2024: A Year of Writing, Growth, and Connection
Hi friends!
When I started writing on Medium in May 2023, I had no grand expectations. I didn’t set out to “build a following” or “grow a brand.”
Honestly, I just wanted to share my experiences as a leader — lessons learned the hard way, frameworks that helped me navigate challenging situations, and reflections on the evolving role of leadership.
By January 1st, 2024, I had published a handful of posts and gained 190 followers. A humble but encouraging number. I remember thinking, Maybe this is something worth continuing. So, I kept writing.
By the end of 2024, after publishing (almost) consistently through the year, that number has grown to almost 7000 followers.
The Experiment that Took Off
In April 2024, I took a leap and self-published The Ultimate Leadership Toolkit — a culmination of the frameworks and strategies I’d been writing about. A few months later, after receiving valuable feedback from my colleagues, friends, managers, and executives in my network, I expanded and rebranded it as The Leader’s Playbook.
The reception floored me. Over 500 copies sold globally and 65+ five-star reviews on Amazon.
I’m not sure what felt more rewarding — the numbers or the messages I received from readers who said the book helped them lead with more clarity and confidence. Some even gifted copies of the book to their leadership teams, while others ordered copies to serve as references during their leadership trainings.
In June, I decided to start another experiment: a Substack newsletter called The Good Boss. It felt like starting from scratch again, but I was curious to see if I could build a space for deeper conversations around leadership.
By the end of 2024, the newsletter has 450+ subscribers, and I was just blown away by the community of leaders who actively engaged with me on Substack.
This was beyond anything I had imagined.
Beyond the Numbers
The numbers are nice, but for me they aren’t the real takeaway from this year.
The biggest gift of 2024 has been the learning and connections. Every post I wrote forced me to reflect, structure my thoughts, and articulate them clearly. The act of writing became a form of leadership in itself — distilling chaos into clarity.
More importantly, writing opened doors to thousands of conversations. I’ve connected with leaders from industries I knew nothing about, exchanged ideas with readers halfway across the globe, and learned from comments that challenged my perspectives.
But perhaps the most unexpected outcome was how much I grew in terms of knowledge and experience. Writing consistently forced me to dig deeper. I wasn’t just sharing what I already knew — I was exploring, researching, and filling the gaps in my own understanding. Over time, I began to see patterns. I learned what resonates with people — the pain points leaders struggle with, the frameworks they find valuable, and the questions they are asking but don’t always voice.
In a way, writing became a feedback loop for personal and professional growth.
Lessons from the Journey
If I could distill 2024’s writing journey into a few key lessons, they would be:
- You Need to Enjoy the Process.
Writing takes effort, and my family can vouch for the countless Saturday afternoons I spent typing away instead of consuming entertainment or relaxing. But the funny part? I didn’t miss it. Writing became my entertainment, and I genuinely looked forward to it. - Community is Everything.
Whether it’s feedback on a post, a comment that sparks a new idea, or a reader reaching out with a thoughtful question — this journey has shown me the power of shared learning. Learning can be fun when you surround yourself with curious, driven people. - Vulnerability is Magnetic.
Some of the most resonant posts were the ones where I admitted failures, doubts, or uncertainty. People connect with authenticity, not perfection. - Learning is the Ultimate Reward.
The pursuit of knowledge — more than any growth metric — is what makes the writing journey worthwhile. Every post I wrote this year expanded my understanding of leadership, human behavior, and the challenges that modern managers face.
The Road Ahead
As I look toward 2025, I feel both excitement and gratitude.
Writing has become more than just a creative outlet — it’s a core part of my leadership journey. I plan to keep expanding The Leader’s Playbook, grow The Good Boss newsletter, and perhaps even experiment with new formats like podcasts or video.
If you’ve been part of this journey — whether as a reader, subscriber, or someone who just clicked “like” on a post — THANK YOU! Your support, insights, and questions have shaped this journey more than you know.
I also want to thank all those who inspired me to continue this writing journey. You may not know this, but you have truly made a difference! (apologies if I missed any names — I’m sure I did!)
Tobias Charles Vinita Michael Lim Mirek Stanek Daniel Rizea David C. Wyld Kate Hogue David O'Malley Prateek Sharma Paul Hudson Rennie Derek Hughes Alex Mathers Tim Denning Alex Miguel Meyer Bisma Zafar Gopal G S Korgaonker Ali Alzahrani, Ph.D M. S. Shekar Ankit Sharma Keith Williams Keith Collyer Dr Ahmet
Here’s to another year of growth, learning, and writing.
Gaurav
