Jennifer, Life-Tracking & Earning $20K from a Single Course

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In the world of businesses, success is often thought to require sophisticated setups with fancy websites and complex backends. But Jennifer’s story challenges that perception. Armed with only a Notion page and mailing list, she managed to earn $20k without the typical tools or setup many believe are necessary. And fortunately for us, we asked her a few questions to help out with this week’s feature.

Here’s how Jennifer turned a lean start into a successful micro-business, with lessons micropreneurs can take from her journey.

About Jennifer

Jennifer Chou (@jenniferchou25), often referred to as the "Life Tracking Girl," is a productivity influencer who gained attention for her comprehensive approach to life tracking. She initially began by journaling daily, eventually expanding her tracking to all aspects of her life—ranging from her daily activities, mood, and energy levels to personal details like dating stats and even counting bathroom visits.

Inspired by a Tumblr post about documenting daily memories, she transitioned to digital journaling using voice-to-text technology to make it more efficient. Jennifer uses tools like Toggl to track her time, and she frequently reflects on her activities to align them with her personal and professional goals. Her approach emphasizes openness, reframing negative thoughts, and incorporating self-care to prevent burnout while improving productivity and mindset.

Jennifer Chou has also built a successful online presence through her "Vegan Tech Nomad" newsletter, which combines productivity advice with insights on business growth. She leveraged her Instagram virality to grow her newsletter, amassing over 10,000 subscribers within weeks. Her newsletter includes both free and premium content, with the latter offering detailed strategies that have worked for her business. She also monetizes her content using platforms like beehiiv, making over $16,000 in under four months through ads, sponsorships, and premium content subscriptions. Her strategy focuses on creating easily digestible, scannable content and using an omnichannel marketing approach to engage her audience across different platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Jennifer's unique approach to tracking every aspect of her life, coupled with her transparency and use of multiple digital platforms, has enabled her to cultivate a dedicated following and build a thriving business around life tracking and productivity. If you’re interested in learning more about her, you can check out her podcast episode or her YouTube channel.

Business & Project Stats

• Revenue milestone: $20k from a Notion page and email list, without a formal website.

• Core tools: Notion (for documentation and brain dumps) and Beehiiv (for managing her email list).

• Audience engagement: Instagram posts, stories, and direct DM conversations that build trust.

• Refund rate: Less than 4% (with an open refund policy).

• Email list: Used for direct communication, feedback, and relationship-building.

Key Lessons Learned

1 — Speed Over Perfection

Jennifer prioritized action over perfection, opting to launch her course before completing all videos. This gave her immediate feedback and allowed her to improve and scale based on real-time customer insights. By launching before everything was finalized, she avoided getting bogged down by unnecessary details, and instead focused on refining her product with each iteration.

• Step 1: Set a 24-hour deadline for launching a minimum viable version of your idea.

• Step 2: Gather immediate feedback.

• Step 3: Iterate based on feedback.

Takeaway: Don’t get stuck in research. Focus on actionable steps and launch quickly. Treat each version as a draft, and keep improving as you go.. Break your project into small, actionable steps and launch quickly. Treat every version as a draft, and improve as you go.

2 — Deep Audience Understanding

One of Jennifer’s most powerful strategies was conducting user interviews and hopping on calls with potential customers. These conversations shaped her marketing language, ensuring she spoke directly to her audience’s pain points. For example, Jennifer sent out a survey to her email list to understand hesitations, which allowed her to directly address specific concerns in her messaging. By learning that many were hesitant due to pricing, she adapted her communication to address these concerns upfront, which ultimately helped improve conversions.

• Step 1: Reach out to potential users via DMs or emails.

• Step 2: Hop on calls to better understand their needs and challenges.

• Step 3: Use their language in your marketing.

Takeaway: Engaging directly with your audience provides invaluable insights. These insights allowed Jennifer to craft more relevant marketing, overcome objections, and increase conversions.. An example of Jennifer’s success was when she learned that many were hesitant due to pricing. By addressing this upfront in her marketing, she reduced barriers and improved conversions. Conversations are invaluable for understanding your customers and crafting the right messaging.

3 — Minimalist Tools, Maximum Impact

Instead of getting overwhelmed by tech, Jennifer focused on mastering just two tools: Notion and Beehiiv. Notion became her go-to for course creation, landing pages, and productivity tracking, while Beehiiv handled her audience communication and email marketing. By treating everything as a draft, she could launch, gather feedback, and adapt quickly—avoiding the pitfalls of perfectionism. This lean approach saved her both time and money, allowing her to pivot quickly and efficiently. Jennifer experienced reduced overhead costs, quicker decision-making, and greater adaptability—all crucial benefits of keeping her tech stack simple.

She also used AI a lot, casually…no fancy prompts. Prompts like, “I’m stuck with this. Give me some ideas.” She doesn’t use AI content in her writing, but some of the ideas inspire better ideas and help her get momentum to take action. Then taking things one day at a time, she knows she’s going to work on something for her course every day. She just checks her course calendar (see Notion screenshot below) and start getting things done. This is part of what she teaches in her course — how to get things done instead of procrastinating.

