* 1:1 SUBSTACK ACCELERATED GROWTH PACKAGE
A bespoke, three-month, one-to-one mentorship to build your platform, amplify your expertise, and earn the income you deserve.
Custom-crafted to build your platform, amplify your expertise, and create multiple pathways to earn the income you deserve.
Our work together will save you from wasting years flailing around trying to figure out what works and what’s become a very crowded Substack landscape.
Over the past four years, I’ve helped thousands of Substack writers and creators:
Double and triple and quadruple and 100x their subscribers
10x and 20x their revenue
Make Substack part of their overall business model and use it to fuel or build a five- and six-figure business
Build platforms with loyal, engaged subscribers
Attract the attention of literary agents and editors
Jeannine Ouellette’s paid subscriptions (at $50/year) increased from 560 to 953 in 70 days.
“Sarah is brilliant and knows Substack inside out. She also listens deeply and gets to know you and your goals for your newsletter, both short and long term. Sarah earned my trust in the first five minutes. Her guidance is not cookie-cutter; it’s very precisely tailored based on your specific publication and vision.”
—Jeannine Ouellette, Writing in the Dark
David Roberts became a featured Substack, a Substack bestseller, and grew by 4000 subscribers in just one year.
“Before I signed up with Sarah, I was clueless. The result has been an improvement in the quality of my posts and a surge in subscribers. I’m also having a lot more fun as a Substack writer. She is a superb teacher.”
—David Roberts, Sparks from Culture
My clients include:
CNN political analysts and commentators Kirsten Powers and Chris Cizzila
Organizations: PBS, Zibby Owens Publishing, and Resolute Square
Influencer Ajiri Aki and thought leader Shannon Watts
Bestselling author and entrepreneur Joy Sullivan and Publisher’s Weekly editor Maya Popa
Author, podcaster, and viral TED speaker Sarah Knight
I’ve helped those who’ve been on Substack for years and those with no following who are just starting out.
Everything we do is based on my Substack DNA Growth Framework™️—built on years of pattern recognition and case studies across 1000+ clients and tens of thousands on Substack Writers at Work.
My gift as a Substack Strategist is the ability to spot your Substack DNA and guide you step-by-step to apply it on Substack for maximum growth.
Your 3-Month Substack Accelerated Growth Package
3 monthly sessions, 55 minutes each, with my expert guidance personalized to you
A detailed overview of each session with step-by-step directions on what to do next, plus access to the transcript and replay
My personal (not AI-produced) templates based on my deep knowledge of the platform and my work with 1000+ Substack writers over the past three years
Feedback from me every step of the way to help you troubleshoot and get all your questions answered
Full email access to me throughout our time together
Who it’s for
Substack writers at any stage and experience and for you if you’re ready to invest in your Substack for real, sustained, engaged growth.
How it works
Our three-month consultancy is customized to you and your needs, but here’s a general view of what to expect:
Month 1: Pinpointing Your Substack’s Strengths and Opportunities
A strategic assessment of your Substack from me, the leading Substack strategist, to discover the strengths and opportunities of your Substack
If you’re just starting, we map out exactly what your Substack will be
A full view of your Substack DNA—my proprietary method to help you discover the strengths of your Substack → Most Substacks fail because they miss this key component
An analysis of your metrics—we go behind your dashboard and see what’s really happening
Month 2: Executing Your Platform Growth Strategy
An implementation plan for immediate growth, including Notes and recommendations, the two biggest drivers of Substack growth
Connecting with other Substack writers and creators for long-term growth
Identification of audience engagement opportunities
Month 3: Implementing a Revenue Strategy that Fits Your Business Model and Career Goals
An examination of your career goals and/or whole business model to map how to create the kinds of opportunities my previous client have, including book deals, media bylines, speaking engagements, using Substack to sell their published books and build or fuel 5- and 6-figure businesses, and more
A detailed map for what to do next
Investment $1875
*Space is limited. I work with a limited number of 1:1 clients to ensure each receives my full attention and expertise.
“Sarah paid for herself before we met. What she does is so valuable. I feel like Substack has been the easiest, funnest way to make money. It’s all because of Sarah.”
—Cassidy Frost, Dedicate Your Life to Music
“More than worth the money. Sarah has an amazing ability to draw clarity out of confusion. Our meeting saved me from dithering and probably going off on the wrong path.”
—Joyce Wycoff, Voices of the Hopeful
Single Substack Strategy Session
I work with a limited number of single sessions. Some people prefer to work with me for one session because they’ve already been on the platform and have momentum and want that extra fuel to really achieve their goals in terms of building a platform and creating revenue. Others just want the chance to work with me once before investing in the 3-Month Substack Accelerated Growth Package.
