The New DIY
The traditional gatekeepers are losing their grip on power.
The barriers to entry are crumbling.
The power is in the hands of the creators.
This is the New DIY, where authors, creators and founders have the tools to control their destinies and reshape industries on their own terms.
Writers don’t need to wait in line, hat in hand, hoping for the approval of publishing companies to validate their work. Anyone can create, publish, and distribute their work directly to readers.
Founders don’t need to rely on the approval and funding from out-of-touch venture capitalists to bring their ideas to life.
Mass market access to technology and the proliferation of alternative funding methods haven’t levelled the playing field — capital is always unequal — but they have made it possible for entrepreneurs to build their businesses on their own terms.
Crowdfunding platforms allow founders to rally support from enthusiastic backers.
Bootstrapping enables them to grow organically, fueled by their own revenue and sweat.
Revenue-based financing gives entrepreneurs access to capital without diluting their ownership or compromising their vision.
The New DIY is independence.
You carve it out by embracing uncertainty and believing in your work — recognizing that the only permission you need is your own.
Whether you’re an author with a story burning inside you or a founder with a vision that keeps you up at night, the power to make it happen is yours.
The New DIY doesn’t mean going it alone.
Collaboration, community, and support have a role in the success of creators. The key difference is that these connections are now built with creators’ peers, on the terms of the creators themselves.
Authors can build their own tribes of loyal readers.
Founders can surround themselves with mentors, advisors, and partners who share their values and believe in their mission.
Don’t let your ego lead you down a path of disappointment—the world isn’t waiting for the “unique gifts and perspectives only you can offer.” The New DIY is going to be brutally hard.
But it’s the only option if you feel in your gut that you can’t let the gatekeepers hold you back for a single moment longer. Step out of the line and chisel out your own niche.
In the New DIY, the only limits are the ones we place on ourselves.
