What I'm Learning in Creator School [Part 1]

The inevitable has happened: I’ve gone back to school.

Shockingly it’s not for an MFA… or an MBA. (Nor for any of the many, many programs I’ve debated applying to over the past few years.)

If you know me you know I love school and love learning. But I’ve been stuck for the past few years because there wasn’t really a program that I felt would move me up in my career specifically where I’m at now at this intersection of creator and business owner.

Many of the MBA programs in particular seem to be designed for the old paths in business: start a company, go into private equity, or take the leadership route in a Fortune 500 company.

I found Level Up Creator School, and it teaches business owners how to become a creator, build their business online, and increase their recurring revenue. I think this is so awesome because I get to learn more about business fundamentals from the lens of the ideal business I want to have.

I joined LUCS back in January and spent most of Q1 just soaking things in: watching the lessons, taking notes, and quietly observing how others were building. Now that April has arrived, it’s implementation time.

So I’m kicking off a new series here in Creator Diaries:

🧠 What I’m Learning in Creator School — a weekly reflection on one key lesson that’s reshaping how I work, what I build, and how I think about being a creator-founder.

[Part 1] Funnels are the foundation of a sustainable business.

This week’s big idea:

If you want to turn a side project, hobby, or freelance gig into a real business, you need a funnel.

More specifically: you need a system that turns strangers into subscribers, subscribers into customers, and customers into superfans — over time.

I’ve written for HubSpot and beehiiv. I’ve studied the funnels that power startups, tech companies, and newsletter-first businesses. And here’s what I’ve learned:

One lesson that really stuck with me from a recent Creator School workshop was this:

You need a system. A plan. A strategy that intentionally moves people through your funnel — not just brings them in at the top.

This was a big “ah-ha” moment for me. Because I’m pretty good at top-of-funnel content — writing what’s on my mind, sharing insights as they come up — but it’s sporadic and aimless at best.

I’ve realized that if my content stops there, it’s like filling a bucket full of holes. No matter how much attention I earn, there’s no system to guide people toward something deeper.

As Katie said on a recent call, we create systems to serve the business we actually want to build. And that’s been a big mindset shift for me — systems, when done right, are empowering.

I’m also doing a lot of work around refining my target audience, getting clearer on the specific person I’m trying to help, and making sure my content speaks directly to them — not just to the algorithm (which is hard!!).

I shared more of these lessons in this week’s essay on creator funnels — especially how I’m mapping out my own (flawed but improving) system. I really love people who are building in public and just sharing transparently what they're working on and learning and focusing on so I hope to do some of that here.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by business jargon or unsure how to apply SaaS-style thinking to your very human, creative business — you’ll want to read this.

 I share:

• What a creator funnel really is (and how it’s different)

• Why email is still the most powerful tool you have

• How I’m building two different funnels (and where mine still breaks down)

• What the “bowtie funnel” looks like in a creator economy context

➡️ Read the full essay on Creator Funnels

🔗 Other Things You Might Like

📌 The Builder Mentality — My favorite essay from March, on what it means to think like a founder.

📌 Good Things Come to Those Who Write — An evergreen reminder from Nathan, founder of Kit, on the value of writing, grabbing attention, and sharing your expertise with others.

🎧 What I’m Listening to This Week

Greg Isenberg’s conversation with Tyler Denk, CEO and co-founder of beehiiv.

It’s one of the clearest breakdowns I’ve heard on how to start and grow a newsletter business, and why simplicity wins in a complex space.

Let me know what you think — and what you’re working on this quarter.

I’ll be back next week with Part 2 of this Creator School series!

P.S. if you’re looking to learn more about Level Up Creator School, I wanted to share more about it!

It’s a cohort-based program run by Amanda Northcutt and the Level Up Team, an expert group of consultants and strategists who help creators build sustainable, revenue-generating businesses.

Some reasons why I like it:

• It’s focused on long-term systems — not just viral content or quick hacks.

• It feels jam-packed with value and includes weekly live calls, content strategy deep dives, async feedback, and an active private community.

• The program is designed specifically for creators who want to treat their work like a business — whether you’re a freelancer, educator, service provider, or digital product builder.

If you’re in the early or middle stages of building something and want structure, clarity, and community — it might be a great fit.

Here’s my affiliate link if you want to check it out. I only recommend it because I’ve found it genuinely helpful, and I’ll be sharing more of what I’m learning from inside the cohort every week.