$625 | 50 minutes | You can find out more and book here
“A power-packed 50 minutes! I’m implementing it all.”
—Bryce Tolpen, Political Devotions
I started on Substack four years ago and fell in love with the platform. It was so different—someplace real that we could make our own and actually get paid for our work.
My agent introduced me to Substack’s Head of Writer Relations, who helped me understand Substack’s inner workings. I built my first bestselling, featured Substack.
Immediately, I wanted to help others do the same and more. Substack set me up to see private clients, and I’ve since become the world’s leading Substack Growth Strategist with clients ranging from CNN correspondents and organizations like PBS to those just starting out and everyone in between.
I founded Substack Writers at Work—a top-10, featured Substack with 36,000 subscribers and thousands of paid subscribers—to help people like you build an audience, produce your best work, and earn the income you deserve.
Over the past four years, I’ve devoted my life to Substack and to helping people like you.
As the world’s leading Substack Growth Strategist, I pour all my experience—including my work as a national bestselling author at HarperCollins; a freelance journalist at The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, et al.; and the twenty years I’ve taught in MFA programs at Northwestern University, The University of Iowa, and elsewhere—into helping you build something real, something that’s entirely you.
A bit more about me (the short version):
Faculty at Northwestern University
Fortier PR’s Substack consultant
Mentor to thousands of Substack writers and creators
Award-winning, national bestselling author at HarperCollins (Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses)
Freelance writer at The New York Times, The Atlantic, et al.
Former advisory editor at The Paris Review
PhD, MFA
Lover of all things cats and Substack
I live in Chicago with my two beloved cats—Sweets and Baby Theo. More than anything, I want a t-shirt that says, Ask me about my cats.
What past clients are saying
“Sarah takes her in-depth knowledge of how Substack works and truly personalizes her advice. She is able to home in on not only where you can improve your content, but how. Each time I talk to her, I leave with a unique and actionable insight to make my Substack better for my subscribers, in a way that is also very reasonable and do-able for my mental health. Sarah is a true expert who I admire and would recommend to anyone trying to find their voice here on Substack, whether it’s purely for writing for yourself or kickstarting a business.”
—Evelyn Skye, Creative. Inspired. Happy.
“Within 24 hours of executing Sarah’s suggestions, my subscription base expanded to include countless new readers who not only pressed the ‘subscribe’ button but also took the time to engage with the material and write encouraging and insightful comments on the posts. Sarah helped me see a more holistic, comprehensive vision of my work on Substack. She provided clear, actionable steps to bring this expanded vision into reality.”
—Kimberly Warner, Unfixed
“I cannot overemphasise what a pleasure it’s been to work with Sarah. I dilly-dallied about booking in for quite a while, wondering if I ‘deserved’ to make such an investment. I’m so thrilled I went for it! I feel so much more confident than when I started, with a clearer idea of not only what I’m writing about, but also my very identity.”
—Emma Vivian, Attempts at Optimism
“Although I am a seasoned entrepreneur and writer, I knew I needed help to navigate this new environment. Sarah has been my guide and my wing-women throughout. She is an amazing person to brainstorm ideas with, and has the knowledge and experience with Substack I needed. Working with Sarah helped me develop a clear and impactful strategy.”
—Lisa-Marie Cabrelli, Call for Heroines
“Sarah has decades of experience and insider knowledge of what it takes to make a Substack newsletter work. Since working with her I’ve revamped my entire newsletter and started seeing results in just a few days with a large increase in subscribers.”
—Leon MacFayden, Trauma to Strength
“Our one-on-one sessions have been an invaluable resource in bringing my best work to Substack in a smart and professional way.”
—Mary Roblyn, Writer Interrupted
“If you want to refine, clarify and expand your Substack — Sarah is an expert coach, sounding board, and cheerleader all in one! She has a sharp eye, tons of practical advice, real insight and examples to inspire. She helped me see my newsletter with renewed clarity and gusto!”
—Madeleine Dore, On Things
“Seeing Sarah really supported my commitment to my Substack. She gave suggestions that helped me unify and clarify what I was doing, and make that easily understandable to a potential audience. She worked with me on my terms and goals, not a uniform set of ideas about what success means.”
—Katie Cowan, The Living Library
“My original goal when I first started working with Sarah was way, WAY smaller than what I’ve achieved. She’s shown me how much more is possible.”
—Tiffany Chu, The Untangling
“First—Sarah is warm and kind and knowledgeable. She offers a clear and concise orientation that is a GAME CHANGER. Her and her resources helped me to understand where to focus my attention.”
—Kristin Kaye, Write Your World Awake
I work with a limited number of 1:1 clients to ensure each receives my full attention and expertise.
If you’re ready to transform your Substack, your platform, and yourself, book now.
Hi Sarah, do you still do the group supporting of Notes posts?