Dear Evergreen Journal subscriber,

As we close out another year, I want to begin with gratitude. Thank you for being a subscriber and for choosing to spend your time reading and watching Evergreen Journal content. Your engagement over the years has meant more to us than you may realize.

We began publishing the Evergreen Journal shortly after founding Tugboat Institute® in 2013 with a simple goal: to generously share the inspiration, best practices, hard-earned wisdom, and insights of our Tugboat Institute CEO members and Evergreen®-aligned thought leaders around the world.

Over the past decade, with the support of our members and contributors, we’ve published more than 500 articles and videos. What began as a modest newsletter has grown into a substantial body of work that reflects years of carefully curated contributions from some of the most important leaders today.

Earlier this year, we took an important step forward with the launch of Evergreen Journal+ (EJ+). The intent was to better serve a growing and more serious audience by making our expanding library easy to search and filter, by offering quarterly live AMAs with respected Evergreen leaders, and by sharing curated resources—such as my personal reading list—for those committed to building or supporting enduring companies.

Now, we are taking the next necessary step.

Beginning on February 1, 2026, we will discontinue the free EJ newsletter to focus exclusively on the EJ+ newsletter and platform. All new content, along with our complete library going back to the beginning, will live exclusively on the EJ+ platform.

This decision was not made lightly. It reflects two important realities.

First, the Evergreen Journal has grown into a resource of uncommon depth and originality, and sustaining its quality now requires ongoing investment—in editorial excellence, technology, and thoughtful innovation. After more than a decade of offering this work freely, the model that once served us well no longer supports what the Evergreen Journal has become or what it is capable of becoming next.

Second, we’ve learned that when readers make even a modest financial commitment, they engage more deeply—with the ideas, with the stories, and with the responsibility of applying them. That depth of engagement has always been our true aim. Moving to a paid model allows us to serve a more intentional community who can help us take EJ+ further forward.

An annual subscription to EJ+ is $149. As a gesture of thanks to our long-time readers, anyone who upgrades during January will receive a free, signed copy of Another Way: Building Companies that Last…and Last… and Last…

You can upgrade here: https://www.tugboatinstitute.com/evergreen-journal-plus-benefits/

Over the past year, I’ve been especially encouraged by the growing momentum of the Evergreen movement. Since the publication of Another Way in May, I’ve seen rising interest from leaders, founders, executives, professors, and students who are actively seeking a Purpose-driven alternative to “get-big-fast” and exit-oriented mindset. This movement is growing because people like you are willing to learn and engage in these ideas thoughtfully, and with energy and heart.

Thank you again for your curiosity, your commitment, and your belief that there truly is another, better way to build companies that endure and benefit so many.

I hope you’ll continue on this journey with us in the year ahead.

Warmly,
Dave Whorton
Founder & CEO, Tugboat Institute