I've coined a new theory of the Internet in 2025.

It’s the basis for my new company.

I call it the "Boutique Impact" Theory.

Five years ago, audience was king. Make content, build audience, profit. I know this firsthand. I served 7,000+ Write of Passage and Second Brain students, many of whom wanted to build an audience. Most people sharing on the Internet want followers. It’s an obvious goal. Our students constantly asked for distribution tactics.

But winds have shifted. Followers is out. “For You” is in. Welcome to the Barbell Era. Posts either flounder in anonymity or skyrocket to massive reach. There’s little in-between. Quality wins. Everything else gets ignored.

The value of audience-building has plummeted. Look at your favorite big-c Content Creators. Big audiences used to guarantee eyeballs. Hundreds of likes per post, no matter what. Now big-account posts could reach 60 or 6,000. It all depends on algorithmic pick-up. If they mint a hit, more followers = bigger total reach. Followers still matter. They just matter way less than before. Audience is out. Quality is in.

So how to respond? Diligently aim for top-shelf quality every time?

Sure. But that’s like saying “Work hard to win the Powerball.” “For You” is lottery. Elbow grease won’t win you the $1,000 scratchoff. Give your best, sure. But the “For You” gods will bless who they bless. Don’t lose sleep over it.

Instead, focus on what you can control.

You should be building Boutique Impact.

I’ll explain with a story. Andrew wanted to start a podcast. But he faced the usual fears. “Everyone has a podcast. It takes forever to build an audience. No one will listen. What’s the point?”

But he launched anyways. In January, the History of Marketing podcast was born. Just two months later, here were the results, in Andrew’s words:

“I had doubts about whether the podcast was worth pursuing. Now I’m a few months in, and I get to speak with some of the most interesting authors, academics, and marketers I admire just because I host a podcast. Other important and influential people have discovered my show. It’s not topping the Spotify charts, but these connections have been incredibly rewarding.”

That’s after two months!

Andrew’s doubts (No one will listen!) were outdated. It was “Distribution-Era” thinking. Post shit, get followers, repeat for years. Nothing else matters.

But in 2025, this is wrong. We live in the Age of Connection. The Internet matches people at light-speed. Anyone on Earth with similar interests is a click away. Geographic barriers melt before this awesome power.

Use it!

Boutique Impact is simple: choose a unique niche. Make something great. Connections and opportunities will follow, quickly. Andrew’s niche was marketing history. What’s yours?

The world is chok-full of exceptional people nervously dancing around the Internet’s fringes. I’ve met countless. It’s always the same pain: I don’t have followers. So I can’t fully participate. No one will care.

But followers are dying. Connection is King.

You Are the Brand

Scott Stillman • Will Mannon on Substack