Substack Growth Mastermind, a new weekly Live program on the publishing platform Substack, is turning audience participation into a growth engine for creators. Co-hosts Amy Chang and John Toomey, along with producer Soani Gunawan, have designed a show that breaks away from the passive nature of typical Substack Lives. "We noticed that most Substack Lives are a passive experience for people in the Chat," says Gunawan. "We wanted to improve upon that by making each Live a working opportunity for attendees to gain followers, subscribers, and in some cases clients." The program, which is not formally associated with Substack itself, aims to transform viewers into active participants who build their newsletters in real time.
The importance of this initiative lies in its potential to democratize growth for independent writers. By focusing on simple, repeated actions like liking, commenting, and restacking Notes, the program teaches creators how to leverage Substack's social features effectively. Each week, the latest SuperStacker Prizes are announced, recognizing members who contributed the best Notes, Articles, Comments, or Restacks. This encourages superior performance of these "mini-skills" which, though sometimes ignored, are invaluable for creator growth. During the live session, audience members submit their own Notes in the Chat and then engage with others' content, leading to lively discussions and increased visibility.
A unique aspect is the group mind mapping session using Ayoa.com, where at least one audience Note becomes the central topic. Everyone in the Chat can comment and add to the mind map, which is then posted to the program's social media and website. Submissions that can be used as AI prompts for tools like Claude Artifact, GPT, Gemini Gem, or Perplexity Space, and that address one of the UN's 169 Sustainability Indicators, can earn a Hero Award. This integration of AI and global goals adds a layer of purpose and innovation to the growth process.
Moreover, the most insightful contributions are added to a draft press release before the program ends, giving attendees a chance to see their writing referenced by news publications within days. If time allows, the hosts conduct a mini-audit of an audience member's Substack publication, identifying areas for improvement to ensure future growth. Occasionally, Substack Superstars are invited as guests, and evocative sentences from their Notes and Articles are used as AI prompts for the group mind maps. These elements combine to create a dynamic, supportive environment that accelerates learning and networking.
The producers plan to incubate and nurture other writers who want to mount similar live programs. "We find that live video is the best way to get a potential audience to know, like, and trust you," says Chang. "And the way we do it makes it fun. So we want to support as many people as possible to conduct these types of shows for their own subscribers and clients. We want to build and promote a Substacker Live Network." Future plans include a weekly challenge to build significant growth before the next program, and a SuperStacker prize for creators who help another writer reach Bestseller status. To join or learn more, visit https://substack.com/@growbyhelpingothers, and for more about Substack, see substack.com. The Hero Award details are at theheroaward.net.
