🧠 Why Work With Me (and What the Hell Is CTRL Freak Systems)?
Because I'm Not the Expert. And I have discounts.
Because I’m not a tech bro. I’m a calm, tab-hoarding strategist who knows how to make systems work for real humans.
If you’ve been following me over on Subject to Change, you already know that name wasn’t accidental. Around here, things are … well, subject to change.
I don’t pretend to have everything figured out.
I don’t perform perfection.
I’m a living, breathing professional who’s building systems that work, one day (and one tab overload) at a time.
That’s what makes me the perfect person to follow if you’re a regular, everyday human trying to do meaningful work in a world obsessed with optimization.
Because I’m not a tech bro. I’m a calm, tab-hoarding strategist who has figured how to make AI actually work for humans. And most days, it actually does.
Welcome to CTRL Freak Systems—a space for non-technical power users, overwhelmed creatives, and “I’ve-got-103-tabs-open-but-I’m-still-here” types.
If you’ve ever tried to read about “AI stacks” and walked away thinking,
“Do I need a whiteboard just to write an email now?”
you're not alone.
Most of what’s out there is written for devs, startups, or people trying to automate their entire personality. I feel like I need a glossary to keep up these days. Fortunately, my GPT helps with that.
This space is for the rest of us. The writers. The thinkers. The busy-brained, tool-curious humans who want to work smarter—not stack harder.
👋 Who Am I?
I’m Stacy Jago.
I’ve spent 20+ years in marketing and communications—writing, editing, launching, rebuilding, and helping others get unstuck with words and systems.
I’ve never written Python.
I don’t build AI agents for fun.
And when I hear “orchestration layer,” my brain sees musicians balancing on a layer cake.
But I am:
A calm leader who gets stuff done
A strategist who knows how to triage under pressure
A systems thinker (confirmed!)
A writer with a clear voice—even when it’s supported by AI
A CTRL Freak—in the best, most functional way
🧭 What Is CTRL Freak Systems?
It’s a rebrand.
It’s a mindset.
It’s my operating system: Calm. Triage. Respond. Lead.
This space isn’t about scaling, optimizing, or turning your soul into a series of automations.
It’s about making room to lead your work, your writing, and your ideas—without losing yourself in the mess.
And we’ll do that across a few key areas:
🤖 AI for Real People
Most AI content feels like it’s written for startups, coders, or people trying to automate their entire personality.
This section is for the rest of us:
Writers, marketers, and creatives who want to get more done with less stress
People who don’t want to become developers to use AI well
Humans who’ve tried “productivity hacks” and realized they just want clarity
Tools I Actually Use (No Code Required):
ChatGPT: My second brain
Claude.ai: My third brain
Writestack: For tracking Notes and post links. Built with users by a dev who actually listens. Affiliate link »
Substack: My publishing home (and visual generator—yes, I use the built-in AI image tool with prompts from GPT)
Notion & Pad + Paper: For organizing thoughts—digital and analog
Buffer + MeetEdgar + Tally: For scheduling, repurposing, and collecting input
Canva + Midjourney: For visuals when Substack doesn’t hit the mark
✍️ Writer’s Systems & Tools
Before I was an “AI person,” I was just a person … writing. A lot.
This section is for:
Workflow strategies for newsletter writers and creatives
Low-tech tools for organizing ideas
Prompting frameworks (for AI or for journaling)
Routines, rituals, and “I’m stuck” interventions
If you’re building a body of work, struggling to finish that draft, or wondering how to keep showing up—this section is your writing studio in system form.
📣 Marketing (But Not the Cringe Kind)
This is where 20+ years of experience in strategic marketing, content creation, and communications come in.
Expect posts about:
How to write content that connects (and converts)
Building reader trust, not just “growth”
Making your message feel true, not templated
Marketing doesn’t have to feel gross. This section will help you find your way back to meaning—and results. And me? I’m doing it all right along with you as I build my own personal brand.
✍️ Why Work With Me?
Because I’m not trying to sell you some one-size-fits-all funnel.
I’m here to help you build your own system—one that works with your brain, not against it.
I offer:
Strategic content that’s tested, not theorized
Real workflows that fit around a full life
Tools I actually use, explained in plain English
Clarity without condescension
Openness to conversation, questions, and collaboration
🧾 What You’ll Get
Free Subscribers Get:
Behind-the-scenes looks at how I’m testing tools
Tips, prompts, and breakdowns across AI, writing, and marketing
Permission to say “no thanks” to what’s not working for you
Paid Subscribers Get:
Access to my toolkit: workflows, templates, custom GPTs, and more
Real walkthroughs of tools like Writestack, GPT Agents, and Substack Notes
A growing library of blog-native, no-download tools and systems
First dibs on strategy sessions and custom resources
🎉 Launch Offer: Get 50% off an annual subscription for life when you subscribe before August 1, 2025.
🎓 Are you a student, teacher, or admin? Use your school email for 35% off—for life. This discount is always active, never expires.
🧠 Final Thought
I’m not here to scale.
I’m here to Calm. Triage. Respond. Lead.
If that sounds like your kind of system—
Welcome to CTRL Freak Systems.
Let’s take the reins back.
Discounts
Early Bird Access: To celebrate launching this new publication, I’m offering 50% off an annual subscription for life. Be among my first paid subscribers and join the CTRL Freaks! Hurry. This deal expires on August 1, 2025.
Student? Teacher? Admin? Use your school email address to unlock a 35% discount on annual subscriptions for life.