Substack Growth Mastermind, a weekly live program on the publishing platform Substack, is redefining how creators grow their newsletters by turning passive viewing into active participation. Co-hosts Amy Chang and John Toomey lead sessions that emphasize interactive collaboration, distinguishing them from typical Substack Lives where audiences watch experts without engaging. 'We noticed that most Substack Lives are a passive experience for people in the Chat,' says program producer Soani 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's approach centers on simple, repeated actions that increase a writer's reach. During each weekly show, SuperStacker Prizes are awarded to members who contributed the best Notes, Articles, Comments, or Restacks the previous week. These awards incentivize mastery of mini-skills that are often overlooked but are invaluable for creator growth. Audience members also submit their own Notes in the Chat, then like, comment, and restack others' content during the live session itself, sparking lively discussions around the most insightful Notes.
At least one audience-submitted Note becomes the focal point of a group mind mapping session using Ayoa.com. Participants can comment on and add to the mind map, which is later posted to the program's social media and website. Submissions that can serve as prompts for AI tools like Claude, GPT, Gemini, or Perplexity and address one of the UN's 169 Sustainability Indicators can earn a Hero Award. The most insightful contributions are compiled into a draft press release before the program ends, giving attendees a chance to see their writing referenced by news publications within days. When time allows, the hosts conduct a mini-audit of an audience member's Substack publication to identify growth opportunities.
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. 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 that offers participants ways to build significant growth before the next program, where their achievements will be celebrated. A SuperStacker prize will be offered to creators who help another writer reach Bestseller status. Those interested can join the program at https://substack.com/@growbyhelpingothers. To apply as a participant or guest, write to admin@aibrainstormcreator.net. For details about the Hero Award, see theheroaward.net. To learn more about Substack, visit substack.com.
Substack Growth Mastermind exists to help newsletter and blog creators build their presence through the power of swarm intelligence. By fostering a collaborative environment where creators actively support one another, the program not only accelerates individual growth but also cultivates a community-driven model that could influence how writers approach audience building on Substack and beyond.
