In praise of starters

Join my new small business inspiration newsletter

I’ve become far too used to writing ‘I’m so sorry for the delay between posts’, and this is no exception. The last edition of Desire Paths was in (checks notes) July. Which… yeah, I know. But this time there’s an actual reason for the delay beyond just life. And that’s because I’ve been working on something new.

I’m building a newsletter and global community for the next generation of small business owners. It’s called For Starters.

It’s starting as a free weekly newsletter which you can subscribe to here.

If you have a minute, I’d love to tell you…

• about For Starters

• why I think you’ll find it interesting

• what’s next for Desire Paths

---

You might be wondering how I got here…

I’ve been interviewing business owners for most of my adult life. First at Monocle, where from 2011 to 2017 I built and hosted one of the industry’s earliest business podcasts, The Entrepreneurs, and where I witnessed the beginning of both the direct-to-consumer age and a huge boom in tech.

Then at Courier (RIP), where I was editor and editorial director, and where we inspired people to follow their passions and make a living doing what they love.

And now at Mailchimp, where I tell tales, write case studies and publish articles about awesome, growing businesses.

I really love telling stories of people following their dreams. It’s the best type of story there is, in my opinion. This is also why I launched Desire Paths, to shine a light on the more unconventional journeys out there.

But I think we’re about to enter a wild new era that’s even more entrepreneurial than ever before – and I think that no one is currently serving the quality inspiration and resources this new generation needs to succeed. So I’m gonna do it.

---

Everyone is starting something new

In 2023, 5.5 million applications were filed to form a new business in the US alone, an all-time record. That’s absolutely wild. A few years ago this might have been explained away as a Covid-fulled surge in side hustles. But actually something much deeper is happening: we’re on the cusp of a great wave of entrepreneurship.

More people than ever want to be their own boss. They’re turning their backs on traditional career paths. They don’t want to climb the corporate ladder. The thought of a 9-to-5 makes them want to jump off a cliff (literally… but also figuratively, into entrepreneurship).

But I’ve always thought there’s something odd: while VC-backed tech founders have got a whole ecosystem of advice, content and support, everyone else is left to figure things out on their own. Startups get the shiny toys and flashy conferences and big media titles while small biz owners get a pat on the back and a membership to some dusty networking group in a local Marriott conference hall.

This is odd because only a tiny fraction of new businesses are tech. The other 99.9% are small businesses. The silent majority. They’re shopkeepers, restaurateurs, florists, designers, fitness instructors, salon owners, makeup artists, DJs, ceramicists, cafe owners, content creators, bakers, wedding photographers, dog groomers, vintage sellers, food truck operators, bootstrappers, side hustlers, creatives, artisans and makers.

They’re STARTERS.

So I’m building this new email newsletter – and soon building a larger, more robust community and platform – for these starters. To even the playing field a bit, and to give this massive, overlooked, incredible group the inspiration and advice they need.

---

4 reasons to subscribe to For Starters

Like Desire Paths, but more advice, and bluer.

• Reason #1 → You probably have a business idea rattling around the back of your head. Or a list of 20 random ideas in the Notes app on your phone. Why not have 2025 be the year you make a dent on one of those dreams? For Starters is designed to help you turn them into reality.

—

• Reason #2 → I’ll be telling stories similar to Desire Paths, but shorter in length and with the added benefit of advice. You won’t just read inspirational stories of people following their passions, you’ll also learn how to do it yourself. Stories like:

  • Why Dan Duncan quit his decade-long tech career to become the bagel maestro of Kansas City (in For Starters Issue 6)

  • How Gloria Allorbi, a cosmetic chemist, is bootstrapping a Ghanaian chili oil that’s now stocked in some of America’s biggest retailers (in For Starters Issue 5)

  • Why NYC-based Sam Kelly is disrupting the tattoo industry with his company Tiny Zaps (in For Starters Issue 4)

  • And how Canada-born, London-based Rachel Steed-Middleton turned a £70 investment into just over £5 million in revenue for her cult-favourite phone strap brand String Ting (in For Starters Issue 3)

—

• Reason #3 → What people are saying (actual For Starters subscriber quotes)

  • “May be my most valuable (and fun) newsletter yet”

  • “One of my fav new newsletters. Highly recommend.”

  • “My new favourite way to kickstart Friday mornings.”

  • “Getting a roundup of all the great folks out there just making shit happen has been the energy kick I needed.”

  • “You've put together such a great mix of realistic reference points / creative inspiration for someone starting something.”

  • “The newsletter slaps! So much in each one, so much of value.”

  • “I feel like a hole has been filled where Courier used to live in my life.”

  • “As a small business fan myself, it’s already one of my favorite reads.”

—

• Reason #4 → You literally have nothing to lose. For Starters is 100% free to join and you can unsubscribe anytime you feel you’re not getting something from it. You can read previous editions of For Starters and subscribe right here.

---

What’s next for Desire Paths?

It’s not going anywhere! It’s true, I’ll be focusing more of my attention on For Starters for the foreseeable, but I fully plan to write more Desire Paths editions as and when the right stories emerge. I think that’s best: you only get sent good things when the inspiration strikes. Maybe that’s next week. Maybe that’s 12 months from now.

---

If you’re starting something new, or you currently run a business, or you’re simply daydreaming (welcome to the club…), subscribe to For Starters for free right here.

And why not give a follow on Instagram and LinkedIn?

I hope you enjoy it. And thank you a million times over,

Danny