Growth In Reverse
Hitting 50k newsletter subscribers isn't easy. But the Growth In Reverse podcast reveals how newsletters are doing it. Chenell Basilio has spent the past 2+ years and thousands of hours reverse engineering how the biggest newsletter creators in the world have grown audiences of 50,000 to 1M subscribers—and beyond. Join Chenell and her cohost Dylan Redekop every week to learn the most effective and unique newsletter growth strategies, hear from other newsletter experts, and figure out how to turn your newsletter into a profitable business. Check out the newsletter of the same name at growthinreverse.com →
Wed, April 23, 2025
The Cross-Promo Playbook: Strategies That Actually Work (Without Wasting Time)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> We're diving into one of the most underrated growth strategies out there: collaborations and cross-promotions . Whether you're building a newsletter, launching a podcast, or growing a YouTube channel, collabs are one of the most high-leverage plays you can run — and we break down exactly how to do them right. We get into real-life examples, from simple newsletter swaps to co-created content that drives thousands of subscribers (even when you're the smaller creator). We also talk through common mistakes we’ve made, what to watch out for, and how to build a repeatable system that makes these partnerships easy and effective. If you're feeling burned out by social algorithms or just want more control over your growth, this one’s for you. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Why social platforms aren't cutting it anymore—and why we're bullish on collaborations The basic newsletter swap (and why it's still effective) Creative cross-promo formats beyond the typical swap—articles, email courses, and more The Alex Garcia x Pat Walls YouTube/article collab that brought in thousands of subscribers Why adjacent audiences are the sweet spot The myth of audience size: why alignment > numbers Chenell's horror story: zero subscribers from a 4K list cross-promo Co-created content: The powerhouse play that helped Maja Voje go from 3K to 15K subs CJ Gustafson’s “quadruple stack” strategy that gets him paid + subscribers How to keep collab partners happy (especially if things don’t go as planned) The no-BS guide to tracking your collab results Tools, systems, and blurb templates that’ll save you time and headaches DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED CJ Gustafson's Mostly Metrics Deep Dive Maja Voje website Pat Walls Deep Dive Alex Garcia Deep Dive 'Antisocial' Newsletter Growth Course waitlist Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: <a h
Sun, April 20, 2025
30 Proven Ways to Grow Your Newsletter (this episode will self-destruct in 7 days....)
Here's the scoop: I'm launching a free 30-day, pop-up newsletter called 30 Days of Growth . It's going to feature 30 different tactics to either grow or optimize your newsletter from creators like Jay Clouse , Amanda Goetz , Eddie Shleyner , and many others. Each one will be something you can implement in 24 hours or less. You can sign up to grab it at 30daysofgrowth.co .
Wed, April 16, 2025
The #1 Thing These 3 Newsletters Got Wrong (and How to Fix It) — Newsletter Roasts Vol. 2
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> Three roasts are better than one! Our first Newsletter Roast was last month, and we only roasted ONE newsletter. Today we're bringing back the heat—but roasting THREE newsletters instead of just one. These newsletters are all in different phases of their journey but all share one common problem (you'll have to listen to find out). In this episode, we review each newsletter's sign-up page, their welcome email & onboarding, and one edition of their newsletters. While you *can* listen to this one, you'll get much more out of watching it on YouTube (see YT link in the show notes below). Why newsletter roasts? We're doing these roasts as a way to give back to our listeners— especially those who leave this podcast a rating & review —and to help every listener improve their newsletter by learning from the mistakes others have made. Want to get your newsletter roasted? Submit it for a full-on roasting here 🔥 → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Why we chose three newsletters from the same platform. FIRST: From Europe With Love – beautiful products, but who is it for? The missed opportunity to showcase credibility. Gated content woes and how that hurts signups and trust. Breaking down the welcome email—and why it almost works. SECOND: AutoGPT – again... what’s the focus? Trying to find the audience avatar (spoiler: “AI enthusiasts” is too broad). Smart monetization tactics... but maybe too much happening at once? THIRD: The Curious Procrastinator – clever name, but what’s it about ? The dangers of trying to do too much. Tips for creating a more engaging welcome email and onboarding flow. Final 3 takeaways that all newsletter operators can learn from. LINKS MENTIONED WATCH on YouTube From Europe With Love newsletter AutoGPT newsletter The Curious Procrastinator newsletter Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. <li
