A little goes a long way: Let's support small makers 🧡

You spend the day creating something… a video, an article, a piece of art that you enjoy

You finally share it with the world… and then, nothing. Not even a response from anyone.

Or maybe you’ll get some likes from helpful friends who like all your posts anyway! But… no comments.

If you’ve ever felt that pain of being unseen, you’re not alone. I know it all too well.

Even now, after creating online since 2009, and being considered by some as an almost-mid-sized creator 😂 …I still have many YouTube videos or LinkedIn posts, that have no comments.

There are days when I think… “Why bother creating if no one cares?”

We’ve all been there, and many of us often experience that discouragement…

So here’s a change I want us to consider, a change in perspective that can actually be empowering everyone

What if we became everyone — for other small creators — who likes, comments, shares?

golden rule Treat other creators’ work the way you want your own to be treated. 🧡

That’s what I mean by “little creators”.

A small creator is someone who pours heart and creativity into something they share online, who hasn’t reached a large following. yet. A blogger, a podcaster, a video maker who shows up faithfully on social media for their small following.

Maybe a friend who keeps posting their pictures, though hardly anyone responds.

“Small” does not mean less – in the same way that “small business” does not mean less business. This means the audience is still small… for now.

Maybe this describes you and your friends.

There is nothing wrong with “big” manufacturers

It’s not about offending big influencers. The Gabby Bernsteins and Alex Hormouzes of the world grew up for good reason – they were more entertaining, insightful, reliable creators than the vast majority. They achieved their reach.

Also, it’s not about guilt… you’re not a bad person for loving the big players — I enjoy them a lot too!

However, the same little support has a very different effect, depending on who is on the receiving end.

Why does a little go a long way?

You only have so much energy and focus and it takes up all day.

When you leave a comment for someone with a million followers, it goes down an ocean. They will probably never see it.

But that same comment, that same power, given to a few followers? It is life-giving. Water in the desert.

A kind word to someone already overflowing with praise barely registers — they are already well-fed (in so many ways!) That same kindness, given to someone who gets almost nothing, Can feed them for days.

A little, given where there is already so little, does a lot Indeed

And… it comes back to you too

This is how generosity works — there’s a natural reciprocity: supporting small creators is also a reliable way to grow your own friendships, collaborations, clients and referrals!

A big creator is already overloaded. They cannot repay the vast majority of their commenters. But a tiny creator? They will notice your comments. They see a few who showed up. They will remember you.

This is the soil where true relationships are built. They start when you “make it” before you show it to anyone. Some of my favorite colleagues started out just like that – one of us cared about the other’s work, early on, when no one else did.

This is a practice I have come to call Net Caring. If this resonates, you can read more here: What is Net Caring?

Four easy ways to support a small creator:

You don’t have to do them all. Even a single action, done with care, makes a real difference…

1. Give care five minutes.

You don’t need an hour. Even five minutes once a day can energize a fellow creator for the day!

Consider doing this – the first few minutes of each scroll – before the algorithm leads you to the big names and their massive reach. Start by going over one or two smaller manufacturer profiles, with purpose, while your focus is still on your own.

When you comment, try to be specific. “Nice post!” Nice… but to mention one specific aspect of the post that resonated — “I loved when you said ___ about halfway through.” – Really shows that you were present.

One more thing – give your love where it is least. Find a platform where a friend posts faithfully, but gets almost no response, and post your comments there. That’s where it heals the most. For example, I rarely get comments on my YouTube videos — most of my engagement is on Instagram and Substack. So a kind word on YouTube means more to me than a word that is already crowded. Look for this kind of discrepancy with your friends’ social media presence as well.

2. Compliment publicly, propose privately.

When you appreciate someone’s work, say it out loud — in the comments, where others can see. Public praise is a gift that keeps on giving: it encourages them and it shows everyone else that their work is worthy of attention.

But keep any criticism/suggestions confidential. If you think something could be improved, send a kind, private message. People don’t know how to grow until someone tells them; We are often stuck inside our own heads. Just don’t offer a critique publicly in front of their audience.

3. Pay them for their work – even the smallest things.

Don’t expect your friends to give you their books, courses or services for free. If anyone wants to buy from a creator, it’s their friend.

Another small creator thing is nice to buy a monthly. Make it a weekly practice if you can. It doesn’t have to be a lot – even buy one of them the smallest The offering can be deeply uplifting, especially during dry spells. (And these days, we all experience a lot of dry spells.) Your single purchase may be the only sale they make that week (or month!). Imagine what that means to them.

4. Leave a review or testimonial — maximum 15 minutes you will spend.

After you use and benefit from their product or service, take 15 minutes to write a review. If you’re doing it for a big brand, it’s a drop in the bucket. But for a small manufacturer, your review might be one of their few *ever* Received.

Can create your testimonials year That extra 15 minutes can change someone’s business.

Put it where they’re trying to find it: a Google review, a Facebook recommendation, a LinkedIn endorsement, an Amazon review for their book, a rating on their podcast… and more.

And… please don’t make this another way to feel behind…

You can’t do this for everyone, not even most of your friends, and you don’t have to! Choose a few friends each month to focus on. Five percent of your attention will already make a big difference.

Simply, shift a little awareness of where your attention flows, and pull it a little towards where it gives the most life.

I’ll be the first to admit that I still find myself scrolling through a friend’s post on autopilot, with half my mind already on the next one. It’s a practice, and practices are forgiving. Just back gently, over and over.

Where does this fit into the bigger picture?

Attention is a form of love. And love thrives most where there was little.

Imagine an entire community of soul lovers, each aiming their attention at the other. If you see a little more, everyone will think. They’ll in turn create with more passion and love. It’s a virtuous cycle.

It’s a very different world than the winner-take-all attention economy we have today. This is part of what I call Soulpreneur’s middle path — not rushing desperately to reach, not sitting around hoping to be found, but generously weaving a web of support for each other.

It is a gentle practice

It works because it’s small enough to hold. The big campaign ignited. A mild rhythm can last for years.

Here’s a way to hold it:

Daily: Start with five minutes of attention — a specific comment for a different mini-creator friend, ideally in the first minute of your normal scroll time.
Weekly or Monthly: Buy something from a different small maker. Even their smallest things.
Whenever something helps you: Write a review while you’re still feeling grateful.

And because the pull of a big feed is so strong, give yourself a little nudge. I’ve added a recurring reminder to my own to-do list that simply reads: “The First Minute of Surfing: Support a Small Creator.” You might be setting up something similar. Just a small push each day.

your turn…

If you want to get started, start with the smallest possible step: today, choose a friend who is a small creator. Find their most recent posts. Please leave a comment on what you like about it.

Imagine if we all did this — a kinder, more connected creative world, where we look out for each other.

I want to know: who is one little creator Do you appreciate? If you’d like, share one thing you love about their work in the comments below — or better yet, leave them in their post now. 🧡

Go to the comments section here (And feel free to add yours!)

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This post was Previously published on George Kao’s blog.

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