The Power of Your Work Isn’t How It Looks... It’s What It Unlocks
10 thoughts, ideas & creative finds on building trust in public, building your name as an asset and community always outperforming convenience
New here? Click HERE for why I write weekly letters & essays.
Hey Everyone,
We kicked off The Niche Is You community this year — designed to help you refine your work, build more intentionally, and create with conviction.
If you want to connect deeper (algorithm-free space), join our ever growing network of 100+ creatives, entrepreneurs, makers and path builders from around the world. You’ll get instant access to our private group chat, quarterly challenges & workshops, LIVE conversations with other well-known creators from around the world, and exclusive in-person events. Would love to have you in the room.
The Rundown — Here’s what I found over the course of this week that has helped me, inspired me or gave me some creative pushes…
On remembering who you were before the world told you to be someone else — “You don’t need to reinvent yourself… you need to remember yourself.” (—Matt Gottesman) — Reinvention gets romanticized in a culture obsessed with constant evolution. But what if the next version of you isn’t new… it’s ancient? Something deep. Intact. Waiting. This piece reframes transformation not as becoming someone else, but as returning to the one God originally wired. Before the noise. Before the branding. Before the burnout. That childlike curiosity… that intuitive rhythm… that sacred knowing… it still lives in you. Reinvention might look good, but remembering feels true. It’s not regression. It’s realignment. Your power was never lost… it was just buried beneath who you thought you had to become.
On why your audience wants you, not just your product — “Millennial brands are getting left in the dust… not because their products aren’t good… but because they’re still hiding behind them.." (—Trevor Crump) — Trevor nailed something most founders miss: Gen Z doesn’t care about your perfectly curated product shot. They want to see the real people behind the brand. For millennials, this can feel like a trap… raised on aesthetics and aspiration, we were taught that vulnerability wasn’t marketable. But now? It’s the only thing that cuts through. Your audience doesn’t need another flawless post… they need your face, your story, your behind-the-scenes. They’re not just buying what you sell… they’re buying how you show up. If you’re not building that trust in public, you’re falling behind. Don’t let perfection rob you of connection. Ditch the highlight reel. Hit record. Document the process. Let people see the soul behind the product
On closing the gap between your taste and your talent — “Nobody warns you about the part where your taste is sharp but your work feels dull.” (video & quote via Matt Burton hfxdrifter on IG) — This one hit like a confession most creators are too afraid to say out loud. The speaker captures something Ira Glass once described perfectly… we get into creative work because we have good taste… and that’s also what makes it painful at first. You know what great feels like. But your current skill? It doesn’t hit. And that gap? It can feel brutal. the gap isn’t evidence that you’re failing… it’s evidence that you know what great looks like. And the only way to close it? Not thinking. Not over-planning. Just showing up and doing the work. Reps. Volume. Messy, imperfect creation. That’s the only way your skill catches up to your vision. And maybe that gap never completely closes. Maybe that’s the point. Because if the road never ends, neither does the growth. So don’t resent the gap… reframe it.
On why your name is the brand — "People no longer just buy products… they buy into people.” — In the past, products stood alone. But now? Your name, your story, your presence — that’s the trust layer that makes the product work. Smart founders know this. They’re not hiding behind logos. They’re not outsourcing their voice. They’re showing up. Online. Authentically. Strategically. Because attention is the new currency… and trust is the transaction. When you build a personal brand (or a personal mission as I call it), you’re not just growing followers… you’re compounding equity. Equity in your ideas. Equity in your values. Equity in your name. And that name becomes the reason people choose you tomorrow. Your product gets them in the door. Your presence keeps them coming back. That’s the real asset. So if you're building a business, don't leave your name out of it. Build both… and let them amplify each other. (image via realtwco and leadersonlyco on IG)
On why your work is bigger than the product — “Your art isn’t just what you make… it’s what you free in others.” — In a recent podcast, I unpack the deeper role of your creativity: not just to produce — but to unlock. Because the power of your work isn’t measured in how polished it looks… but in how many people feel seen, stirred, or sparked by it. That’s the real legacy — not just what you leave behind, but what you activate in real time. The most impactful creators aren’t just making things — they’re making others feel like they can, too. This episode dives into the difference between expression and influence, why resonance matters more than reach, and how honest, embodied work becomes a permission slip for others to do the same. Your product is important — but your presence is what makes it matter — My latest podcast on this can be found here (APPLE, SPOTIFY)
On solving your own puzzle — "If you really have an obsession to figure it out, you will figure it out… Everybody has a different puzzle, man. You just gotta figure out your own.” (—Kobe Bryant) — Kobe’s words here are a reminder that no path looks the same. What worked for others might not work for you… and that’s not a flaw… it’s the point. Success isn’t about copying someone else’s system… it’s about decoding your own. Your timing, your environment, your strengths, your setbacks… all of it forms a unique blueprint. And the ones who win aren’t just disciplined… they’re curious. They’re obsessed with solving the riddle that is their life. This is your puzzle. Own it. Stay in it. Refine it. And don’t be afraid if your solution looks different. That’s how it’s supposed to be.
