I started publishing in my teens. Fascinated by video games and traveling, my articles were featured in PSX Extreme. Long-lasting Polish paper magazine still in circulation.
In the early 2000s, blogging was on the rise. So I had my share of blogs on Blogger (Blogspot), WordPress.com, and self-hosted WordPress. I originally maintained the nerdontour.net site you are currently visiting on WordPress.
However, I desired to dedicate more effort to writing. Therefore, in February 2025, I moved to Ghost Pro. Their unique combination of minimalistic design, super-fast servers, and unlimited storage was undoubtedly what I needed to publish more.
Now, my Nomad Tuesday newsletter ships weekly to around 60 subscribers, and 1,500 monthly visitors read it. While some may see these as low numbers, I'm pleased with the growth.
That's why I feel it's time for my next chapter.
Fellow creators supported by their true fans
Since I started using the Internet in the late 1990s, I've been fascinated by the online creators. Extraordinary adventurers, artists, and developers who found their true fans.
The concept of 1,000 true fans was actually coined by technologist Kevin Kelly. In short, if each of these 1,000 true fans contributes 5 USD per month, they can fully support the creator. 5000 USD is a decent salary that allows creators to focus on their craft.
These are the creators I love:
- Gone With The Wynns — YouTubers and travelers who also run on Ghost PRO
- Pasta And Panda — my digital nomad friends and YouTubers who chose Patreon
- Mateusz Urbanowicz — my Polish friend and painting artist, also on Patreon
- Stratechery — Ben Thompson tech analysts run on his own Passport
- Pieter Levels — influential Dutch solopreneur who chose X Creator Subscriptions
- Marc Lou — intriguing French solopreneur on X Creator Subscriptions
Doubts about my projects
I admit that I'm an overthinker. Usually, I spend a lot of time on preparation. Thinking about every scenario and contingency plans. It's useful for traveling. And has saved me countless times during my career as a tour manager.
Still, it's also something that slows me down. The wild and dynamic world of the Internet requires a faster pace. All sites/apps are imperfect. Including my nerdontour.net. But with interactive improvements, they become polished.
Therefore, I feel it's the right time to introduce paid subscriptions.
The beginning of Nerd on Tour Pro
With this post, I'm launching Nerd on Tour Pro. Starting at 5 USD/month or 50 USD/year. All handled safely and smoothly by Ghost with Stripe payments.
The goal is to give you, my subscriber, an ad-free hub for all my content. Weekly articles, podcast episodes, and soon videos.
Ghost already excels at hosting my written content and delivering it via email. My podcast is now at an excellent Transistor.fm, which integrates with Ghost. It allows me to offer you a private, interruption-free podcast feed. Lastly, I will offer the planned videos via a non-YouTube built-in player.
The Nerd on Tour Pro lets you enjoy my content. Without annoying ads, intrusive pop-ups, and algorithmic recommendations.
The experiment
Launching my first paid subscription feels like "reisefieber". It's a German term for mixed excitement with anxiety before traveling. We often use this word in Polish, too.
It's an unknown new chapter for me. I strive to make it great for you, my dear supporter. Yet, I expect rough edges. With your feedback, I'll polish it.
At this stage, I envision it like this:
- Anyone can access my content on nerdontour.net
- Subscribe to the free plan to comment, ask questions, and reply to my Nomad Tuesday newsletter.
- Upgrade to Nerd on Tour Pro to access exclusive perks:
- Private podcast feed.
- First access to new features and apps (like the private video player)
- Direct support for my work.
How does your subscription support me?
This is my first time, but I believe it's the correct path. Because I got positive feedback from my podcast listeners, my readers, and my social media followers.
The unique intersection of long-term travel and mobile online technology is what digital nomading is to me. I love this life! And I love sharing my podcast conversations, practical articles, and cultural observations.
With your direct support, I'll be able to take the next step. To hire editors for regular podcast and video publishing. To invite new, fascinating podcast guests. And to launch tour guides for my favorite destinations. My backlog is full of ideas. Your contribution will make them happen.
What do you think about this experiment? Do you have questions before upgrading?
Reply and tell me what you think. I strive to respond to every comment, and I'd love hearing from you.
See you next Tuesday!
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