One of the biggest things I see holding women back from getting started online is this idea that they need everything in place first.
They think they need the website and the email platform and the opt-in page and the automation and the branding and the domain and the hosting before they can even write their first email. And honestly? That list alone is enough to make someone cry.
And so they wait. They wait until it’s all figured out. Until they’ve watched enough tutorials or until they feel ready.
Here’s what I want you to know: you can start building your email list right now. Today. You don’t need a website, you don’t need to pay for an email marketing platform, and you don’t need any of the things you think you need first.
You just need Substack.
Wait, What Is Substack?
If you’ve heard the name but aren’t totally sure what it is, here’s the short version.
Substack is a free newsletter platform. You write (or add a video or audio), people subscribe, and Substack delivers your content straight to their inbox. That’s it.
There’s no monthly fee, the setup is simple, and you don’t need to hire someone to build it for you.
You create an account, write a welcome email, and start sending people there. And the best part? It doubles as your email list.
Every person who subscribes to your Substack is on YOUR list. You own that relationship. You’re not relying on an algorithm to show your content to 3% of the people who follow you.
So How Does It Actually Work as a Funnel?
I put together an interactive flowchart (you’ll see it below) that walks you through the whole thing. There are two paths depending on where you’re at right now.
Path 1: You have a website.
Path 2: You don’t have a website yet.
Both work. Both get you to the same place. Let me walk you through each one.
If You Have a Website
Here’s the flow:
You promote your Substack everywhere you already show up. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn. Your website. Your podcast. In person at a networking event. In line at Starbucks. Anywhere you’re having a conversation with someone who could benefit from what you share.
Your message is simple. Something like, “I send out a weekly email with [your topic] tips. You can subscribe here.”
When someone subscribes, Substack automatically sends them your welcome email. You write that email once. Inside it, you thank them for subscribing and deliver a free lead magnet. A PDF, a checklist, a guide. Something genuinely helpful.
Here’s where it gets smart.
Inside that PDF, at the end, you include a simple call to action. Something like, “If you’re interested in going deeper, here’s my 30-Day Reset.” And that link goes to your website, where your paid offer lives.
Not inside Substack. On your site.
That’s the full sequence. They subscribe, get your welcome email with a free resource, and inside that resource is a soft introduction to your paid offer. Your website closes the sale.
The reason this works is because you’re not trying to sell on the subscribe page. You’re not shoving an offer at someone the second they raise their hand. You’re delivering value first. Building trust. And then making the introduction to something paid in a space that already feels helpful, which is inside the download they just got.
If You Don’t Have a Website
Same start. You promote your Substack everywhere. Same platforms, same conversations, same simple message.
They subscribe. Substack sends the welcome email.
Here’s where it’s a little different.
The lead magnet is optional. You could include one if you have something helpful to give. A checklist, a short guide, a resource list. It builds trust faster. But it’s not required. The welcome email on its own is enough to start the relationship.
If you do include a freebie, the call to action at the end just points somewhere different. Instead of a website, you send them to a simple checkout page. Gumroad, Stan Store, Payhip. Or you just say, “Reply to this email if you want the details,” and you handle it through a conversation.
You don’t need a full website to sell something. You need a way to take payment and deliver the thing. That’s it.
Here’s the flowchart!
