internet_jockey

There's dark mode in the app (iOS or Android) and in the web reader at substack.com (which you can see when you're logged in)

We're 100% focused on subscriptions, so we're unlikely to do this any time soon (or at all).

You can add any RSS feed to the app via reader.substack.com. As long as other newsletter providers support RSS, this should be no problem.

Yes! So far we have only three Cs and it's the three people who founded the company, so there's certainly room to move...

This is completely correct and me is duly chastened.

There's a giant universe of voices on Substack and I'm sure you'll find many who fit that description. A couple of ways to do so:

Peruse the leaderboards at substack.com and in the new app (in the Discover tab).

Check out the profiles of the writers and readers you most respect (just click on their faces). You'll find lists of Substacks they're subscribed to, which may lead you to some interesting places and new writers to respect.

Our strategy with Dillon is to keep sending him coffee mugs until he relents.

+++ to Bernard/The Kaka, and go Kiwis.

Hello, I (Hamish) will answer question #1 and leave the rest to my colleagues.

I think what has driven our growth is a nice synthesis between the product, the business dev work (i.e. convincing writers to give it a shot), and the business model.

The model may be the underestimated part. It's compelling for many writers, partly because of its simplicity and transparency: you own the relationship with your audience, you publish stuff that gets sent to them, and then if you're doing good work some portion of that audience will choose to pay you to keep going. That's a good deal for writers, since:

a) It lets them do the work they believe is most important b) No one can mess with their audience c) There's a clear path to making money, which is the major thing absent from most other options for writing on the internet (or, increasingly, anywhere else).

These things make Substack a relatively easy "sell".

Of course, some writers are better poised to succeed with this model than others, so we have put in a sustained effort to identify those writers and let them know about their opportunity on Substack. In a small number of cases, that has meant we've offered a financial package to derisk the move for them (you can think of it as like startup funding to get them going; many don't have much financial buffer and may be reluctant to leave jobs even if they are unhappy in those jobs). But the vast majority of writers doing well on Substack have come to the platform of their own accord, without any kind of deal.

Yes. VP of Partnerships, VP of Communications, Head of Talent are all women at the top table.

That is very kind of you. Thank you.

Thanks. We agree that there is definitely a promising market in those fields, too.

Clear and honest messaging to your readers about why you're doing this and what the benefits will be for them. Also: let's talk? You can email us at hello at substack dot com