Treat social platforms as distinct tools. Use TikTok's wide-reaching algorithm for top-of-funnel discovery and lead generation. In contrast, use LinkedIn for daily, consistent posting to build deep trust and nurture a loyal "crew" of followers.
Treat your community as a co-creation, not a top-down product. Generalist World empowers members to pitch and run their own initiatives (e.g., "job search councils"). The founders act as orchestrators, providing support and removing themselves as the bottleneck for value creation.
Don't chase virality on LinkedIn. Millie posted daily for 1,000+ days, focusing on building a reputation for consistency and trust. The payoff wasn't a single viral post, but a deep-seated industry reputation that led to speaking engagements and being recognized as a thought leader.
If you can't distill your product or idea into a compelling 30-second TikTok video, your core messaging and positioning aren't strong enough. This serves as a quick, effective test to refine marketing angles before investing more resources.
Millie from Generalist World created a quiz to answer the recurring question "Am I a generalist?". This identity-based lead magnet became a powerful, free growth engine, converting users from platforms like TikTok by offering tangible self-discovery and utility.
Millie adapted a TikTok trend by creating videos targeting specific user archetypes (e.g., "If you're seeing this, you're an innovator"). This creates a sense of algorithmic discovery, making users feel understood and compelling them to engage with her content.
Generalist World's newsletter achieves a 45% open rate by focusing on consistent utility. Every Tuesday subscribers get curated jobs, and every Friday a podcast. This reliability ensures subscribers see value in every email, rather than relying on unpredictable content.
Generalist World intentionally deleted its recurring membership revenue by switching to a lifetime model. This risky "one-way door" move was made only after its newsletter hit 20,000 subscribers, a scale that made it viable to replace that income with high-value brand sponsorships.
When direct outreach to potential sponsors fails, use unconventional channels. To land a key partnership, Millie couldn't find the right contact, so she messaged the company's customer support. They eventually routed her to the correct person, proving that the "third door" is often effective.