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Exploriter

Explo(r|it)ing Knowledge for Wisdom

Making Exploriter

This business changelog is updated regularly. It tracks progress and records milestones for Exploriter. The good, the bad, and the ugly. If you have ever been interested in what goes on, day-to-day, while growing a business and brand of this sort, this may provide some insight.


Log #8

August 12, 2020

  • Drafted an outline of “How to build a writing habit”.

Log #7

August 11, 2020

  • Scrapped most of the first draft of “Why I left my job” and restructured the outline.

Log #6

August 10, 2020

  • Wrote a draft of “Why I left my job”.

Log #5

August 7, 2020

  • Settled on ConvertKit and WordPress for the newsletter. I’d rather own it all as much as possible.
  • Spent far too much time learning the ins-and-outs of ConvertKit.
  • Installed a Genesis child theme on WP Engine.

Log #4

August 6, 2020

  • Set up project pages in Roam for the website, the blog, and the newsletter so I can keep track of ideas and other metadata about each sub-project.
  • Worked on some description copy for the blog and the newsletter:
    • For the blog (a bit of a mouthful right now): “Cultivating wisdom and skills by using our intelligence and curiosity to flow between exploration and exploitation of various forms of knowledge.”
    • For the newsletter: “Discover and leverage tools, systems, and ideas to shape and refine how you think and act in life and business.”

Log #3

August 5, 2020

  • Played with Substack. Set up a dummy newsletter.
  • Played with ConvertKit. Built a newsletter opt-in form.

Log #2

August 4, 2020

  • Brainstormed initial article ideas. My favorites:
    • Something about building a writing habit.
    • A writeup of my time/dismissal from my last job (focussed on why leadership matters).
    • Something about Roam Research, probably theme customizations.
    • A writeup on exploration & exploitation and why that is the preferred framing on this site.
  • Researched newsletter options. It’s between:
    • Fully managed by Substack
    • Archive on WP and managed w/ ConvertKit

Log #1

August 3, 2020

  • Started the THRY Works project!
  • Began scoping the project in Roam (imagined tasks).
  • Settled on WordPress for the website. I wanted to learn something new but decided I’d do that with separate landing page sites for future products when I feel I can take the time to experiment.
  • Purchased a new hosting account with WP Engine.
Expenses:
$300
  • ← Recent Logs
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Primary Sidebar

Progress

3 months and 29 days

$0

$2,028

23/100

2/10

1030/5000

* These indicate progress, not destinations. Everything started at ZERO on the launch date.

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F.A.Q.

Why are you doing this?

Journals are important for clarity, remembering, finding connections, maintaining alignment with reality, etc.

I'm making it public because it's something I'd like to normalize.

To demystify the process of building a business and brand. To show more than just a highlight reel. To motivate me and keep me hungry.

...and because I wanted a page with all monospace font. 🤓

Is this really everything?

Of course not. I left out all the crying, singing, and laughing. I'll get better over time and depending on mood with how detailed I get.

Can I tell you how you're doing it wrong?

Only if you also tell me how you're doing wrong. Shoot me an email at watson@hey.com. I read everything. I can't promise to respond, though.

Jason Hunter Watson avatar
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