Introducing "Ednevsky Blog"
👋 Hey, it’s Alex (or @ednevsky, which has been my handle pretty much for a decade now).
I initially started this Substack in Feb 2023 as a catalyst to overcome my procrastination on creating the "perfect blog" and to simply publish more of my thoughts, beginning with some stories that people were genuinely curious about (such as this pet-sitting revelation).
Since then, I've published 8 posts that garnered around 7k views!
The highest spike you see is when one of my posts gained traction (even if slightly) on HackerNews — which demonstrates that gaining visibility there can result in a substantial traffic boost.
I also attracted 74 followers. Admittedly, I haven't actively sought to optimize my follower count. In fact, I haven't even announced my blog anywhere — merely started posting and casually sharing links here and there.
If you're reading this, could you spare 30 seconds to let me know why you subscribed? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Feel free to either:
Reply to this email (I read all replies!)
DM me on Telegram/LinkedIn: @ednevsky
And if you really liked it, why not share the link with your friends?
So, what’s changing?
Moving forward, I aim to not only publish content but to do so consistently and with a distinct theme/audience in mind. Thus, the purpose of this reintroduction post.
In case you don't recall who I am, here's some background info about me (after all, you've subscribed to my content, so you deserve a fair warning about what lies ahead) and the latest pic of mine:
I’m an experienced founder with a background in Bizdev/Product/Operations/Fundraising. My journey has been tumultuous (but aren't they all?) — encompassing both successes and failures, which I've thoroughly enjoyed (kidding). My proudest accomplishment is being part of the founding team at WANNA, an AR Try-On startup that Farfetch acquired (one of the first clients I landed, by the way!) in 2022, marking my first exit. Overall, I've worked in both B2C and B2B, building and growing mobile apps, web apps, and SaaS products.
I'm particularly passionate about how machine learning (AI) is increasingly integrated into various JTBD (jobs to be done). I began working on ML projects well before the current hype (in 2018) and am thrilled by how the new GenAI wave is accelerating progress.
For the past year or so, I've been in what entrepreneurs call the "in-between stage" — relishing life, continually experimenting with various partners, and assisting other founders with my expertise. Recently, I founded a community called FundraisingHackers.com, through which I help early-stage founders with their fundraising efforts. Thus far, it's been a gratifying experience, so expect more developments in this area.
You should also absolutely connect with me on LinkedIn and X/Twitter, I’m very approachable and would happily give you a back follow.
With that icky social proofing addressed, let's get down to business.
Who am I writing for?
Entrepreneurs in general, with a focus on early-stage startup founders (and their team members!)
As a founder myself, I understand the challenges of launching and working in startups (early employees often face similar struggles). Capturing lightning in a bottle, chewing glass, and continually hearing "No" are all part of the journey. Moreover, the pursuit of work-life balance and productivity seems never-ending, and here’s how we get to this:
Knowledge workers (engineers, product managers, etc.), researchers, and virtually anyone considering embarking on the entrepreneurial journey
Angels or VCs interested in obtaining higher-quality, pertinent startup knowledge
What can you expect in the coming months and years?
Regular (weekly or bi-weekly) posts arriving in your inbox.
Deep dives
Stories about product building, fundraising, healthy productivity, and all things startups/tech-related:
Launching Waffle Collective (for fun!) and selling 69 waffles in a day
How do the best creators promote their blogs/newsletters?
Why I allocate 2 hours every Monday for Reflection/Planning and how you can do it too + template
What I learned from conversing with 50+ founders about their fundraising obstacles
The importance of founders investing time (or money) in online content creation and effective strategies for doing so
Stuff I'm digging
Podcasts
Tools
Books
Links, memes, and many more!
What topics are YOU personally interested in?
If you'd like to hear from me more frequently, consider following my LinkedIn/Twitter accounts, where I share content at least once or twice a week. I'd be more than happy to follow back!
