Newsletter & Email Growth: Growth In Reverse

Chenell Basilio and Dylan Redekop
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Growth In Reverse is the must-listen podcast for anyone serious about growing an email list and turning a newsletter into a thriving business. Hosted by Chenell Basilio and Dylan Redekop, two leading voices in the newsletter space, this show pulls back the curtain on how today’s top newsletter operators actually grow and make money. Episodes include deep-dive teardowns of the strategies behind the most successful newsletters. You’ll hear how creators like Justin Welsh, Codie Sanchez, Sahil Bloom, and other creator founders are building loyal audiences and turning subscribers into revenue. Learn how they attract traffic, increase conversions, boost retention, and scale without burning out. Whether you're launching your first newsletter or refining your growth engine, Growth In Reverse gives you proven tactics you can use right away. From onboarding systems and referral programs to sponsorships and paid products, this podcast helps you grow faster and smarter. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start applying what works, tune in and learn how the best are building newsletters that last.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    $9M with 50k subscribers: Sam Vander Wielen's 7-figure newsletter funnel.

    Get 30+ video lessons and ideas for optimizing your newsletter: https://growthinreverse.com/vault -------------------------- “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 TAKEAWAYS Why 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 MENTIONED Sam'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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    1h 1m

  2. 3 SEPT

    Recapping CEX 2025: Un-hyping AI, Community Moats, and the Future of Newsletters

    The Growth Vault is LIVE: Chenell's brand-new product —The Growth Vault— is here. Filled with newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace. -------------------------------------- “If content is king, AI is storming the castle." — Darren Vesterfelt, Mighty Networks Chenell was just in Cleveland for the annual CEX conference. And she wasn't *just* in attendance—she was also a speaker! So we're recapping the biggest lessons and takeaways from Chenell's experience at CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) — where she basically opened the conference with her keynote, traded notes with some content economy heavy hitters (like Jay Acunzo, Ann Handley, Mark Schaefer, Robert Rose), and soaked up the big trends. We dig into why slowing down beats AI-first content, the power of community and IRL relationships, how to think about discovery vs. relationship platforms, and why some SEO pros are betting on social over search.   KEY TAKEAWAYS The case for “as slow as possible” content: let ideas marinate; don’t outsource your thinking to AI. How to use AI as an editor rather than a first-draft brain replacement—and why this matters more than ever. Driving audiences from discovery platforms → relationship platforms. Community is a durable moat when content sameness rises (AI is “storming the castle”). Social > Search (sometimes): comments from real humans can beat 10k empty pageviews. Testing ideas fast with social media—and how commenting sparks even more ideas.IRL still trumps all: stages, dinners, and small masterminds create outsized serendipity. Are physical newsletters back? Should you try AI sobriety?LINKS MENTIONED CEXAnn HandleyJay AcunzoMark SchaferGrowth In Reverse PRO CommunityThe GIR Social Growth Challenge Get Chenell's brand-new course: 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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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!

    44 min

  3. 27 AUG

    His private newsletter with 1.5k subs earns $1M ARR

    Join our September Social Growth Challenge: https://growthinreverse.com/social -------------------------- “You have to be first—or you have to be best. That's how you win at paid content." — Nathan May, The Feed MediaIn this episode, we interview Nathan May, founder of The Feed Media.  Nathan shares how he turned a small, private newsletter into a $1M ARR business in under a year, and how his agency helps some of the biggest creators and media companies scale their audiences with paid growth.  We dig into the playbooks behind The Feed Media, the experiments that worked (and the ones that didn’t), and why even a small but mighty list can generate outsized revenue. Whether you’re looking to monetize a niche newsletter or scale a larger media brand, Nathan’s story offers a unique perspective on growth and revenue.  >>Get 30+ video lessons and ideas for optimizing your newsletter: https://growthinreverse.com/vault KEY TAKEAWAYS The surprising first step Nathan took before writing a single newsletter issueWhy building around a niche community gave him an unfair advantageThe revenue model he used before sponsors ever came knockingHow The Feed Media structured its first monetization funnelThe newsletter flywheel Nathan swears by for compounding growthThe counterintuitive move that actually boosted subscriber trustWhy his first 1,000 subs mattered the mostThe overlooked channel that drove some of his fastest growthHow Nathan would start & scale a B2B newsletter todayThe single most important metric he tracks inside The Feed MediaLINKS MENTIONED TheFeedMedia.comNathan May on LinkedInAsk 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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    1 hr

