Hey, my friend!
I've been having the same conversation a lot lately:
A creator tells me they want to build an email list.
They've done the research.
They know they need to start.
And then they say: "I'm just trying to figure out the best tool first."
Two months later, they're still researching.
This isn't a time management problem.
And it's not laziness.
It's something more specific, and honestly, more painful.
It's the belief that with one wrong decision, you'll have wasted everything.
So instead of risking a wrong choice, you make no choice because it feels safe.
But here's what I've come to understand after years of building online:
No commitment is always the most expensive option.
Because while you're comparing various options, your most valuable resource is slipping away - your time.
I published my first newsletter with the "wrong" tool.
I wrote on the wrong platform for years before I figured out what worked.
I launched products too early, made mistakes, and had to rework systems I built from scratch.
None of that set me back.
What would have set me back is waiting to have it figured out before starting.
The honest truth about building anything online is that clarity doesn't come from thinking. It comes from doing.
You don't know what's working until you're in it.
You don't know what needs fixing until it breaks.
You don't know what the right tool is until you've outgrown the wrong one — and that process teaches you more than any comparison article ever could.
Messy action isn't the consolation prize for people who couldn't figure it out perfectly.
Messy action is the path forward.
So if you've been sitting in the research phase — tabs open, pros and cons lists half-written, waiting to feel ready — here's your permission slip:
Pick the thing that feels most obvious right now.
Start with that. Build with that. If it stops serving you, you'll know. And you'll have built enough by then to make an informed switch with real context — not hypothetical comparisons.
You can always course correct, but you can't recover time spent waiting.
This is exactly the kind of work we do inside our private coaching programs — helping creators stop second-guessing their next move and make the right decisions faster, so none of their time is wasted.
If that sounds like what you need right now, you can apply to work with us here.
Worth Your Time This Week
If you're working on your Substack growth, these are worth your time:
→ Substack vs Kit: Which One Do You Actually Need? — If you've been going back and forth on tools, this is the only comparison you need to watch.
→ The Hidden Substack Growth Feature 99% of Creators Aren't Using Enough — Guest posting is one of the fastest ways to grow on Substack, and most creators aren't doing it nearly enough. Jari breaks down exactly how to land opportunities and make them count.
→ How to Make Money on Substack in 2026 (The Full Breakdown) — The honest math, the content model, and what it actually takes to build recurring revenue. If you've ever wondered whether a paid tier is worth it, this one's for you.
→ Everything You Need to Know Before You Launch Your Paid Tier — Pricing, content libraries, founding member tiers, launch windows, and the mindset shift that changes everything.
Cheers to choosing the obvious thing and building from there,
Sinem