Work with Erika Ayers Badan · 2026-02-02 · 20 min
Search traffic is down, referral traffic is drying up, platforms are changing their rules, people are evaluating what to do…and what’s next. Emily Kirkpatrick is one of these people. She left a big, recognizable job in dramatic fashion, went fully independent, and built a real living on Substack and YouTube. No ads. No corporate overhang. Just her voice, her point of view, and a direct relationship with her audience. We talk about the economics of independence. What happens when traffic disappears. And why so many writers, creators, and journalists are fleeing big institutions in favor of owning their work and their audiences. We also get into taste. Celebrity fashion. Stylists. Publicists. Rage bait. Samples that do not fit. The strange incentives that shape what we see on red carpets and why so much of it feels off. And how being honest about what you actually like is harder and more valuable than chasing relevance. This is WORK. Conversations. Get full access to Mule Media at erikaayersbadan.substack.com/subscribe
WORK Conversations: Emily Tisch Sussman55 / 100
WORK Unsolicited Advice: More Money More Problems
WORK Conversations: Meet Danielle Fette
WORK Net/Net: Always Be Closing
WORK Underlined: Narrative and Numbers