  4. 20 AUG

    How Chenell Got 11k Subs in 6 Months

    >> Join the 30-Days of Growth Social Challenge: https://growthinreverse.com/social -------------------------------------- “The first 6 months taught me that consistency beats everything — even if you’re not perfect." In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast, Dylan and Chenell rewind the clock to when Chenell was just starting her newsletter. She breaks down the two strategies that fueled her early growth to 11,000 subscribers in six months: creating insanely valuable content and consistently engaging on Twitter. PLUS: We're launching a new challenge to boost your content's visibility on social media—just like Chenell did to reach her first 11k subscribers: https://growthinreverse.com/social KEY TAKEAWAYS The simple posting strategy Chenell used to get her first subscribersHow one Twitter comment brought subscribers instantlyThe role of curiosity and passion in standing out with your contentWhy treating your social profile like a landing page mattersHow early replies and comments built relationships with influential peopleThe burnout risk of trying to post every day (and what Chenell would do differently)How a newsletter & podcast shoutouts boosted early credibilityLINKS MENTIONED The GIR Social Growth Challenge Ask 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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    39 min

  5. 13 AUG

    5 Newsletter Growth Lessons From 2.5 Years of Publishing

    “If you spend 80% of your time making incredibly good content, you probably only have to spend 20% marketing it." In this special episode, we’re bringing you Chenell’s conversation with Darrell Vesterfelt, VP of Growth at Mighty Networks, for a recent Creator Summit.  In the chat, Chenell talks about why she started a newsletter — and why she chose a newsletter — way back in December 2022.  Chenell and Darrell also dive into the art and science of growing a newsletter from scratch — from picking a topic you’ll never get bored of, to building relationships that fuel growth, to deciding when and how to monetize. If you’re looking for a behind-the-scenes look at how one of the most well-known newsletter growth strategists thinks about audience building, this episode is loaded with ideas you can apply immediately. >>Get 30+ video lessons and ideas for optimizing your newsletter: https://growthinreverse.com/vault KEY TAKEAWAYS Why passion for your newsletter topic is a wildly underrated growth leverHow Chenell leveraged “content-led growth” to get early tractionThe commenting strategy that landed her first subscribersWhy treating your social profile like a landing page mattersThe balance between high-quality content and active marketingHow to use “cryptic teasers” to generate curiosity before publishingThe biggest mistake she made with social posting frequencyWhy she didn’t run Facebook ads for Growth In Reverse (and when she would)The simple poll that landed her first paid sponsorHow she would structure a paid newsletter if starting todayLINKS MENTIONED Mighty NetworksDarrell Vesterfelt on LinkedInChenell's first Deep Dive on Mario Gabriele @ The GeneralistAsk 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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    42 min

  6. 6 AUG

    How CJ Gustafson Grew Mostly Metrics to 60k+ Subscribers & Multi‑Six‑Figures in Revenue

    The Growth Vault is LIVE: https://growthinreverse.com/vault ---------------------------------------------------------------- “During my last year as a CFO, I made more money from my newsletter and podcast than my full-time job."  — CJ Gustafson, Mostly Metrics We sit down with CJ Gustafson, former tech CFO and now full-time creator of two newsletters—Mostly Metrics and Looking For Leverage—and a podcast called Run The Numbers. CJ is masterful at taking financial and business concepts and making them wildly entertaining. CJ shares how he went from consulting and private equity to running a high-revenue content business, why he thinks about content like product development, and the systems he’s built to keep ideas flowing. If you’ve ever wondered how to blend expertise, humor, and growth strategy into a newsletter people can’t stop sharing, this episode is packed with insights. PS - We recently hosted CJ in the GIR Pro community where he shared more BTS of his newsletter 👀🔥 → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> KEY TAKEAWAYS How CJ built Mostly Metrics into a leading finance newsletter with personalityThe unusual career path that prepared him for creating content CFOs actually readHow CJ uses humor (and dog pics) to make complex topics approachableHow he's building out the “media mullet” business modelHow CJ replaced his CFO salary with newsletter and podcast revenue—and why it happened faster than expectedCJ's revenue streams that drive a multi‑six‑figure media revenue engineHow he uses AI and transcripts to mine hundreds of hours of interviews for writing ideasCJ's favorite—and most important—newsletter metricThe single biggest growth hack for his podcast audienceHis daily creative routine for producing high-value content without burning outLINKS MENTIONED Mostly Metrics newsletterRun The Numbers podcastLooking For Leverage newsletterCJ on LinkedInAsk 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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    54 min

