A Better Way to Enable the Stories You Love
Hello everyone!
First, thank you for your continued support of Slow Spin Society. It means the world to me and keeps this ad-free, independent media platform alive. I want to share some updates and be transparent about what's been happening behind the scenes. For context, if you don’t remember or if you aren't a Patreon member, I posted this message on the Patreon platform last month:
“Hi everyone,
I hope you all had an amazing end of 2024. I wanted to inform you about some upcoming changes regarding the Patreon platform. Due to Patreon’s recent updates to their terms and conditions, which include how they can use creators's content and a huge increases of the already massive financial cut they are taking, I’ve decided to move to a different platform. These changes will take effect in February.
Additionally, I’m planning to take a break from the podcast, and as a result, there won’t be any new exclusive content for a few months. I completely understand if this news might be disappointing, but I honestly cannot keep up with my actual release schedule while still making the podcast. I've been feeling extremely overwhelmed and I need to make time for what I've been working on.
If you have a yearly subscription or think this unfair and would like a refund, please don’t hesitate to email me at contact@slowspinsociety.com. I’ll provide more details soon about the transition and how things will evolve.
However, January is quite busy for me, so I’ll address this more thoroughly in February when I have the time to focus on it. Also note that I can't “force stop” a subscription, so if you don't want to pay until the new platform is up, I'll suggest unsubscribing now but staying as a free member to get every update. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Paul”
So as I was saying, Patreon has recently increased its fees by 23%, on top of the substantial amount it already takes. This, coupled with the irregular podcast pace last year—ranging from 2 to 4 episodes per month—has made me reflect on where the podcast should go. Producing each podcast episode has taken between 12 and 20 hours of work for each of them, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and often unsatisfied with the final product.
Balancing this with the 100% commitment Slow Spin Society requires has become unsustainable, so I’ve decided to make some changes to refocus and re-energize.
Here’s the plan:
As you already saw, I’m taking a little break from the podcast. It’s not forever, I just need a minute to rethink the entire thing and re-focus on making the light-hearted episodes that I love.
Supporters-exclusive episodes are also on a halt, even if these have been the most fulfilling to create, especially when recording with friends.
I’m stopping the Patreon all together for all the reasons I’ve mentioned and moving to another platform called Buy Me a Coffee that has way much respect for creators. (Yes, that’s the little orange thing that popped up at the bottom right of your screen)
Buy Me a Coffee is primarily donation based, but there is also a membership available if you’d like to subscribe, and since they are taking less, I can lower the price of the subscription. Again, I’m trying to be as transparent here as I can.
The membership will give you the same perks as previously on Patreon like: The complete post archive, an exclusive Discord role, and behind-the-scenes content. I’ll also continue to thank all of you at the end of every newsletter and video (Yes, I’m trying to get on the YouTube wagon this year)
I am currently uploading the entire Patreon-exclusive library (extended version and extra episodes) on Buy Me a Coffee.
I know it's not the “all fun” kind of message, but it was a necessary change. And I hope it can stay like that for a while.
Revenues from memberships and donations are what has been enabling me to go around and create so many great pieces of media for the past four years, so your support is always greatly appreciated. Yes, I’m slowly starting to settle in as a media in the cycling industry, but brand deals and sponsorships are still very limited at this point.
2025 is shaping to be a busy, productive and incredible year, and I’m looking forward to meeting more of you at events around the world.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me at contact@slowspinsociety.com or express them in the comment section, below.
Your support has always been the foundation of Slow Spin Society, and I’m grateful for every single one of you who makes this journey possible. Thank you for your understanding and for continuing to stand with me and SSS through these changes.
Paul
