How I Came Undone and Found My Next Idea
What happens when you let a breakdown become a breakthrough.
It's okay to break.
I did recently. In a doctor's office, in front of my mother, a doctor, and a nurse, I came completely undone. Years of nurturing, loss, and the weight of the world just cracked me wide open.
And like Humpty Dumpty, I knew that all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put me back together again. At least, not the way I was before.
For a while, I had no energy or vision for work or even life. I wondered if it was time to just quit, retire, and give up on the business I'd poured my soul into for two decades.
But in the quiet space that follows the breaking, something new began to stir. I realized that being put back together differently is the point. It’s where our truest voice emerges.
And in that stillness, an idea sparked that has me excited in a way I haven't been in a long time.
The Idea, and the Wall I Hit
The idea was a 30-day website copy challenge. It wouldn't be a typical framework-driven course, but a deep, supportive journey to uncover your unique voice and write copy that feels like a true expression of who you are — especially the parts that have been broken and beautifully remade.
I loved the idea. And yet, it felt big. Overwhelming. Where would I even begin? Was this really a good idea, or just a fleeting post-breakdown fantasy? So I decided to ask Gemini 2.5 Pro to brainstorm with me.
Clarity Through Conversation
In the spirit of "birthing in public," I've decided to share the entire creation process here on Substack, beginning with the candid back-and-forth from my first two exchanges with AI.
And since I wanted feedback grounded in my actual philosophy, not generic advice, I made sure it had access to my core materials — my Substack articles and my agency's Pixel Pathways page. It's a bit long, but I hope you see exactly how a thoughtful prompt can lead to incredible clarity.
Prompt #1: I would like to do some brainstorming with you about a possible new offer. Please review the items in the project’s knowledge base and then, as a skilled marketer and business consultant, provide feedback on an idea I’m considering.
The idea: Create a 30 day challenge (course) that would guide and support people in writing all their website copy.
Reply: This is an excellent idea, and it aligns perfectly with your brand and philosophy. Based on my review of your work, here's a breakdown of why this 30-day challenge is a powerful next step for your business, along with some recommendations to make it a success.
Why This is a Winning Idea
Directly Addresses a Core Need: As you've highlighted in your articles, the foundation of a great website is a clear, authentic message. Your "soulful homepage framework" is a testament to this belief. Many people in your target audience of holistic practitioners and service-based professionals struggle with writing copy that is both authentic and effective. This challenge would provide them with a much-needed solution.
A Natural Extension of Your Brand: Your philosophy of "birthing in public" and focusing on authenticity over algorithms is the perfect foundation for this course. You're not just teaching them to write; you're guiding them to uncover their own voice and message, which is a theme that runs through all of your work. This is a natural, value-driven extension of the work you're already doing with your one-on-one clients.
Creates a New Entry Point to Your Services: This challenge can serve as an accessible entry point for clients who may not be ready for a full website design project but are in desperate need of your guidance. After completing the challenge, they will have a much clearer vision for their website, making them ideal clients for your "Tiny Sites" or custom design packages.
Recommendations for Your 30-Day Challenge
Embrace Your Unique Philosophy:
"The Un-Marketing Challenge": Frame it as an alternative to the "marketing guru" approach. This will resonate with your audience who, as you've noted, are tired of the "hustle culture" and are looking for a more aligned way to build their business.
Focus on the "Why": Start the challenge by guiding participants through a process of discovering their "why," just as you do with your one-on-one clients. This will set the stage for copy that is deeply personal and resonant.
Structure the Challenge Around Your Existing Frameworks:
The Soulful Homepage Framework: You've already outlined a powerful framework in your article, "Create a Homepage That Feels Like Home." You can structure the 30 days around these five key pillars.
The Hero's Journey: You mention using the "hero's journey" in your brand strategy process. This could be a powerful and engaging framework to weave throughout the challenge.
"Birth" the Challenge in Public:
Take your own advice and "birth" this challenge in public. Share the journey of creating the course with your Substack audience. This will not only create buzz for the launch but will also be a living example of your philosophy in action.
Foster a Community:
Create a dedicated space for participants to share their work, ask questions, and support each other. This will create the sense of connection that is so central to your brand and will make the experience even more valuable for your students.
This 30-day challenge is a fantastic opportunity to scale your impact, grow your business, and further establish yourself as a thought leader in the world of authentic, values-driven branding. It's a natural and exciting next step, and I'm confident it will be a huge success.
The Power of a Mirror
Wow! I think you can see why just one prompt and response got me so dang excited. My "was this a good idea" anxiety melted away and was replaced by a surge of energy. Not only did I have my idea validated as a natural and valuable extension of my current services, I also had recommendations based on my own philosophy and existing resources.