Wed, April 09, 2025
How “IV Content” Fuels the Fastest-Growing Newsletters—to 50k and Beyond (NMS Talk)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> This special edition of the Growth In Reverse podcast is the full live talk I gave at the Newsletter Marketing Summit in Austin TX this past February. Over the past two years, I’ve studied the growth of the most successful newsletters in the world—those who’ve hit 50,000+ subscribers—and I noticed something interesting. There's one thing every single one of them has in common. It's not some sexy growth hack or a secret referral program. It’s something way more powerful and often overlooked. In this episode, I walk you through that key insight, plus I break down the proven tactics that top creators are using today to grow their lists without relying on social media . This talk might just change how you think about newsletter growth entirely. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Why it’s easier than ever to hit 50k subscribers (and what’s changed in the last 3 years) The “IV Content” framework: what insanely valuable content really looks like The 5 (maybe 6!) categories of content that trigger growth How top creators like Yossi Levi and Justin Moore craft content people have to share The secret weapon of every successful newsletter? People. Creative collabs and the genius of Maya Voje’s newsletter placement strategy CJ Gustafson’s “triple stack” approach to paid guest content (so smart) Crowdsource your way to credibility: what Chris Hutchins did to build a top 10 business podcast The final takeaway: Be subscribe-worthy (and stop chasing the wrong questions) DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED Mario Gabriele's Deep Dive Yossi Levi's Deep Dive Deep Dives on Lenny Rachitsky: Part 1 || Part 2 Aakash Gupta's Deep Dive Dickie Bush's Deep Dive CJ Gustafson Deep Dive 'Antis
Wed, April 02, 2025
From 40 Followers to $1m: Dave & Marsden Kline Built a Creator Business in 3.5 Years
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> "Quantity leads to quality, but when you find a winner, you have to double down." — Dave Kline, MGMT Playbook Dave Kline went from leading teams at Bridgewater to building a million-dollar creator business—with zero prior experience on social media. But the real secret behind the success? His wife, Marsden (Mar). While Dave built a public-facing brand on Twitter and LinkedIn, Mar worked behind the scenes to shape the vision, voice, and strategy of their business. Then, she stepped into the spotlight. In just five months, Mar grew her LinkedIn following from 0 to now over 74,000—outpacing Dave’s own growth trajectory. Together, they’ve built a powerhouse content engine, a six-figure cohort-based course, and a 40,000+ subscriber newsletter—all without a big team or flashy tech stack. In this episode, we dive into how Dave and Mar got started, the pivots they made (including why Mar had to force Dave into launching a newsletter), and the systems they’ve built to keep their creator business lean and profitable. Join us as we go behind the scenes with the duo behind the MGMT Playbook. Get 75+ Growth Levers used by top newsletters : https://growthinreverse.com/gll/ Join a community of like-minded newsletter creators : https://growthinreverse.com/pro/ KEY TAKEAWAYS The moment that forced them to pivot from SEO to social—and what happened next How a single thread about delegation sparked their entire course business A huge lesson learned by not turning "OFF" their double opt-in setting Mar’s “quiet MVP” role, and why she finally hard-launched her brand The reason they waited a full year to launch their newsletter (and why that was a mistake) How they’re using sports metaphors and storytelling to keep content engaging The surprising stat that made Mar pick up the pen and start posting What they would’ve done differently if starting from scratch ...and much more! DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED Dave Kline GIR Deep Dive Dave on LinkedIn | Twitter Mar on LinkedIn MGMT Playbook (Dave & Mar's newsletter) Their Maven C
Wed, March 26, 2025
One man. One newsletter. One Million subscribers: How Lenny Rachitsky did it.
