Here is What Labored and What Did not

Expensive subscribers,

As we speak, I wish to share some private classes about my creator journey.

This yr I exceeded my creator objectives by 2x, but it surely wasn’t all wins.

So let’s discuss what labored, what didn’t, and what’s subsequent:

1. How I exploit AI for creator work

2. The e-newsletter posts that resonated probably the most

3. Rising from 5K to 40K YouTube subscribers

4. Staying true on sponsorships and neighborhood

5. Reflections on being a PM and a creator

I principally have AI open always to:

1. Publication: Voice dictate first drafts, edit e-newsletter posts, and make infographics.

2. Podcast: Analysis visitors, flip uncooked transcripts into present notes, generate YouTube thumbnail copy, and write social posts.

I exploit only a small handful of AI instruments to do all this:

1. For AI fashions, Claude is my every day driver for getting work finished and Gemini is nice for infographics and illustrations. I am canceling my paid ChatGPT subscription (for now) because it would not stand out for me in any space.

2. For different AI instruments, I exploit Wispr Circulate and Superwhisper for voice dictation, Granola for conferences, Notion for templates, Google AI Studio for prototyping, and Replit, Cursor, and Claude Code for constructing web sites and apps.

In 2026, I wish to give my paid subscribers (improve right here) extra worth with:

1. Free entry to my favourite AI instruments along with the present 3 months free profit for Wispr Circulate and Granola.

2. A devoted app for paid subs with my private AI workflows for PRDs, prototyping, and extra.

There are so much of newsletters that share every day AI information and trade evaluation. However I believe what busy individuals really need are simply:

1. Sensible AI tutorials that stroll step-by-step by way of constructing infographics, web sites, apps, and AI merchandise.

2. Private takes on what’ll occur to product administration, what’s actual vs. AI hype, and methods to future proof your tech profession.

In 2026, I plan to jot down extra about these subjects. Listed here are some upcoming posts:

1. Tutorial: Prototype-first product growth with Google AI Studio

2. Private take: What I actually imagine in to construct nice merchandise (shall be 🌶️)

I additionally wish to showcase different AI builders. When you’ve got a sensible AI workflow that you just’d like to jot down a visitor put up for, reply and let me know!

YouTube has been a tough channel to develop, however I’m nonetheless pleased with hitting 40K subscribers. Listed here are my hottest movies:

My greatest studying from publishing 40+ episodes:

One kind of content material that I want carried out higher is leaders sharing classes on constructing AI merchandise. I believe my interviews with Ami Vora (now Head of Product for Anthropic), Josh Woodward (Gemini), and Chris Pedregal (Granola) are nonetheless criminally underwatched.

I plan to maintain doing these interviews even when the views are decrease. If I preserve interviewing individuals who I genuinely wish to be taught from, I believe the remaining will comply with.

In 2026, I’ll publish extra movies that includes sensible AI tutorials from visitors and myself. Listed here are some upcoming episodes:

1. Google AI Studio deep dive with Logan Kilpatrick (Gemini product lead)

2. Prototyping and design deep dive with Dylan Subject (Figma CEO)

My objective is to hit 100K subs in 2026 so subscribe to my YouTube if you wish to help me 🙂

Sponsorships make up nearly all of my creator earnings and I’ve discovered how necessary is to have a top quality bar. It feels dangerous to advertise a product to my viewers that I don’t personally use and love.

In 2026, I wish to pursue long-term sponsorships from a quick listing of firms and merchandise that I genuinely love.

At work, speaking to my buyer neighborhood has been crucial to constructing good merchandise. However I haven’t been nice at constructing a neighborhood round my creator work.

This yr, I’m pleased with constructing two:

1. A WhatsApp group with product leaders and creators like Hilary, Nickey, Ben, Sachin, Tal, Chantal, Marc, and Adam. With the ability to shoot the shit with them has been wonderful.

2. My AI product neighborhood with Colin Matthews. We now have 700+ builders in there sharing AI workflows and product classes. Subscribe to get entry.

In 2026, I wish to take my AI product neighborhood to the subsequent stage with extra sensible ideas, humorous memes, and actual speak.

For neighborhood, dimension issues far lower than how many individuals truly interact. An excellent neighborhood ought to really feel like a energetic DM thread, in order that’s what I’ll intention for.

Okay this subsequent part is kind of private, so I’m going to share it with my paid subscribers solely. 🙂

Right here’s some actual speak about balancing each roles: