Growth In Reverse: Newsletter & Email Growth

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• She made $500k with one launch. Here's how. 28.05.2026 55นาที

  Get Sam's FREE $500K Launch Breakdown >> growthinreverse.com/500kGet Instant Access to Chenell's Growth Vault >> growthinreverse.com/vault***What does a $500,000 digital product launch actually look like behind the scenes?In this episode, we welcome back Sam Vander Wielen to the show. She's breaking down the exact strategy behind her recent 4-day launch that generated over $500,000 in revenue — with only about $24,000 in Meta ad spend.Sam walks us through the entire launch machine: how she generated 11,000 webinar registrations, why she treats Meta ads like a social media channel, the psychology behind her webinar structure, and the surprising role personalized VideoAsk responses played in boosting attendance and conversions.KEY TAKEAWAYS:The exact webinar strategy behind a $500k launch in 4 days  Why Sam treats Meta ads like a social media content channel  The personalized VideoAsk tactic that boosted webinar attendance  How she generated 11,000 webinar registrations  The subtle webinar psychology most creators completely miss  Why she believes creators should focus on ONE flagship product  The “Olive Garden Effect” philosophy for customer retention and referrals  Her secret trick to sending webinar replays that dramatically increased replay consumption  The biggest mistakes creators make with launches and digital products LINKS MENTIONED:The FREE $500K Launch Breakdown >> growthinreverse.com/500kSam Vander Wielen Official WebsiteSam’s Sidebar NewsletterOn Your Terms PodcastWhen I Start My Business, I’ll Be HappyVideoAskFOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedInDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | InstagramOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:Love what you’re hearing? Make sure to subscribe, and if you found this episode helpful, leave us a rating & review on your favorite podcast platform.
• This Adds 50 Subscribers a Day 20.05.2026 5นาที

  Check out Jillian & Jordan's Growth Lever here: https://growthinreverse.com/loveleigh-popups/Join 30 Days of Growth here: 30daysofgrowth.co
•  The Seven Emails That Keep You Out of the Promotions Folder 13.05.2026 7นาที

  Check out Tyler's Growth Lever here: https://growthinreverse.com/tyler-welcome-flow/Join 30 Days of Growth here: 30daysofgrowth.co
• The One Question That Increased His Open Rate by 10% (Justin Welsh) 06.05.2026 7นาที

  Check out Justin's Growth Lever here: https://growthinreverse.com/justin-welsh-question/ Join 30 Days of Growth here: 30daysofgrowth.co
• Skip the Landing Page. Doing This Converts at 65-70% 29.04.2026 5นาที

  Check out Gannon's Growth Lever here: growthinreverse.com/gannon-manychat-flow/Get 30% off ManyChat: growthinreverse.com/manychat (affiliate link) Join 30 Days of Growth here: 30daysofgrowth.co
• This 1 Change Doubled Katelyn's Digital Product Sales 22.04.2026 9นาที

  Join 30 Days of Growth here: 30daysofgrowth.co
• $9M with 50k subscribers: Sam Vander Wielen's 7-figure newsletter funnel [REPLAY] 15.04.2026 1ชม. 1นาที

  [This is a replay from our conversation with Sam Vander Wielen from September 2025]“All roads point to the email list." — Sam Vander Wielen, Sam's SidebarIn this episode, we interview Sam Vander Wielen—a lawyer-turned-creator who has sold over $9M in legal templates with a 50k-subscriber newsletter. Sam shares how her motto of "All roads point to the email list" has helped her earn over $9M in total revenue since starting her business in 2017. And she's done it with a small team and a replicable funnel strategy most creators could copy. KEY TAKEAWAYSWhy she decided to walk away from strategies that “should” work — and what happened afterThe $100k turning point that reshaped how she runs her businessHow she blends storytelling with practical education to keep readers engagedHow her newsletter fuels her entire content ecosystemWhat creators misunderstand about legal protections (and how to fix it)Why she believes the boring stuff is actually the growth engineThe platform she almost abandoned — and why she came back strongerHer advice for creators chasing growth but ignoring long-term sustainabilityLINKS MENTIONEDSam's websiteSam's book: When I Start My Business I'll Be HappySam's Socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTubeAsk us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questionsGet Chenell's brand-new course: The Growth Vault — newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace.Growth In Reverse PRO CommunityWant your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!
• 30 Top Creators Sharing Their Best Newsletter Growth Tactics, for Free 09.04.2026 10นาที