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> Lenny Rachitsky just crossed 1 million subscribers with his Substack newsletter, aptly named Lenny's Newsletter . Chenell has written a few deep dives on Lenny ( How he reached 377k subscribers , and how he got 18k paid subscribers ). So we thought it would be interesting to see what he's done to accelerate his growth to over 1M subscribers over the past few years—and share our biggest takeaways and reasons for his growth. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Why we’re obsessed with Lenny’s story—and the moment his growth exploded What separates his content from the rest (hint: exclusivity + deep research) Using a mini-series as a content inflection point Lenny’s “Ikigai” and expanding beyond just product content The puzzle-piece approach to building a content library His exact strategy to get from 100 to 1M subscribers Substack recommendations: how 5,000+ newsletters helped him explode Podcasting as a high-ROI content machine Why guest posts became his growth and quality engine Key takeaways you can apply: quality, consistency & “stick-with-it-ness” LINKS MENTIONED Lenny's Newsletter Lenny's 500k milestone post Lenny's 1M milestone post Chenell's Deep Dives on Lenny: Part 1 || Part 2 Aakash Gupta's Deep Dive CJ Gustafson Deep Dive Daren Smith's newsletter roast 'Antisocial' Newsletter Growth Course waitlist Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. <a href="https://growthinrever
Wed, March 19, 2025
Brutally Honest Newsletter Roast: What Works, What Doesn't, and What to Fix
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> “The easiest way to lose potential subscribers is to make them work too hard to understand what they’re signing up for.” (Watch this episode on YouTube --> ) We sent out the call to get your newsletter roasted. Over 20 listeners submitted their newsletters. And today we're roasting the first one: Craftsman Films Shout-out to Daren Smith of Craftsman Creative and Craftsman Films for being our first guinea pig with this experimental episode. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Why we're doing a newsletter roast & how you to submit yours Roasting Daren’s newsletter landing page—what *not* to do with yours The thank-you page mistake that might be costing subscribers Breaking down the welcome email—what works, what’s missing A surprising tagline Daren should be using everywhere The power of storytelling and why Daren should lean into his expertise Social media strategy: what he's getting right and what could be better Final takeaways: How Daren (and you!) can optimize your newsletter experience ...and more! LINKS MENTIONED Daren's Craftsman Films newsletter Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/ FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.com <a href="https://www.growthcurrency.net/?ref=pod_show
Wed, March 12, 2025
The Future For Newsletters: Biggest Lessons from the Newsletter Marketing Summit
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> "The future of newsletters isn’t just email." — Chenell Basilio Missed the Newsletter Marketing Summit in Austin? Well, Chenell didn't! She was there IRL—and she's sharing her biggest takeaways from the first annual summit. Not only did Chenell attend the event, she was a speaker! Listen in to find out more about her talk and the insights and trends she discovered while in Austin TX. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Podcasting and YouTube as trust builders: why audio & video deepen audience connections The rise of deep-dive content and why in-depth research matters more than ever IV Content: Why this type of content is the real growth hack for newsletters AI, newsletters, and the future of content: what’s changing and how to adapt Steph Smith’s best tools for discovering trending content and hidden insights The power of community: how meetups and online groups are shaping the industry Social media fatigue: why creators are shifting away from platform dependency A smarter way to grow: how top newsletters are scaling without social media ...and more! DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED Newsletter Marketing Summit Justin Gordon's Just Go Grind newsletter Jermaine Brown's newsletter Yossi Levi GIR Deep Dive GummySearch AppMagic Newsletter Marketing Summit Replays (Get $100 off with code GIR100) Adam Ryan's Perpetual piece Want us to roast your newsletter? Submit it here. </
Wed, March 05, 2025
