Many people strive to become creators but often forget the discipline, hard work, and consistency required to build an audience. But while the task can seem daunting, it’s not impossible. The best way to learn how to grow a subscriber base is by learning from creators who have successfully done so. In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa talk with Charli Prangley, Creative Director at ConvertKit, about her experience as a YouTuber with more than 220K subscribers, and the author of the Marketing Design Dispatch newsletter with more than 15K subscribers. Charli discusses what led her to ConvertKit, why creators should take advantage of email when building their brand, and why simple designs often land best with audiences.  They also discuss Charli’s digital product offerings, her different sources of income, and her advice for aspiring creators. Key Takeaways [06:00] - An introduction to Charli and her creator journey. [07:35] - What brought Charli to ConvertKit.  [10:04] - Charli’s day-to-day at ConvertKit.  [13:07] - Why creators should use email. [18:30] - An overview of Charli’s digital products.  [20:18] - How Charli decided which products to create. [22:00] - What do Charli’s income streams look like? [25:53] - Charli’s design advice for creators. [34:26] - How Charli encourages email replies. [42:28] - Charli’s closing thoughts. [48:31] - Where to find Charli. Quotes [14:29] - “Email is powerful for directly reaching your audience.” ~ @charliprangley [25:53] - “The main thing I suggest is to keep it simple. The more simple you make it, the more refined your design is going to feel.” ~ @charliprangley [43:10] - “Don't make all of the decisions just based on business reasons, but include your own enjoyment in there as a factor too.” ~ @charliprangley Links Charli Prangley on Twitter Charli Prangley - Creative Director - ConvertKit | LinkedIn Charli Marie CharliMarieTV - YouTube Subscribe to the Marketing Design Dispatch Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter! Ask Alyssa & Melissa questions or suggest content for our next monthly newsletter! Connect with our hosts Alyssa Dulin Melissa Lambert Stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Twitter Facebook Instagram Deliverability Defined Website Try ConvertKit's deliverability in action It's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.