There’s a trend going around on social where women are sharing the most unhinged things they did in their early business days, and it’s equal parts hilarious and heroic.

And I wanted in. 🙋🏻‍♀️

So I sat down to write mine. But instead of a cheeky little list, I got gut-punched by a realization I didn’t expect.

Let me back up.

Some of the examples online were legendary. Like…

✔️ Sara Blakely paying her friends to buy Spanx from Neiman Marcus so the product wouldn't tank.

✔️ Candace Nelson recreating every single Sprinkles cupcake recipe for their Kuwait store because vanilla extract contains alcohol.

✔️ Sima, a serial entrepreneur, processing payroll and interviewing a candidate from her hospital bed… while in labor.

And yes, those moments are wild, but they’re also courageous, strategic, and undeniably badass.

But when I tried to write my own, it didn’t feel badass. Or heroic. Or even strategic. It felt… heartbreaking.

My list felt a lot like desperate energy.

Working way too many weekends and nights. Saying yes to everything. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Watering down who I was to make strangers online like me. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Doing bro-marketing strategies that I knew were not right for me. 🙅🏻‍♀️

My list looked like self-doubt in overdrive. Hustle with no boundaries.

Fear dressed up as “doing what it takes.”

And here’s the thing: I don’t want to glorify that.

Because if I say I’m here to help you build a business that feels good to grow and great to run… then I can’t keep romanticizing burnout.

Would I go back and change the grit, the scrappiness, the perseverance?

Not a freaking chance.

But I would go back and change the mindset.

Yes.

I’d trade the panic for confidence.

I’d prioritize rest, relationships, and a sense of enough.

I’d surround myself with peers and mentors who showed me there was another way.

And I’d still bet on myself… just not at the cost of myself. 🙌🏻

So yes, I’ve done some unhinged things to get here.

But what actually moved the needle?

Nothing flashy. Nothing viral. Just the things that worked then and still work now.

✔️ Growing my list.

✔️ Launching my very messy first digital course.

✔️ Refusing to give up after my first failed launch.

✔️ Joining masterminds with women building wildly impactful businesses (even when $ was tight).

✔️ Staying in my lane and stacking my wins instead of chasing what everyone else was doing.

This is the version I’ll keep sharing. The version I hope you run with.

Because you don’t need desperate energy to be successful.

You need a clear strategy, a strong support system, and the audacity to believe that sustainable growth is the power move. 📣

If you are with me. Declare it.

From My Browser to Yours 💻

Because not all content is created equal, here’s what’s worth your brain space this week.

#1: 5 Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore This Summer (#3 is the 💣)
I know you’re building a brand that stands for something bigger than just sales. So trend #3? Don’t skip it! It's the exact reason I started this newsletter. Click for a 2-minute read.

#2: Can You Text Me?
This one is in honor of you stepping into your badassery and not worrying about what strangers think of you online. What he shares here is SPOT ON.

How to Write a Killer Hook 🪝 (and Stop the Scroll!)

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If your content isn’t stopping the scroll, the problem might be your opening line.

Your hook is the handshake. The door opener. The moment they decide: “I’m in” or “I’m out.”

Here’s how to write better ones:

• Keep it short. One sentence is often enough.
• Use them everywhere. Reels, emails, podcast titles. Hooks aren’t a sometimes thing.
• Be real. Don’t promise “7 figures overnight” if that’s not your thing.

Before you hit publish, ask:

✅  Is it tailored to what your people care about?
✅  Does it create emotion, urgency, or clear value?
✅  Would you want to keep reading?

To kickstart your hook mastery, try one of these this week:

• “You may not want to hear this, but…”
• “Struggling with your [blank]? You’re going to want to save this.”
• “Do you only focus on [blank]? Let me stop you right there.”
• “I’m going to prove to you that [surprising truth].”

Your turn. Write one. Post it. See what happens.

Unhinged Hobie

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Speaking of unhinged (you did read the story above, right?!), did you catch Hobie last week? Cutting the lawn on his hands and knees with gardening shears. I didn’t exactly get permission to post that reel… so he asked me to let you know: normally, the lawn’s lusher. He’s just in a rough patch. 😂

Good chat. Let’s do it again.

Until then, skip the desperate energy, write a killer hook, and remember, if they don’t have your number, they don’t get a say.

Amy

P.S. This week on the pod: my all-time favorite copywriting strategies, straight from the pros who taught me. Want sharper hooks, better conversions, and words that actually work? Click to listen now. 🎧