From 0 to 100K: The Science of Writing, Learning & Experimentation with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> "I didn’t have a goal—I just committed to showing up every day for 100 days." — Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Ness Labs After publishing 100 articles in 100 days, Anne-Laure drove 6,000 subscribers to her Maker Mind newsletter. It was the tiny experiment that kickstarted her newsletter journey. But it was just the beginning. Today, her Maker Mind newsletter reaches over 100k subscribers' inboxes, and her Ness Labs community brings in over 6 figures in revenue every year. But what's even more impressive is that she's accomplished this while completing her PhD in neuroscience and publishing a book, Tiny Experiments . Chenell & Dylan sit down with Anne-Laure to discuss everything from how she got her first 6,000 subscribers to growing and monetizing a newsletter to six figures. Get 75+ Growth Levers used by top newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/gll/ Join a community of like-minded newsletter creators: https://growthinreverse.com/pro/ KEY TAKEAWAYS The 100-day writing challenge: How Anne-Laure gained 6,000 subscribers in just three months The psychological hack that makes newsletters a powerful tool for learning (instead of just teaching) The pros & cons of building in public (and why it’s more work than you think!) The neuroscience-backed reason why quantity leads to quality in creative work What exactly is a "tiny experiment" —and how you can apply it to content creation The most sustainable way to grow your newsletter (hint: it’s not social media) ...and much more! DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED Get Anne-Laure's Book Tiny Experiments Anne-Laure on LinkedIn Anne-Laure on Twitter Anne-Laure's website & newsletter Anne-Laure's GIR Deep Dive: Article | Video Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives →
Sun, March 02, 2025
This Student Grew a Newsletter & Community to 6-Figure Subscribers & Revenue
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> Anne-Laure got her first 6,000 subscribers by posting 100 articles in 100 days. But that was back in 2019. Today, her Maker Mind newsletter hits over 100k subscriber inboxes, and her Ness Labs community brings in over 6 figures in revenue every year. So, in this deep dive walkthrough, I share how Anne-Laure went from 6k subscribers to 100k+. Then later this week, Dylan and I chat with Anne-Laure about her recent journey of getting her PhD in neuroscience and publishing a book, all while still operating a successful newsletter and online community. Get 75+ Growth Levers used by top newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/gll/ Join a community of others building their newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/pro/ *** LINKS MENTIONED Anne-Laure on LinkedIn Anne- Laure on Twitter Anne-Laure's website & newsletter Anne-Laure's GIR Deep Dive Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives → *** Connect with Chenell: → Chenell on LinkedIn → Chenell on Bluesky → Chenell on Twitter 📬 https://growthinreverse.com
Wed, February 26, 2025
Building a $2M Newsletter While Getting Lazier with Katelyn Bourgoin
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> "Less is more. The key to growing Why We Buy wasn’t doing more —it was doubling down on what worked and cutting the rest.” — Katelyn Bourgoin Chenell & Dylan are joined by Katelyn Bourgoin of the Why We Buy newsletter. Chenell researched & wrote a GIR Deep Dive on Katelyn back in 2023. At that point, Katelyn's Why We Buy newsletter had just surpassed the 50k-subscriber mark and she was in the midst of earning $300k with her newsletter. Fast-forward 18 months: Why We Buy is approaching 70k subscribers and nearly hit $1M in revenue during 2024. That's nearly 1.5x subscriber growth and over 3x revenue in only 18 months. In our chat, we talk about what's driving revenue these days for Katelyn, and how she's approaching newsletter growth. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Katelyn’s newsletter journey: from launch to nearly $1M revenue The strategy behind using flash sales to smooth out revenue spikes How Katelyn segments her audience for more targeted sales The mix of paid and organic growth strategies fueling Why We Buy Why repurposing content is key (and how Katelyn does it effortlessly) AI-powered tools Katelyn is building to help businesses craft better messaging Introducing Friyay—a new interactive, gamified newsletter experiment (and how Katelyn is gauging success) The balance between sponsorships and product revenue ...and much more! LINKS MENTIONED Katelyn's Why We Buy newsletter Katelyn on LinkedIn Katelyn on Twitter Katelyn's GIR Deep Dive: Article || Video Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | <a href="https://li
Sun, February 23, 2025
The 7-Figure Newsletter Teaching People “Why We Buy”
