My favorite toy as a kid was this Fisher Price Alpha Probe space shuttle that had electronic sounds and flashing lights. Best of all, it had a cargo bay that opened and closed - complete with an astronaut tethered for a space walk. Technically the shuttle was my brother's, but it was way cooler than my Barbie "spa tub" that made bubbles when you pressed a squeeze button. (Very telling how disparate toys were in the 80s.)
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I've been obsessed with space and astronauts ever since. So when I recently attended a talk by a NASA astrophysicist about the James Web Space Telescope, I geeked out (plus my husband loves it when he can nerd out with fellow physicists - it's not often that you get more than two of them in a room at the same time).
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One thing that stuck out for me - an audience question on who gets to use the telescope for research. And she answered that there was a recently policy change. It used to be that only certain scientists would give approval to certain other scientists - it was a who you know kinda game to get access (which, of course, left a lot of younger and outsider scientists out of the loop). Now anyone can pitch for telescope time - and there's a double-blind approval process - meaning no one knows who is getting approved. This means that more people are getting access - and the data gets shared with everyone.
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​More open access to data and research is rarely a bad thing.
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​It's why I believe everyone should have some sort of communication tool where they can publish without constraints (as much as one can without running their own server farm). For me, that's my website and newsletter. And you know I backup everything on a regular basis "just in case."
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​The easiest way to get your own solid newsletter up and running fast? Signup for a free Kit* account (you can always upgrade later to a paid account that has more features). I personally use the Creator pro plan* for these reasons:

• you can create unlimited automations and sequences
• you can edit links after the email is sent (great for fixing expiring promos, to redirect old links or if you need to edit a mistake)
• you can get enhanced deliverability reporting and insights
• access to the Creator Network where others can find and share your work (you'll just need the Creator plan for this feature)

I've tried a lot of different email marketing services over the years and I've stuck with Kit* since 2016. I find it the easiest service to use for the majority of my clients and audience.
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​Note: If you're primarily in the e-commerce space, you'll likely want to check other services like Klaviyo.
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​Got Kit specific (or other newsletter questions?) I'm working on some brand-new content to get you up and running fast. Hit reply and send me a note (it's just me in this inbox).

you’ve got this,
Michelle

p.s. Want ideas on what you can do with your email list (even if it's tiny or brand new)? Click here to grab my go-to guide Rich Inbox.
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p.p.s. miss last week’s missive? Read it here: there's gold inside​
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​*indicates affiliate link. I only recommend tools, programs and services that I personally use for myself or my clients or that I've helped create.