Rented Space

The risk of building your brand on a platform you don’t own.

Author

Michele Kasl
September 01, 2025

"No battle was ever won according to plan, but no battle was ever won without one."

Dwight D. Eisenhower


I spent the better part of 2024 trying to build a following on LinkedIn.

Seemed like a great way to put my introverted self out there, without too much public humiliation. [ Needless to say, TikTok is not my jam. ]

So I showed up and started posting 3x per week. Built an awesome following in the thousands, and people actually started commenting and sharing my stuff.

Cue the fanfare — my plan was working! 🎉

***

Until I took a single week off. 😒

I was posting in real time because “that’s what the algorithm preferred,” so I never thought to pre-schedule my posts over vacation.

When I came back and started posting again … crickets.

It’s like Thanos snapped his finger and my engagement disappeared. The algorithm had completely forgotten about me.

And that’s when it hit me:
I was building my business in rented space.

One tiny pause, and I lost ALL the visibility I worked months to earn.

***

Sad to say, I’ve heard many other stories just like this one. Whether it’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok … this list could go on forever.

But yet there’s still this ill-advised noise floating around:


“You really don’t need a website anymore. Just use social.”

Sure, that plan sounds efficient and smart …

Until the algorithm changes.
Or you take a vacation and your reach plummets.
Or your page gets hacked.
Or you’re locked out with no explanation and no recourse.


And suddenly, the “house” you built? … Yeah, you quickly realize it was never really yours to begin with.

It’s like building a business on top of a Jenga tower. Every post, comment, DM, Reel, follower, and “like” stacks it higher.

But the table it sits on? … That’s controlled by Meta. Or Bytedance. Or whoever has the hottest new app this month.

All it takes is one little wobble — and Every. Single. Piece. totally collapses.

***

Now, imagine the opposite:


Your name on the deed. Your story, your offers, your list — all under one digital roof.

That’s your website.

It doesn’t get banned. It doesn’t disappear overnight. And no one can lock you out [ unless you don’t pay the hosting, and that’s a different story 😝].

Better yet? If it’s a WordPress site, you own the code too. That means complete control. You can move it, scale it and customize it to your heart’s content.

So, if your business is your castle … What type of kingdom are you building?

Here are a few questions to ask:

  • If social media disappeared tomorrow, how would people find your business?

  • How much of your marketing plan is still relying on luck or an algorithm?

  • Do you actually control the relationship with your audience?

  • Are you building something sustainable, or just jockeying for followers?

  • Would you trust a brand that only has an Instagram account?

Social media is where they meet you.
Your website is where they trust you.

So don’t just play the game. Own the board.

Build your castle on land that’s yours.

 

Power Prompt

Use this prompt to reflect on where you're investing your marketing energy, and whether it’s building something you truly own.


PASTE THIS AI PROMPT:

Act as a brand coach and strategic marketer.

Ask me 3 thoughtful questions to help me reflect on where I'm currently putting effort to grow my business.

Based on my answers, follow up with your expert take on whether those efforts are building long-term assets — or just chasing short-term “likes” and vanity metrics.
 

Go from Frazzled to Focused …
In 3 Simple Steps.


Ever notice how everything clicks when you're in a state of flow?

Your voice sharpens. Ideas pop. Marketing feels effortless.

That’s not hustle — it’s neurochemistry. [ Big word. Way above my pay-grade. 😝 ] And your nervous system holds the key.

My legit-brilliant friend, neuroscientist Emilia Ferreira, created a simple, science-backed guide to help you reset your system — so clarity, creativity, and focus stop playing hide and seek.

Originally designed for elite performers. Refined for everyday resilience.

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Monday Musing

Which of these describes your current branding mindset?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Heads Up! The links in our “Victory Points” section are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase. I only share games I genuinely love and KNOW you’ll enjoy too. Pinky promise. 😉
 

Victory Points

By: Mike Shary
( my board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️ )

War Chest is a two- or four-player tactical war game along the lines of chess … yet refreshingly different. The core mechanic is bag-building blended with asymmetric tactical positioning.

And talk about table-presence … the hefty poker-chip type pieces and the embroidered velvet bags make this a game like no other.

Each player commands a small roster of unique units—archers, knights, mercenaries—and must control key spaces on the board through clever movement and bold initiative.

But actions aren’t guaranteed. They’re driven by chips drawn from your bag, which represent your available forces and their stamina.
 

 
Each round, you draw three chips and decide how to use them. You might deploy a new unit to the board, move a piece into position, attack, or bolster your army. But if your key unit doesn’t get drawn? You’re left improvising. You make the best decision possible with what you’ve got.

Inevitably there will be moments in War Chest when your strategy collapses. The board shifts, your perfect maneuver crumbles, and your carefully chosen unit draws leave you exposed. And yet, without that plan, you’d never have had a chance.

This tension between long-term planning and short-term adaptability is what makes War Chest brilliant. You build your bag deliberately, tailoring your odds. But the battlefield never waits for perfection. If you can’t adjust, you lose.

It’s not a game of brute force. It’s a game of tempo, misdirection, and quiet control. Sometimes you sacrifice a unit not to win a battle, but to set up the one after that.

War Chest reminds us that no plan survives contact with reality. But having a plan is what gives you something to pivot from. A flexible strategy beats chaos every time

Make it a great week! 🙌

If you’re ready, here’s a few ways we can work together:

Want a website that converts casual browsers into clients? Let’s talk. In just 15 minutes, I’ll tell you exactly what’s holding your brand back — and how to fix it.

Ready for real transformation? Let's spend 60 minutes together, working on your biggest marketing challenges; complete with a customized, actionable roadmap for growth. Ideal for entrepreneurs who are done waiting on "perfect."

Our 60-day, done-for-you branding & website program to attract high-value, ideal clients. No stress. No tech. No homework. Let us tackle the strategy, tools, and setup so you can focus on what you do best — running your business. 

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