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> Katelyn Bourgoin has amassed over 63k subscribers and earned $1M in revenue—in 2024 alone! She runs the popular newsletter Why We Buy . It's my favorite newsletter when it comes to buyer psychology. And in this deep dive walkthrough, I'm giving you a rundown of how she's built and monetized her newsletter. And then later this week, Dylan and I have Katelyn on the show talking all about how she's pivoting her consulting business to a full-on newsletter business. Get 75+ Growth Levers used by top newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/gll/ Join a community of others building their newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/pro/ *** LINKS MENTIONED Katelyn on LinkedIn Katelyn's Newsletter Katelyn's GIR Deep Dive Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives → https://growthinreverse.com/archive/ *** Connect with Chenell: → Chenell on LinkedIn → Chenell on Bluesky → Chenell on Twitter 📬 https://growthinreverse.com
Wed, February 19, 2025
Beyond Sponsorships: The Most Unique Newsletter Revenue Streams
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> What are the most popular revenue streams for newsletters? And how many revenue streams do most newsletters have? Chenell & Dylan review the revenue stream stats from the 66 Deep Dives that Chenell's published for Growth In Reverse. They reveal what the 3 most common revenue streams are—but then they unearth the lesser-known revenue streams that newsletter creators are sleeping on. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS The top three revenue streams from 66 newsletter case studies Why courses are the natural next step for many creators The genius of paid guest posts: The triple-stack approach How software tools can be powerful lead magnets and revenue streams Flipping newsletters for profit The secret paid newsletter model that generated $50K from 471 subscribers ...and more! DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED CJ Gustafson Deep Dive Dan Runcie Deep Dive (Trapital's industry reports) Nathan Barry's Secret Money Newsletter Justin Moore Deep Dive (Asynchronous sponsorship coaching) Dan Koe Deep Dive Kortex : the second brain for creators (by Dan Koe) The Cultural Tutor Deep Dive Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/ FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS <str
Wed, February 12, 2025
How To Revive a Stalled Newsletter — with Ben Collins
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> What happens when an established newsletter hits a growth plateau? And can anything be done to revive it? Chenell & Dylan sit down with Ben Collins of BenLCollins.com and his Google Sheets Tips newsletter. When Chenell researched & wrote her GIR Deep Dive on Ben last year, all appeared to be going well for Ben and his Google Sheets Tips newsletter. But when we invited Ben to join us on the podcast, he was apprehensive: "Are you sure you want me to come on? Growth has been very flat." So we took this as an opportunity to flex our growth strategy muscles and provide Ben with some newsletter growth coaching. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS How Ben's grown his newsletter to 55k and his recent growth plateau The impact of burnout and shifting business models Growth Strategy #1: Could a ChatGPT-powered tool be a game-changer for growth? Growth Strategy #2: The untapped potential of YouTube and short-form content Growth Strategy #3: Why LinkedIn could be a goldmine for audience engagement Growth Strategy #4: The power of a content flywheel Growth Strategy #5: Collaboration and partnerships: The power of teaming up Growth Strategy #6: The hidden power of Reddit Growth Strategy #7: Customizing and creating a powerful referral program How to convert more subscribers to community members Balancing creating vs. selling as a content creator Ways to promote Ben's paid membership Ben's final decision on our growth strategies LINKS MENTIONED Ben's website: benlcollins.com Ben Collins' GIR Deep Dive: Article || Video Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | <a hr
Mon, February 10, 2025
He Built a 6-Figure Empire Teaching Google Sheets: Ben Collins Deep Dive
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> Ben Collins has built a successful business and a newsletter with over 50k subscribers that earns him a comfortable living. Later this week, Dylan and I talk to Ben about how he can continue to grow the newsletter and get over the growth plateau he's currently facing. Get 75+ Growth Levers used by top newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/gll/ Join a community of others building their newsletters: https://growthinreverse.com/pro/ *** LINKS MENTIONED • Ben's newsletter and website: https://www.benlcollins.com/ • Ben's deep dive: https://growthinreverse.com/ben-collins/ • Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives → https://growthinreverse.com/archive/ *** Subscribe to the Podcast 👇 • See all podcast episodes: https://growthinreverse.com/podcast/ • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-in-reverse/id1781118823 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5jVjX6RUEFy3vlfr8RGxlF *** Connect with Chenell: → https://www.linkedin.com/in/chenellco/ → https://bsky.app/profile/growthinreverse.com → https://x.com/chenellco 📬 https://growthinreverse.com
Wed, February 05, 2025
Small changes that could 10x your newsletter.
