Bye Bye Marketing Gurus

What if breaking free from rigid marketing frameworks and showing up as yourself could foster true connection and help your business thrive?

There's a question that’s been quietly lingering in my mind, a gentle whisper asking:

Can I market my work in a way that feels kind, aligned, and true? Can I attract clients by being more of myself, not less?

The question likely stems from my two-year journey on LinkedIn, where I invested deeply, learning how to write “for LinkedIn,” to network, to promote my services. I followed the playbook, as best as I could.

But the result? Two years of effort had no measurable impact on my business. Worse still, it drained my soul.

I found myself pretending. Putting on a mask that wasn’t me. And even worse, people I thought I was genuinely connecting with often seemed to see me as just another potential lead. What I wanted, meaningful connections, seemed very far away.

Perhaps this is because so much of mainstream marketing is based on ‘the other’.

We’re taught that finding our voice means focusing on our audience — our ideal client, our niche. Perhaps that's why everyone ends up sounding exactly the same … speaking to the same desires, the same pain points, sometimes even the exact same process.

If we’re always forcing ourselves into someone else’s story, we lose our own. Which is why I’ve stopped focusing on what I’m “supposed to do” and started asking myself how I truly want to show up.

A New Path Forward

So I’m taking a different path.

I’ve left LinkedIn for now and shifted my focus to Substack — not with a "marketing" plan, but with one simple intention: to show up as myself.

Here, I can draw on 20+ years of experience as a web designer and branding consultant — not as marketing fodder or lead generation tactics — but to share insights, lessons, and lived experiences that might genuinely help others. Not to "sell," but to create value that feels true to who I am.

In short, I’m exploring whether showing up authentically can organically create the connections I seek.

Here’s what truly matters to me:

• Helping others with what I’ve learned.

• Fostering real and meaningful engagement.

• Exploring new ways to run a business that feel energizing, not depleting.

Walking away from all the “shoulds” is my act of reclaiming what feels true.

And What If It Works?

I know pulling back feels counterintuitive, but maybe there’s something powerful about stepping away.

Perhaps authentic storytelling, value-driven creation, and meaningful engagement don’t only support personal fulfillment — they might also organically sustain a business.

This is the question I’m exploring and why I see it as a journey worth trying.

Have you felt the need to re-evaluate how you show up online?
Maybe now is the time to start listening.

LinkedIn vs. Substack: Choosing an Aligned Path

As I reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m heading, I realized that my shift from LinkedIn to Substack isn’t just about platforms — it’s about intention.

And while it may sound like I'm bashing LinkedIn, that's honestly not the case. I enjoyed learning to write in a completely different way and made some wonderful connections. It just isn't the platform for me right now.

Because the two platforms are very different. One is fast-paced, rooted in visibility and surface-level interactions, while the other is slower, deeper, and more intentional. If you're trying to decide where to focus your energy, considering what each platform offers — and asks — can make all the difference.

What LinkedIn Brings to the Table:

LinkedIn is great for professional networking and immediate visibility. It rewards consistency and quick, insightful contributions. You show up, post, comment, and connect — and if you do it well (and often), your audience might expand. For some, that’s the perfect setup. But for me, it felt rigid, demanding a version of myself that I didn’t recognize.

LinkedIn may be good for professional discovery and exposure, but it also feels transactional — like every post, every comment, every interaction should drive leads or build “authority.” And while some thrive in that environment, I found myself drained.

Substack’s Difference:

Substack, on the other hand, feels spacious. Rather than racing to produce content before the algorithm buries it, Substack invites me to pause, reflect, and create something meaningful. It’s a platform that rewards depth over speed, connection over attention.

What I love most about Substack is how it lets me focus on writing — really writing — without worrying about gaming a system. It’s a place where I can be myself, sharing experiences and insights with people who genuinely want to listen. And because my audience subscribes intentionally, each connection feels rooted in mutual value, not obligation.

Substack also gives me the freedom to experiment. Whether it’s sharing lessons from 20+ years as a web designer or simply reflecting on the challenges of showing up authentically online, I feel like I can step out as a human first — not a brand, not a strategy, not a pitch.

Questions to Guide Your Decision:

If you’re considering these platforms, here are a few things to ask yourself:

• Do I want to go wide or go deep? LinkedIn’s strength lies in reach, while Substack is about cultivating intimacy.

• How do I want to show up? Are you energized by short-form interaction and frequent updates, or are you drawn to thoughtful, slower-paced content creation?

• Who do I want to connect with? LinkedIn connects you with professionals in a broad, often transactional network. Substack invites engagement with a niche, loyal audience who values your voice.

In the end, it’s not about choosing the “better” platform but the one that feels most aligned with your goals, energy, and values. For me, that choice was Substack. But that doesn’t mean the door is closed to LinkedIn forever. Who knows — I might return in the future, repurposing the kind of thoughtful content I’m creating here. For now, though, Substack is where I feel at home.

What about you? Obviously, if you’re reading this, you’re on Substack 😊 but perhaps you’re also on (or have been) on LinkedIn. If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the two platforms.

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

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Who am I?

I’m Yael, a web designer, branding consultant, and content creator with 20+ years of experience helping service-based professionals craft authentic, values-driven websites that attract their dream clients. Through intentional design, I create online spaces that feel human-centered and aligned with your purpose.

Learn more about my work at Pixel Happy Studio.