Read time: 3 min 21 sec

Whatup Reader!

Sooooo, yesterday the email marketing service formally known as ConverKit sent out an email announcing a significant price increase for all of its users, effective October 15th.

People were, understandably and justifiably, pissed.

Now, I use ConvertKit. I’ve been a loyal subscriber since 2015. Their platform is actually how you’re receiving this very email.

Yes, my price is going up, no, I’m not happy about it, but also no, that’s not really the point of today’s email.

The point of today’s email is to once again remind you that these big companies are great examples of how NOT to run a business, as they serve up yet another reminder that extractive capitalism ain’t it.

Y’all, The U.S. has been running on extractive capitalism since the late 1700s, and with a few hundred years of evidence on the books, and if the goal is shared prosperity, sustainability, or actual competition, I think it’s more than safe to say the model doesn’t “work”.

I know I have a bunch of experiential learners in my audience, but perhaps just this once we can learn from the mistakes of others and skip doing it ourselves.

An alternative to extractive capitalism? Regenerative commerce.

A loose definition for regenerative commerce would be: Running a business that doesn’t just extract value (time, money, attention) but actively creates conditions where your customers, collaborators, and even you come out healthier, stronger, and more resourced.

It borrows the logic of regenerative agriculture: Leave the soil richer than you found it.

I honestly think that a good number of you reading this are actively doing this, or at least looking to do this, which is why earlier in this email I said that the point of today’s email was simply to remind you of what you already know.

So, just to riff a bit more on this idea of regenerative commerce and give you some more concrete examples (because I’ve realized that folks really struggle to conceptualize anything besides the model we’ve been living in forever) a regenerative business would measure success by the well-being of its ecosystem (customers, collaborators, community, owner, environment). Profit would still exist, but as a signal that the system is healthy, as opposed to it being the singular target, often at the expense of most parties involved.

I asked my good homie, ChattyG, for some examples of what regenerative commerce would look like as a solopreneur online business owner, and here’s what it had to say:

1. Offer Design

• Instead of products that fuel dependency (“you need me forever”), you design offerings that equip people with skills, clarity, or capacity that compounds after they leave.
• Example: a coaching container that teaches systems clients can sustain without you, rather than tethering them to recurring upsells.

2. Pricing and Value Flow

• Build sliding scales, pay-it-forward funds, or community tiers so access isn’t locked behind one fixed gate.
• Structure revenue streams so they circulate — e.g., allocating a percentage of profit toward scholarships, collaborators, or initiatives that feed the community.

3. Content + Marketing

• Market in ways that inform, inspire, or empower even non-buyers.
• Example: free resources that people can actually use (not bait), storytelling that models integrity instead of manipulation, content that uplifts rather than stokes pain points.

4. Collaboration

• Work with service providers in ways that grow their business too — not just as one-off hires but as ongoing partners who gain visibility, referrals, or a piece of upside.

5. Sustainability

• Build pacing and delivery models that don’t burn you out — because your personal sustainability is part of the regenerative loop. If you collapse, the system collapses. (This was my personal fave.)

Always with those gotdamn em-dashes. But, more importantly, it’s my guess that many of you reading those five points can nod your head confidently say, “I’m already doing this!”

Like I said, this email is more reminder than revelation, and even if you weren't affected by Kit's price increase, I'm certain there is a company (or ten) that you can think of who have pulled the same shit.

These hoes companies continue to show us that there is a better way to do things, and that they’re not loyal to the customers who support them, but rather, the almighty dollar.

There’s a better way.

Keep fighting the good fight.

Happy Tuesday, Reader.

Maestro out.

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