Substack is on fire.
More (larger) creators (as Justin Welsh or Dan Koe) are signing up.
More readers are subscribing.
And behind the scenes, traffic from search engines is going way up.
But the big question is: Are we still early? Or are we already too late?
In this new podcast episode, I’m joined by
. She loves results-oriented strategy and analysis and has 10+ years of experience driving growth for companies such as Shopify. Casandra has a proven track record of increasing revenue, launching successful startups, and scaling businesses.Also, she’s the owner of the successful Substack newsletter Really Good Business Ideas. To explore what’s really going on with Substack in 2025—and why now might be the best time to double down on writing on the platform, we met for a chat.
We talked about the big picture, but also the nitty-gritty—how writers are finding success, what’s working right now, and how to actually build an audience and make money on Substack.
🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?
Can’t wait to share this incredible interview with you. Enjoy the show hwich now got 50,000 downloads! Thank you, guys! 🙏🏻
🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”…
…now you have the chance to listen to the interview.
👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:
You can also listen to it as a Substack podcast, on Spotify or YouTube with all the slides and data.
But here are 3 big ideas from our conversation I think you’ll love:
#1 Substack Is Becoming a Social Platform (and That’s a Good Thing)
A lot of people still think of Substack as just a place to send email newsletters.
But Cassandra and I agree: Substack today feels more like a hybrid between Medium, X, and Patreon—with built-in tools for growth, discovery, and connection.
The true value is in Substack’s version of X, the short form feed Notes and its network effects and built-in discovery engine. That’s why huge creators like Justin Welsh or Dan Koe joined the platform a few days ago.
As Jay Clouse shared in his main newsletter:
“…not only are you not penalized for sharing your long-form writing, Substack does it for you. (Notes) a discovery/growth engine that you don't get on any other platform.”
#2 Substack Has Officially Gone Mainstream
Cassandra and I talked about how we’ve reached a tipping point.
More and more readers are discovering newsletters on Substack—even without knowing what Substack is.
Here’s an example from my DMs:
People are subscribing to friends, journalists, creators, influencers, authors, experts, and even their favorite podcasters—all from the same platform.
Former Substack employee
told me in our popular interview and on Notes that Substack would be in “its second inning”.Here are signs it’s now mainstream and early majority.
Substack links are everywhere—from social bios to YouTube video descriptions to podcast interviews.
Even traditional writers and authors are leaving legacy platforms for it.
It had a noteworthy influx of creative entrepreneurs entering.
“Subscribe to my Substack” is starting to replace “follow me on Instagram.”
It’s no longer a bet on the future. It’s the place to build your writing business now.
That’s why $5M solopreneur Justin Welsh shares:
“…my advice is simple: start building your home base now, before the rush. Because the creative entrepreneurs who own their relationships will have an incredible advantage in the years ahead.”
#3 Substack Is Trending on Google
Substack launched in 2017, and like many startups, its early growth was modest. But things changed in 2020 when the world suddenly shifted online.
Since then, Substack hasn’t just grown—it’s kept growing.
In April 2020, search interest in Substack spiked.
Unlike other pandemic-era apps like Zoom or Clubhouse, that interest hasn’t faded—it’s only gone up.
Reader demand and writer earnings are both rising fast.
Just look at these numbers:
As of March 2025, Substack has over 5 million paid subscriptions. Just four months earlier, it was at 4 million. That’s lightning-fast growth. Bet soon it will announce to have hit 6 million or even more.
More than 50,000 publsihers now earn money on Substack.
The top 10 publishers earn over $40 million per year combined, up from $25 million just two years ago.
This shows: Substack is a platform with real staying power, real money, and real opportunity.
Why This Matters for You
If you’re already writing on Substack—or thinking about starting—this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and a few new ideas to try.
No tactics that feel gross. Just real talk about what’s working now and how to surf the Substack wave 🏄🏻♀️ as we do to have an advantage in the years ahead.
Owning your relationships is key, especially if we’re thinking of Medium now not letting us export new subscribers, as I talked with
about, and giving us CSV files with lots of asteriks.
So listen to today’s episode.
🎧 Want To Listen To The Show?
🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”…
…now you have the chance to listen to the interview.
👉 You can listen to the full episode right here:
You can also listen to it as a Substack podcast, on Spotify or YouTube with all the slides and data.
🔴 Save the Date: Live Masterclass in July 2025
Cassandra and I are teaming up again for a live Substack Masterclass this July:
“Build a Real Business on Substack — The Strategy Behind Growth & Monetization”
We’ll go deeper into the topics from the episode and give you actionable steps, templates, and strategies to grow your Substack with intention.
🗓️ Coming July 2025: July 3rd, 1pm EST
Join the inner Club Circle. Become a paid member to access the strategy session.
Keep showing up. Keep writing. Keep building!
PS Liked this interview? Share it with a friend who needs to see this! You can also share the newsletter as a gift when you’re a paid subscriber or become one. 🙏🏻
PPS Engagement award: To celebrate 50,000 downloads you can win to get featured in my podcast (A). Also you can win getting mentioned with your products and services (if they are a fit for the Club audience)! Leave a comment. My baby will pick the winners!
Great interview Kristina and exactly what I wanted to hear about Substack! Bravo with 50k downloads. I'm proud reaching nearly 11k!
Definitely hope I didn’t miss the boom 💥 Thanks for this info!
Congratulations on 50,000 downloads. I hope your baby picks me! 😆