The value of starting small
Slow down. You don't need to aim big, right out of the gate!
Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE # 212
Seeking fame and fortune?
Cool your jets, OK?
If you're just starting out as a content creator, it’s logical that you might be feeling the pressure to go big right away.
After all, everyone else in your niche is producing all manner of long-form YouTube essays, or in-depth blog posts, or highly polished videos that rival Hollywood, right?
Well, probably not.
I’m urging you to forget about going big, right out of the gate and instead, I’m suggesting you go small.
Why?
Well, it’s not to slow you down. Far from it. It’s to prevent you from flaming out.
In the long term, starting small is not only easier—it’s also the smarter choice.
The internet is full of advice telling you to "go all in from day one" or to "treat your content like a business from day one."
But if you’re not careful, and unless you have a solid content plan in place (which sadly, many beginner content creators don’t—been there, done that), the mindset of going big and fast can backfire on you.
If you fall into the trap of comparing yourself to established creators—the sorts of people with teams, major budgets, sponsorships, and years of experience, you’ll be setting yourself up for frustration—or worse, burnout before you even gain momentum.
So, what’s the answer? Adopt short-form content as your best friend!
Whether it’s 60-second videos, microblog posts, or quick social media threads, short-form content has major advantages for beginners:
Lower pressure, higher consistency – When you’re not agonizing over a 10-minute script or a 2,000-word article, you can publish more often. Consistency builds habits—and audiences.
Faster feedback loops – Short content lets you test ideas quickly. Did a TikTok flop? No problem—move on. Did a tweet go viral? Now you know what resonates.
Skill building without overwhelm – Editing a 30-second reel teaches you pacing and hooks. Writing a 300-word LinkedIn post sharpens your clarity. Master the basics before scaling up.
The danger of comparing yourself to the pros is that while it’s easy to watch MrBeast, Ali Abdaal, or your favorite blogger and think, "I need to match their quality right now." what you don’t see is the fact that they:
started small too. Even the biggest creators had awkward first videos or forgotten blog posts.
didn’t do it alone. Many top-tier creators now have editors, designers, and managers—resources you likely don’t have yet.
evolved over time. Their early work was probably rough. Yours will be too—and that’s okay.
The fastest way to kill your creative momentum is by setting unrealistic expectations.
If every piece of content feels like a monumental task, you’ll dread making it. And if your first few long-form efforts flop (as they often do), you might quit entirely.
Instead, embrace the "minimum viable content" approach:
Post a quick tip instead of a full guide.
Film a 30-second clip instead of a 10-minute video.
Share a thought-provoking question instead of an essay.
Small wins build confidence.
Confidence fuels consistency.
And consistency—not perfection—is what actually builds an audience: YOUR audience.
So, start small, then scale.
When you’re just starting out you need to cut yourself enough slack to know that many of your initial attempts won’t be that good. NB: It took me a long time to come to grips with this realization!
Starting out with smaller pieces of content helps you make mistakes (and learn) as you go. Once you’ve got a measure for the sorts of things that resonate with your audience, then you can double back and go to town on the things that are attracting attention and generating interest.
Here’s the idea to wrap your mind around: over time, the internet rewards slow, dogged persistence, rather than the flash of spiff and polish.
So dial down the pressure on yourself. It’s not necessary.
Instead, pick up your phone, or open a blank document, or hit record—or whatever works for you—and start small.
Then go from there.
Remember: slow and steady helps prevent burn out.
As always, thanks for reading.
—Gary
Feel free to follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn
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P.S. Next time on Shaking the Tree: Being OK with most people not reading
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.