  If 30 top creators handed you their best newsletter growth tactic, for free, would you take it? Of course you would! I'm excited to share that we are launching 30 Days of Growth (Part 2!) on April 20th. If you missed last year's event, you don't want to miss it again. Each day I'll be sending you 1 tip you can use to improve or grow your newsletter.In this episode, I break down why cross-promotions are one of the most underrated newsletter growth strategies, share the real numbers from last year's 30 Days of Growth (3,714 signups, 1,757 new subscribers, 77% open rates), and announce what's coming for year 2 - including the creators, the prizes, and how to get in.Sign up for free at 30daysofgrowth.coCreators featured this year include Dave Gerhardt, Katelyn Bourgoin, Justin Welsh, Sam Vander Wielen, Daniel Bustamante, and many more.Sign up: 30daysofgrowth.coGrowth In Reverse newsletter: growthinreverse.comGrowth In Reverse Pro community: growthinreverse.com/pro/
• The 3-Step Onboarding System Every Newsletter Needs 08.04.2026 40นาที

  NOTE: This is a rerun of an episode we published in September 2025. But just because it's a rerun doesn't mean it ain't still a banger 💥--------------------------------------“One of the worst things you can do is send new subscribers to a dead-end thank you page. That kills engagement immediately." — ChenellWe're breaking down the most overlooked (yet critical) part of growing a newsletter: onboarding new subscribers. We'll take you through Chenell's 3-step onboarding process every newsletter creator should have in place—and show how to optimize each for higher engagement, deliverability, and long-term retention. We also tease an advanced 5-step version and share examples from top creators like Katelyn Bourgoin, Tom Alder, and Eddie Shleyner. Whether you’re just starting out or already running a large newsletter, you’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls and set up onboarding that actually works.KEY TAKEAWAYSThe 3 Cs of a high-converting landing pageWhy default Thank-you pages kill engagement (and what to do instead)How "sniper links" can push new subscribers directly into their inbox to find your emailThe #1 mistake welcome emails makeThe most important job your welcome email hasA simple incentive trick to encourage repliesThe difference between a “true” and “false” double opt-inHow (and why) to include surveys in your onboardingWhat top creators do with their “almost there” pages to hook new subscribersLINKS MENTIONEDThe Growth Vault →Katelyn Bourgoin's Why We Buy landing page →Eddie Shleyner's 'Social Proof Avalanche' →Tom Alder's Strategy Breakdowns → Growth.Design →Senja →RightMessage →Growth In Reverse PRO Community →Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questionsCheck out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!
• Why Your Best Work Is Invisible: The Hidden Genius Dilemma 01.04.2026 14นาที

  Get the Growth Levers Library FREE >> growthinreverse.com/growth-levers-library
• 1000 Leads (per month!) with An Unconventional Lead Magnet 25.03.2026 28นาที

  Get Chenell's step-by-step breakdown of Jonathan Goodman's Lead Magnet Strategy: https://growthinreverse.com/jon-content-loops/We start the next round of 30 Days of Growth on April 20th, you can join to get access when it's live here: https://30daysofgrowth.co/?source=youtube ***Lead Magnet Episode (Part 1) >> 
• Newsletter Growth Lessons from Top Creators (New Media Summit 2026) 18.03.2026 32นาที

  Get the slides + the awesome bonuses → growthinreverse.com/nms-2026/
• The Newsletter Retention Playbook Every Creator Should Know 11.03.2026 24นาที

  Get the Happy Subscribers Formula for more newsletter opens, clicks AND replies → growthinreverse.com/happy-subscribers/?ref=podcast-shownotes 
• The Underrated Growth Strategy That Beats Paid Ads (Better quality subscribers) 04.03.2026 27นาที

  Get the Collaboration Playbook and resources here → https://growthinreverse.com/collab-playbook/
• 5 Keys To Scale Growth with Lead Magnets 25.02.2026 36นาที

