Embracing the Unfollow on X

Embracing the Unfollow: Building a Genuine Path to Growth on X

Picture this: You step into a vast, echoing hall, ready to share your unique story. But instead of a cheering crowd, it's mostly empty—just a few scattered listeners who truly get your niche vibe. That's how my early days on X (formerly Twitter) felt. Starting in 2009 as @Fresno_Famous, I poured out thoughts on tech, business, life, and everything in between, only to hear crickets more often than applause. Yet, that emptiness taught me something powerful: quality over quantity. As a U.S. Army veteran who commanded a recruiting station, transitioned into film production at the Los Angeles Film School, and now builds ventures like the GeorgieJobs app, I've learned that growth isn't about chasing numbers—it's about forging real connections that lead to opportunities, like turning DMs into job leads or collaborations.

In this expanded blog, I'll dive deeper into why losing followers can be a win, how mismatched headlines cost me opportunities (and why that's okay), my take on ethical monetization, tech struggles I've fumbled through, the real value of long-term experience from my 26,600+ posts, and even some forward-thinking ideas for how X could evolve to support "backbone users" like us—who keep the platform alive by creating economic value through consistent, purposeful posting. But here's the point—I'm not just sharing a story. I'll give you actionable steps to apply this to your own online journey, drawing from my diverse background in military strategy, entertainment business, and entrepreneurship. Whether you're at my level—handling a handful of customers a month through niche services like consulting or film production—or dreaming bigger, these tips can help you build authentically without burning out. Let's turn that empty room into a thriving community, one genuine interaction at a time.

The Empty Room Reality: Finding Your Niche Audience

My X adventure didn't begin in a packed stadium. It was more like an empty room, where my niche messages on personal growth, tech integration in business, veteran transitions, and humble entrepreneurship bounced off the walls. No one was there to listen at first, and that stung. Over time, I realized why: my headlines and posts didn't match what people expected. They wanted flashy promises like "10X Your Followers Overnight" or "Monetize in Minutes." Mine were raw and real, like reflections on failures in Army recruiting campaigns I led, quiet wins in producing short films for financial literacy, or lessons from bridging civilian and military worlds as the Military Transition & Community Outreach Officer at film school.

As a result, I've lost countless followers and potential customers. They clicked away because it wasn't the quick-fix content they scrolled for. But guess what? That's okay. I'm human, not a perfect algorithm. I make mistakes, like jumping into tech tools without a plan (more on that later). Right now, I can only handle four or five customers a month—my bandwidth is limited, whether it's consulting on international projects from California to Puerto Rico or producing content for metaverse builders. Once I build a bigger team or refine my product—like the GeorgieJobs app, which revolutionizes trades hiring by matching skills to gigs based on my own recruiting experience—I'll scale up. Until then, this is my level, and I bet many of you are here too—grinding in the shadows, building something real amid the noise.

The point? In a world obsessed with viral hits, embracing your niche means accepting the empty room phase. It's where you hone your voice and attract the right people. Research backs this up: a Stanford University study on loyalty in online communities found that users' propensity to become loyal is evident from their first interactions, and strong community identity drives sustained engagement. Another paper from Stanford's NLP Group highlights how niche communities foster deeper user engagement by aligning with collective identities, leading to higher retention rates. Think how brands like Patagonia thrive by staying true to eco-conscious fans, not chasing everyone—niche marketing can enhance customer loyalty and retention by providing tailored value that broad appeals can't match. In my case, focusing on veteran outreach, financial literacy through edutainment (like my co-founded Financial Literacy Film Festival), and trades innovation has built a small but dedicated following that turns into real collaborations, not fleeting likes.

This niche focus also ties into broader trends on X, where backbone users—those posting consistently with real intent—create the data corpus that powers AI tools like Grok. Millions engage this way, using X as a marketplace for services and local offers, sustaining the platform's vitality. Without us, feeds devolve into noise, and retention plummets.

