Thank you!

Dear 21 Hatters,

Please consider this a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have signed on as paid subscribers for the 21 Hats Morning Report. As I explained last week, my next step in my efforts to turn 21 Hats into a real community and a sustainable business is to ask subscribers to pay a fee. As you might imagine, I’m taking this step with some trepidation, but here’s a note that arrived with a paid subscription that’s typical of many I’ve received in the past few days:

"What you do is valuable and very much needed. Your podcast is a must—wish every small business owner I know subscribed! Imagine how much better our businesses and our communities could be by just following along as others talk about their own journeys. As you like to say, you’re not alone facing challenges."

Here’s what paid subscribers get: Starting August 5, only paid subscribers will receive the 21 Hats Morning Report, which curates the most important news of the day specifically for business owners. We take the time to do the searching so you don’t have to, and we highlight the most important points in each story. PLUS: Paid subscribers also get access to the 21 Hats Sounding Board, our dedicated Slack channel, where you can exchange recommendations and ideas and questions with like-minded owners. You will also be eligible to attend our in-person events and workshops like our Fish Bowl with Chris Hutchinson and a series I’m planning on the best ways to share your business’s story.

Here’s what it will cost: Just $9 a month, or you can make one annual payment of $99 and get a free month. Or for $480 a year, you can join as a Founding Member, which entitles you to attend our monthly mastermind Zoom where owners compare notes on what’s working and what isn’t and also meet special guests who share their expertise and experiences. If you’d like to try it out by attending a session as my guest, let me know by replying to this email.

Of course, if you feel you’re not getting your money’s worth, you can always get your money back. My hope is that charging for the newsletter, the mastermind, and the events will enable me to keep attracting new members to our community by continuing to offer the 21 Hats Podcast free of charge.

Here’s how to sign up: If you’re already a paid subscriber, you don’t have to do anything--although, please note that the new fee is slightly less than the voluntary fee I’ve been requesting. Feel free to cancel your current subscription and then re-subscribe at the lower rate. Those free subscribers who choose not to become paid subscribers will continue to get the daily email, but they will be able to see only the very beginning of the newsletter.

The guiding philosophy of 21 Hats is that you do indeed have to wear a lot of hats to build a business, and no one is expert at all of them. We believe the most valuable support an owner can get comes from engaging with other owners on similar journeys to get the kinds of insights only another owner can offer. No one can tell you what is best for your business, but joining the conversation will expose you to thoughts and ideas and experiences that will help you decide what’s right for you.

We’re just getting started here: I’m confident that your (tax-deductible!) subscription will represent both a tremendous value for you as well as a worthwhile investment in a community that will continue to find new ways to support you and other owners for years to come.

If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, please let me know. You can post a comment, reply to this email, or call my cell: 215-906-2707. Thank you!

Loren