Hi Reader!

When I started blogging, we were still deeply involved in our brick-and-mortar business — selling asparagus, strawberries, and sweet cherries during the summer months, from April to July.

I remember when we started that business back in 2011.

A year before, we had helped a friend who was already doing it. He encouraged us to try it ourselves — to find our own selling spots and give it a go.

So we did.

We started by looking for places where we could set up. At that time, a big company was already selling strawberries across our region, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northeastern Germany. They had a huge farm and many selling points.

We started small — with cherries.

We had no idea what we were doing, but we knew one thing: we needed good locations to sell.

So we looked at where the big company was already present — and started finding spots nearby.

We were complete beginners. We didn’t know which places would work. But we knew cherry season was short — just two to three months — and we had to act quickly.

So I went out, approached property owners, and asked if we could sell cherries there the following year.

It wasn’t easy. I was nervous.

But I did it anyway. Because at the end of the day, the worst I could get was a "no." And many said "yes."

The next year, we launched — simple, a little messy, full of mistakes, but also full of learning.

Why am I telling you this?

Because everything starts with one first step.

Often, it’s an uncomfortable one.

But that’s just how new beginnings work.

That fear you feel? It’s old. A leftover from the days we lived in caves and had to be cautious to survive.

But it doesn’t help when you’re starting a blog. Or a Substack. Or any side hustle.

If you’re feeling scared to start, know this: you’re not alone.

And you don’t have to be fearless — you just have to be willing.

​So if starting your Substack, your blog, or anything else feels like standing at the edge of a cliff, this one’s for you.

Fear doesn’t mean you’re not ready.

It means your brain is trying to protect you.

Totally normal. And totally navigable.

Here is the thing:

You don’t need to be fearless.

You just need to be willing.

Willing to feel uncomfortable.

Willing to show up, even imperfectly.

Willing to try.

Because every action you take proves something powerful:

You’re the kind of person who starts.

You've got this. The first step is the hardest—but it’s also the one that changes everything.

Cheers,

Katja

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