Here is the list of my most popular Medium articles in October 2023:
(1) How I Managed to Get 6,000% Audience Growth in 2 Months
Experiencing a significant jump in Medium followers, I’ve seen a growth of over 6,000%, from 1 to 68 followers. This change, though numerically small, is encouraging for someone who previously saw no gain for years, likely due to a lack of engagement.
My recent strategy includes posting almost daily, sometimes repurposing content from my other blogs, and actively engaging with others’ posts through comments and ‘claps.’
This interaction has led to increased visibility and more followers. While my goal is to gain ten followers daily, currently averaging about five, this progress, albeit slow, validates the effectiveness of my efforts.
(2) I Asked ChatGPT How to Grow My Startup Using Steve Jobs Principles
Seeking guidance from ChatGPT and inspired by Steve Jobs, here’s a condensed strategy for Favoriot’s IoT success: Embrace simplicity in design, creating intuitive and minimalist IoT solutions.
Build a seamless ecosystem by ensuring compatibility and forming industry partnerships. Champion innovation, encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and prioritizing R&D. Focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences, constantly improving based on feedback.
Develop a distinctive brand identity, communicating Favoriot’s value through various marketing channels. Prioritize security and privacy in product design. Commit to continuous product improvement and integration of new features.
Embrace vertical integration for quality control and innovation speed. Attract and retain top talent, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented culture.
Lastly, dare to take calculated risks, challenge conventional wisdom, adapt to change, and keep a long-term vision for sustained growth and success in the IoT field.
(3) How I Grew My Mailing List with the Help of eBooks
Starting a mailing list early is a widely recommended strategy for authors. I employed this by writing two eBooks on the Internet of Things (IoT), offering them as free downloads.
This approach significantly boosted my subscriber base, attracting over 3,000 email subscribers. The first eBook, “IoT Notes,” provides a comprehensive understanding of IoT, its applications, business models, protocols, and tools, enhancing proficiency in IoT engineering.
The second, “Your IoT Journey,” delves into IoT challenges, market segmentation, cloud services, monetization strategies, and implications for smart cities and the job market. These eBooks provide valuable insights into IoT and its role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, tailored for those eager to navigate this evolving domain.
(4) Startup Synergy: The Alchemy of Building a Dream Team
Starting my entrepreneurial journey in 2017, I quickly learned the critical role of team building in a startup’s success. Initially, we had professionals from corporate backgrounds; some adapted well to the startup’s fluid environment, while others struggled, leading to necessary departures.
This experience taught me the importance of aligning team members with the startup’s ethos. We discovered that agility is critical in a startup, challenging those used to rigid processes.
For product development, both technical skill and passion are essential. Evident, transparent communication became vital, allowing us to effectively leverage each member’s strengths.
Acknowledging achievements and providing constructive feedback kept our team motivated. Building a successful team is like orchestrating a symphony, with each unique talent contributing to the overall harmony.
This journey of team dynamics in a startup is ongoing, marked by resilience, adaptability, and the power of unity, guiding us toward realizing our ambitions.
(5) 10 Killer Topics That Make a Blog Go Viral
In blogging, specific topics consistently draw more readers and engagement. Practical how-to guides on various subjects are always popular for their actionable advice.
Blogs about making money online, such as freelancing or e-commerce, attract considerable interest in today’s digital era. Posts offering social media growth hacks are in demand, as are articles on monetizing content on platforms like Medium.
Insightful pieces on pitching to investors, startup success stories, and avoiding common entrepreneurial mistakes engage aspiring entrepreneurs.
Marketing strategies remain a hot topic, alongside blogs on fast-tracking wealth and personal development. While trending topics can enhance readership, authentic writing aligned with one’s passion is vital to genuinely connecting with an audience.
(6) The Power of Personal Connection
While online engagement is crucial in the digital age, Favoriot’s experience shows that traditional face-to-face interactions at events like expos are invaluable.
Personal interactions at these events foster trust and understanding, offering real-time questions and demonstrations.
Speaking at conferences establishes authority, but the expo floor allows more spontaneous interactions with a diverse audience. Demonstrating products in person at an expo stand can sway prospective clients’ decisions. Expos also concentrate on potential clients, turning every conversation into a business opportunity.
Partnering with MDEC at the Smart Nation Expo 2023 amplified Favoriot’s visibility. The post-expo period often results in valuable collaborations and client relationships, underscoring the enduring power of in-person connections in complementing digital strategies.
(7) My Most Important Milestone in Medium — How I Earned My 1st Dollar Towards My Next $100K
Earning $6.35 on Medium in October 2023 felt like winning the lottery, marking a significant milestone from my first dollar. I joined the Medium Partner Program in September 2023, transitioning from casual technology write-ups to serious writing.
This was a significant change from my routine since joining Medium in December 2015. The surge in Generative AI articles in early 2023, mainly about ChatGPT and Midjourney, sparked my curiosity, leading me to join the paid Partner Program.
My goal was to make my subscription self-sustaining through my writing. Success came in just a month, earning enough to cover the cost. This achievement, driven by consistent writing, engaging with readers, catchy titles, and growing my subscriber list, has been a learning curve, guiding me to focus on longer articles for better monetization. This journey is a testament to the potential of persistence and adaptation in content creation.
(8) The Ultimate ChatGPT Cheat Sheet — Mazlan Abbas
ChatGPT, a rapidly growing AI chatbot, reached 100 million users within two months, making it one of the fastest-growing consumer apps ever.
Developed by OpenAI and based on the GPT-3 language model, ChatGPT is adept at producing human-like text responses. Trained on a vast corpus of internet text, it can generate intelligent, friendly replies.
Despite its popularity, ChatGPT has limitations, including potential inaccuracies and misleading information, prompting caution in its use for critical matters. OpenAI offers a paid subscription, ChatGPT Plus, for enhanced features like faster responses and priority access while maintaining a free version.
(9) The Myth of Overnight Success: The Inspirational Story of Colonel Sanders and KFC
Colonel Harland Sanders’ journey to founding KFC at 62 challenges the belief that success must come early. This narrative overlooks his decades of experience in the food industry, highlighting that his success wasn’t overnight but the result of lifelong perseverance and skill development.
Unlike many who started from scratch, Sanders had a renowned secret recipe and solid foundation. His story, while unique, shares common entrepreneurial themes of resilience, determination, and adaptability.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Sanders exemplifies that it’s never too late to pursue dreams, underscoring that the essence of entrepreneurship lies in the journey, learning, and passion rather than just the destination.
(10) Adapt or Die — Lessons of Pivoting in Startups
Our startup’s journey through three IoT products taught us the importance of adaptability in entrepreneurship. The first, a smartwatch for seniors, became obsolete due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our second attempt at smart city solutions struggled with slow customer adoption. Similarly, our fourth product, Dscover, a consumer app, could have engaged enterprise clients more effectively. These experiences highlighted the need for agility and responding to market dynamics.
The critical lesson is aligning products with customer needs and market trends, emphasizing resilience and a customer-centric approach as essential for navigating the competitive startup ecosystem.
Discover more from Dr. Mazlan Abbas
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Dr. Mazlan Abbas 