Hey hello there, Karen here!
I’m an Aussie business owner and I help creators do better on Substack.
I’ve been publishing on Substack since 2021, when I started my other publication, which is not about Substack. It now makes more than $29K per year in subscription revenue alone.
Pubstack Success is where I share all the things I learned on the way to achieving bestseller status. (Job done!)
When I started on Substack, I was stumbling around in the weeds. It was easy to start a newsletter but hard (so hard) to figure out how to grow and monetize.
I knew Substack had potential – if only there was some proven way to unlock it!
At the time, there was nowhere to ‘learn’ Substack. No books, no ‘How to Substack’ publications, and no support bot to hold my hand - I soon realised I would have to figure it out for myself.
I started to forensically examine what other creators were doing to make money with Substack and began to collect and sort through the countless strategies and systems they were using.
Meanwhile, I was writing: one newsletter per week for an audience that didn’t even exist on day one.
Four years later, my first newsletter publication is going from strength to strength. I’ve written 232 regular weekly issues, 600+ posts in total and made $105K+. Gotta tell you, it feels amazing!
But honestly, it’s not a lot. There are tens of thousands of Substack creators making way more money than me, and hundreds of thousands with more subscribers. Thing is, most of those creators aren’t sharing their secrets. The ones that do are mostly making their money by writing about writing on Substack.
My paid publication isn’t about Substack. And my paying subscribers don’t care about Substack – they probably don’t even know what it is.
I’m living proof that you can make money with Substack writing about topics that have nothing to do with writing online or the creator economy.
So, here I am, writing Pubstack Success for you, because I want you to succeed here too.
Pubstack Success is your resource library (no paywalls)
When I started, there was nothing online about how to succeed on Substack. And now there is. I’m super proud to be a part of that.
Pubstack Success has grown into a huge library of knowledge-based articles, how-tos, guides and case studies. I wrote each and every post with the intention of keeping it free forever, because I truly believe in the Substack model that gives us a safe space to publish our work without paying anything unless we activate paid subscriptions.
Substack’s founders have been so generous with their business model, knowing many creators will never collect subscription fees, and letting us all play for free in this beautiful sandbox anyway.
I’m thrilled to be part of that generosity of spirit.
So while Pubstack Success is now a paid publication, there are no paywalls on my weekly posts. Substack lets new creators play for free and I want to support that ethos. So you can play for free too, and enjoy the process with no pressure.
For those of you who choose to pay, thank you for appreciating what I do, it means the world to me.
What People are Saying
Karen! Thank you SO much for the recommendation (which has brought in MANY new subscribers -- you are a trusted voice, clearly, for sure!) and for the Restacks! You know I have been following your advice step by step and it’s golden. I’m really grateful for your support and for the expertise you continue to share so generously with your readers. Thank you, again! Rebecca Lindell
Best Posts of Pubstack Success
Where you can find me
I live in Sydney, Australia and spend a lot of time outdoors. I’m often immersed in salty water and frequently spotted secretly hugging random trees.
Online you’ll find me on Substack Notes and Medium.
In 2024, I appeared in the No to Normal podcast , talking about how to monetize a community with Substack (Episode 35) and in 2025 I appeared in Newsletter Circle where I shared how I grew my paid publication from zero to $21K.
My AI-policy
Want to know how I use AI with this publication (spoiler alert: not for writing)? Check out my AI Policy
Paid Subscriptions for Substack Success
There are no paywalls in my weekly posts. Sign up for free and get access to every tutorial and deep dive without ever hitting a paywall.
Why no paywalls? Because Substack is so generous with it’s zero-cost-to-start model. I used to operate this publication without paid subscriptions, using it to share my best tips and sell my book. It didn’t cost me anything. I want to be as generous with you as Substack has been with me.
Free subscribers get focused, authentic advice about Substack by someone who’s been where you are now and whose mission is to help you grow and thrive.
Paid subscribers get
Instant access to my exclusive Substack Starter Kit with a guidebook, templates, checklist and cheatsheet + 2 bonus downloadables (value $49)
A set of 8 essential Canva templates to get a polished, professional publication from day one (value $39)
The chance to show your appreciation for the most helpful, authentic advice about Substack you’ll find, by someone who genuinely cares about your Substack journey
⚡👉 For A Limited Time: Annual Subscriptions Are Just $30! ⚡👈
Founding members
Upgrade to a founding member and get a complete Substack Set-up (website design, logos, banner, welcome page, About page, description, bio, CTAs + your first 5 posts) - value US$1290
Before you go… I wrote a book for you!
If you love my work but don’t have time to wade through all my posts and tutorials, you need my book. It’s sharp, focused and packed with clear, actionable advice about how to get your Substack publication growing and monetized successfully in weeks, not months.
Got questions? Need help? Send me a DM and let’s talk. Cheers!
