The Easiest $1500/Month Offer You’ve Never Thought About | First Business Deep Dive #4
How helping beginner Substack and LinkedIn writers skip the guesswork can quietly become your first real business
Most people on LinkedIn and Substack quit before they ever get traction.
Not because they can’t write, but because they’re guessing.
Guessing how to grow.
Guessing what to post.
Guessing what’s “working.”
If you’ve ever made it through that fog, even just a little, you’re already more valuable than you think.
Because beginners don’t need a guru.
They need a guide.
The Idea: Newsletter Strategy Sprint
Offer new writers a 30-day support package:
→ Audit their writing
→ Build a growth roadmap
→ Keep them accountable weekly
Charge $299 per sprint.
Land just 5 clients per month—and you’re quietly making $1,500/month from a single simple offer.
Who This Works For
This might be your path if:
You already follow creators like Justin Welsh or Dickie Bush
You love organizing, planning, and giving feedback
You’ve grown your own writing, even modestly or helped friends do the same
You’re energized by helping people get clarity and traction
You’re not ready to sell a course, but you are ready to help someone win
You don’t need 10,000 subscribers.
You just need to be 1–2 steps ahead of someone starting out.
Why This Offer Is So Smart
This is what I call a credibility-first business idea.
You're not “monetizing your audience.”
You're using your insight to make someone else's path easier.
And I love it because:
It builds trust, fast
You can start with zero followers
You only need 5 clients a month to earn $1,500/month
Once you’ve done a few, it becomes a repeatable, scalable service
From there?
Referrals, retainers, even a cohort-based product are just a few tweaks away.
How to Start (In 6 Simple Steps)
1. Pick Your Platform
Start with Substack or LinkedIn. Choose one.
Pick the one you understand or want to explore first.
2. Run 3 Free Mini Audits
Offer 15–20 minute reviews in communities or DMs
Ask for permission to record or summarize in a Loom
Deliver 2–3 clear insights + 1 next step
Ask for feedback/testimonial at the end
This builds confidence, social proof, and a repeatable template.
3. Create Your 30-Day Sprint
Offer a simple structure:
Week 1: Personalized Audit + Roadmap (Loom or PDF)
Weeks 2–4: Weekly check-in (Zoom, async, or even email)
Extras: Optional templates for content planning, headlines, or distribution
Deliver with Notion or Google Docs.
4. Write a Simple Offer Page
No sales funnel. Just a clear page.
Use Substack, Notion, or even a Google Doc to list:
What’s included
Who it’s for
How it works
Price: Start with $299
CTA: “Reply to book” or Calendly link
5. Reach Out to Writers
Find early-stage Substack or LinkedIn writers who are:
Posting but not growing
Hanging in Substack’s “New & Noteworthy” or writing Discords
Leaving thoughtful comments
Send a DM or reply that says:
Loved your post on Substack/LinkedIn.
I offer 30-min free mini audits to help early writers grow faster.
Would you like one?
6. Refine + Repeat
After a few clients:
Build a basic template or SOP
Add async delivery options
Raise your price—or launch a cohort
This is how your first $1,500/month business gets built; not from a viral post, but from helping people one by one.
Tools You Can Use
Loom – For walkthroughs and audits
Google Docs or Notion – To share roadmaps or content calendars
Calendly – For booking calls
Stripe or PayPal – For payments
Trello or Airtable (optional) – If you like project tracking
Objections You Might Be Thinking
“But I don’t have a newsletter myself.”
You don’t need 10K subs. You just need to be one step ahead—and helpful.
“Why would someone pay me?”
Because Google can’t give them feedback, strategy, or a sense of momentum.
You can.
“What if I mess it up?”
You’ll learn by doing. Your first 3 clients are your training.
You get better, fast.
Closing Words
This is one of the lowest-stress, highest-trust ways to start a business I’ve ever seen.
And it’s right in front of you, if you’ve ever…
Grown a blog
Built an audience (small or large)
Run a Substack, LinkedIn, or Twitter account
Helped someone else with theirs
You already know something valuable.
Why not start with that?
Subscribe below to get the full First Business Idea Deep Dive series.
Several times each week, I share business ideas you can start from skills you already have…without a niche, audience, or full-time leap.
Let’s build something real.
Much respect,
Gabe