Do you want to make 2026 the year your Substack takes off?
Then Dereks upcoming cohort is the perfect next step for you! Over 6 live sessions he’ll break down the steps he’s taken to not only grow his writing business, but to turn it into a money machine!
He’ll walk you through how to write articles that grow subscribers, post notes that get noticed and turn your publication into a subscriber magnet. All with live coaching and plug and play templates so you’re not starting from a blank screen!
If this conversation lit a fire and you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, it starts Monday! (12th). Click below for more details.
You may think that building a writing business means being naturally gifted, starting early, or somehow outsmarting the algorithm.
Derek Hughes is proof that belief is a myth!
In this episode, Derek shares how he started writing online with no audience, no background as a writer, and no real plan beyond getting his thoughts out of his head.
Three years later, that experiment has grown into a successful writing business that’s allowed him to step back from full-time work.
He tells us about the early months of writing to almost no one, the moment he nearly quit, the shock of losing income overnight when platforms changed, and why building and owning an email list became the foundation of everything that followed.
This episode is about backing yourself before there’s evidence, staying in the game when nothing seems to be working, and trusting that consistent effort compounds in ways you can’t see at the start.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your ideas, your experience, or your voice are enough, this conversation will leave you feeling fired up to get started (or keep going) and far more confident about what’s possible.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why most writers quit right before things start working
How focusing on inputs (not likes or views) changed everything for Derek
What actually made his writing “irresistible” — and it’s not talent
The reality of platform risk (Medium, Google, Substack) and how to protect yourself
Why your email list is your greatest business asset
How Derek made his first £1,700 from a simple digital product with just 500 subscribers
Why cohorts and live teaching are becoming more powerful than static courses
Why experience, age, and lived perspective are advantages, not obstacles
Key Takeaway
“If you focus on the inputs you can control and stay consistent long enough, something is going to happen.” - Derek Hughes
Time-Stamped Guide
00:00 – Welcome + meeting Derek
01:22 – Starting from zero and feeling invisible
03:38 – Posting into the void and nearly quitting
06:35 – Testing topics and finding what resonates
08:35 – The seven-month danger zone most people never survive
11:44 – Shifting from outcomes to inputs
14:10 – Why perfection doesn’t equal performance
19:50 – Medium success, then the algorithm crash
22:58 – Why Substack became the focus
26:55 – Building (and owning) an email list
33:20 – Derek’s first digital product and early income
35:12 – Simple products vs live cohorts
39:23 – Inside the Substack Growth cohort
43:00 – Reducing his day job and redesigning work
46:00 – Why age and experience are a superpower
Resources Mentioned
Email marketing platform Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Writing influences: Nicolas Cole, Tim Denning
Join the Conversation
Are you putting the work and feeling like you’re posting to the void? What needs to happen for you to keep going and push through??
If you’re building a writing business (or any business or side hustle for that matter), this episode is a powerful reminder that tenacity and consistency are the name of the game!
Harness your self belief, stay consistent and prepare yourself to stay in the game longer than you feel comfortable. Keep swinging my friend, eventually something will land!
Share your biggest takeaway or question from this conversation and whether it’s given you what you need to keep showing up, trust the process, and build something that lasts, and be sure to sign up to Derek’s cohort program starting on Monday 12th.
Make 2026 the year you do!