Actionable Steps:

1. Audit Your Headlines: Review your last 10 posts. Do they promise value that matches your content? Rewrite one to be more authentic but intriguing, like "Why Losing Followers Boosted My Business" instead of generic clickbait. Test it and track engagement over a week to see shifts in replies or DMs.

2. Define Your Niche: List 3-5 core topics you love (e.g., tech tools for solopreneurs, veteran career transitions). Post only on those for a week. Note who sticks around—they're your true audience. From my experience, this pruned my followers but deepened conversations, leading to gigs in Puerto Rico's film scene.

3. Embrace the Loss: Set a goal to lose 10% of inactive followers by posting unfiltered thoughts on your expertise, like sharing Army-learned leadership tips. Use X's analytics (free in settings) to see if engagement rises with the remaining group. Bonus: Track how this opens doors to niche opportunities, similar to how my posts on social entrepreneurship attracted UCLA collaborators.

4. Engage with Intent: Reach out to 5 users in your niche daily via replies or DMs. Share a helpful resource, like a free film production tip sheet I've created. This builds loyalty early, as Stanford research suggests.

Monetization Without the Brag: Keeping It Ethical

When creators post about monetizing their X accounts, it rubs me wrong. It's like admitting, "I hijacked your focus from real life, and now I'm profiting." Fine if you do it—business is business—but don't flaunt it. I've seen this shift since 2009: X went from idea-sharing to a money machine with subs and ads. Yet, bragging erodes trust, turning your feed into a sales pitch. Recent discussions on X emphasize that to earn sustainably, content must reach a broad, growing audience without manipulative tactics like engagement groups, which X has demonetized to reduce platform gaming.

In my world, monetization happens quietly through value. I share insights that help, and opportunities follow—like turning posts into job leads via DMs, a core function keeping millions on X. But I won't shove successes in your face. It's about balance—using the platform without exploiting attention. As founder of GeorgieJobs, an app born from my Army recruiting days and consulting expertise, I focus on founder-market fit: my background in leading teams, digital marketing for the military, and international campaigns makes me uniquely suited to help trades pros find gigs. This humble approach builds trust, turning users into loyal advocates without hype.

Ethical monetization also means rewarding backbone users. I've proposed features to X executives, like a Backbone Contribution Score (BCS) metric to credit consistent, high-value posters with visibility boosts or micro-credits. This could prevent churn, as users stay for economic utility, not just ads.

Actionable Steps:

1. Value-First Monetization: Pick one skill (e.g., your tech knowledge or my film production tips) and create a free thread teaching it. At the end, softly mention a paid consult. Track how many inquiries come without hard sells—I've seen this yield steady clients in entertainment finance.

2. Set Boundaries: Decide on a "no-brag" rule. If you hit a milestone, journal it privately. Instead, post a lesson learned, like "How One Tool Doubled My Efficiency—And How You Can Try It." This maintains trust, aligning with X's push for authentic growth.

3. Diversify Income: Explore X's built-in tools like Super Follows, but pair with off-platform options (e.g., a simple newsletter via Substack or an app like GeorgieJobs). Aim for 20% of income from X to avoid over-reliance, and consider community features for retention, as one X creator noted gamified rewards can boost engagement.

4. Advocate for Fairness: Share ideas on X for platform improvements, like crediting creators when AI uses their data. Tag executives humbly—I've done this to spark discussions on sustaining backbone users.

Tech Tools: From Fumbles to Flow

I know killer tech exists to boost my workflow—AI for content, automation for posts. I've seen X tutorials and grasped the basics. But integrating? I'm smart enough to admit I'm clueless sometimes. Past mistakes, like "vibe coding" without learning fundamentals, wrecked everything. No basics in languages like Python? Disaster. My Army days taught strategy, but applying it to tech was a learning curve—early on, I pioneered social media for recruiting, yet fumbled modern tools like NFTs for SuperWorld App.

