👋A Reddit Post That Earned Turned Into a Mega Movie

The Odd Ways to Get What You Want

Hi Oddies,

Jen Glantz here.

The only reason this newsletter exists is because I read a book that completely changed how I view life, work, and going after the most impossible goals.

It’s called Skip the Line by James Altucher. It’s a must-read and could become your guide book to kick the funk you’re in and get closer to success.

James became my mentor for a little while and together we came up with this newsletter idea in 2021.

But back to YOU.

Let me tell you this:

If you step out of the corporate world, you will start to see that success rarely follows a straight line.

Sometimes the coolest opportunities come from unexpected detours, side projects, or casual creative endeavors we never imagined would lead anywhere significant.

The story of Joe Cote, a high school teaching assistant, whose Reddit post is becoming a movie starting Sydney Sweeney, perfectly proves this.

Let’s dive in.

The Reddit Post That Changed Everything

In 2020, Joe Cote, who considered himself a musician rather than a writer, posted a short story titled "I Pretended to be a Missing Girl" to Reddit's r/nosleep community. As a teaching assistant who enjoyed true crime podcasts during his commute, writing fiction wasn't his main focus. It was just something he tried.

That casual Reddit post has now been acquired by Warner Bros., with Sydney Sweeney set to star and Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (known for "Forrest Gump" and "Dune") writing the screenplay. Cote himself will serve as an executive producer.

I’m guessing he made six-figures for selling the story he wrote on Reddit and becoming an exective producer. I’d also guess that he’ll turn this into a fiction book too. That’s another six-figures.

Let’s say he’ll make $500k from this Reddit post and earn the author and executive producer title. That’s INCREDIBLE.

It’s of course my dream too.

But I usually see success as a ladder I’m climbing. Write the book. Pitch to agents. Agents pitch to publishers. Etc. However, this ladder usually comes with a low success rate and a ton of rejection.

Joe Cote didn’t follow this formula. He did something random and different.

It worked.

What makes this story particularly inspiring is that Cote initially ignored messages from the talent manager who reached out, believing they were scams. "I'm just a public school teacher," he explained, not seeing himself as someone who needed professional representation for creative work.

The Power of Unexpected Paths

Cote's journey reminds us that breakthrough opportunities don't always come through traditional channels. Here are some ways other professionals and creatives might find their own unconventional paths to success:

For musicians: Instead of focusing solely on streaming platforms, consider creating music for indie game developers, podcast intros, or sharing unique compositions on platforms where unexpected audiences might discover your work.

For visual artists: Beyond galleries and commissioned work, sharing process videos on social media or contributing designs to online communities might catch the eye of companies looking for fresh perspectives.

For chefs: Rather than climbing the traditional restaurant ladder, experimenting with unique fusion concepts on social media or at pop-up events could attract food brands or media opportunities looking for innovative culinary voices.

For programmers: Contributing to open-source projects or creating useful tools just to solve personal problems could lead to job offers, acquisition offers, or new career paths that weren't initially on your radar.

Embracing the Detour

What's particularly notable about Cote's story is that he hasn't abandoned his teaching career despite this Hollywood breakthrough. He continues showing up at Dartmouth High School, where students whisper excitedly, "That's him, that's the guy."

This reminds us that success doesn't have to mean abandoning our current path—sometimes it means incorporating new opportunities alongside our existing commitments, creating a richer, more multifaceted career than we originally envisioned.

The Takeaway

The next time you find yourself working on something just for fun, or pursuing a creative project that seems disconnected from your "real career," remember Joe Cote. Remember that the Reddit post, the YouTube video, the article on your blog, or the project you're tinkering with on weekends might be the very thing that opens doors you never imagined existed.

Success often comes not from following the well-worn path but from venturing down unexpected trails and sharing what you create along the way—even if you think no one's watching.

After all, you never know who might be scrolling through Reddit, looking for the next big idea.

Stay Odd,

Jen Glantz

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🥳 Jen Glantz is the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire and the creator of The Pick-Me-Up newsletter. She offers 1:1 coaching and company workshops. Follow her adventures on Instagram @jenglantz.

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