The Online Writing Club

Helps you learn how to joyfully start, grow, monetize, & market your writing on Substack, Medium & beyond in a soulful community of 14,000 like-minded writers. TOP 25 #Education bestseller, award-winning brand manager and mompreneur. $35,000+ Substack.

By Kristina God
· Over 13,000 subscribers
By subscribing, I agree to Substack’s Terms of Use and acknowledge its Information Collection Notice and Privacy Policy
“Kristina has helped me so much. I have been following some of her suggestions and she helped me get to 100 paid subscribers here, which was a goal I had had for some time. Highly recommend!”
Untrickled by Michelle Teheux, Untrickled
“The Substack expert at your service. ”
Valentin Bunea, Valentin Bunea English Edition
“Kristina is one of those rare people who truly seems to do it all—and does it with heart. Her newsletter feels like a warm, encouraging nudge to keep going, with generous insights and a genuine love for writing. If you want inspiration, wisdom, and a reminder that success can be fun, go subscribe to Kristina. You’ll be glad you did.”
Ana Calin, How We Grow
The Online Writing Club

The Online Writing Club

Share this post

The Online Writing Club
The Online Writing Club
Substack's Secret: Billionaire Backers and the Future Ahead
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Substack's Secret: Billionaire Backers and the Future Ahead

The clock is ticking—not just for Substack, but also for today’s masterclass with Mr. Anonymous

Kristina God's avatar
William A. Finnegan's avatar
Kristina God
and
William A. Finnegan
May 07, 2025
20

Share this post

The Online Writing Club
The Online Writing Club
Substack's Secret: Billionaire Backers and the Future Ahead
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
4
7
Share

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I don’t usually share controversial interviews or opinions.

When I reached out to a tribe member and Substack bestseller from The Long Memo.

William A. Finnegan
, for an interview, I knew this time would be different.

And when we finally talked, it was different—so much so that the title of the podcast episode became:

Substack Is Owned By Billionaires. Don’t Be Naïve | with Insider William Anonymous Finnegan

Substack Is Owned By Billionaires. Don’t Be Naïve | with Insider William Anonymous Finnegan

Kristina God and William A. Finnegan
·
Apr 3
Read full story

Right now,

William A. Finnegan
(or Mr. Anonymous as I call him) is probably the most talked-about mystery voice on Substack right now — and today, for the first time ever, he’s going live and meet with an exclsuive circle of tribe members.

You’ll hear his voice, but not see his face.

This is the only chance to ask him questions in real-time and dive deeper into the Substack strategies no one else dares to talk about.

Besides being an ad exceutive, father and writer, Mr. Anonymous used to be a political appointee under President Bush, known for his bluntness and experience in Republican politics. He has testified before Congress, briefed Presidents, and met with top officials—including foreign leaders and intelligence officers.

Though he stayed out of the spotlight, he worked behind the scenes in high-security settings like the White House Situation Room, the Pentagon’s “Tank,” and ultra-sensitive Gang of Eight briefings.

👉🏻Grab your seat and prepare for a truth bomb masterclass you won’t forget.

Let me join!


🚨 Today at 1PM EST (10AM PT): Don’t Miss the First-Ever Live Masterclass with Mr. Anonymous! 🚨

Epic! I want to participate!


Based on or podcast interviw with more than 6,000 downloads and 35 restacks..

Here are 7 controversial thoughts we’ll gonna cover:

1. "Substack is owned by billionaires."
Forget the myth. Mr. Anonymous says the idea that Substack is some indie utopia is “bullshit.” Big VC money is already here, and with it comes the usual cycle of control, consolidation, and eventually… corporate sellout.

2. The real business of Substack isn’t newsletters—it's data.
Writers are doing the hard part—creating content people care about. Meanwhile, Substack is quietly gathering massive behavioral data from every click, note, comment, and like. “We're the dumb fools delivering the value,” he says.

3. “At some point, Substack will choose the real money.”
He predicts a shift is coming—when big media moves in and Substack starts picking winners and losers. That will be the moment the platform changes. Early bestsellers will survive. Everyone else? Not so much.

