I renamed (again) my newsletter (and why)
Changed "Self × Tech" to "Jurij's Workshop" because of etymology and cultural connections; here's the messy process
Full transparency: This post is based on actual chat exports from my conversations with Claude. AI helped me structure the raw conversations and edit for readability. That's the reality we live in, and I'd rather be honest about it.
Yesterday, I had what seemed like a simple thought: rename my Substack to "Jurij's Workshop”. But nothing about content creation is ever simple, is it?
What started as a quick rebrand turned into a complete rethinking of my content strategy, voice, and positioning.
Instead of presenting you with the polished final result, I want to share the actual conversation that led to it — messy thinking, dead ends, and all.
The etymology discovery
The breakthrough came when I mentioned the word etymology. My AI assistant initially missed it, then caught on:
Claude: Ah, "Werkstatt" - German for workshop!
Me: Same in polish and ukrainian languages
Claude: Ukrainian "варстат" - exactly matching your company name.
This wasn't just a rebrand anymore. This was about brand coherence across everything I do.
Varstatt = Var (variable) + statt (place/workshop, from Werkstatt)
Jurij's Workshop = The personal extension of the same craftsman identity
Polish "warsztat," Ukrainian "майстерня" and "варстат," German "Werkstatt" — all meaning the same thing across my linguistic background. Perfect.
The about page struggle
Writing an "About" page turned into a three-hour odyssey. Here's what didn't work:
Too polished: "I help founders build their products through thoughtful development practices..."
Too apprentice-focused: "Pull up a chair. You're in my workshop now..."
Too corporate: Standard business bio with accomplishments and credentials.
The problem? I kept trying to sound like someone else.
Finding my voice
The breakthrough came when I admitted something: my content doesn't always match grand promises about "watching a master craftsman work."
Sometimes I write about random thoughts.
Sometimes I share half-formed ideas.
Sometimes I just document what I'm learning as I go.
That's when we landed on the authentic version:
This is where I work through ideas in public.
Simple, honest, and basically true.
The random notices concept
The most unexpected element came from my Ukrainian background — the bulletin boards in apartment building entrances where neighbors post random announcements.
This became the "Random notices" section on my about page:
23.05.2025 — 🎧 — https://music.apple.com/album/nova-era/1809123323
01.01.2025 — 🎉 not looking for a job
01.08.2024 — 💼 first day of self-employment, if it will not work out at December I should look for a job
30.05.2024 — 🎂 turned 30, feeling pain in knees
It captures the slightly uncomfortable, neighbor-to-neighbor communication vibe that makes personal content feel real.
What I learned
Brand coherence matters more than individual brilliance The workshop concept works because it connects to everything else I do - Varstatt, my development approach, my cultural background.
Authenticity beats polish every time The bulletin board timeline feels more genuine than any carefully crafted bio ever could.
Sometimes the best content strategy is having no strategy "Working through ideas in public" gives me permission to be messy, incomplete, and human.
Cultural details make content memorable The Ukrainian apartment building reference is the kind of specific detail that sticks with people.
Iteration reveals truth We went through multiple versions because each one got us closer to what actually felt right, not what sounded impressive.
The anti-right philosophy
This whole process reinforced my "deliberately anti-right" approach. I'm not trying to have all the answers or present perfect solutions.
I'm documenting the actual process of building a business, learning development, and figuring out what works.
Sometimes I'm wrong.
Sometimes I change my mind.
Sometimes I share half-baked ideas just to see where they lead.
That's the workshop — a place where raw materials get transformed into something useful, but you see all the sawdust and failed attempts along the way.
Why I'm sharing this
Most content about rebranding shows you the before and after. Clean case study. Polished results.
This shows you the during — the actual back-and-forth thinking, the cultural connections, the moments of uncertainty, and the gradual discovery of what feels authentic.
Because that's what real work looks like. Messy, iterative and human.
Honestly? I'm not even sure this rebrand is "right." I'm doing it to remove barriers around writing — to give myself permission to share more stuff without worrying about perfect positioning or strategic messaging.
The whole purpose of this story is to document my attempt at removing rules and pressure from content creation. If sharing the messy process helps me feel less pressure about "doing it right," then maybe it helps you too.
And if you're building something of your own — whether it's a newsletter, a business, or just trying to find your voice online — maybe seeing the actual process (uncertainty included) is more useful than seeing the perfect outcome.