it's insurance against an unpredictable economy.
The early adopter advantage window is closing fast. Every day you wait, more people are jumping in. The competition gets stiffer, and the opportunity to stand out gets smaller.
The gig is up. We’ve run out of excuses and out of time. It’s time to admit we’re either “in” or “out” when it comes to growing our newsletter. (I’d recommend you be “in.)
The Compound Effect of Waiting
Let me paint you a picture of what waiting actually costs you. There’s actually a compounding effect of not starting your newsletter now.
Month 1 without a newsletter: You miss connecting with 100 potential readers who would have discovered your expertise and potentially become customers, collaborators, or career connections.
Month 6: Your competitors have established themselves as the go-to voices in your industry. They're getting quoted in articles, invited to podcasts, and building real recognition while you're still "getting ready to start."
Month 12: You're playing catch-up in your own field. Others have built substantial audiences and are monetizing their expertise through speaking gigs, consulting, and products. You're starting from zero while they're already winning.
Month 24: You've become a ghost in your own industry. The opportunities, the network, the credibility, the income that could have been yours are now someone else's reality. And the gap keeps widening every day.
Here's the truth: every month you don't have a newsletter, someone else is capturing the attention and opportunities that could have been yours.
The more you wait, the more opportunities that will be missed.
The Psychology of Regret
But there's something even worse than missing opportunities—it's the mental toll of watching it happen.
I've talked to dozens of people who waited too long to start their newsletters, and they all describe the same feeling: regret mixed with frustration.
The mental toll of watching others succeed with ideas you had first. The growing imposter syndrome that gets worse the longer you wait because others have become "the experts." The creeping feeling that you've missed your chance.
Starting later doesn't just mean working harder—it means working 10x harder to catch up to where you could have been if you'd started today.
And here's what really stings: most of the people who become recognized experts aren't necessarily the most qualified. They're just the ones who started sharing their knowledge consistently.
The "Regular Person" Advantage
Here's something that might surprise you: you don't need to be a "professional writer" to succeed with a newsletter.
In fact, being a "regular person" might be your biggest advantage.
People don't want polished corporate speak. They want authenticity. They want real stories from real people who've been in their shoes.
Your unique perspective matters. Your experience—even if it feels ordinary to you—is valuable to others who are a few steps behind you in their journey.
Some of the most successful newsletters I know are written by:
A middle manager who shares leadership lessons from the trenches
A working mom who writes about balancing career and family
A small business owner who documents his growth journey
A teacher who shares classroom insights that help other educators
None of them considered themselves "writers" when they started. They just had something valuable to share and the courage to share it consistently.
Take this as an encouraging note: the world wants to hear from YOU. No matter where you are. No matter your education. No matter your experience.
Your life has a story and it’s worth hearing.
Quick 15-Minute Masterclass: How to Start Today
Alright, enough about what you're missing. Let's talk about how to fix it.
Here's how any regular person can start their newsletter today:
Step 1: Pick Your Angle. You don't need to revolutionize the world. You just need to share your unique perspective. Ask yourself:
What do people always ask you for advice about?
What challenges have you overcome that others are still facing?
What insights from your job, hobby, or life experience could help others?
Step 2: Choose Your Platform. For beginners, I recommend Substack. It's free, simple, and built specifically for newsletters. You can literally be up and running in minutes.
Step 3: Write Your First Post. Your first post should be simple: "Why I'm starting this newsletter." Share your background, what you plan to write about, and what readers can expect. People subscribe to personalities as much as content.
Tell an “origin story.” What are you writing starting this Substack? What big obstacle have you overcome in your life? What’s your unique story? What makes you come alive? Who do you hope to help with your newsletter? That’s your first post.
Step 4: Commit to Consistency. Start with weekly. That's it. Don't overcomplicate it. One valuable post per week is infinitely better than sporadic bursts of daily content.
That's it. Three minutes and you've got a roadmap to start building your authority, your network, and potentially your income.
The Action Steps You Can Take Right Now
Stop overthinking this. Here's exactly what to do:
Sign up for Substack today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today. It takes 5 minutes.
Write your "why I'm starting this" origin post. Keep it simple and authentic. Tell people who you are and what they can expect.
Share it with 10 people you know. Friends, family, colleagues. Don't worry about having thousands of subscribers—every successful newsletter started with a handful of readers.
Commit to weekly publishing for 3 months. Give yourself a 12-week trial. That's enough time to build a habit and see initial results.
Track the opportunities that start coming. You'll be surprised how quickly doors begin to open when you have a platform and a voice.
I started with zero subscribers and no plan. Eight months later, my newsletter generates consistent income, has opened up speaking opportunities, and connected me with amazing people I never would have met otherwise.
The difference between where I was and where I am now isn't talent or luck—it's simply that I started.
The cost of not having a newsletter in 2025 isn't just about missing income. It's about missing your chance to build authority, create opportunities, and establish yourself as someone worth listening to in your field.
Every day you wait, that cost compounds. But the good news? You can stop the bleeding today.
📌 Your Next Step: Join the Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass
Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this.
Starting a newsletter is easy. Growing it to meaningful income and real opportunities? That takes strategy.
I spent my first few months making every mistake in the book. Publishing inconsistently. Writing about random topics. Ignoring the features that actually drive growth. Waiting months to monetize when I could have started immediately.
Everything changed when I stopped fumbling around and developed a system.
The same system that took me from zero to 8,000+ subscribers in 8 months. The same system that's now generating $5K+ monthly and opening doors I never imagined—like being invited to speak at conferences about newsletter strategy.
What I've discovered is that most newsletter writers make the same fundamental mistakes:
They focus on vanity metrics instead of building genuine connection
They wait too long to monetize, leaving money on the table for months
They try to be perfect instead of consistent, publishing sporadically
They ignore Substack's built-in growth features that could 10x their reach
They copy what works for others instead of finding their authentic voice
The writers who break through aren't necessarily the most talented. They're the ones who understand the system and follow a proven path.
That's why I created the Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass.
Inside, I break down exactly how to:
Build an engaged audience from day one using the content strategies that consistently attract your ideal readers
Position your newsletter to stand out in a crowded landscape without needing years of expertise
Create multiple income streams starting from your very first subscribers (not when you hit some arbitrary number)
Leverage Substack's hidden features that 99% of writers completely ignore but drive massive growth
Develop a sustainable writing system that doesn't burn you out or require 40 hours a week
This isn't theoretical advice from someone who studied newsletters. It's the exact playbook I used to build my own six-figure newsletter business—and the same strategies I'm now teaching to hundreds of other writers who are tired of staying invisible.
If you're ready to skip the trial-and-error phase and fast-track your path to newsletter success, click below to join the masterclass:
Stop waiting for the perfect moment. It doesn't exist. But the opportunity to build something meaningful with your knowledge? That's right in front of you.
I have started my Substack in a time of tumult for me, when I am not getting hired by tech companies, and after I have finally figured out a field tested Method for IT Project Managers to go from silent burnout into moral command. I write for the 2.5% of PMs who still believe projects should actually deliver. https://rocinantemethod.substack.com/p/why-do-so-many-projects-fail-and
This is a great article! I just recently started my newsletter and I’m glad to come across the tips you mentioned in your article — consistency, not delaying etc. Also taking inspiration from your growth story!