LETTERS FROM TOBIE
These are letters to my pen pals, about writing, working alone, and the work methods I'm currently experimenting with. If you want to read them at your own pace, you can choose one from here.
Tobie secretly
I read the educational comic "District Judge" over the weekend, which reminded me of the years when I accidentally got into Xiaoming Girls' High School: it turns out that my "lack of interest" back then was because my upbringing didn't give me enough background knowledge.
Tobie secretly
Jessi Jean may seem like a newcomer who suddenly became famous, but she actually has years of experience. This letter talks about her Yap Challenge and what one can learn from a one-person career.
Tobie secretly
Hi, I've made quite a few new friends lately, and I'm happy to meet you all in the newsletter. I'm Tobie, you can call me Secretly, and I'm promoting Digital Slow Food: choosing information like you choose food, consciously selecting the information you want to digest. The newsletter will also share this type of content in the future. Starting this week, I want to try a new series: One-Person Business Observation Notes. I'll dissect the one-person entrepreneurs I admire, seeing how they make money, how they manage their time, what they decide not to do, and what kind of life their businesses ultimately give back to the operators. (At the same time, I'm also simultaneously launching a four-week challenge for a one-person business research lab; there's a little surprise at the end!) The first installment is with Sabrina Ramonov. Honestly, I'm so glad I got to know her through this interview, She Built Two AI Businesses Solo, Here's the exact System, because if I were to watch her YouTube videos directly, I'm unlikely to click through XD. If you look at the thumbnails of her YouTube channel, you'll roughly know what I'm talking about, haha, many people have thumbnails like that. In short, after watching this 46-minute interview, I became a fan and went to read through all her past videos, newsletters, and public recaps. Below is a summary of the parts I found most useful, which I'm sharing with you. TL;DR Sabrina Ramonov...
Tobie secretly
Hi, today I'm going to talk about "The Musk Handbook," and I also have to mention a recent decision I made: I'm pausing the Digital Slow Food Tribe. (My fellow villagers probably received my message a few weeks ago; this is for those who don't know yet.) Here's how I got to this point. I needed some rationality to control my emotions. From the past two years of entrepreneurship until now, I've tried many monetization models: creating templates, selling digital products, selling consulting, offering online courses, building subscription-based communities, and running sprees. And it wasn't just "tried"; each one actually made money, and I'm very fortunate. I kept trying different models because my habit is to get my hands dirty. Only after trying it once do I know which model I like, am good at, and that the market really needs. But I have a fatal flaw. I'm easily swayed by my emotions and have a romanticized view of everything. I thought I could run two product lines simultaneously, that they would naturally complement each other. But in the past year, I've been running both products concurrently (one-on-one mentoring & community building), and I've gotten a bit burnout. To those who have just met me, the two products I had this year were: One-on-one mentoring: helping founders build a customer acquisition and sales method that doesn't require them to start from scratch every time, and which becomes increasingly comprehensive with each completed project. ...
Tobie secretly
Hi, today I want to talk to you about something small: a NT$60 turkey rice bento box, and two pivotal things I've done right over the past few years. I stayed overnight in Taichung yesterday, and sitting in my shared office, I suddenly felt a bit sentimental. Thinking back to my first job in Taichung, I was a landscape designer, earning about NT$24,000 a month. After deducting rent of NT$8,500, there wasn't much left. Back then, to make ends meet, I ate at a super cheap turkey rice place near the office every day. The NT$60 bento box was quite substantial, with rice and three side dishes. Occasionally, I'd treat myself to a NT$10 soup. So last night, I decided to order a turkey rice delivery. While eating, I thought about many things, somewhat overlapping with my past self. Staying at the Lude Cultural Hotel this time was quite nice. Back then, eating NT$60 bento boxes every day, I stumbled along, made countless wrong choices, and never imagined that "remote work" would one day become my daily routine. But now, I've carved out my own path. I can stay in any city I want for as long as I want, and I can even order takeout that I never dared to dream of before. Honestly, I probably couldn't have imagined this life before. Just telling her, "Hey, you won't have to work a full day anymore, and your income won't be worse than when you were in the tech industry," or "Hey, you won't have to work in an office anymore; you can work all over the world," she'd probably just be full of questions!
