In today’s Spotlight Session, I’m talking to Tara, the creator behind Safe Passages and The Recomp Journey and winner of one of the previous month’s challenges.
She’s building something most creators won’t touch (even I).
Two Substacks. Different audiences. Different formats. Different purposes.
And she’s making both work.
Tara worked in digital media, podcasting, and documentaries. She’s a nomad who’s been everywhere and talked to people who’ve traveled even more.
But here’s what makes her different.
She doesn’t just write about things. She experiments first.
When everyone asked about YouTube years ago, she figured it out on her own account before touching anyone else’s.
When Substack started growing, she didn’t wait. She jumped in.
Not with the typical newsletter. With a video podcast.
Safe Passages combines travel stories with digital wellness tips from people who actually do it. Not influencers. Experts. People who walk the walk.
Her second Substack is even more personal.
She’s in Phuket, Thailand right now. On Fitness Street in Chalong. At a fitness camp.
Her goal? Transform 6% body fat into muscle.
She’s been stuck at a plateau. Numbers wouldn’t move. Weight stayed the same.
But here’s what she learned in two weeks: she lost 3% body fat and gained 1.5 kg of muscle.
The scale didn’t change. But everything else did.
That’s what The Recomp Journey is about. The real story behind the numbers. The frustration. The self-talk. The wins that don’t show up on the scale.
Watch the video to hear her story and learn:
Why she started with video podcasts on a writing platform (and how she made it work)
How to manage two different Substacks without burning out
Why muscle gain matters more than weight loss (especially for women over 40)
How she uses Substack as a testing ground before touching client accounts
The truth about body composition vs. total weight (and why scales lie)
How slow travel beats the “see everything now” mentality
You’ll also hear how Tara:
Went viral with a scheduled note she almost forgot she wrote
Schedules notes across time zones using Substack Pro Studio
Combines travel expertise with digital wellness in one podcast
Stays accountable through subscriber engagement (not wanting people to forget her)
If you’re building a Substack and think you need to pick just one topic, you’ll love this conversation.
If you’re tired of fitness content that only shows you the “after” photo, you’ll love it even more.
And remember to post your questions to Tara in the comments :)
👉 Subscribe to Tara on Substack:
Safe Passages - Monthly video podcast on travel and digital wellness by people who actually do it
The Recomp Journey - Real-time body recomposition journey from Phuket, Thailand
Wanna have your own Spotlight Session?
You can take the place under the spotlight in one of the next sessions and talk about your personal story and your Substack!
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Every month I choose two winners - one for the Notes and one for the Writing Challenge. Watch all spotlight sessions here.
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I see you inside!
Yana
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