The Voice of the Frontline Turns One

Happy Birthday, VotF! The origin story.

Photo credit: Canva.

Standing in the middle of a retail tech convention is sensory overload at its finest. People zig and zag every which way—music blares from one booth, and espresso machines buzz in another. Knock, knock, knock - the baristas empty the base of their espresso tampers and call out drink orders. 

I'd run through the chaos to meet up with an online friend I'd only met over Zoom. He had two minutes to spare, so we high-fived and he introduced me to his coworker. 

"This is my friend, Kit. She's like a LinkedIn influencer." He said, trying to find the words to describe what I do. 
"Hi. Nice to meet you." I replied. "I'm like the voice of the frontline." I was also struggling to refine my elevator pitch.

A random woman stopped by and asked us to choose one of four notebooks. "Please," she said, "I need to get rid of these."

We all obliged and took one.

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The After Effect

I was drained after arriving home after a five-hour drive and a three-day retail conference, but that conversation floated around my brain. 

Reflecting on the past few days, I wandered around my house, unpacking and starting laundry. A thought struck me while walking down my hallway. I couldn't move my feet. I could only stare off into the distance as The Voice of the Frontline formed in my brain.

I grabbed my computer, went into a quiet room, and created this newsletter. I designed the logo, the framework, — everything. I even wrote the first edition. 

Hours later, my husband popped his head in the door, "How late are you going to work?" 

"I don't know," I said, barely looking up from the screen. "Until I'm done?" I replied. He dropped off green tea and let me ruminate. 

Creative work is like that. An idea hits you, and you need to see it through no matter how long it takes. 

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The Evolution

For the first two years I wrote this newsletter, it barely grew. That's because it wasn't The Voice of the Frontline. It was something else entirely. Although it didn't get me what I wanted, eyeballs on my work, it was still a valuable exploration. 

It gave me freedom of expression and allowed me to learn a new platform. Let's be honest: writing and practicing your craft is never a waste of time. 

Now, The Voice of the Frontline is precisely what I want it to be. It's a journalistic dive into retail news and a fierce advocate for all frontline work. It has resonated with readers and created a community of people who now feel more seen and supported. 

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Going Viral

The first viral edition took me by surprise, as vitality always does. 

This article blows up whenever it’s shared, even now. It's bananas. You can read it here. 

It always makes me so proud when other leaders comment:

"THIS!"

" Spot on."

" 100%"

Working in retail, we all have shared experiences, but we don't have a place to share them. Now, we do. It's here. It's a part of all my work. 

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One year led to 75K views and 1665 subscribers

In celebration of this newsletter turning one, I'm offering a subscription for people who want to help support what I do. 

It's important that this newsletter stays free for all who want to read it. 

I'd also like to keep it ad-free, which means support from readers is essential. 

So, if you'd like to help an indie writer do honest, motivating work, consider subscribing. The money you contribute will help me create this weekly and keep it free for all who want to read it.

AI writing is rampant right now. Companies think they've found the answer to avoid paying writers, but they haven't. They're getting generic content generated by a computer that is guessing the probability of the next word. That type of writing doesn't get read because it doesn’t connect on an emotional level.

When you read this newsletter, you get writing from an actual human who has worked on the frontlines of customer service for two decades, trained scores of other leaders, and continues to advocate for these people daily. 

When you support my work you're supporting all those people, too. 

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Thanks for Being Here

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for opening this newsletter each week. 

Thank you for sharing your stories with me. 

Thank you for working on the frontlines. 

Onward. 

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Ready to Get Some Sh*t Done?

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Based in Southern California, Kit Campoy is a former retail leader turned freelance writer. She covers Retail, Leadership, and Business. Contact her for blog posts, articles, or LinkedIn content.

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