[9 Hours Left] From 'Too Niche’ to 20,000 Followers

There are 9 hours left to enroll in Write of Passage Cohort 11. Join us on October 2 to start sharing your ideas online and unlocking the serendipity of the Internet.

Hey there,

You’ve spent years building a unique perspective, whether you realize it or not. Ideas that feel obvious to you would be amazing to others, if you started speaking up. 

Maybe you have:

• Years of hard-won wisdom, but it’s trapped in your head
• The perfect idea for a product, but no audience
• A deep sense that you’re made for more than your current circumstances

If so, you’re not alone. Thousands of people have felt this way, too. 

Including Write of Passage alum Sam Knowlton. 

Sam once thought his expertise in regenerative agriculture was too niche to be interesting. That was before he built an audience of over 20,000 Twitter followers, got his writing published, and was flooded with new clients. 

So, what’s his secret?

Spoiler: It’s not a secret at all. And it can work for you, too. 

In college, Sam studied agriculture, and there, he found his niche interest: soil. He went on to build Soil Symbiotics, a small agriculture advisory firm, where he helps farmers take their crop yields to the next level. 

Sam earns a living by helping farmers grow their businesses, which leads to better food for people around the world — all while using sustainable methods that benefit the environment. Who knew soil could solve so many problems? (Sam did.)

Over the course of the next decade, Sam became an expert in his field. He gained years of valuable wisdom. But even with this domain expertise, he struggled to get discovered by new clients. He had to travel to clients all the time to keep his small business going. 

The kicker? He missed out on precious time with his wife and kids. But this was the only way he could do the work that stirred his soul.

Write of Passage showed Sam another way. By writing about agronomy online, Sam could attract new clients while playing in the backyard with his kids.

So, Sam enrolled in Write of Passage, but he still faced that all-too-familiar fear — any writer’s kryptonite: What if no one cares what I have to say? During Write of Passage, Sam started taking his writing seriously. Drawing from his domain expertise, he wrote thread after thread on Twitter — about glyphosate exposure, methane from cows, coffee production, and the overuse of chemical fertilizers. 

And during the cohort, Sam’s Tweet about synthetic fertilizers went viral:

Suddenly, his wisdom was on the map. He received a spike of new followers. His DMs lit up with notifications from potential clients. 

He had another Tweet take off. And another. Sam’s Twitter threads were going bonkers-viral, amassing 3 million impressions. 

And guess what came next? Podcast appearances. Book deals. Job offers. 

At this point, Sam could barely keep up with the flood of DMs. His business was growing faster than his client’s crops.

Since taking Write of Passage for the first time, Sam has gained over 100 new clients. He’s amassed an audience of over 20,000 Twitter followers. His most recent Tweet about walnut trees has over 29,000 likes. And an essay he wrote during Write of Passage was published in a well-known publication. 

So, what’s his secret? How do you go from thinking your ideas aren’t interesting to a massive audience and a steady stream of eager clients? 

No gimmicks. No hacks. No tricking the algorithm. Sam built an audience and scaled his business by simply sharing what he knows.

Did you feel that adrenaline rush? You could be next. 

Maybe you don’t think your ideas are worth sharing. Maybe you groan because your expertise is ‘too niche’ to be interesting. Let Sam be proof — whatever niche expertise you may have, there is an audience for it. You don’t have to reinvent yourself or build a new business. You just have to share what you know. 

By writing online, Sam attracted more clients, higher-paying clients. Before, he had to take any client he could get, and travel to them. Now, he can take his pick and only travel when and where he wants. His business is bigger than ever, and he gets to spend more time at home with his wife and kids. 

Writing online didn’t just accelerate Sam’s career. It enriched his life. What would that look like for you? 

If you’re ready to accelerate your career and enrich your life like Sam, join us for Write of Passage Cohort 11. Today is the last day you can enroll. If you’ve been thinking about sharing your expertise online, today is the day. What’s obvious to you would be amazing to others, if you started speaking up. And you can start in Cohort 11, on October 2. 

“Each time [I've taken Write of Passage], I’ve gained something that’s helped me become a better writer. That’s why I’m back. I feel like I could continue coming back and always learn something new.” – Sam Knowlton 

I’m right here cheering you on — along with hundreds of other students who are already enrolled in the course. We hope you’ll join us.

Here’s to sharing what you know (and to seeing you in Cohort 11!), 

David

P.S. For more stories like Sam's, check out this video featuring our alumni.