Tobie secretly
Hi, this week I tried something new: making my Threads account private. Why? Well, it feels quite different now; the articles aren't being pushed to your readers first. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but you need to be clear about whether Threads is a platform you want to expand your reach. If it is, this format shouldn't be a big problem. However, I've also been restructuring my marketing channels and the allocation across platforms recently, so making it private is part of that experiment. Maybe in the future, I'll focus more on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or Reels to expand my reach—it's uncertain. (Maybe it'll be open again in a couple of days due to SEO, haha.) I've tried it with two or three articles so far, and it's definitely getting more views from my readers, which I think is pretty good. (By the way, I actually plan to record a series of AI tutorial videos and upload them to YouTube for free. Since most future knowledge can be obtained from AI, I'm quite happy to share what I've learned with everyone for free. As for how I'll make a living, I'll figure that out myself XDDD. If you're interested, you can subscribe now.)...
Tobie secretly
Hi, today's newsletter isn't entirely about social media. I want to share my experience of getting a full-body health checkup. To see more of my newsletters, please visit: https://tobie-huang.kit.com/profile/posts First of all, this post really isn't a joke, haha, I just thought the whole experience was quite good and wanted to share it with you. Before we begin, let me say that if you're a "partner" or "village resident" and only want to receive service-related emails, and don't want to receive my weekly Tuesday newsletter, please click the button below—I won't be sending you emails every Tuesday anymore! Thank you! (Thank you for your understanding; I hadn't set up automation or the subsequent logic yet. Clicking it will redirect you to my webpage, which means you've received it.) I only want to receive service-related reminders! Back to the main topic, since leaving my job in the tech industry, I haven't had a health checkup—it's been about three years! Before, at my company, although we had annual checkups—the simpler kind—at least it was a regular way to check on my current condition. In the first few years of working full-time as a social media creator, I also started my own product, which was kind of a micro-entrepreneurship. During that period, my sleep schedule was extremely irregular. I often wrote until midnight, and during the day I was constantly running around dealing with various things, while also carrying a lot of internal pressure. Honestly, I knew I had a problem. My insulin resistance had been very severe at one point, almost reaching prediabetes, and I was also diagnosed with a bunch of liver hemangiomas. (You guys are really treating me like family, I'm confused). ...
Tobie secretly
Hi, with the typhoon approaching, I hope we're all safe and sound, and please be extra careful! First off, I want to say that I've been seriously obsessed with Dave the Diver lately, neglecting my newsletter, so I've been a bit neglected. I'll pick it up again soon XD (ps: it's on summer sale now, so feel free to buy it if you're interested!). Anyway, I wanted to share something with you! A while ago, I made a decision that I think was pretty brave. I originally had 5,000 subscribers, but recently, because my open rate dropped, and I wanted to declutter my "cold subscribers" (those who haven't checked in for three months), I deleted over 1,000 subscribers, leaving me with just over 3,000. Of course, seeing the number plummet almost killed me! I have to say I thought about this decision for a long time, but then I realized I was also letting go digitally for each other. At least we can focus our energy on things and people that are more worthwhile to us. So, I also wanted to especially thank you. Receiving this letter means you've read my emails for the past three months, and I'm very grateful for your continued interaction. Today, I especially want to share my reflections on the content I've been reviewing lately. I've spent a really, really long time reflecting on this recently...
Tobie secretly
Hi, how have you been lately? Last week I told you my work Instagram & Threads account got locked; the system said it was permanently disabled. Thankfully, it came back the next day, but on the day it disappeared, a feeling popped into my head that startled even myself. That feeling was: relief. When that thought crossed my mind, I even felt a little ashamed. This was something I'd been building up for so long, how could this happen? But all day, I kept trying to figure out what it felt like to not have this account, not have this title. Honestly, it was a huge relief. This past week, I've written bits and pieces about my feelings on social media, and this time I'm trying to think things through completely and tell you the whole story. As usual, I'll start with the recent events, because this post is quite long XD 📬 For those of you who are already members, the tribe's calendar will be featuring some physical events soon, so remember to subscribe so you don't miss anything :) Subscribe to the calendar → 👋 If this is your first time receiving my letter, and you're a new member who recently joined by submitting the customized project questionnaire, welcome! I'm Tobie (secretly). I'll send you this letter every Tuesday, mostly containing observations from my creative work, life, and conversations throughout the week. Feel free to reply and tell me what you're thinking :) 🎙️ My live stream - June 29th (Monday) 8:00 PM online...
