Caroline Chambers, Substack's highest-ranked food creator, has built a seven-figure business without being constantly online. "I'm not a TikToker. I am a mother of four," she told Business Insider, describing a strategy that prioritizes quality over platform omnipresence.
Since launching her "What To Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking" newsletter in December 2020, Chambers has accumulated over 568,000 subscribers. She attributes Instagram — particularly its video features — as the "biggest converter" for paid members. The creator plans to hire her first social media manager to scale the effort.
Her success reflects a broader pivot by Substack toward multimedia. The platform has introduced tools for livestreaming, podcasts, and in-app video, and is offering funding to incentivize new shows. Chambers sits at the intersection of Substack's old text-first model and its evolving video strategy.
While the approach is working, critics argue that leaning heavily on social media risks platform dependency. Algorithms change, and what works on Instagram today may not work tomorrow. A single policy shift could undermine a creator's primary acquisition channel.
Chambers acknowledged the tension but seems unfazed. "I'm hiring for the first time ever a social media person," she said, signaling a bet that human curation can outlast algorithmic whims.