Substack Sucks Less Than Others (That’s Why I’m There Now)
Why LinkedIn, Medium, and Twitter Fall Short for Creators
Why Substack Works for Newsletter Creators
No Ads, No Noise, No Memes, No Clickbait — Just Content That Matters. (Exactly what a gig worker wants in the age of AI.)
After seventeen years of using platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Medium, Facebook, and Mailerlite to share my ideas, I've decided to shift my focus to Substack. Not because I needed yet another shiny new tool, but because it solves a growing set of problems for both creators and readers/viewers. To put it bluntly, Substack doesn't suck as much as the others.
Let me explain.
Why LinkedIn, Medium, and Twitter Fall Short for Creators
Social media has always been a gamble. One day your post is reaching thousands; the next day, it's filtered out by algorithmic tweaking. Medium decides what gets promoted based on reader claps. Twitter/X blocks outside links or throttles visibility. LinkedIn? Good luck getting any serious insight picked up amidst all the marketing noise (yes, my team and I contribute to that too).
And all those trolls, my God, the trolls—those who make it their mission to turn every discussion into a shouting match.
Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy. I remember when Twitter was fun and LinkedIn was inspiring. Nowadays, these platforms are mostly loud, unfriendly, and unpredictable. As creators, we post our insights into the void, hoping something resonates while dodging the eggs and rotten tomatoes. As readers, we scroll through endless memes and promos to maybe find something worthwhile.
Even worse: when creators move to another platform, they can't bring their followers with them. It's platform lock-in by design. Everyone starts from scratch, with metrics showing only zeros. Do I really have to start all over on Bluesky when moving away from X/Twitter? There comes a time when I don't care anymore.
Why Substack Works for Newsletter Creators
Substack is like your eccentric aunt Jenny. It does its best to be contrarian—a bit like me, perhaps. In everything, it behaves exactly opposite to the rest of the social media family.
On Substack, instead of broadcasting to the masses and praying for attention, creators send their ideas straight to people's inboxes, where no algorithm filters them out. There are no ads, no cat memes, no marketing promos, and no AI-generated click-bait slop. (Of course, you can find it if you want to, but that's totally up to you.) There's just direct communication between creator and subscriber—the way newsletters should work.
Substack offers a calmer, more focused ecosystem where:
You choose your own reading/viewing experience
You support creators directly (but only if you want to)
You become part of a tighter, more engaged community
For anyone tired of doomscrolling and algorithmic roulette, this is truly refreshing. I haven't had to block any trolls yet, and I can offer all my writing for free, without ads getting in the way. Best of all, if I ever get tired of Substack, when it turns into yet another cesspit of polarization, I can just download all email addresses and take my subscribers elsewhere. That's a real show of confidence and empowerment!
(It's also how I got to 17K subscribers—I moved my entire Mailerlite list over to Substack. Goodbye Mailerlite. I won't miss your bug-ridden editor.)
I’m a seasoned founder, intrapreneur, and former CIO who builds maps and models for Solo Chiefs navigating sole accountability in the age of AI—informed by plenty of scar tissue. All posts are free, always. Paying supporters keep it that way (and get a full-color PDF of Human Robot Agent plus other monthly extras as a thank-you)—for just one café latte per month. Subscribe or upgrade.
What Substack Offers That Other Platforms Don't
Good question. If you already follow me on any social platform, here's what you'll get on Substack that you probably aren't getting now:
Long-form Content Without Algorithm Pressure
On Twitter/X, I compress ideas into 280 characters. On LinkedIn, the algorithm rewards click-bait. On Facebook, memes overwhelm. On Medium, you read what they think you should. None show you only what you want.
Substack gives me freedom to explore topics like AI, agile, the future of work, complexity, innovation, and leadership in depth. My latest piece, "The Red Queen Says No to AI Agents," took seven hours to write! I feel no pressure to "go viral"—just better writing, delivered directly to readers who care.
Community Discussions Without Trolls
Substack isn't a one-way broadcast. You can comment on posts, join subscriber-only threads, and participate in community discussions without trolls and drama. It's like having a thoughtful dinner conversation instead of a chaotic town square brawl.
Unlike social media, where platforms decide what you see, Substack puts you in control. Want every post? You'll get every post. Just the free ones? That's fine too. Want to support premium content or live Q&As? Totally optional. If you want AI-generated content, you can find it. And when you're tired of something, simply unsubscribe.
Why Substack Is Built for the AI Age
In the age of AI, more people are becoming content creators, and the floodgates of mediocrity are opening wider. Social media users will drown in AI-generated material. (I wrote about how apps will become abundant in "The AI Code Tsunami.") Human attention and authenticity will become the scarcest resources, and Substack seems positioned to capitalize on this.
“In the age of AI-generated sludge, human attention and authenticity are the new scarce resources—and Substack is built for both.”
I see Substack as part of a broader shift (alongside Patreon, OnlyFans, and Buy Me a Coffee) where creators are abandoning ad-driven platforms for community-supported publishing. This means more transparency, more authenticity, and less clickbait. When you follow someone on Substack, you're not feeding a social media algorithm—you're supporting creators directly.
Will I Still Post Elsewhere?
Absolutely. I'll continue sharing bite-sized content on the usual channels and copies of my newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium, and my website. It's like going to a conference where you meet great people but conversations tend to be fleeting and shallow. There's always at least one heckler dominating discussions, and you lose everyone’s attention when some smart-ass brings adorable puppies on stage.
Substack is more like the after-conference dinner with select friends and interested people, where real conversations happen over a drink or two. Substack will be where I publish things that don't work as clickbait (such as “Ten Times the Impact with One-Tenth the People”, which took me six hours to write) and invite subscribers to join meaningful debates.
Substack is more like the after-conference dinner with select friends and interested people, where real conversations happen over a drink or two.
If you've enjoyed my work so far or are curious about where I'm heading next, Substack is the place to be.
TL;DR: What You'll Get If You Subscribe
My best thinking, delivered to your inbox
Zero algorithms, zero ads, zero clickbait
Small-scale, personal chats and discussions
A calmer, smarter, more intentional experience
Subscribe for free and see what you think. Unsubscribing is just one click away if it's not for you.
Jurgen, Solo Chief
P.S. Which platform have you rage-quit? Tell me in the comments.
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Jurgen - I’ve kept an eye on you and your work since the pre-management 3.0 days. Glad to see you on SubStack.
The "after-conference dinner" metaphor really landed for me. It perfectly captures what makes Substack (and platforms like it) feel like a refuge from the AI-induced chaos of 2026 internet. There's something quietly radical about choosing direct communication over algorithmic roulette; especially when so many platforms have trained us to optimize for virality rather than depth.
Your point about portability (being able to download your subscriber list) is truly underrated. That shift from platform lock-in to creator ownership changes the power dynamic entirely. It's not just about where you publish now, but having the freedom to leave when a space inevitably degrades.
Curious how you're thinking about the balance between reach and depth. Do you find yourself missing the serendipity of social media discovery, or has the trade-off been worth it?