Now, I'm methodical. Tools like Zapier connect apps seamlessly, but I learn one at a time. It's like business scaling: start small, build up. With GeorgieJobs, I drew from my training in over 20 computer applications to create simple matching algorithms, but only after mastering basics. Tech fumbles taught me humility—I've consulted globally, from Ghana to Arizona, adapting tools to local needs without overcomplicating.

Recent X trends show retention strategies like gamified rewards and community levels can reduce churn by creating addictive loops. Integrating such tools ethically can enhance user stickiness.

Actionable Steps:

1. Start Simple: Choose one tool (e.g., Buffer for scheduling). Spend 30 minutes daily for a week learning via free YouTube tutorials. Integrate it into your routine and note time saved—I've used this for film promo campaigns.

2. Learn Basics First: Before coding, take a free Codecademy intro to Python. Apply it by automating a small task, like sorting X mentions. This mirrors how I built GeorgieJobs' backend.

3. Avoid Overload: List 3 tools you need most. Rank them by ease. Implement the easiest first, then build. If stuck, join an X community (search #TechTools) for advice, or draw from veteran networks like I do.

4. Test for Retention: Experiment with tools that add value, like DM integrations for job quotes. Data from reports shows targeted digital tools can improve job placements by around 15%, as seen in Georgia's employment assessments.

The Depth of Experience: 26,600 Posts Later

My edge? Over 26,600 posts since 2009—top 10% of users. Not bots, just human engagement. I've built conversations, learned nuances, and grown—from Army tank commander to president of Veterans Alumni at film school. Compare your count to mine: it's tourist vs. local. This compounds like interest in business—consistent effort yields expertise, turning posts into economic value via DMs and leads.

X's high retention rate (37% vs. rivals' 18%) underscores how platforms thrive on such backbone activity. My "Ohan-OS playbooks"—templates for targeting small audiences, proving value, and closing in DMs—embody this, scalable for anyone.

Actionable Steps:

1. Track Your Output: Use X's archive download to count posts. Set a goal: 5 thoughtful posts weekly. Focus on quality to build experience, like my daily shares on entrepreneurship.

2. Engage Actively: Reply to 10 posts daily in your niche. Note insights gained. Over a month, it'll sharpen your voice and foster loyalty.

3. Reflect and Scale: Monthly, review top posts. What worked? Use to plan growth, like team-building for more capacity or sharing playbooks openly.

4. Leverage Longevity: Document your journey in a thread, highlighting milestones humbly. This attracts collaborators, as my veteran outreach posts have.

Innovating X: Proposals for Backbone Users and GeorgieJobs Inspiration

To sustain growth, X needs features rewarding real contributors. My suggestions: Reward cadence with BCS credits, add DM tools for job conversions (e.g., quick invoices), create neighborhood feeds for local offers, credit creators in Grok answers, and share playbooks like my Ohan-OS. These align with trends where retention anchors like routines and rewards keep users hooked.

GeorgieJobs exemplifies this: Born from my founder-market fit—Army recruiting, UCLA social entrepreneurship, global consulting—it connects trades pros seamlessly, building trust through helpful matching. It's humble tech solving real problems, inspiring X to integrate similar utilities.

Actionable Steps:

1. Brainstorm Features: List 2 ideas for X improvements based on your experience. Post them tagging @elonmusk—humbly, like "How DM Tools Could Turn Posts into Paychecks."

2. Build Your App or Tool: If inspired, outline a simple product like GeorgieJobs. Start with free resources, focusing on your unique fit.

3. Test Locally: Use neighborhood concepts in your posts—geo-target offers and track responses.

The Bigger Picture: Your Path Forward

This blog's point? In X's noisy world, authenticity wins—even if it means empty rooms and lost followers. It's okay to be at a "small-scale" level; many are, including me with my veteran-led initiatives in Puerto Rico or NFT projects. By adding actionables, drawing from my Renaissance man path—whatever it takes to connect resources and build dreams—I hope you turn my story into your strategy. Build that team, refine your product, and watch growth happen organically.

