36 Comments
User's avatar
Raghav Balasubramanian's avatar

Hi Giacomo!

I happened to come across this post of yours & let me tell you - I’m so darn glad that I did 😀

I find this to be super inspiring due to couple of reasons perhaps;

- I’m fairly new to Substack

- I write on similar topics as that of you.

Nevertheless, I’m subscribing! Looking forward to seeing your work 🙏🏼

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Hey Raghav,

I read now this comment, which is answering the question I asked in your previous one.

So glad you found it and that it’s inspiring you.

Good luck with the journey.

Don’t loose hope and never quit.

Expand full comment
Jennifer Houle's avatar

Feeling inspired.

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thanks Jennifer!

What inspired you the most?

Expand full comment
Jennifer Houle's avatar

The honesty about both the grind and the uncertainty. You made the whole process feel human and achievable. There are days when I think, Is this worth it? I'm very much a non-social media person, so Substack is pushing me out of my comfort zone. But your story is inspirational and aspirational. It's a good reminder of what's possible.

Expand full comment
Nick Makris's avatar

Amazing to see the progression, and well deserved. I remember those early days, and trying to find our way.

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thanks Nick. It’s been a good ride!

What are some of your suggestions on how not to quit?

Expand full comment
Nick Makris's avatar

Having a good network of like-minded people who encourage/collaborate/motivate each other helps, in my opinion

Expand full comment
Daniel Matteo's avatar

Really resonates, thanks for sharing, also the personal side - brings life to the heart & effort behind your newsletter. Out of curiosity if you don't mind sharing: what do you think how much time did you put into the growing part, on average a day or week?

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thanks, Daniel.

I actually grew a lot thanks to Substack Notes. For a couple of months, I was posting 5–6 notes a day.

My newborn wasn’t sleeping much, so during those long nights I’d try to put her down and sneak in a note or two.

I also got a bit lucky, nighttime in Italy happens to be daytime in the US, where most Substack readers are. So my late-night notes ended up going out right when it was most convenient.

Are you starting your journey?

Expand full comment
Daniel Matteo's avatar

I can see that. Tired but hitting the notes, respect.

I’ve been writing my newsletter for a year now. But with 90 subs.. only putting half-hearted effort into ‚distribution‘. That’s why what you shared speaks to me

Expand full comment
Chris Anselmo's avatar

Thanks for sharing your journey, Giacomo! I've been meaning to subscribe for a while. Glad I finally did.

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thanks a lot for your words and for the trust, Chris 🙂

What did resonate with you the most?

Expand full comment
Chris Anselmo's avatar

The reminder to be consistent, especially posting on Notes, resonated. It's something I need to do a better job of.

Expand full comment
Carlota's avatar

Thanks for the great insights! I have 1 question : how did you manage to get the guest post? You just ask them or did you give something in return? Thanks!

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thank you Carlota!

By guest post you mean the interview with Ethan Evans on how to write the perfect CV?

https://giacomofalcone.substack.com/p/how-to-write-the-perfect-cv-with-former-amazon-vp-ethan-evans

Yes, I just asked.

We were already connected on Substack, and I have been a fan of him for a year already.

Expand full comment
Carlota's avatar

Thanks! So it is about you inviting peers to write or being interviewed on your substack right? Have you done the other way around too? Like you have written articles for other Substack peers? I was thinking on that at first to wider the audience!

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Yes, haven’t done the other way around though.

Expand full comment
Mark Canada, Ph.D.'s avatar

I’m a fellow grinder. Let’s hear it for the writers who consistently generate content and post comments.

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thank you Mark.

Glad this piece is helping you :)

Expand full comment
The School of Knowledge's avatar

“I write for the curious, the learners, the builders, the creators.

These are the people I want to surround myself with.”

Never change.

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thank you 🙂

Expand full comment
Sai Rahul's avatar

Nice 👌

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thanks Sai 🙂

Expand full comment
Nick Gervin's avatar

Thanks for publishing this very informative article. Lots of good advice. I just started out here and trying to figure out how to approach and work on the platform is challenging. 😥

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thank you Nick.

Trust me, it’s easy and worth the time 🙂

Expand full comment
Parth Shah's avatar

I’m definitely in that phase of constantly refreshing the page—so relatable and so annoying

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Hope you can end that phase soon. It’s so distracting!

Expand full comment
Gina's avatar

I’ll continue to look forward to reading your newsletter, it’s made Sundays even more enjoyable. Thanks Giacomo

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Thank you Gina! 🙂

Expand full comment
Chintan Zalani's avatar

Such an honest breakdown Giacomo. Thanks for sharing your journey :)

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
Apr 7
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Nope, why? 🙂

Expand full comment
Parth Shah's avatar

Seemed like it

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

Based on what?

The use of emojis?

Expand full comment
Parth Shah's avatar

Yes. Language. Seemed a bit different from the rest of the article. It's cool if you did, just asking.

Expand full comment
Giacomo Falcone's avatar

I don’t think it’s different.

Maybe I used it to write the rest of the article 😜

Expand full comment