Meet Ordinary Genius
The newsletter that teaches you how to build without making you feel stupid.
I publish practical playbooks and real breakdowns every Tuesday and Friday. My goal is to make you more capable and more courageous so you can build something meaningful on your own terms.
What You Get
Twice a week, straight to your inbox:
Tuesday: The Genius Guide to [X]
A step-by-step playbook on how to actually do something—get your first client, go viral on purpose, work with fear, ask for more money. The practical skill + the emotional reality of doing it. No jargon. No gatekeeping. Just what works.
Friday: The Ordinary Story of [X]
Real breakdowns of how someone actually did the thing. Not the polished version—the messy decisions, what it cost them, what they avoided, and what you can steal this week.
Why Ordinary Genius Is Different
We make you feel smart, not stupid.
No condescension. No assuming you already know everything. Just clear, direct guidance from someone who’s actually done it.
Most newsletters give you tactics.
We give you tactics + the honest truth about fear, doubt, and doing it anyway.
Every issue teaches:
The practical skills (how to get clients, build momentum, grow visibility)
The emotional skills (working with fear, embarrassment tolerance, staying unbothered)
The cultural intelligence (spotting patterns, timing your moves, thinking differently)
Because that’s the real trio modern ambition requires.
Who This Is For
You’re ambitious and want to build something meaningful.
You might be:
Getting your first clients
Starting over after something fell apart
Trying to turn a side project into a real thing
Navigating a career pivot or reinvention
Building on your own terms (not following someone else’s playbook)
You want capability + courage.
Not just inspiration. Not just tactics. Both—plus the real talk about what it actually takes.
This is the newsletter for people who want to learn and grow without the performance, without the gatekeeping, without feeling like they’re behind.
The OG Philosophy
There’s no right way.
Infinite paths. Infinite timelines. No playbook you have to follow.
The more human we are, the better we build.
Vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s a competitive advantage.
Building through hard things > building only toward big things.
We teach how to navigate fear, rebuild after failure, and stay yourself while you grow.
What Makes Ordinary Genius Different
1. We feature “ordinary geniuses”
Under-recognized brilliant people who’ve done extraordinary things quietly, on their own terms. Not the usual suspects everyone else covers.
2. We teach what to avoid, not just what to do
Every playbook includes the traps and mistakes that waste time. Every breakdown shows what someone bypassed, not just what they built.
3. We’re honest about the cost
Time, money, opportunity cost, emotional toll. We don’t romanticize building—we show you the real investment so you can decide if it’s right for you.
4. The format is our signature
“The Genius Guide” = practical capability
“The Ordinary Story” = human reality
You’ll recognize an OG email the second you open it.
Topics We Cover
Getting started:
Your first client, first $100 online, going viral, building momentum
Building courage:
Working with fear, embarrassment tolerance, making decisions without all the info, starting over
Playing bigger:
Staying unbothered, asking for more, manifestation that works, thinking like an owner
And everything in between:
The practical, emotional, and cultural skills you actually need to build something meaningful.
Work With Us
If you’re a brand or partner that wants to reach ambitious builders who are doing the real work—not just chasing hype—let’s talk.
Contact: hello@ordinarygenius.com
Got a story worth sharing? Someone we should feature?
Email: brian@ordinaryeverything.com or reply to any newsletter.
About me, Alex Friedman
I’ve spent the last decade working with 1000+ founders, creators, and builders—helping them get their first clients, grow audiences, navigate pivots, and build real businesses.
I’ve also had my world crumble. I’ve rebuilt. I’ve learned that the emotional skills matter just as much as the practical ones—maybe more.
I built a following through vulnerability, not tactics. I’ve seen what actually works vs. what just sounds good. And I know what it’s like to feel like a fraud while doing the thing anyway.
With Ordinary Genius, I’m teaching what I wish someone taught me: how to build something meaningful when you’re scared, how to stay human while you grow, and how to think differently in a world that rewards copying.
Follow me: @heyalexfriedman
Ordinary Genius.
The newsletter that makes you more capable and more courageous.