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> Could these small changes have a 10x impact on your newsletter's success? Chenell & Dylan reveal 15+ little newsletter changes you can make today that could have massive results. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS The minimalist landing page tip that can help boost conversions 9 small ways to improve your welcome email—and increase engagement The missed opportunity with “almost there” & "thank-you" pages Referral programs: a simple way to make them work Cross-promotions without the hassle: a set-it-and-forget-it approach Smart ways to monetize, even with a small audience Retention strategies: keep your subscribers engaged and coming back ...and more! DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED Jake Carrol's newsletter Dru Riley Growth.design Mark Manson's 'Subscribed' page CJ Gustavson (Mostly Metrics) Ali Abouelatta David Elikwu's The Knowledge Subject line ChatGPT Bot Headline & Subject line analyzer Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS <str
Wed, January 29, 2025
Scaling to 150k: The Secrets to More Paid Subscribers with Aakash Gupta (#010)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> "Collaborations are not optional. They’re the fastest way to grow a newsletter.” — Aakash Gupta, Product Growth Chenell & Dylan sit down with Aakash Gupta of the Product Growth newsletter in this episode. When Chenell researched & wrote her GIR Deep Dive on Aakash last year, he had just hit 100k subscribers. He's now grown to over 150k subscribers, publishes multiple times per week—and started a new podcast this past August. Aakash shares how he's grown his newsletter, where he focuses his energy, and how he manages the massive amount of content he's publishing. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Aakash’s intentional strategy for creating a durable business that he loves—why he’s in it for the long haul The surprising role of collaborations in newsletter growth (and what Twitch creators taught him about success) How Aakash is "optimizing for the internal share" and why he's doubling down on the strategy Growth experiments: How sending more content affects paid subscriber growth Launching a podcast while managing a newsletter: The trade-offs, lessons, and unexpected benefits. Mastering SEO basics: How Aakash ensures his content stays discoverable (and what role backlinks play). The paid newsletter promise: Why Aakash guarantees 10x ROI—or your money back. What Aakash has planned for growth and product in 2025. LINKS MENTIONED Aakash's Product Growth newsletter Aakash's website Aakash's Book (Amazon.com) Aakash Gupta GIR Deep Dive: Article || Video Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | <a hr
Mon, January 27, 2025
$624k/Year From a Newsletter - How Aakash Gupta Grew His Newsletter From 0 to 105k in 3 Years. (#009)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> In 3 years, Aakash Gupta went from 0 to over 300k followers, 105k email subscribers, and $624k in annual revenue. This is a walkthrough of a deep dive I wrote into his growth story, which you can read here: https://growthinreverse.com/aakash-gupta/ On Wednesday, we're releasing the full interview with Aakash Gupta here, so stay tuned!
Wed, January 22, 2025
Turn Your Newsletter Into a Sponsor Magnet - with Justin Moore (#008)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> "I made $2,000 with a newsletter list of only 3,000 subscribers." In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast, Chenell & Dylan sit down with Justin Moore and discuss how to nail brand sponsorships. Justin is the founder of Creator Wizard where he coaches creators to earn more with their brand deals. He has also written and pre-launched his book on the same topic called Sponsor Magnet. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Justin's journey: From YouTube husband to sponsorship expert. A lesson in newsletter nurturing: How Justin lost 97% of his email list. Unscalable tactics that worked: Personalized outreach with a twist. The power of niching down: Why Justin pivoted to sponsorships exclusively. How to send more emails but limit unsubscribes: advice for Justin's newsletter churn issue. Justin's secret to long-term newsletter growth. How Justin landed a $2,000 newsletter sponsorship—with only 3k subscribers. Justin's A.R.C. framework for building creative sponsorship packages that sell. LINKS MENTIONED Justin Moore GIR Deep Dive CreatorWizard.com SponsorMagnet.com Sponsor Audit Tool 10K Book Presale Challenge Sponsor Games (Live Event ) Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEW
Wed, January 15, 2025
