Would you build your future on rented land?

It’s a powerful question—one we should always ask when we build something for ourselves. Whether it's a side income, our main source of income, or a path to financial freedom.

This question hit me again yesterday after a conversation with a friend. His wife is currently in a painful legal battle with her own family—her mother, sister, and even nieces and nephews. Years ago, her parents gifted her a few apartments. These were meant to be part of her retirement plan.

She receives a very small pension and can’t work due to health reasons. So, this inheritance was what she was counting on. But now, everything is uncertain. She's paying lawyers, fighting for something that was once secure. No one knows how it will end.

Her life seemed stable—until the argument started.

Listening to that story made me reflect. My path has always been driven by one strong desire: freedom.

Freedom to earn my own money.

Freedom to make my own decisions.

Freedom from dependence on anyone—even those I love dearly.

I’ve always wanted to build something of my own. My own life. My own story.

Luckily, I had the best partner by my side—my husband—who shares that same vision of freedom.

For years, we’ve run brick-and-mortar businesses together. And now, I’ve taken the next step: building an online business.

It has made me even more independent.

Yes, I still work. But I work with purpose. Not just to make money (although money matters!), but to build a life on my terms.

And yet… sometimes a little doubt creeps in.

I asked myself recently:

Is building a business on Substack like building on rented land?

Am I becoming dependent on something I don’t fully control?

Should I have started with a blog instead?

I gave myself some time to think—and here’s my honest answer:

Yes, Substack is a platform I don’t own. It’s not like having my own website. But it’s also not like social media, where your content disappears or gets buried by algorithms.

Because the real asset here?

Your subscribers.

​On Substack, it’s easy to start without tech overwhelm. It’s easier to grow your audience here than it is on a brand-new blog. And even though it’s technically “rented land,” I still own my email list and my content. I can download everything, move it to my website, and keep going.

In fact, I already have my own website. I don’t plan to give it up. With my content system, I can republish everything on both platforms with ease.

I also still use Kit as my email provider—it gives me more features and keeps me a little more independent from Substack.

So, after weighing everything, here’s what I believe:

Substack may not be 100% “mine,” but it gives me the tools and freedom to build something real, something impactful, and something that still belongs to me.

And that’s worth it.

Now I’d love to hear from you:

Why did you choose to build your business on Substack?

Or—if you're just getting started—what’s drawing you to this platform?

Cheers,

Katja

P.S. Ready to start your own Substack and grow your audience? Grab my free guide "From 0 to 50 Subscribers in 30 Days"—your simple step-by-step roadmap to launch with confidence and get your first 50 readers! 👉 [Download it here]​

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