In this episode, Russell is joined by
from and from to talk through Claudia’s chapter in 10K Secrets.Claudia breaks down the thinking behind her chapter: how storytelling shaped her growth on Substack and helped her build trust with her audience. She reflects on the up-and-down nature of publishing consistently and learning what actually lands with readers.
“I looked back and said what is the one thing that I really think made a difference for me in this up and down journey, and it all came down to storytelling.”
She talks about how she resisted being overly curated early on and instead leaned into showing the messy middle of her creative and financial journey. That vulnerability, she says, is what helped her community stick around.
She talks about the ups and downs of publishing, the pressure to keep up with metrics, and how she eventually stopped trying to “do it right” and focused on doing it well. That shift helped her build momentum without burning out.
Yari, coming from a more finance-oriented background, brings a useful outsider perspective. He asks solid questions that pull out Claudia’s process: how she approaches writing, what makes a story resonate, and how to balance vulnerability with intention.
Notable Moments
Claudia talks about using storytelling to make financial topics more human and digestible.
Yari brings up the tension between being authentic and trying to “scale” your writing.
Russell reflects on how the book became a collection of surprisingly personal, raw insights—not a polished playbook.
Takeaways
Storytelling isn’t just about the words—it’s about the why behind what you share.
You don’t have to be performative to grow. In fact, realness tends to work better long-term.
Everyone’s figuring this stuff out as they go. The key is staying connected to the people you’re creating for.
You can read Claudia’s chapter, along with 13 others, over at 10ksecrets.substack.com.
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