Investing in Substack Isn't a Choice
Hi all!
We don’t need to tell you that Substack is having a moment. Because chances are if you’re reading this post…here on Substack…you’re already well-aware.
The numbers don’t lie: Back in November, the platform quietly raised around $10 million from a broad range of strategic investors, including political analyst Nate Silver and high-flying banker Omeed Malik. To date, Substack has more than 3 million paid subscriptions and a diverse set of writers, all of whom are flocking to the platform for its original value proposition of empowering writers to connect directly with their audiences.
And it seems to be taking that mission seriously: In January, Substack announced the launch of its Creator Accelerator Fund, which is set to provide a $20-million funding guarantee aimed at helping creators grow their audience and move their paid subscribers from another subscription-based platform (Patreon, Supercast, and others) to Substack.
We’re often asked by our brand partners how best to navigate the booming platform — which is partly why we’re here writing “Office Hours” in the first place. But as we’ve been busy reflecting on the power of creators internally, this also feels like the perfect moment to share our thoughts with you. In a world where traditional advertising is — to put it kindly — losing its grip, engaging with authentic creators has become a game-changer for brands across all industries, even those that aren’t strictly consumer-facing.
Substack has also emerged as a powerful platform for driving remarkable conversion rates for our clients. When one of our clients’s products is featured in a top newsletter like Rachel Karten’s “Link in Bio” or Jess Graves’s “The Love List,” the results often speak for themselves. We’ve been thinking about a recent conversation we had with a prospective client, in which they shared their experience of having a piece featured on Dorsey Founder and CEO Meg Alida Strachan’s fantastic newsletter, “WIPOT (What I Put on Today)” last year. As it turned out, this ended up being their best-performing sales initiative of the year. In our line of work, Substack as a hugely effective marketing tool is not to be overlooked.
Let’s dive into our divisions here at JBC and share where this is especially important.
WIPOT (What I Put On Today) An anecdotal substack about how fashion fits into our daily lives. By Megan Alida StrachanDesign
When we think of design, we immediately think of creators who push the boundaries of the traditional, sometimes sleepy design industry. A shout-out to “Love and Other Rugs” by Lily Sullivan, “Nobody’s Home” by Sydney Gore, “Home” by India Knight, and “À La Carte” by Ali LaBelle, all of whose insights blend aesthetics and functionality, exploring style while telling powerful visual stories.
Food & Bev
In the food and beverage realm, creators are changing the way we experience the very primal acts of eating and drinking. Caroline Chambers’s “What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking,” Meredith Hayden’s “The Group Chat,” José Andrés’s “Longer Tables,” and Eric King’s “easygayoven” share truly delightful recipes and community-backed culinary adventures that spark joy and community engagement in equal measure.
Social Impact
Social-impact creators are vital for driving conversations that matter. We love Christina Farr’s “Second Opinion” and Jessica Yellin’s “News Not Noise,” as well as “In Pursuit of Clean Countertops” by Sara Petersen, which highlights the internet’s collective obsession with momfluencer culture and how that same obsession reveals what so many of us pursue by way of mommy influencers. Sara writes (beautifully, might we add) to help us understand why our culture idealizes motherhood (online and off), but fails again and again to give moms what they need to thrive (like universal preschool, paid family leave, subsidized childcare, and bodily autonomy).
Fashion & Retail
Fashion is all about storytelling through style, and Substack offers a host of captivating narratives that showcase fashion through the lens of a wide audience. We especially appreciate Jess Graves’s “The Love List,” Noora Raj Brown’s “Objects of Desire,” Hillary Kerr’s “Hi Everyone,” Laurel Pantin’s “Earl Earl,” Tyler McCall’s “Voted Most Talkative,” Alyssa Vingan’s “The New Garde,” and Erika Veurink’s “Long Live.” (And we’d be remiss not to mention our very own head of content and local horse gal, Maura Brannigan, has a Substack, too: Clotheshorse!)
Beauty, Health & Wellness
In the beauty industry, authenticity reigns supreme. Pubs like Lindy Segals’s “Gatekeeping,” Jenna Rennert’s “The Edit,” Katie Stone’s “Plant Based,” Elizabeth Denton’s “No Gatekeeping Allowed,” and Jessica DeFino’s “The Review of Beauty“ share real and honest reviews and experiences throughout the beauty industry, prioritizing people over products and cultivating trust with their followers. We’re also obsessed with Alisha Ramos’s “Downtime,” which offers thoughtful book recs, curated style edits, and cozy inspiration, all while speaking candidly about the challenges — and the joys — of slowing down. And while not on Substack, Chrissy Rutherford’s twice-monthly newsletter “FWD Joy” — dedicated to her journey of self-discovery, self-care and finding joy — makes our week with each and every send.
We’re bullish on investing in Substack because we know it isn’t just a trend. In this media landscape, it’s a necessity. Substack is all about moving beyond traditional marketing to build genuine relationships that inspire and engage. As Jane Fonda said in her viral SAG Awards speech (which we covered last week!), we must use our voices and connections to create change. Embracing Substack creators is a crucial step in doing just that.
Thanks for being here!
Jenny & Melissa
(And for why the offline counterpart matters just as much, see our case for going analog in 2025.)