Stop making this mistake


Hey Reader,

I see it all the time: Creators who have just started to publish their work but are already comparing themselves to people who are 100 steps ahead.

And I get it.

It’s easy to look at viral posts by someone who’s been writing online for years and wonder why your content isn’t getting the same traction.

But let me zoom out and give you some perspective here:

I've been writing online since 2018.

This has been my "full-time job" since 2020.

I’ve spent thousands of hours refining my craft.

I’ve studied marketing, business, sales, psychology, and everything in between.

I’ve worked with thousands of clients.

And nothing I’ve achieved is the result of a single action because everything I've done for the past seven years accumulates.

  • Posts I published years ago continue to attract views and grow my email list.
  • Partnerships I built years ago led to clients who are paying me monthly.
  • Courses I launched years ago continue to earn passive income.

If you’re just starting out, the worst thing you can do is look at an established creator and think: I should be doing what they’re doing.

But that won't work because you don't have their environment, audience, or experience.

If you’re starting at zero—no audience, no credibility, no network—you have to double down on your strengths and put in the reps.

The good news is that anything above zero accumulates. (Credits to Sahil Bloom, who recently shared this idea in a newsletter.)

Even if you just:

  • 📌 Publish one piece of content per week
  • 📌 Connect with one potential client
  • 📌 Or sell one simple product, like a mini-course, instead of waiting months to create a huge offer, you'll eventually hit big numbers.

That last point can be a game-changer, by the way.

Too many creators think they need a huge course or a complex coaching program to monetize their expertise.

But that’s not true.

A mini-course is the fastest way to turn your knowledge into income. It’s low effort, high impact—and it gives you momentum without overwhelming you or your clients.

So stop comparing yourself to creators who have been doing this for years.

Your only job is to stack the small wins.

Start small.

Publish that piece.

Build the mini-course.

Sell it to one person who will benefit from it so you gain the confidence that your work is worth paying for.

Learn what your audience wants before you invest dozens of hours building resources nobody is willing to pay for.

I’ll be sharing more about mini-courses soon—how to create them, sell them, and make them work for you. Keep an eye out. 😉

Big love from my screen to yours,
Sinem


PS. Do you need an idea for a mini-course that could add an extra 4-figures to your monthly income?

Write • Build • Scale with Sinem Günel

I help you write confidently, build your audience, and scale your income. Subscribe for first-hand insights and actionable strategies to turn your ideas and knowledge into a thriving digital business, so you can make money doing what you love.

Read more from Write • Build • Scale with Sinem Günel

Write • Build • Scale Sunday Digest Write Better, Build Smarter & Scale Faster Welcome to the Write • Build • Scale Sunday Digest, where we help you write better, build your audience, and scale your income through quick tips and actionable resources. This week's edition is all about being prepared —not just hopeful—when it comes to hitting your goals. Be Prepared Instead Of Afraid Last week, I ran my first 10k race in a stunning coastal town in Spain. 🏃♀️🇪🇸 I used to hate running. Couldn’t...

Hey Reader, One of the biggest lies in the online world is that there’s only one way to succeed. Everyone claims that their path, strategy, or method is the only right one. But the truth is that there are a million different ways to: Grow your audience Build a digital business And monetize your expertise Want proof? We recently teamed up with 10+ creators and asked them a single question: "What’s ONE strategy that helped you make $10k in a single month?" The result is $10k Secrets, an...

Hey, my friend! We've replied to dozens of questions about mini-courses lately, but one of them stands out because it came up so often: "What's the #1 thing I need to get right to ensure my mini-course will be successful and profitable?" The truth is, it's not the sales page (although that's definitely important)... It's not the launch emails (even though those are also important)... It's the course topic. The most important step in creating a profitable mini-course is to choose a winning...