Hi folks! Happy Friday! 🖤
There’s something about sitting with a good cup of coffee, a cat lying in a sunbeam, and jazz playing in the background that makes even the busiest brain (ie: MY BRAIN 🧠) feel a little calmer.
Funny enough, growing up in Africa I used to be a real summer boy, but lately I’ve discovered I really love the 'in-between seasons' - liminal spaces where reflection and planning feel like the perfect activities. Autumn especially reminds me that not only is now the time to start planning next year (and a chance for a fresh start), but also a time to be honest about what just needs to be let go.
And despite all that end-of-year commercial panic out there, in business this is actually a great time to do the same. Take stock of what’s actually working, tidy up the systems and processes that aren’t, celebrate the wins - even the tiny ones - and plan the last stretch of the year with intention. Leaning into these quieter, reflective moments now isn’t taking your foot off the gas… it’s giving yourself space to make smarter decisions, and maybe even sneak in a few ideas for next year that genuinely excite you.
Jazz optional, but highly recommended. 😜
Different by Design
You’ve probably heard me talk about Flodesk before – it’s one of the email platforms that I personally use for email marketing & building my community (and some product checkouts!)...and more importantly, I actually really enjoy using it!
Unlike a lot of email tools that can feel either very intimidating, or just plain ugly, Flodesk was designed with creatives in mind. It’s clean, minimal, and genuinely beautiful to use. You can drag, drop, and design elegant emails & forms that look completely on-brand – no coding, no weird formatting, no “why does this look different on mobile? 🤬” headaches. And even better - it has a Canva integration so you can create and edit images for your email newsletters quickly and easily.
A few of the other reasons I rate it so highly:
- Gorgeous, ready-to-use templates – perfect for newsletters, launches, or simple check-ins that actually look like your brand.
- Easy automation and workflows – welcome sequences, lead magnets, nurture emails… all set up in a few clicks, without needing a tech degree.
- Custom forms and landing pages – collect subscribers beautifully and keep everything consistent with your brand aesthetic.
- Checkout & product pages - on some plans you can get access to Flodesk's own easy to use (and beautiful) checkout tool.
- One flat rate (for now) – Flodesk’s unlimited plan gives you unlimited subscribers, and unlimited emails. No price hikes as your list grows.
BUT... that last one is about to change. Flodesk has announced that they’ll soon be moving to a sliding-scale pricing model based on the size of your email list - which (to be fair) is pretty much how all the others do it.
So that's why I wanted to flag this today - if you join now, you can lock in the unlimited plan for life – and honestly, that’s a deal worth paying attention to if you plan to grow your audience.
I NEVER want anyone to pay for tools they won't use - so obviously if you don't have an email list, or are just getting started, there are some email platforms (like Kit) that offer a free plan to start, which may be better for you right now. But please do check out how the cost will increase once you hit certain numbers or need certain features.
So with that caveat, if you ARE planning on growing your email marketing in the next year, or on joining Flodesk at some point soon, now is the perfect time to check out the details and grab this offer. Current pricing model ends on November 28, 2025.
PLUS...
As I am a Flodesk affiliate, if you use my link you will get 50% off your first year's subscription! Obviously I don't want you to feel obliged, so you can always just head to their home page and sign up that way, but if you do use my link, you'll get the 50% discount and I get some pennies to help support this newsletter and my videos.
I've gotta be brutally honest with you though - what a lot of creators won't tell you is that with email or anything else, there is no perfect tool. It depends on what matters to you and works for YOUR business (and brain!). No matter which tool you choose, you'll never find the 'perfect' one that does everything you need perfectly. The key is to just choose one that feels right, and go for it. At some point you'll have to find a 'work around' for something...and that's fine, it'll happen no matter what. And your systems and tools can (and should) evolve, just like your brand.
That said...if you have been looking for a platform that makes email marketing feel creative again, Flodesk is genuinely one of the only two that I personally recommend. It’s design-led, creator-friendly, and simple enough to actually use consistently (don't you give me that side-eye! 😜).
Your emails deserve to look as polished as your brand – and Flodesk makes that beautifully easy and fun to do. 🖤
Meaningful Creations
There's a theory about why we find miniatures & tiny worlds so appealing - it's because they give us a sense of control and mastery. Mini cars, model trains, LEGO sets, dollhouses...they grant us access to entire worlds that feel less chaotic and intimidating, worlds that WE create and control...often with a touch of magic.✨ (Maybe that's why I feel drawn to this right now! 🤣)
This week's Meaningful Creator has taken that fascination and turned it into an art. I'd like to introduce you to Russian-born Michael Davydov. A self-taught artist, Michael moved to Ukraine after completing his education, where he first showed his miniatures at Art Fairs. He now resides in Denmark, where he fled to safety with his family after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Davydov’s creative process is a mix of memories, mindset, and meaning. He takes all the influences gathered over time & in different homes, and blends them with his current thoughts to create what he beautifully calls “a conversation with the viewer about big things, through small ones.” His work proves that even the tiniest creations can hold huge stories - a reminder that scale has nothing to do with significance.
Check out his instagram. And tell him I sent ya. 😉
OK you lovely humans. Take care, be kind, and I will leave you with this quote I recently rediscovered:
Have a great week. I appreciate you. 🖤
