A lot of people talk about being independent online, but what does that even mean anymore? For some, it’s A lot of people talk about being independent online, but what does that even mean anymore? For some, it’s quitting a full-time job. For others, it’s owning your audience instead of renting space on someone else’s platform (*cough cough Instagram). 

Independence looks different for everyone, but at its core, it’s about having control over your time, your money and your creative output. Staying independent doesn’t mean doing everything alone. You still need a support system, a place to share your work, and tools that make the hard parts easier.

Here are some of the best tools to help with that in 2025:

Step 1: Talk to your people directly.

If you’re relying on Instagram’s algorithm to reach your community, you’re playing a losing game because they can wake up one day and choose to ban your account. 

The better bet is always to build something you actually own.

1. Email newsletters like Beehiiv or ConvertKit give you full control over your list. However, lots of people sign up for newsletters they never read. Check out the pros and cons before investing a lot of energy into this. Still, it’s always a good idea to keep a list of emails on an excel sheet so you can reach your customers and sell to them. You can capture this information using Google forms or Cognito forms and export it as a csv file.
   
2. SMS or chat apps like WhatsApp Channels or Telegram are great for fast updates. People check their phones more than their inboxes, anyway.
   
3. Community spaces like Coloniz help you create something more intimate. A place for members to connect and belong. On Coloniz, you can create private inner circles that people have to qualify to get into. Gatekeeping your work becomes so much easier, and 

Step 2: Make your own money on your terms.

You don’t need a brand deal or a million views to earn as a creator. You just need the right tools to host your products, gate-keep appropriately and let people pay you directly. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Sell templates, one-on-ones, or courses on Gumroad or Selar.
2. Run a private inner circle on Coloniz where you can offer support or coaching and receive payments directly into your Coloniz wallet. 

Remember that the access settings are totally flexible and you can choose whether to leave it as an open community or make it exclusive.

3. Add a “tip jar” via Buy Me a Coffee or just use the Tips feature on your Coloniz account

A lot of indie creators are also pre-selling ideas before they make them. It helps you test interest before investing time. Platforms like Gumroad let you do this easily.

Step 3: Share your process (without burning out).

Building in public doesn’t mean you need to post every day or turn your life into content. Just share enough for people to feel like they’re in it with you.

1. Create lightweight landing pages with Carrd or Typedream
   
2. Use schedulers like Hypefury to queue your thoughts (especially when you’re in the mood to write 6 tweets in a row)
   
3. Drop a Notion page with your goals or roadmap and update it once a month.
   

Don’t be afraid to sound cringe or unpolished. Just remember that people love to see messy processes. It makes them feel connected to you on a more personal level.

Step 4: Organize your ideas so you can actually create.

This one took me a while to learn. Being independent isn’t about hustling harder. However, it is about setting things up so your brain can chill.

1. Take messy notes in Google Keep or Apple Notes (nothing too fancy)
   
2. You can Notion your entire life like some people I know, or manage projects in Jira.
   
3. Work remotely with friends in Figma, Canva or Descript, especially if you’re editing audio or visuals
   

Sometimes when I have a quick idea, I’ll use a simple notebook and just write “this is an idea” at the top of the page. It works.

Step 5: Create a home for your community.

It’s one thing to have fans. It’s another thing to have people building with you.

1. Host your space on Coloniz; you can make it public or keep it invite-only.
   
2. Run rituals like feedback threads, meme drops, community challenges or anything else that comes to mind
   
3. Let members help shape the culture. Give them ways to contribute and feel like they’re part of something.

Bonus step: Use tools that multiply your efforts.

I’m not going to tell you to use AI for every damn thing, but there are a few tools that actually help when used with care.

1. Use ChatGPT, Claude or Notion AI to write messy first drafts
   
2. Edit videos with Descript AI (you can literally delete words from a transcript to cut the clip), Capcut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro if you feel confident enough.
   
3. Mock up visuals with Canva if you’re not in the mood to open Figma
   

Just don’t let a robot write your tweets. People hate that.

Final thoughts

Being independent in 2025 isn’t about being everywhere or doing everything. It’s about building something that feels good and sustainable.

You don’t have to feel alone either. If you’re looking for other folks building out loud, check out Coloniz. There’s a whole group of indie creators sharing tools, trading ideas, and building their own weird little empires.