4. Independence is a fantasy—most Substackers can’t go solo.
Even though you can export your email list, Mr. Anonymous argues that only public figures with massive followings could succeed off-platform. “Most people don’t bring enough value to survive outside the ecosystem.”

5. Expect pay-to-play algorithms soon.
A revenue squeeze is coming. He believes Substack will roll out “boosted posts” or pay-for-placement features—just like Facebook and LinkedIn. “It’ll be just a math problem,” he says. “How much will you pay to rise above the noise?”

6. Substack Notes isn’t for ads—it’s a dopamine trap.
He warns against treating Notes like Facebook ads. Notes are for quick emotional hits and engagement, not direct conversions. Boosting them? “Might not even work,” he says.

7. Substack will eventually fold under political pressure.
If the FBI or a political entity starts pushing, Substack won’t hold the line, he claims. “Corporations fold faster than they stand up to legal heat.” Independence? Again—illusion.

Most importantly, you need to know the clock is ticking!

“Assume you have until tomorrow.”

Substack is stable until at least 2026. Finnegan urges creators to act now to build their audiences while the platform is still fertile ground.

I bet, we’ll also gonna talk about

Jeff Fox
’s latest post about Substack in Veridico called: The Billionaire Oligarch Who Finances Substack.

This post is about Marc Andreessen, a major financier of this platform and a prominent Silicon Valley oligarch.

🔥 Don’t miss today’s Masterclass at 1PM EST / 10AM PT

🤫Substack's Secret: Billionaire Backers and the Future Ahead

1PM EST (10AM PT)

Mr. Anonymous will be LIVE for the first time ever. No face, just voice—and the raw truth behind Substack’s future.

Bring your questions. Bring your curiosity.

And maybe… bring your backup plan.

We’ll also gonna show you how to download your list of free subscribers, which contains their e-mail addresses, just in case.

Want to register?

Join the Club today and get immediate access to the LIVE masterclass:

Let me join!

This is sooooo exciting!

See you later,

👉🏻P.S. As a paid member, you can join HERE. You can add the event to your calendar and find the Zoom link there.

Ibrahim Khan's avatar
Bijibilla Rama Rao's avatar
ruhelahmed's avatar
David Perlmutter's avatar
Kristina God's avatar
20 Likes∙
7 Restacks
20

Share this post

The Online Writing Club
The Online Writing Club
Substack's Secret: Billionaire Backers and the Future Ahead
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
4
7
Share
A guest post by
William A. Finnegan
Writer | Strategist | Media Founder I write The Long Memo and Borderless Living—two Substack publications on politics, collapse, and the architecture of exit.
Subscribe to William

Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Silke Kristin Juelich❁'s avatar
Silke Kristin Juelich❁
May 7

Dear Kristina,

Thank you very much for these truly interesting insights.

Expand full comment
Like (2)
Reply
Share
Nikki Finlay's avatar
Nikki Finlay
May 7

Thank you for helping me think about my work, William.

Expand full comment
Like (1)
Reply
Share
2 more comments...
How to Get More Subscribers With Substack’s (New) Growth Engine
It's possibly the best way to grow on Substack right now. 28% of my growth comes from recommendations.
Jan 12, 2024 • 
Kristina God
406

Share this post

The Online Writing Club
The Online Writing Club
How to Get More Subscribers With Substack’s (New) Growth Engine
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
352
My Simple & Proven 3-Step Approach to Get a Google Business Card
My mistakes, lessons learned and next steps.
Feb 28, 2024 • 
Kristina God
26

Share this post

The Online Writing Club
The Online Writing Club
My Simple & Proven 3-Step Approach to Get a Google Business Card
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
12
8:28
Surprising! I’ve Analyzed 75K Substack Newsletters and Here’s What You Need to Know
What they reveal about paid subscriptions and how often you should publish
Dec 20, 2024 • 
Kristina God
 and 
Ciler from Newsletter Circle
274

Share this post

The Online Writing Club
The Online Writing Club
Surprising! I’ve Analyzed 75K Substack Newsletters and Here’s What You Need to Know
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
69

Ready for more?

© 2025 Kristina God
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Create your profile

User's avatar

Only paid subscribers can comment on this post

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

Check your email

For your security, we need to re-authenticate you.

Click the link we sent to , or click here to sign in.