X's strength lies in users like us; without monetizing our value, retention risks dropping, as seen in broader platform data. Let's advocate for changes that empower everyone.

What's one step you'll take today? Share below—let's turn this empty room into a conversation, and maybe even a collaboration.

Personal, on purpose.
My account is personal by design. I don’t “earn” money to interact with you. I post like a regular guy who builds things, breaks a few, learns, tries again. Some days it’s a busted sink; some days it’s a kid’s schedule colliding with a job. If you’re here, we’re just sharing the room.

Backbone of X.
Backbone isn’t loud. It’s the steady, ordinary posts that keep streets plowed, roofs patched, and heads level. If three people read this and one feels less alone in their grind, that’s enough. I’m not chasing an algorithm; I’m keeping company.

GeorgieJobs, said simply.
I’m building GeorgieJobs because good work deserves calm tools. It helps small crews and families agree on what’s being done, do it, and move on with dignity. Pros keep their customers. Families know the scope. The app handles the awkward parts—pinned scope, one-tap add-ons, deposits on bigger jobs, clean invoices/receipts, and an optional early payout when cash flow is tight. Quiet nudges keep life from spilling into work (or the other way around) without turning your phone into a dashboard.

Two tiny stories.

• On the job: a faucet swap tries to become a mini-remodel. Pinned scope + a simple add-on keeps it fair. No raised voices, no mystery charges. Everyone leaves with a photo and a “thank you.”

• At home: a family approves a small extra from their phone at work. One tap, clear price, done. Later, when a warranty question shows up, the receipt and photos are already saved.

Dignity and fairness aren’t features—they’re the point.
I care about how the day feels: less arguing, more clarity; less second-guessing, more proof. The tools should make it easier to be decent to each other.

Why this matters beyond me.
There’s a huge, quiet economy of 1–3 person teams—the people who actually keep neighborhoods running. GeorgieJobs is a way to say they’re not a footnote. They’re the point. We’re not a lead farm; we’re a way to own your book of business and still sleep at night.

What I keep learning (after tens of thousands of posts).

• Consistency is a personality, not a tactic.

• A small audience that understands you is louder than a big one that doesn’t.

• If you can’t explain your thing in one breath, you don’t know it yet.

• The best “growth hack” is work you’re not embarrassed to talk about in front of your kids.

If you’re in the echoey room right now.
Keep talking like a person. Let the wrong followers go. Notice who stays. That’s your community. Build with them. The room fills slowly, and that’s a blessing—you can still hear each other.

About me, briefly (context, not a pitch).
I’m George Ohan. U.S. Army veteran, former recruiting station commander. I helped service members transition at the Los Angeles Film School. I produce things. I build GeorgieJobs for small crews and the families who hire them. We’re here for dignity and fairness, not noise.

Regular-guy lines you can keep, use, or ignore.

• today’s win: got the job done, nobody raised their voice. that’s the kind of five-star I care about.

• small crews keep neighborhoods alive. most of it never trends—it just gets fixed.

• i’m not chasing an audience. i’m keeping company. if that’s you, pull up a chair.

• georgiejobs isn’t a pitch; it’s a quieter way to agree on work. if you’ve ever argued over “what was included,” you get it.

• the internet makes noise. i’m here for signal: decent people, decent work, fair deals.

Imagine if X leaned into this.
Neighborhood feeds that make local help easier to find. A softer kind of credibility for steady posters who help more than they posture. Small tools that turn a good conversation into a fair job—without turning anyone into a sales pipeline. Not “growth hacks”—just respect for the backbone.

Final note.
If an unfollow happens, cool. I’m not for everyone. I’m for the folks who fix things, teach things, and try to leave the day a little cleaner than they found it. That’s my corner of X—and it’s enough.