  Get the FREE Lead Magnet Guide >> growthinreverse.com/leadmagnetGet Instant Access to the Growth Vault now >> growthinreverse.com/vault*** “Lead magnets definitely still work. I think they’re having a resurgence right now.” — Chenell BasilioIt took 60 episodes. But we finally dedicated a full episode to lead magnets — what they are, what’s actually working right now, and what’s quietly a waste of time.In this episode, we break down the three lead magnet formats we see winning, why “quick win” matters more than length, and how tactics like comment-to-get and pop-up newsletters can create real growth flywheels. We also talk about when lead magnets don’t make sense (yes, that’s a thing) and the simple promotion step most creators skip that could double the impact of what they’ve already built.KEY TAKEAWAYSThe “Trojan horse” that beats the “Subscribe to my newsletter” CTAWhether or not lead magnets still work5 keys to a creating a successful lead magnetThe most critical lead magnet mistakes to avoidThe best types of lead magnets working right now  Chenell's number #1 tip for lead magnetsLINKS MENTIONEDThe Growth Vault → Sam Vander Wielen Episode → Growth In Reverse Pro FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedInDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | InstagramOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:Love what you’re hearing? Make sure to subscribe, and if you found this episode helpful, leave us a rating & review on your favorite podcast platform.
• The state of email in 2026, growing your list without social media, and new predictions (Creator Science original episode) 18.02.2026 51นาที

  Get Instant Access to the Growth Vault now >> growthinreverse.com/vault*** In this episode of the GIR Podcast, we're airing "cross-published" episode originally featured on Jay Clouse's Creator Science podcast. Check out the Creator Science podcast here >>***“If someone can Google what you wrote and get the same thing elsewhere, it’s not differentiated.” — Chenell BasilioChenell Basilio joins Jay Clouse on Creator Science to break down how she built Growth In Reverse into a thriving newsletter with over 35,000 subscribers.Chenell shares the strategy behind her deep dive format, how she thinks about positioning and differentiation, why focus beats platform sprawl, and how she turned detailed research into sustainable audience growth. Jay and Chenell also discuss monetization, collaboration strategy, audience building, and what it actually takes to build a durable newsletter business.KEY TAKEAWAYSWhy depth beats volume when building a newsletter audienceThe compounding power of collaborations in niche marketsHow to create “internal share” content that spreads inside companiesWhy narrowing your focus accelerates newsletter growthThe difference between building an audience and building a businessHow to turn research into durable newsletter contentWhy distribution strategy matters more than content frequencyThe real value of long-term positioning in the newsletter spaceLINKS MENTIONEDCreator Science podcastThe Growth VaultGrowth In Reverse newsletterJay Clouse on LinkedInGrowth In Reverse Pro FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedInDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | InstagramOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:Love what you’re hearing? Make sure to subscribe, and if you found this episode helpful, leave us a rating & review on your favorite podcast platform.
• He spends $1M per month on ads. And makes $50M per year. 04.02.2026 47นาที

  Get the FREE Growth Levers Library: growthinreverse.com/growth-levers-library/***“Most people underestimate how long it takes for anything meaningful to happen.” — Matt Paulson, MarketBeat Matt Paulson is the founder of MarketBeat, one of the largest independent financial media brands on the internet. What started as a scrappy side project eventually turned into a multi-newsletter business serving millions of investors, driven primarily by search, disciplined publishing, and long-term thinking.In this episode, Matt walks through how MarketBeat grew over time, why newsletters became a central growth lever, how monetization evolved alongside the audience, and what most creators misunderstand about “overnight success.” This is a grounded, reality-based look at building a newsletter business that lasts.KEY TAKEAWAYSWhy Matt believes most newsletter creators reach for paid growth far too earlyThe channel Matt actively avoided for years, even as others obsessed over itThe two most important metrics Matt pays attention toMarketBeat's sign-up flow that earns back paid growth spend The surprising channel Matt is most bullish on today and why it prints moneyWhat “organic growth” actually looked like when it wasn’t glamorousHow MarketBeat evaluated channels based on profit, not attentionThe point where “more traffic” stopped being the goalWhat Matt would double down on today if starting from zeroLINKS MENTIONEDMarketBeat.comMattPaulson.comMarketBeat YouTube ChannelNewMediaSummit.com (use GIR20 for 20% off your ticket)Take your newsletter to the next level with Chenell & Dylan — join GIR Pro todayAll of Chenell's Free Content → FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedInDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | InstagramOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:Love what you’re hearing? Make sure to subscribe, and if you found this episode helpful, leave us a rating & review on your favorite podcast platform.
• He Made $50K Launching a Paid Substack Newsletter (Here’s How) 29.01.2026 13นาที

