How to find your voice and build a valuable newsletter: Kerry Harrison’s story
Kerry Harrison is an AI trainer, copywriter, women’s circle host (and occasional AI cocktail maker). This is the story of her journey from feeling blocked and frustrated to finding her voice, embracing her multifaceted identity, and building a valuable marketing platform that’s bringing great results. It’s about the relief of being able to bring your whole self into your business and the practical steps needed to turn clarity into consistent, impactful communication.
In just one year, Kerry has gone from zero to 700 newsletter subscribers, positioned herself as a go-to expert in AI training for writers and businesses, and built a foundation for long-term success. Here’s how she did it—and how you can, too.
(Note: Kerry and I worked together on her positioning, website and content plan. I’m delighted that this early coaching work helped her overcome her blocks and release her voice, but the success that’s followed has been all hers. Here’s her story.)
Kerry’s challenge: feeling blocked and frustrated
Kerry faced a problem many of us can relate to when it comes to promoting what we do: she felt stuck and unsure where to begin. Despite her many talents—AI training, copywriting, and hosting women’s circles—she struggled to unify her interests into a clear message.
“I was confused about where to position myself. It seemed like everyone else had these perfect packages of doing one thing really well. I do AI, I do copywriting, and I do this yoga and human stuff. I didn’t want to drop any part of myself—I’m more than just one thing.”
The result? Frustration, inertia, and the painful sense of knowing she had so much to share with the world but no way to express it clearly.
Despite being a superb writer and marketer, Kerry was blocked.
The breakthrough: permission to be yourself
Everything changed when Kerry decided to embrace her multifaceted identity. She didn’t need to fit into a box or choose just one thing.
“You gave me permission to just be all of me. It was like a weight lifted. Once I embraced that, everything became clear.”
This moment of clarity became the turning point, allowing Kerry to move forward with confidence.
What Kerry did next: steps to success
With her block cleared, Kerry took practical steps to redefine her positioning and start building marketing momentum:
Clarified her message: With outside guidance, Kerry created a narrative that reflected her personality and unique blend of talents.
Updated her website: She redesigned her site to feel personal, inviting, and aligned with her message, showcasing all aspects of her work. See: www.kerryharrison.io
Launched an email newsletter: Kerry started Minds and Machines, a bi-weekly newsletter where she shares insights on AI and creativity. Sign up here: mindsandmachinesnews.substack.com
Committed to consistency: She set a realistic goal of sending out her newsletter every two weeks and stuck with it.
Focused her efforts: Rather than trying to be everywhere, Kerry concentrated on Substack and LinkedIn to promote her content.
Promoted strategically: By gently promoting her newsletter, repurposing content on social media and staying relentlessly authentic, Kerry attracted the right audience without burning out.
The results: a platform for growth
One year later, the results speak for themselves:
700 + engaged subscribers: From zero to 700 loyal readers who love her content.
Leads and opportunities coming in: Consistent inquiries from people she loves working with.
Confidence and clarity: Kerry feels empowered to share her voice and pursue the work she’s passionate about.
A strong foundation: Her newsletter is the cornerstone of her marketing, giving her a platform speak from and to confidently launch future projects like public courses.
Kerry is now a trusted AI trainer for The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Institute of Data and Marketing and for Google’s Digital Garage.
“I’m delighted I’ve found my voice, it’s been incredible. My newsletter and content are the heart of it all—where I share my knowledge and connect with people. And it’s working—good leads are coming in.”
Key Lessons from Kerry’s Story
Kerry’s experience offers actionable lessons for anyone looking to hone their positioning, find their voice, and build a sustainable and effective marketing platform:
Address your blockers: Identify what’s holding you back. For Kerry, it was the belief she had to specialise to be ‘professional’.
Embrace your whole self: Authenticity resonates. Kerry’s mix of AI expertise and human-centered work builds trust and connection.
Simplify your approach: Choose tools and platforms that feel natural, and don’t overcomplicate things.
Be bold about who you want to work for: Use your website to attract the right people by clearly stating who you are right for—and who you’re not.
Commit to consistency: Regular communication builds trust. Find a rhythm that works for you and stick to it.
Repurpose Your content: Make the most of your efforts by reusing content across platforms.
Write for yourself, too: Make sure your content creation process benefits you—whether it’s staying updated on your industry or refining your own ideas.
Push your newsletter: Make it the heart of your communication strategy, and always guide people to sign up.
Reach out for help when needed: An outside perspective can provide clarity you can’t find on your own.
“I concentrate on LinkedIn and my Substack emails. Everything's growing nicely now because I'm putting all my time and effort into that network and the community. So I’d say, choose a platform you're happy with, and stick with that. Don't get distracted.”
“There has to be something in it for you to keep you going, whether that's understanding your audience better or just developing your knowledge over time. For me, researching and writing my newsletter keeps me up to date on developments in the fast moving world of AI. I think that's really important.”
“I've committed to writing every two weeks. It doesn't really matter how often it is; it's more that I commit to turning up every month for my readers, and for myself.”
Kerry’s story proves that embracing who you are and finding your voice can unlock incredible opportunities. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure where to start, let her journey inspire you to take the first step. Build a platform that reflects who you are, focus on creating valuable content - for your audience and for you, and get your voice out there.
Inspiration from Kerry
If you’re looking for actionable inspiration, check out some of Kerry’s standout content:
Read this too: On using vibes and voice to attract the right clients: tomcritchlow.com/2022/06/16/rejecting-specialization
And finally: on AI…
Do you use AI to write or create your newsletter?
“I handcraft the writing in my newsletter. Because I value it so much – and I love to write! I have used AI for researching, repurposing content, summarising news articles, creating some images and sometimes to get me unstuck if I'm agonising over a paragraph, but other than that, the writing is handcrafted.”
Sign up to Kerry’s brilliant newsletter for a fortnightly update on AI-assisted content creation and the wonders of being human: mindsandmachinesnews.substack.com.