Fair warning…as of January 31st, my Paid Subscriptions will resume. If you are a monthly or yearly subscriber, the hiatus on payments and subscription time will resume.
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Of course my Paid Subscription was raised during our last townhall meeting…given a fair warning shot with this post:
Paid subscriptions will again be opened - February 1, 2023.
And I get it.
Don’t be mad…here’s the thing.
I’ve committed to free content and appreciate those who have supported me through a Paid Subscription. I’ve also been here longer than I would have wished and committed far more than I could have imagined financially and by way of time. In this, I’ve also needed to take a mental break from this…that I didn’t actually take. Over this time, I’ve continually posted and hosted conversations keeping up-to-date with all relevant information.
But, there are costs that I’ve funded to help build and maintain our community and in all honesty, without a paid subscription base, could not have afforded nor rationalized on my own budget without contributions, for this extended time.
With that being said, I take pride in that I am not tapping you on the shoulder with daily nor weekly posts asking you to become a paid subscriber or to ‘buy me a coffee’…in fact, I’ve worked for contributions to others more than I’ve worked for my own personal gain and renumeration.
Veterans, check.
Wayback Machine, check.
Sheila Annette Lewis, check.
YakkStack Bank Account… :(
It’s never been about profiting off of a pandemic. Shit…breaking even at this point by way of time isn’t even in my realm of expectation.
In this, the one thing I want you to appreciate, I absolutely do not consider myself exceptional nor more knowledgeable than you are…I’ve just committed to a lot of time and resources by way of research and assembly of information for mass consumption.
I get it…you have too.
You’ve done your due diligence and continued on in these same efforts in forwarding content. Please continue to do so as you see fit…it is important.
It’s just that I’ve just committed my unique way of laying information and assembling it in a way that understood and relatable and through paid subscriptions, have a platform that we can communally have some solace and kinship.
In this…some of you have decided to help financially support me and my efforts, and I’ve invested every dollar (and more) into growth in our community.
This shit isn’t free.
I’ve gone through 2 laptops, spent out my PC, fronted gas and groceries for speaking engagements…which doesn’t account for countless hours of research and time into my posts.
Yeah…I get it, you have your commitments too…
I get it.
I feel ya.
But here’s the thing.
The people who pay-sub to my substack have afforded me the ability to continue to do what I do and invite others into our community.
Zoom Pro for townhall meetings, computer resources, travel expenses, my time away from family…bla bla bla…
It’s a cost.
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Without that, I couldn’t have partaken…and…
If you are unable to contribute financially as a paid sub, don’t.
Don’t even feel obligated to do so.
With/without your contributions…
I’ll find a way.
I mean, take into consideration that I’ve stopped accepting monthly sub fees, new paid subscribers and have extended all yearly fees for the last few months, under the possibility that I just may not be posting into 2023.
Sadly, I’ve had to…
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Even before I started a substack, others were offering me financial support to keep on with the information and I rejected it. Of course, I had no idea what I signed up for…
A lot of these same people have been funding me along the way. $5/mo, $50/yr - some as high as my $500 Max as a cooperate type sponsorship.
And in you and them, I’ve even achieved a ‘Best Seller’ status on substack:
Here’s the thing.
Those who have supported me with a paid subscription…have also supported unpaid subs by way of financial commitments, allowing comments, content, and Zoom town-halls.
Does not paying $5/Month make you a less of a person if you can’t contribute?
NO. That’s what’s amazing about our community. Those who can, have. And this has continued to support my efforts and our community.
With or without…
I will still continue posting relevant content FREE, you just may miss out on being able to provide some of my personal lunacy.
So…
To properly acknowledge those who have contributed, I will continue to post but also provide expanded content and comment forum, some private Zoom Community meetings. For those who cannot, I will continue to post what I would have without funding and still provide open Zoom Community meetings.
Please appreciate this…whether you are a paid sub or not…
You are a valued member of our community.
Pay.
Don’t.
It doesn’t change my direction…there is just some content and meetings that will be exclusive to those who’ve helped pave the way and afford us some benefits.
If you did what I did…would you do it differently?
Originally, I thought so too.
Appreciating that this may cause me to lose some subscribers…if weren’t for those who have helped me along my way, you may not have even been here…and certainly for not his long.
So…
February 1st, 2023…for all, business as usual.
For those who’ve helped, want to join in on and those who continue to help fund my efforts, welcome to the YakkStack Sanctum Sanctorum.
My hat, tipped to all.
Thanks Sheldon for all your hard work and commitment. I am a free subscriber for all the stacks I read as my financial situation does not allow me otherwise, and will continue to do so as long as I am accepted . Respect for all you guys.
Sheldon, I don't think you need to apologize for asking subscribers to upgrade to paid. Nobody should work for free.
Having said that, I may be a few weeks before I upgrade to paid. I wish I could subscribe to all the substacks because the writing and reporting is so great but it's getting expensive at this end too.
When I click on 'subscribe' to your substack, I don't see any pricing information. Usually that comes up or perhaps there's an 'upgrade to paid' link I'm not seeing?