How I Did It
An ongoing series of first-person walkthroughs of exactly how one specific result happened — a first sale, a hire, a turnaround — mechanics, not motivation.
What this offers
A real how-to, not a highlight
The published piece walks through the actual steps and decisions, useful to someone trying to do the same thing.
An editor who shapes it with you
You don't need to be a writer — tell us the steps, an editor helps structure it.
No cost, ever
Free to submit, free to be published if selected.
A permanent reference piece
Useful to point back to — for your own portfolio, or for others trying the same thing.
Who this is for
Anyone who achieved one specific, describable result and can walk through exactly how — the sequence of decisions, not just the outcome.
How it works
- Submit the result and the steps. What happened, and the actual sequence of decisions that led there.
- An editor reads it for mechanics. We're checking whether it's specific enough to be useful, not just inspiring.
- If selected, we shape it together. An editor may ask for more detail on the steps.
- It goes live, and you're notified. Published under your name with an email the moment it's up.
Rules & eligibility
- This is free to enter, and always will be — we never charge a submission fee.
- No age, location, industry, or follower-count requirement. Selection is about the work itself, not who you are.
- Submitting doesn't guarantee publication or a reply beyond the automatic confirmation — we get more submissions than we can feature, and we'd rather say that upfront than overpromise.
- One submission per person or company at a time. If it isn't selected, you're welcome to submit again later with something new.
- Selection is editorial, not a queue — we're not obligated to publish every submission, and we won't pad the list with entries that aren't ready.
How do I actually apply?
I write it as a sequence someone else could actually follow — first this, then this, here's what I got wrong along the way — instead of a general story about hard work paying off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost anything to submit?
No. It's free to submit to How I Did It, and free to be featured if selected. We don't charge for consideration, and we never will.
How long does it take to hear back?
If your submission is selected, you'll hear from an editor directly. If it isn't, we don't send a rejection notice — the volume we receive makes that impractical.
Can I submit on behalf of someone else?
Only with their knowledge and involvement — we want the real details, and that usually means hearing from the person or team directly.
What happens if I'm not selected?
Nothing gets published without being selected first. Unselected submissions simply aren't used, and you're welcome to submit again later.
Does this run every year?
Yes — How I Did It is evergreen. It runs all year, every year, with no deadline to catch.
Selection is editorial and unpaid on both sides — no one is charged to submit, and no one is paid for work we publish. Talmyn's editorial standards apply the same way here as everywhere else on the site.
Submit
Meet the cohort
The first entries are being reviewed now — check back soon, or be one of the first to submit yours below.