7 of the Best Newsletter Growth Strategies of 2024 (#007)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast, Chenell & Dylan dive into the best and most unique growth strategies they saw in 2024. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> → Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS How Khe Hy used lead magnets "in disguise" Aakash Gupta discovered a massive growth hack Kyla Scanlon drives over 69k subscribers with short-form content Yossi Levi creates irresistible content with "exclusives" How Julie Gurner extracts value, then pivots Ben Tossell replied to *everyone* How Tom Alder systematized LinkedIn engagement LINKS MENTIONED Khe Hy (GIR Deep Dive) Aakash Gupta (GIR Deep Dive) Kyla Scanlon (GIR Deep Dive) Yossi Levi (GIR Deep Dive) Gergely Orosz (GIR Deep Dive) Dr. Julie Gurner (GIR Deep Dive) Ben Tossell (GIR Deep Dive) Tom Alder (GIR Deep Dive) Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.com growthcurrency.net Subscribe & Leave a Review:</st
Wed, January 08, 2025
Spicy Newsletter Takes: Should You Really Do This? (#006)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast, Chenell & Dylan dive into some of the most polarizing newsletter topics. They share their experiences and opinions AND potentially *hot* takes. Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here >> KEY TAKEAWAYS Lead Magnets: Yes or No? How to make them work for you. Double Opt-In Debate : Does it help engagement or kill your subscriber growth? Cleaning Your Email List : 100% necessary—or more harm than good? Referral Programs : Once a growth hack—do they still work today? Paid Growth Strategies : Why you shouldn’t spend a dime on ads until you’ve nailed this one thing. Newsletter Giveaways : Smart tactic or open-rate killer? ...and more! LINKS MENTIONED Lenny’s Newsletter (GIR Deep Dive) Justin Moore (GIR Deep Dive) David Perell (GIR Deep Dive) Eric Partaker (GIR Deep Dive) Ben Thompson's Stratechery newsletter Growth In Reverse PRO Community Matt McGarry on Twitter Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.com growthcurrency.net </li
Mon, December 30, 2024
Grow Your Newsletter WITHOUT Social Media (#005)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast, Chenell & Dylan review how some popular newsletters grew without social media —and share how you can do the same. Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here: https://growthinreverse.com/growth-levers-library/ Start collecting testimonials for free with Senja: https://growthinreverse.com/senja LINKS MENTIONED Start collecting testimonials for free with Senja: https://growthinreverse.com/senja Ben Collins - Google Sheets Newsletter (GIR Deep Dive) Thomas Shields - The Dink Newsletter (GIR Deep Dive) Lettergrowth.com Codie Sanchez - Contrarian Thinking (GIR Deep Dive) Morning Brew Newsletter Payload Newsletter Lenny’s Newsletter (GIR Deep Dive) SEOFOMO (Aleyda Solis) Justin Moore - Creator Wizard (GIR Deep Dive) Pat Walls - Starter Story (GIR Deep Dive) Ness Labs (GIR Deep Dive) Tom Alder - Strategy Breakdowns (GIR Deep Dive) The Gist Newsletter (GIR Deep Dive) Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | <a h
Mon, December 23, 2024
What I’d Change If I Started Over (#004)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast: after hitting 40,000 subscribers in 2 years of publishing her Growth In Reverse newsletter, Chenell reflects on how she operated, grew, and monetized her newsletter—and what she would do differently if starting from scratch. Get free access to 75+ newsletter Growth Levers here: https://growthinreverse.com/growth-levers-library/ Start collecting testimonials for free with Senja: https://growthinreverse.com/senja KEY TAKEAWAYS Starting Strong : Why beginning with curiosity and passion set the foundation for success. Content vs. Marketing : Striking the right balance between creating high-quality content and promoting it effectively. Social Media Insights : How engaging strategically on platforms like Twitter helped Chenell build early momentum. Avoiding Burnout : Lessons learned about pacing, sustainability, and avoiding overcommitment. Monetization Reflections : Why Chenell decided against turning GIR into a paid newsletter (and if she regrets not doing it). Sponsorship Beginnings : The story behind her first sponsor and the lessons she’d apply moving forward. The Power of Relationships : How building and maintaining meaningful connections contributed to long-term growth. Scaling Smarter : Why bringing in help earlier would have improved workflow and scalability. LINKS MENTIONED Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out ALL the Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.com growthcurrency.net Subscribe & Leave a
Wed, December 18, 2024
