Two years of this newsletter and something finally clicked​

Read time: 8 mins

Hi Reader,

For a long time, I hated self-promotion.

It felt like bragging. The influencer at an event kind, the everyday “look at me winning” posts. The lot.

But over the last 6 months, I've accepted a new reality.

Self-promotion isn’t about ego. It’s a survival skill.

Those who avoid it often believe their work will “speak for itself.” But things are noisy online, and silence doesn't stand out.

The smartest ideas stay invisible if nobody hears about them.

AI is already smarter than the smartest person you know. Being a genius isn't an advantage anymore.

Without self-promotion, I'm depending on luck. That's not a smart strategy.

From the experts

"Visibility beats ability when ability isn’t visible." — Nicolas Cole, writer

“Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealized, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character and no public trust.” — Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group

“The persona is a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and, on the other, to conceal the true nature of the individual.” — Carl Gustav Jung, eminent psychologist

Just hit "post"

I can't rely on luck. If I don't promote what I do, I'm invisible.

If I don't educate people on what I do and generate social proof, I invite people to ask "why should I trust you?"

That lack of visibility shows up in subtle rejections:

• We regret to inform you...
• It's out of our budget.
• Silence

Nobody tells you this.

Self-promotion feels like sales, and sales can feel sleazy.

But I've made peace with it.

I am more active than ever on platforms like LinkedIn and this very newsletter. I'm almost never directly selling. I (try to) offer ideas, tools, and stories.

No pressure. No pitch. Just value.

I want to share some ideas on this topic that help me.

People won't magically find my work.

And they won’t understand what I do unless I help them see it.

One post or a few comments isn’t enough.

We’re all busy. Platforms are crowded. Feeds are a mix of outrage, clickbait, and AI-slop.

What is in my control:

• Emails, like this one
• Posting with purpose
• Sharing with my inner circle
• Building a small community around my work
• Showing up more often than feels normal
• Doing the opposite of negative people

My work is good enough

It wasn’t at the start. That’s how it always goes. But it gets better the more I do it.

I can take better photos, write better stories, and make stronger videos. But that doesn’t mean I wait.

If I don’t promote what I’ve already made, I’m hiding the very thing that could connect me to someone who needs it.

No one’s going to stumble across my Instagram and hand me a dream opportunity.
But I can create my own distribution.
Earn trust. Build relationships. Let my work speak for itself by showing up.

When I applied for photo accreditations in the early days, I was laughed off.
I once had “established” photographers literally block my view at events.

Now, I get called up to shoot major assignments (oh man I was thiiis close to being assigned the Champions League final this year).
Because I stopped waiting. And started showing.

Storytelling and emotion

Telling my story is a perfectly ethical strategy to help people find me and my work and decide if they want to receive updates about how that story is going.

No, it won't be in a Hollywood or Bollywood film.

But it's the most persuasive form of content I have, and only I have.

AI can write copy.

But it can’t write my story.

Demonstrate > brag

“I spent a month posting daily and here’s what I learned” is helpful.
“Look how many followers I got” is empty.

It's not bragging if you're helping. It's bragging if you're trying to look or sound "cool".

I’ve had people say, “You think you’re better than us.”
But I’ve also had people message me privately to say:

I focus on the second group.

A public mission

Them "Follow your passion"

Me - build a public mission.

It's not a big mission. This year I started giving talks. At the end of the talk I explain my public mission, especially as the audience is atuned to my context.

I want to run a survey about digital wellbeing and habits in this part of the world. I want 500 participants. I want to share the results with schools, businesses, families and local council, to inform better decisions.

It's a mission that transcends me. It attracts people. It has a magnetic effect.

Personal brand > company brand

Nobody gets excited by empty corporate ads.

I don't need to be loud.

I've noticed my value increase when I help people and expect nothing in return.

I have to promote myself like my life depends on it. (I'm self-employed, so it does - for example, you might have noticed this is now a weekly newsletter)

Escape the algorithm - staying on topic, links to some of my stuff that's happening

EXHIBITION: Mad lights, good city. My first photo exhibition is live this week.
It’s a visual letter to Manresa, the town that changed me.
Years of wandering with my camera have now become 27 images on the wall.

​Details for the first stop here.

PHOTOWALK: July 23rd. 18:30. Manresa

In the spirit of “Focus Positiu,” we’re hosting a community photowalk.
Someone at a local therapy centre told their psychologist they started taking a photo every day at home. One day, they stepped outside. Their confidence returned.

The psychologist asked the person what pushed them to do this. Their response, "I heard about this project called Focus Positiu..."

Yeah, goosebumps mate.

We already have 26 people signed up. They signed up here. (by clicking a link in this section, you will be tagged to receive emails specifc to Focus positiu)

NEW PROFILE: At a recent talk, I met someone who’s an AI consultant by day, DJ by night.
We launched an Instagram page to share weird and useful things from the AI world.
No gimmicks. Just two curious people, exploring what’s possible. Spreading knowledge and empowering to create more than consume for the catalan audience. Check it out here.​

PRESS PHOTOS: Last week was hectic. Tuesday and Wednesday I was called to action to new scenarios and exclusive behind the scenes access. A camera at hand feels like a magic key to open doors sometimes. A bit more on that on LinkedIn and Instagram.

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See you in two weeks.

​Peace,

Has

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