Welcome to the Shift! ✨
Get new writing, bold ideas, useful links—and small biz, big life energy, direct to your inbox each week.
🤗 Hiya
I’m Nika — a writer and journalist exploring women's issues, work & wellbeing. Proud mama to Julieta (off to U of York) so new beginnings ahead.
The Shift is my letter for women building big lives from small biz. Writing my way to freedom.
Men are most welcome too of course, if you want to support my goal — just know you might be outnumbered ;-)
Why the Shift?
2025 is a big year for indie media and creator-led journalism — the fastest-growing and most exciting space in journalism, imo!
I’m here for it.
As music journo Sean Adams wrote:
The rise of influencers and content creators isn’t just a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how stories are told — and who gets to tell them. [CJR].
The pale-male-stale old guard may resist, but it’s made journalism more democratic, diverse, and community-led.
More writers are going solo or collective—building their own worlds and a direct relationship with readers, away from the algos.
Brands are starting to think more like creators, too—building trust through storytelling.
Now, another shift: AI is transforming our lives and work. Big investment in the UK AI industry.
I’m a tech-optimist. We all want growth, right? Bigger brains, more money. I also see the bigger picture with AGI: they’re trying to cure cancer with this.
I’m trying to get my RA (Wayne the Pain) into remission, which would make a massive difference to my quality of life. Fuck off, sausage fingers!
Just imagine: when AI’s doing the grunt work, we can get back to our Coffee Viennese, chatting and plotting. Living fabulously well.
What a time to be alive. I hope you’ll join me on this ride.
Pay to read more waffle about the future of work… from someone proudly unemployable? You’re joking, right?
What you’ll find here
It’s a creative lab and a digital neighbourhood.
Free Membership:
Public posts from me
Explore our WorkFrom Map — find cool places to work
Billy No Mates? Join our Writers' Café in Hastings & St Leonards
Paid Membership:
Want more? I’m building this Substack experience! Upgrade to paid for events, happenings, promo opps, and community accountability.
Meet me! Invites to cosy get-togethers
Share your skills & promote your biz via our online Bulletin Board
Join the paid sub chat (I cover live events and cultural stuff)
Founding Membership:
Everything above and a 1:1 call. Pay it forward (gift a subscription) to help another writer succeed.
However you support the Shift, THANK YOU. It means a lot to me.
About Me
In a nutshell, I love a good story. I believe in the power of writing to connect people and create a more compassionate world.
I’ve been writing online since ‘99 (remember Y2K? The Millennium Bug? We’re still here…). I started on Substack in 2020 to explore where media is moving. I’m fascinated by the shift towards indie media, in service of culture — and the rise of entrepreneurship, portfolio careers and work-from-anywhere.
12x book babies
4x awards
3x startups
1x teen
I grew up in the golden era of women’s mags — fearless, fun, and a big part of female culture. They inspired me to move to London and try my hand at fr££lancing.
In my 30s, I ran a digital mag for women, Rude. Loved it but burned out juggling love and money work with solo parenting.
So here I am, having another go and trying to grow - without the hacks and hustle. The Shift is my creative practice and a place to connect with badass women doing work their way.
Outside the Shift, I run Firebird, a one-woman content studio.
Connecting brands with people and culture → This way, reader.
N x
Wall of Love
🗣️ They should frame this newsletter in the Louvre – simply a joy to read!
—Eoin Whyte, Chief Revenue Officer & Co-founder, Savvy
🗣️ Nika writes a really helpful newsletter for the intersection of writing, the digital world and entrepreneurship, which can be a lonely place for many people. Her guidance is greatly appreciated.
— Ann Marie McQueen, Founder & Editor, HotFlash Inc
🗣️ Nika has written 12 books relating to health and wellness. There is fun to be had as we make the SHIFT to work smarter and live better—recommended reading for Workforce Futurists!
— Andy Spence, Founder, Workforce Futurist
🗣️ If you’re interested in a lifestyle-first one-person model too, subscribe to SHIFT ✨, the newsletter for content entrepreneurs. Written by Nika Talbot, a fountain of knowledge in creating online.
— Ellen Donnelly, Founder, The Ask
Pay to read more waffle about the future of work… from someone proudly unemployable? You’re joking, right?
Gold star for reading this far.
I love connecting with likeminded souls. Get in touch if you want to work together or find out more.