On why people are choosing resonance over convenience — ““These guys are dethroning Starbucks with a $0 marketing strategy.” (—Brian Blum)” — There’s a shift happening. And it’s not just about business models… it’s about values. O3 Space isn’t trying to be louder than Starbucks… they’re being truer. They’ve built a space that prioritizes real connection over productivity theater. No performative hustle. No synthetic vibes. Just curated community, intentional design, and storytelling that makes you feel something. in a world tired of curated perfection, people are choosing places… and brands… that feel like home, not like performance. The lesson? You don’t have to compete with scale. You just have to resonate deeply with the right people. Community will always outperform convenience when the connection is real.
On building proof from conviction, not consensus — “I got the worst grade in the class for proposing a chicken finger restaurant… professor said it would never work.” (—Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane’s video via Schoolofhardknocks on IG) — They said it was too simple. Too narrow. Not viable. But Todd wasn’t asking for consensus… he had conviction. And instead of defending the idea with words, he backed it with action. After every bank turned him down, he flew to Alaska, worked on a fishing boat, and came back with enough to build his first location. The deeper lesson… his vision wasn’t just about chicken fingers… it was about people. Pay them well. Treat them with respect. Build something where culture isn’t an afterthought… it’s the foundation. Raising Cane’s didn’t scale because it was flashy. It scaled because it was real… and it took care of everyone involved. That’s what gets underestimated most. Not just the business idea… but the heart behind it. Don’t just prove the model. Prove what happens when you lead with belief… and back it by taking care of your people.
On building the solution yourself — “I have to create the technology that I wanna see in the world just so I can make the movies look how I want them to look.” (— George Lucas) — George Lucas wasn’t just frustrated by limitations… he was activated by them. The technology didn’t exist to bring his vision to life… so he created it. Most people would’ve compromised. He chose to innovate. He didn’t wait for conditions to be perfect. He built the conditions. That’s what made Lucas dangerous… not just his imagination, but his conviction to bring it to life without permission. He reminds us: if you care deeply about your work, you won’t just settle for what exists… you’ll pioneer what’s missing.
Playlist — Jazz & Soulful House Mix Vol.6 | VIENE — A great playlist from Viene on YouTube @viene of Chill House to work to… great for creating, designing, writing, computer work.
The Power of Your Work Isn’t How It Looks… It’s What It Unlocks
The power of your work isn’t measured in how polished it looks…
but in how many people feel seen or sparked by it.
That’s the shift happening right now… from perfect and performative to personal and present.
We’re not here to impress.
We’re here to impact.
And the most impactful work rarely starts with aesthetics… it starts with alignment.
The creators who endure… and expand… are the ones who show up honestly. Who let the work speak without screaming. Who trust that depth travels further than noise.
So if you’ve been obsessing over how it looks…
refocus on what it frees.
What it ignites.
What it invites others to become.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what legacy really is… not what you build alone…
but what your work makes possible for everyone it touches.
Keep building what matters.
And let the polish come later.
The niche is you.
Until next week,
– Matt
P.S. If you found value in this week's insights, consider sharing this post with someone who might need this reminder about the power of individuality. ↙️
🔐 Consider becoming a paid subscriber…
My Substack is a “reader supported” publication. Please consider becoming a “paid subscriber” which will give you access to 1.) exclusive subscriber-only content, 2.) podcast episodes, 3.) membership in a creative community, 4.) access to our private community chat feature, 5.) Q&A’s & LIVEs, 6.) Quarterly workshops, and 7.) early access & discounts to books, apparel, events, workshops & more.
I am truly grateful for you supporting my journey while I support yours.
Not a reader? Follow along below:
Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign Up
Connect With Me…
☼ Podcast
☼ Apparel
☼ Text Me
☼ Instagram
☼ Twitter
In the meantime, tell your friends!