Paywalls removed, paid subscriptions off
My maximalist post-mortem for my first year on Substack
When I started on Substack 14 months ago, I did it for myself. I wanted a little more routine, discipline, structure, and community. In that regard, I’m satisfied. But after a year of grinding out content, the data is in, and it’s time to be direct, honest, and entirely without cushioning. What I did not set out to do was create a commercial engine or a heavy obligation.
The reality is that for me, the subscriber model under Substack’s current framework really does not work in practice for my voice, my style, and my goals. It doesn’t improve the quality of my output, it doesn’t deepen my connection with you, and it certainly hasn’t created a sustainable economic engine. So I made the decision, as of today, 1 June 2026, that everything in the BE4SI archives will be free and open. Just as it was when I first started in Spring 2025.
In an effort to assist current and emerging Substackers, I’m offering my own assessment as a narative below. Consider this my take on the highs, the lows, and the hard lessons learned from my “walled garden.”
The Highs: Authority, Trust, and the “Mailed” Tier
Let’s start with what worked. I successfully transitioned from a static starting point to a publication with 853 followers. My engagement metrics are, quite frankly, exceptional.
Exceptional Open Rates: My subscribers are highly attentive. Open rates frequently exceed 40%, with deep dives like the “CEE Regional Roundup” and “EU Budget 2028-2034” hitting between 56.6% and 66.19%. In the world of newsletters, this indicates a level of professional trust and authority that far exceeds my subscriber count.
Reaching the Elite: I’ve managed to reach the “CEE NGO Elite” and US-based social impact professionals. My top-performing post, “Women in the NGO Sector,” pulled in 625 views.
Substack Synergy: The internal ecosystem works. 61% of my subscribers came from within Substack—through the App, Notes, and Recommendations. The Substack App alone accounted for 37% of my signups.
The Lows: The Hard Math of a Niche Publication
If the highs are about engagement, the lows are about the brutal reality of conversion and visibility.
The Conversion Failure: Despite producing a staggering 1,300+ pages of finished product in 2025 alone, I secured exactly two paid subscribers. This represents a conversion rate of 0.4%. My audience values my expertise as a public utility or a professional reference, but they do not value the “exclusivity” of a paywall enough to pay for it.
The “Follower Gap”: There is a stark difference between a follower and a reader. I have 853 followers, but only 472 email subscribers. Those 381 “lurkers” are watching my name in the app but have explicitly declined to let me into their inbox. They are a sign of unconverted visibility, not reach.
The Geographic Paradox: I write specifically about the Visegrád Four (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia), yet my audience is overwhelmingly American. I have 174 signups in the US, outnumbering my combined CEE audience (CZ, PL, SK, HU) by more than 2.5 to 1. I am essentially an outward-facing analyst explaining the CEE region to the West.
The Practical Realities: The “Ghost” in the Web
The most honest assessment of my digital footprint is that I have almost no presence on the open internet.
The Search Failure: All search engines combined—Google, Bing, Yahoo—drove exactly 163 views over the entire year. That is roughly 0.6% of my traffic.
The LinkedIn Disconnect: Despite my 23 years of presence on LinkedIn, the platform drove only 161 views and 8 signups. Whether it’s LinkedIn’s link suppression or simple audience inertia, my external “brand” did not translate into Substack growth.
The Binary Engagement Trap: If I don’t “mail” a post, it doesn’t exist. My mailed updates hit 300–600 views, but my unmailed series often struggled to break 20 views.
Lessons for the Niche Creator
If you are a specialized creator on Substack, here is what my first year should teach you:
Vanity Metrics are Dangerous: Don’t confuse followers with intent. Your email list is your only real audience.
Substack is a Walled Garden: If you aren’t getting traffic from search or social, you are entirely dependent on Substack’s internal “pipes”. If those pipes clog, your publication disappears.
The Subscription Model is Friction: For professional resources, the subscription model can be a barrier. People will open your emails every week (the “Highs”) but still refuse to pay for a subscription (the “Lows”).
Delivery is Everything: Treat Substack like a static blog at your own peril. If you don’t send it to the inbox, your audience won’t find it.
So What Happens Now?
Everything in the BE4SI archives is free and open as of today. I am no longer playing into the Substack definition of a “subscriber.” It doesn’t feel genuine, and it doesn’t feel sustainable. Removing the financial obligation eliminates a large portion of the awkward, sketchy, and uncomfortable interactions I’ve encountered professionally.
I will only accept “micro-tips” on Ko-fi and on Buy Me a Coffee. There will be absolutely no pressure to tip. It is a simple way to accept support for the energy I put into this craft without the friction of a formal subscription.
Knowing my work reaches a wider audience that finds value brings me greater satisfaction than keeping score with a failed commercial engine.
Thank you to all my supporters and readers. Here’s to more good things and stuff together with you ahead…