Takeaway: Keep your tech stack lean. Master a few essential tools to minimize complexity and maximize agility in your business.. For Jennifer, the benefits included reduced overhead costs, quicker decision-making, and the ability to easily adjust her strategy. Master a few essential tools and avoid complexity that can slow down your progress.

4 — Treat Everything as Temporary

Jennifer views everything in her business as a draft. This mindset allowed her to stay flexible, avoid perfectionism, and iterate on her products quickly. She launched her course before finalizing all its components, adapting content based on real-time feedback from participants source.

• Habit Shift: Every week, release a draft version of a new idea or project.

• Action: Ask for feedback and use it to improve in the next version. Takeaway: Flexibility is key in the early stages of a micro-business. Treat each project as an opportunity to gather feedback and improve.

Tools Mentioned

• Notion: Jennifer’s all-in-one brain dump, course creation tool, and landing page builder. Notion’s flexibility helped her document every aspect of her business and organize her courses with ease.

• Beehiiv: This platform enabled Jennifer to build and nurture her email list, send out newsletters, and drive sales without needing a traditional website.

• Instagram: Instagram stories and vlogs provided a direct line of communication with her audience, building trust and encouraging sales. Jennifer emphasized the power of DM conversations for building deeper relationships.

• Xperiencify: Discovered through her community, Xperiencify became her go-to platform for course management, offering a gamified user experience for her students.

• Tumblr — a old micro-blogging site that has managed to stick around with the times. Still quite useful and creative.

• Toggl — a time-tracking app used by Jennifer

Global Trends & Cultural Influences

Jennifer’s approach is deeply aligned with global trends emphasizing minimalism,¹ direct-to-consumer (DTC) relationships,² and community-driven growth.³ In an age where people crave authenticity, her manual approach to communication—such as replying to DMs and emails directly—is the right way to go (in our opinion). This mirrors the rise of micro-influencers and creators who prioritize personal connections over mass marketing. When everyone zigs, you zag. According to a 2023 report by HubSpot, 75% of consumers prefer buying from “authentic, relatable” creators rather than from large brands, which aligns with Jennifer's emphasis on personal engagement.

Moreover, the growth of the “creator economy” has made it possible for micropreneurs like Jennifer to build substantial businesses without the need for major upfront investment. Platforms like Notion and Beehiiv are making it easier for creators to focus on their content and audience, rather than getting bogged down by tech complexity.

Historical Parallels

Jennifer’s strategy mirrors the lean, adaptable models of ancient micro-empires (city states), like in the way smaller Greek or early Roman city-states functioned. These early empires thrived by maximizing limited resources, focusing on strategic alliances, and staying adaptable in the face of changing circumstances. Similarly, Jennifer relied on nimble structures, deep personal relationships, and quick feedback loops to grow her business.

Modern-day businesses like Basecamp have also taken the 'small is powerful' approach, focusing on lean structures and prioritizing direct relationships over rapid scaling. In fact, when it comes to scaling, Jennifer informed us that this will be her strategy:

1. Automated funnels from lead magnet email form capture.

2. Ads -> landing pages.

3. Basically what StoryLearning does; Olly’s doc has been a huge inspiration when I’m planning for the future.

Jennifer’s model fits into broader trends, emphasizing sustainability and meaningful connections over fast, unsustainable growth. Her approach also recalls the “test and iterate” model used by early traders and merchants, who would develop their businesses by constantly adjusting based on the immediate needs of their market.

Conclusion

Jennifer’s story is a testament to the power of starting lean and growing intentionally. Her ability to build a profitable experiment with just a Notion page and an email list serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to get started as a micropreneur. It’s not about having the fanciest tools or the perfect setup—it's about taking action, staying flexible, and building real connections with your audience.

In an age of AI, real is the new black.

Key Takeaways (for Immediate Action):

• Launch Before You’re Ready: As Jennifer has shared, “time is money.” Set a tight deadline for your MVP and push it out, regardless of where you’re at, gathering feedback as you go. “Don’t get stuck in research stage - just launch before you’re ready.”

  Engage Directly: Hop on calls, send personalized DMs, and listen closely to your audience’s concerns.

• Stay Lean: Focus on a few key tools that can do the heavy lifting, and don’t overcomplicate your tech stack.

• Treat Everything As A Draft: Iterate quickly. Treat every release as a draft. Feedback is your most powerful asset for growth.

For micropreneurs looking to build their own empires, Jennifer’s journey offers a clear roadmap: Start simple, engage deeply with your community, and treat every step as a draft. In a world where speed and adaptability trumps perfection, her success story is a powerful reminder that less can truly be more.

What's Next?

• What is one project you can launch in the next 24 hours, even if it’s imperfect?

• How can you use feedback loops to improve your product today?

• What small, consistent actions can you take this week to build trust with your audience?

1  https://www.medianews4u.com/design-trends-in-2024-embrace-low-fi-aesthetics-maximalism-refined-brutalism-and-eco-conscious-minimalism-kurnal-rawat-landor/ 

2  https://explodingtopics.com/blog/dtc-trends 

3  https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2023/08/28/embracing-community-led-growth-to-unlock-a-brands-full-potential/