Her Blog Post Got 15 Views. One Person Built an Entire Career From It. | Jennifer van Alstyne
EDIT HISTORY · Cheryl Lau
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Show Notes
Jennifer Van Alstyne posted about academics being paid for their speaking. It went viral - but not in the way she hoped. The comments were hateful. Some were racist. Fellow academics pushed back.
She kept showing up anyway.
Jennifer is the founder of The Academic Designer, where she helps professors build their online presence through website design, social media, and bio writing. But before any of that, she was 18 years old, away at college, having lost her parents and left an abusive marriage - figuring out how to make her way in the world alone.
In this conversation, we talk about what it means to build an online presence from your values rather than your metrics, why she stopped chasing views after a blog post with 15 readers changed one person's entire career, and how she learned that real community starts with one person who wouldn't take no for an answer.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Introduction
(01:40) Showing up after hate comments and going viral
(06:11) Reviewing Jennifer's past content
(09:24) Developing your character as an entrepreneur
(12:56) Separating personal challenges from business
(16:34) Finding community online
(20:58) Realizing you are making an impact via your content
(24:38) Low engagement and small audience size
(28:44) Changes amidst AI
(31:39) Safety vs AI
(36:24) The meaning behind your work
(40:30) Actionable Takeaways
CONNECT WITH JENNIFER VAN ALSTYNE
Website: https://theacademicdesigner.com/
Website: https://jennifervanalstyne.com/
Work with Jennifer: https://higheredpr.as.me/meet-with-jennifer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervanalstyne/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jenvanalstyne.bsky.social
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@higheredpr
Instagram: http://instagram.com/higheredpr
YouTube: http://youtube.com/@higheredpr
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BCuleBpXeRcpko3t3AYC4?si=a2e570d559354141
Facebook: https://facebook.com/higheredpr
CONNECT WITH CHERYL LAU
Website: https://cheryllau.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheryltheory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau
WORK WITH CHERYL LAU
I produce distinctive and deeply resonant podcasts for leaders and organizations who want their content to command attention, spark meaningful conversations, and attract high-value opportunities.
I ensure your podcast isn't just another show in the feed - it's an asset that elevates your authority and moves your work forward.
Here are 3 ways we can work together:
✨ 1:1 Editorial Podcast Production
✨ Corporate Podcast Producing & Consulting
✨ Hosting for Corporate Shows
Schedule a discovery call for us to explore what working together might look like: https://cheryllau.com/discovery
CONTACT
Please email [email protected] for business inquiries.