Why I Switched My Email Marketing to Flodesk After Trying MailChimp

Let’s be real—being a side-hustling entrepreneur is a lot, especially when it comes to marketing. Between working your 9-5 and building your dream business, there’s barely time to keep up with content creation, let alone stay visible online. Social media might be the go-to marketing tool for most, but relying on it alone isn’t sustainable. You can spend hours creating content only for a small percentage of your audience to even see it.

That’s where email marketing comes in.

Recently, I started leaning more into email marketing as a core part of my strategy—and it’s been a game-changer. It allows me to send content, offers, and updates directly to my audience, without having to fight the algorithm. And unlike social media, I own my email list, so even if platforms disappear tomorrow, I still have a way to connect with my community.

In this blog post, I’m breaking down:

• The email platforms I’ve tried (and why they didn’t work)

• How I discovered Flodesk

• What makes Flodesk different

• How it helps me manage my business while working a 9-5

• And whether it’s the right fit for you

Let’s get into it.

Platforms I Tried (And Why They Didn’t Work for Me)

Like I mentioned earlier, Mailchimp was my first intro to email marketing. I knew early on that I couldn’t rely on just social media to market my brand—especially with how unpredictable algorithms can be. Back then, I was hosting events, running workshops, and launching offers, and I needed a way to get my message directly in front of my community on a consistent basis.

Mailchimp was a decent place to start because it was free, which gave me a chance to test out email marketing without the pressure of a monthly subscription. But once I imported my CRM contacts and added in emails from past events, I quickly maxed out the free plan. And what frustrated me most was realizing that the more my email list grew, the more I had to pay. As a small business owner in the early stages, I didn’t have a ton of money to throw at just managing my email subscribers.

Another big thing for me? The lack of creative freedom. As someone who’s super visual and branding-focused, I wanted my emails to feel like a natural extension of my brand. But everything on Mailchimp felt cookie-cutter. The templates were basic, the design options were limited, and I couldn’t even use my own fonts—which, if you know me, you know that’s a dealbreaker. I had this beautiful website and brand presence, and yet my emails felt… blah. Generic. Like something anyone could’ve sent. And that was the problem—it didn’t feel like me. I wanted my emails to create a full experience, not just check a box.

Discovering Flodesk (And What Caught My Eye)

In Summer 2024, I went through a major rebrand. I had just hired a branding company to help me revamp my website and overall visual identity because I wanted my brand to feel warm, inviting, and professionally polished. After working with them, I was automatically added to their mailing list—and let me tell you, the first time I opened one of their emails, I was completely blown away.

Now, because they were a branding agency, I already had high expectations. But that email? It exceeded them. The layout was gorgeous, the fonts were unique, the colors were so cohesive with their brand, and the whole thing just felt elevated. It was the first time I looked at a marketing email and thought, “Okay—this is what beautiful email design is supposed to look like.”

So of course, I had to scroll to the bottom to figure out what they were using… and that’s when I saw it: “Made with love at Flodesk.” I clicked the link instantly. Flodesk offered a free 14-day trial, and I was already sold just from the landing page. What really sealed the deal for me was seeing that they offer flat-rate pricing, no matter how big your email list grows. That alone made me feel like I’d found the right platform—something that felt premium, but was built with small business owners and creatives in mind. From that moment on, I knew Flodesk was it for me.

What Makes Flodesk Different

Since I was already in the middle of a rebrand, it felt like the perfect time to try something new—not just for my website, but for my emails too. I knew that once my new site was ready to launch, I’d want to email my list and let them know all about it. So I started exploring Flodesk’s features, and y’all... I was instantly in love.

The first thing that stood out? The templates. When I logged in, there were these beautifully designed layouts ready to go—but I could fully customize them to match my brand. I added my brand fonts, dropped in my color hex codes, and suddenly my emails actually looked like my brand. It was giving branding heaven, okay?! I felt like I had unlocked a whole new level of creativity.

I was so excited, I immediately uploaded all of my Mailchimp contacts into Flodesk and sent out my very first campaign to let my community know that a rebrand was in the works and that a new website was on the way. For the first time ever, email marketing actually felt fun.

Then I discovered something else that changed everything: Flodesk’s link-in-bio pages and opt-in forms. I created my very first email opt-in form for an ebook waitlist I was building—an ebook teaching women how to monetize their influence. And let me tell you, it was SO easy to set up. I’d never done an automated form before because most of my list came from in-person events or pulling contacts from my CRM (HoneyBook). I was used to exporting spreadsheets and manually uploading them.

But with Flodesk? I created the opt-in form in minutes, added it to my link in bio, and boom—people could sign up, and I didn’t have to touch a thing. It made me feel so much more professional, and it gave me a system that actually supported my business goals without taking up more of my time.

How Flodesk Supports My Life as a Side-Hustler

Flodesk has truly been a game changer for my business—especially now that I’ve gotten more comfortable using it. As a side-hustling entrepreneur, I don’t have the luxury of being glued to my laptop all day. Between working my full-time job, client work, and family life, I needed something that could run in the background and keep my marketing on autopilot. That’s exactly what Flodesk helps me do.

Here are a few ways I use Flodesk in my business as a side-hustler:

Batch Schedule My Monthly Emails

At the beginning of each month, I block out just one hour to write and plan all my emails. I batch them, schedule them, and don’t have to think about it again until the next month. This lets me show up consistently in my audience’s inbox without scrambling to write something last-minute. I send out emails twice a week—same time, same days—so now my subscribers expect it. It’s like a rhythm, and they know I’m going to deliver valuable marketing tips to help them show up online, especially on social media.

Use Flodesk Forms Instead of Website Landing Pages

This one has saved me so much time. I used to spend hours designing landing pages on my website for every new freebie, guide, or offer. But now? I just use Flodesk forms as my landing pages. I’ve created a base opt-in form template that I can duplicate, tweak the copy and images, and have it up and running in less than 10 minutes. I even use a redirect tool so the link still looks like it’s coming from my website—while Flodesk captures everything on the backend. No embedding, no coding, no stress.

Branded Email Templates That Save Me Time

I created a custom email newsletter template inside Flodesk that perfectly matches my brand—fonts, colors, layout, everything. I use that same template for every newsletter I send. The structure stays the same, I just update the copy. It’s quick, cohesive, and it keeps me from reinventing the wheel every time I sit down to write. And when your time is limited, efficiency is everything.

Whether I’m working late, spending time with my family, or deep into client projects, I love knowing that my emails are going out, my list is growing, and my business is still moving forward—even when I’m not at my desk.

Should You Make the Switch? (And Who Flodesk is Perfect For)

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for a better way to connect with your community, or you’re finally ready to build on a platform that you actually own—I highly recommend Flodesk.

It’s perfect for side-hustlers, coaches, small business owners, and anyone who wants to level up their brand presence and stay top-of-mind with their audience through beautifully branded emails.

Want to give it a try? You can start with a free 14-day trial, and when you use the code SIDEHUSTLE at checkout, you’ll get 50% off your Flodesk subscription for an entire year.

Click here to start your free trial and finally start growing your email list with a platform that works just as hard as you do.