Tobie secretly
Hi, I recently read "Buy Back Your Time," a book highly recommended by many freelancers and entrepreneurs, but I never had time to read it until recently when I went to Bali and finished it on the plane. By the way, the lack of internet on a plane is actually perfect for finishing a whole book. I highly recommend you try it too, creating a few mini "flight mode" moments in your life. This book isn't just for entrepreneurs or creators; I think it's also helpful for ordinary office workers. Some things in the book can't necessarily be bought with money (for example, NDA work isn't suitable for outsourcing), but the framework it provides can help you find a more suitable approach. By the way, let me quickly share these events first, otherwise you might miss them if I put them later XD 📬 For those of you who are already members, I've been gradually uploading the events for June-August to the Luma blog calendar (in-person gatherings, online workshops, summer chill parties, etc.). Remember to follow and register on the Luma blog calendar; you'll get priority access to events and discounts. Open the tribe calendar → 🌐 For everyone · Three events you can sign up for this week 🌳 Lifestyle Community · Three-month Digital Slow Food Tribe · S1 Last registration June-August S1 In-depth Work · Registration closes this Saturday Join this session and enjoy a return-to-the-village price for the next session "AI Anxiety + Simon Guest Speaker" View &...
Tobie secretly
Hi, I was swamped yesterday, and the newsletter is only being posted today! I just got back from Bali. To be honest, it was a bit different from what I expected qq. I've been thinking about why for the past few days since I got back, and I wanted to share this reflection with you today (again!), because I think it's the other side of the same thing as that newsletter I wrote about information and recipes a while ago. By the way, let me quickly share two events first, otherwise I'll exceed the word limit today. I feel like no one will see it if I put it at the end XD (sorry guys, I haven't had time to use the podcast lately!). 🌳 Digital Slow Food Tribe · Event Calendar Follow me. Here's a sneak peek at the events I'm organizing. Later, I'll be organizing a full-day workspace, with priority slots for tribe members. Feel free to follow the calendar! P.S. I'll send emails to those who have already paid by this Saturday~ Follow my calendar → 🎤 Free online · 90 minutes · 5/24 Working well with AI only requires two things: Collaborating with C&L KI Studio, practicing "explaining clearly to AI" + "memorizing good questions as templates." No technical stuff, you can use it right away after listening today. Free registration → Okay, back to the main topic. Before leaving for Bali, I honestly didn't do thorough research. I'm a bit of a busybody, so I only booked the flight and accommodation, and had to make adjustments as I went. Therefore, I read a few blogs, browsed some recommended spots on social media, and booked...
Tobie secretly
.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
Hi, I've been using social media much less these past few weeks. I didn't intentionally try to fast, I just wanted to practice reducing my social media usage a little each day. Anyway, after using less social media, I had more time, which I used for reading, playing Zelda, and attending in-person gatherings (which I rarely attend). And I realized that not using social media didn't seem to have a big impact; in fact, my mindset is calmer. Looking back, I realize how easily my mind was influenced by social media before! *I stayed up late last night, and I'll record a podcast tomorrow. Those of you who are too lazy to read can check here periodically to see if it's uploaded. (Spotify | Apple) There are probably three reasons why I subconsciously reduced my usage. One is that I've been practicing taking some time back from my phone. Another, which I wanted to talk to you about last time, is that after reading "The Social Media Empire: Power, Greed, and Lost Dreams," I felt like I was woken up. The last one is that getting into Zelda was also a major reason for quitting my phone, haha. Before we get into the book, let me tell you about my past; what follows is a bit of an age reveal. I still remember the excitement of my first time using Facebook in high school. Back then, I used a "dumb phone that could access the internet" to connect to Facebook! I even bought a prepaid SIM card. Thinking back, posting a message and replying to a comment without internet cost one NT dollar each time; I spent quite a bit of money doing that. ...