  This is a clip from the FULL GIR episode with Tom Orbach: SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3LiScMzoSsoyASlymH8vC6YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD-xde5kQ4Q***How do you launch a paid Substack newsletter earning $50,000—without a long pre-launch, teaser campaign, or complicated funnel?And all this while working a full-time job?In this Growth In Reverse podcast clip, Tom Orbach breaks down exactly how he launched the paid version of his Substack newsletter after nearly two years of publishing for free—and why simply announcing it to his list worked so well.You’ll hear how Tom:→ Designed a paid Substack offer people couldn’t price per email→ Ran a surprise-style launch without warming up his audience→ Used multiple emails (not just one) to drive conversions→ Signed up 500+ paid subscribers before publishing his first paywalled postLINKS MENTIONEDTom's 3 Big Growth Levers & Launch PlanThe Full GIR Episode with Tom OrbachTom's newsletter — MarketingIdeas.comTom's 3 Big Growth Levers & Launch PlanNewMediaSummit.com (use GIR20 for 20% off your ticket)Take your newsletter to the next level with Chenell & Dylan — join GIR Pro todayAll of Chenell's Free Content → FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedInDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | InstagramOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:Love what you’re hearing? Make sure to subscribe, and if you found this episode helpful, leave us a rating & review on your favorite podcast platform
• The Newsletter Growth Playbook for 2026 with Matt McGarry 21.01.2026 46นาที

  Get Matt's 1,000 Email Subscriber Formula: https://growthinreverse.com/matt-yt-download/***"The way to monetize a small, niche audience is not sponsorships — it’s higher-ticket services." — Matt McGarry, GrowLetter Matt McGarry has helped grow some of the largest newsletters in the world — including The Hustle, Milk Road, and 1440 — to millions of subscribers. But in this conversation, he makes a contrarian case: you don’t need a massive email list to build a highly profitable newsletter business.We dig into why sponsorships are a weak monetization strategy for most creators, how Matt generates $76+ per subscriber from LinkedIn, why short-form video is the most underutilized growth channel for newsletters right now, and how to think about business models before chasing scale.Matt also shares how he’s evolved his own newsletter past 50,000 subscribers, what growth channels are actually working in 2025, and why events, services, and higher-touch offers often beat low-ticket products — especially early on.KEY TAKEAWAYSWhy sponsorships are one of the weakest newsletter monetization pathsHow Matt earns $76 per LinkedIn subscriber (and why lead quality matters more than volume)How one YouTube video drove 1,000+ email subscribers with a simple lead magnetWhen not to start paid growth — and the exact criteria Matt uses before spending a dollarWhy newsletters should often monetize with services and consulting before productsThe biggest newsletter opportunity most creators are ignoring in 2026LINKS MENTIONEDMatt's 1k Email Formula BreakdownGrowletter.coNewMediaSummit.com (use GIR20 for 20% off your ticket)Matt's newsletter — The Newsletter OperatorChenell's on Matt's podcast Take your newsletter to the next level with Chenell & Dylan — join GIR Pro todayAll of Chenell's Free Content → FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedInDylan: Twitter | LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:Love what you’re hearing? Make sure to subscribe, and if you found this episode helpful, leave us a rating & review on your favorite podcast platform!
• Live Creator Q&A: Real Strategies for Newsletters in 2026 03.12.2025 1ชม. 4นาที

  The Growth Vault is LIVE: Chenell's brand-new offer for newsletter creators is here—filled with newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace.--------------------------------------“Creators overinvest in subscriber count and under-invest in content quality.” — Chenell Basilio We went live on YouTube for the first time and opened up the floor for a full creator Q&A session! In this session, we answered audience questions about newsletters, growth, ROI, lead magnets, AI in email, overcoming writing fears, and building creator businesses that last.QUESTIONS WE ANSWERED These are the questions we tackled during the livestream:Do newsletter writers need to have a podcast and/or YouTube channel to succeed?Should creators focus on one platform first, or spread across multiple?What’s was our ROI and ROF (Return on Fun) of running a podcast for a year?What were the biggest benefits of podcasting this year?What would we do differently if we were starting the podcast in 2026?Which part of our podcast workflow will we stop doing (or want to stop)?How do subject lines affect open rates for new vs. long-time subscribers?What’s one thing newsletter creators over-invest in?What’s one thing newsletter creators under-invest in?What is the most important metric you track in your ESP? What metrics matter more than open rate?How are AI features in Apple Mail and Gmail changing how people interact with newsletters?...and more!LINKS MENTIONEDGrowthInReverse.comGrowthCurrency.netJoin a community for newsletter creators: Growth In Reverse Pro Get The Growth Vault — newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace.Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questionsCheck out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/FOLLOW ON SOCIALChenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | Substack | InstagramOUR NEWSLETTERSgrowthinreverse.comgrowthcurrency.netSubscribe & Leave a Review:If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!Music from #Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/21-on-the-block/i-knowLicense code: 1XP9IRXHPZSBPGMM