Building His Newsletter to 75k Subscribers with Eddie Shleyner of Very Good Copy (#003)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> #003 - Welcome to the Growth In Reverse podcast — in this episode, Chenell & Dylan host a special guest: Eddie Shleyner, the creator behind Very Good Copy . Eddie has built a successful newsletter and blog focused on micro lessons in copywriting, creativity, and marketing, garnering the attention of over 70,000 subscribers and leading brands. Get Chenell's FULL deep dive on Eddie Shleyner here: https://growthinreverse.com/eddie-shleyner Start collecting testimonials like Eddie did —for free— with Senja: https://growthinreverse.com/senja KEY TAKEAWAYS The Journey to Growth : How Eddie transitioned from a personal writing project to intentional audience-building starting in 2018. From HubSpot to Solo Success : The pivotal moments that skyrocketed Eddie’s subscriber base and how a single article led to his first 2,000 subscribers. The Well of Ideas : Eddie’s system for capturing fleeting creative sparks and turning them into compelling content. Growth Loops and Marketing Strategies : The powerful LinkedIn growth loop Eddie used to amplify his reach and grow his newsletter audience. Sabbaticals and Balance : Why Eddie takes months-long breaks from content creation and how it fuels his biggest projects, like his book and courses. Repurposing Content : How Eddie leverages his content library to stay consistent without burning out. LINKS MENTIONED VeryGoodCopy.com Senja Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out Chenell's full deep dive on Eddie here: https://growthinreverse.com/eddie-shleyner/ FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTE
Wed, December 11, 2024
The Biggest Mistakes We See Newsletters Making (#002)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> #002 - Welcome to the Growth In Reverse podcast — in this episode, Chenell & Dylan cover the 12 most common mistakes they see newsletter creators making—and how to fix them. Get the full list of mistakes and 75+ newsletter growth tactics here: https://growthinreverse.com/mistakes Start collecting testimonials for free with Senja: https://growthinreverse.com/senja KEY TAKEAWAYS Mistake #1: Poor Format & Content Mistake #2: Hiding your subscribe form Mistake #3: Too many other links Mistake #4: Unclear value BONUS Mistake: Not collecting social proof Mistake #5: Not sending a welcome email Mistake #6: Using the same welcome sequence for everyone Mistake #7: Ignoring social media Mistake #8: Not partnering with other creators Mistake #9: Not using lead magnets Mistake #10: Not thinking about revenue soon enough Mistake #11: Too many revenue streams (at first) Mistake #12: Promoting with sponsors & affiliates you don’t believe in LINKS MENTIONED Alex Garcia's Optimized Onboarding Process Katelyn Bourgoin's Reverse Lead Magnet Strategy How Olly Richards earned $175,461 from a Google Doc Growth In Reverse PRO Community Check out all these mistakes here: https://growthinreverse.com/mistakes FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky Dylan : Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky OUR NEWSLETTERS <a href="https://growthinreverse.com/?re
Wed, December 04, 2024
The Wildest Newsletter Growth Strategies From 3,000 Hours of Research (#001)
Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >> #001 - Welcome to the Growth In Reverse podcast — in this episode, Chenell & Dylan dig into some of the wildest ways to grow your newsletter after looking back on over 3,000 hours of research into creators. Get the full list and 75+ newsletter growth tactics here: https://growthinreverse.com/wild Start collecting testimonials for free with Senja: https://growthinreverse.com/senja KEY TAKEAWAYS Codie Sanchez’s Playbook : How buying and growing newsletters helped her build a massive audience. Yossi Levi (Car Dealership Guy) : Building a powerful brand—100% anonymously. Ali from First 1000 : Breaking down intentional, daily growth strategies. Tom Alder’s Prelaunch Strategy: Using social media to validate your newsletter idea to the tune of 5k subscribers. Justin Welsh’s Content OS : A behind-the-scenes look at the system that powers Justin’s consistent content creation—and how it's earned him over 7 figures. Cross-Promotion Tactics : How creators like Alex Garcia used newsletter-video swaps to grow their lists by thousands. LINKS MENTIONED Codie Sanchez Grew Her Newsletter to 250k+ Subscribers in Just 3 Years (deep dive) Yossi Levi Built The Car Dealership Guy to 550k+ Followers (deep dive) First1000.co Grew to 60k Subscribers in 32 Months (deep dive) How Justin Welsh turned his sawdust into $2 million (deep dive) "Car Dealership Guy" Yossi Levi's "Who the f*** is Car Dealership Guy" video Justin Welsh's Content System: https://youtu.be/0tjGORsL2QI?si=LRUt9hOqRAJHNdaW&t=1012 Justin's ContentOS course https://growthinreverse.com/contentos (aff link) Check out all these growth levers here: https://growthinreverse.com/wild FOLLOW ON SOCIAL Chenell : Twitter | LinkedIn | <a href="https://bsky.ap
Trailer · Fri, November 22, 2024
Coming soon... the Growth In Reverse podcast!
Hitting 50k newsletter subscribers isn't easy. But the Growth In Reverse podcast reveals how newsletters are doing it. Chenell Basilio has spent the past 2+ years and thousands of hours reverse engineering how the biggest newsletter creators in the world have grown audiences of 50,000 to 1M subscribers—and beyond. Join Chenell and her cohost Dylan Redekop every week to learn the most effective and unique newsletter growth strategies, hear from other newsletter experts, and figure out how to turn your newsletter into a profitable business. Check out the newsletter of the same name at growthinreverse.com →
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