And it wasn’t just the validation; it was how it validated it.
It mirrored my own philosophy back to me, referencing my concepts like the "soulful homepage framework" and the importance of "birthing in public." It showed me how this new idea wasn't a departure but a natural and valuable extension of the work I'm already doing.
That single response crystallized the vision and gave me the confidence to move forward.
Now I had a much better problem: logistics.
Prompt #2: Thank you for your great and encouraging feedback. One additional question before I dive too deep into fleshing this out. What are your thoughts on using Substack for this challenge? I could also do it “in-house on my website” but Substack might be more effective if I can build this well there.
Reply: Of course. Here are my thoughts on using Substack vs. your own website for this challenge.
The Case for Substack: Leaning into Your Strengths
Based on your recent articles, it's clear that you're leaning into a more authentic, "human-centered" approach to your business. You're moving away from the "marketing guru" mindset and embracing a more personal, value-driven way of connecting with your audience. With that in mind, here's why Substack could be the perfect platform for this challenge:
Deepen Your Substack Investment: You're already committed to Substack as your primary platform for authentic engagement. Hosting your challenge here would be a powerful way to double down on that investment and signal to your audience that this is where your most valuable content lives.
A Seamless Experience for Your Audience: Your ideal audience is already on Substack, and they're accustomed to the platform's clean, distraction-free reading experience. Hosting the challenge here would create a seamless and intuitive experience for them.
"Birthing in Public" in Action: What better way to embody your "birthing in public" philosophy than to create and host your challenge on the very platform where you're documenting this new approach? It's a meta-narrative that will resonate deeply with your audience.
Built-in Community Features: Substack's discussion threads and community features would provide a natural home for the challenge's community aspect. You wouldn't need to cobble together a separate solution, making it easier for you and your participants to engage.
The Case for Your Website: The "Owned" Approach
As you so wisely pointed out in your article, "3 Essentials for Building an Intentional Service-Based Business", there's immense value in building on a foundation that you own. Here's a look at the benefits of hosting the challenge on your own website.
Complete Control: You would have complete control over the branding, user experience, and functionality of the challenge. You could tailor every aspect of the experience to your exact specifications.
A Direct Path to Your Other Offerings: By hosting the challenge on your website, you would create a direct and seamless path for participants to explore your other offerings, like your "Tiny Sites" and custom design packages.
Long-Term Asset: The challenge would become a long-term asset on your website, continuing to attract and engage potential clients long after the initial 30-day period.
My Recommendation: A Hybrid Approach
Given that your Substack audience is still in its early stages, here's a hybrid approach that could give you the best of both worlds:
Use Substack as Your Primary "Sales" and "Community" Hub: Announce and promote the challenge exclusively to your Substack audience and use its discussion threads as the primary community hub.
Host the Core Content on Your Website: Create a private, password-protected section of your website to host the daily prompts, videos, and other course materials.
This approach will allow you to nurture your growing Substack community while also building a valuable, long-term asset on your own platform. It's a win-win that aligns perfectly with your brand and philosophy.
From Indecision to Action
Another "wow" moment. I could have agonized over this for weeks, sketching out pros and cons, and likely getting stuck in indecision. Instead, in a matter of minutes, I had a clear, strategic direction that felt completely aligned.
What struck me most here was the pairing of two seemingly contradictory ideas: the community-building power of Substack and the long-term asset of an "owned" website.
The proposed hybrid approach wasn't a compromise; it was a synthesis. It offered a path forward that didn't require me to sacrifice one value for another.
This is what is so energizing about AI. Instead of being lost in my own thoughts for days, perhaps weeks, I could see the whole picture and make a confident decision. I was no longer just thinking about an idea; I was mapping out a project.
My Takeaway: AI as a Midwife, Not a Ghostwriter
The true power of AI, I'm realizing, is not asking it to write for you, which creates a soulless online presence. Instead, it's about feeding it your own authentic work and then asking it to act as a mirror, a strategist, a digital midwife.
It can't birth your idea for you, but it can be an incredible, supportive partner in the delivery process.
In just two days, I went from a fragile, post-breakdown spark to a clear and exciting plan. Looking back, my only regret is not starting a fresh project for this inside Gemini Pro. I was so unsure of the idea that I just jumped into an existing project.
Oh well, that’s a good example of the messy but beautiful process of 'birthing in public'!
Thank you for reading.
Love and warmth,
Yael
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.
You've provided a brilliant idea, and clearly outlined the role of AI technology. I love it.
Interesting article, Yael. I also know AI’s support, emotional, practical, helping to shape a vision. It can be so beneficial if used in a clever way.