  7. 30 JUL

    Turning a Niche Newsletter of 30k Subs Into a Full-Time Business

    The Growth Vault is LIVE: https://growthinreverse.com/vault ---------------------------------------------------------------- “You don’t need to create for everyone. You need to create for the people who value you most — and they’ll carry your newsletter further than you think."  — Matt Johansen, Vulnu.com We sat down with Matt Johansen, creator of the Vulnerable U newsletter (nearly 30,000 subscribers), to unpack how he’s grown a must-read in the cybersecurity space. Matt has successfully transitioned from working in the cybersecurity space to running a newsletter + content agency business. So we wanted to learn exactly how he's done it.  Matt shares how he combines industry expertise with personal storytelling, why B2B creators can command a premium, and what’s working for him across newsletters, sponsorships, and short-form video.  If you want to learn how to grow and monetize a niche newsletter, this one’s for you. PS - Matt is not only a brilliant video & newsletter creator, he's also a member of the GIR Pro community 🔥 → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> KEY TAKEAWAYS How Matt grew to over 30,000 subscribers in under 2 yearsHow he's crushing short-form video content for his newsletterHow he monetized through sponsorships and built an agency alongside the newsletterThe strategy behind his short-form and long-form video contentHis approach to setting boundaries with sponsors while maintaining audience trustHow he leveraged industry presence & experience for early newsletter tractionWhy and how he’s adding a paid newsletter subscription tier Tips for avoiding burnout as a solo creator juggling multiple content platformsWhy platform-specific editing matters for short-form video successLINKS MENTIONED Vulnu.com (Matt's website)Matt's socials: Instagram || YouTube || Twitter || LinkedInBuy Back Your Time by Dan MartellAsk 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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    1h 1m

  8. 23 JUL

    How to Turn 1 Subscriber into 10: Get More Referrals With These Tactics

    The Growth Vault is LIVE: https://growthinreverse.com/vault ---------------------------------------------------------------- “This is the underrated growth strategy every newsletter should be using.” What if every subscriber could turn into 10 more? In this episode of the Growth In Reverse podcast, Dylan and Chenell unpack one of the most underrated newsletter growth levers: referrals. They explore how to turn one subscriber into ten, without even needing a full-blown referral platform. From embedding share prompts into your welcome sequence to clever ways to incentivize email forwarding, this episode is packed with low-lift, high-impact strategies that help creators build a referral flywheel — even without a tech stack. No matter our ESP, get some new ideas and actionable tactics to boost growth using your most valuable asset: your existing subscribers. → Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >> KEY TAKEAWAYS The absolute best time to ask subscribers for referrals (and why most miss it)A surprising strategy a deliverability expert recommends to get more sharesHow one subtle tweak in your welcome email can 10x word-of-mouth growthThe low-effort email trick that gets people to forward your newsletter“Send this to your plant bestie” — why hyper-specific asks perform betterWhy sharing via social might outperform traditional email referralsThe hidden moment after a lead magnet download you should be capitalizing onA single click that triggers a referral follow-up (without any tech stack)The tiny line at the bottom of your email that can quietly drive growthA one-referral incentive so clever, readers feel compelled to shareLINKS MENTIONED  Get The Growth Vault — a vault of newsletter growth strategies with templates and real examples you can implement at your own pace.Tyler Cook (Email Deliverability)Dan Oshinsky's Growth LeverThe ShareLinkGenerator (Dan Oshinsky's "mailto" tool of choice) Aakash Gupta's GIR InterviewAli Abouelatta's GIR Deep DiveShaan Puri's Viral Post FrameworkAsk us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questionsCheck out the 30 Days of Growth FREE >>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 SOCIAL Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | SubstackDylan: LinkedIn | BlueskyOUR NEWSLETTERS growthinreverse.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! Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

    36 min
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About

Growth In Reverse is the must-listen podcast for anyone serious about growing an email list and turning a newsletter into a thriving business. Hosted by Chenell Basilio and Dylan Redekop, two leading voices in the newsletter space, this show pulls back the curtain on how today’s top newsletter operators actually grow and make money. Episodes include deep-dive teardowns of the strategies behind the most successful newsletters. You’ll hear how creators like Justin Welsh, Codie Sanchez, Sahil Bloom, and other creator founders are building loyal audiences and turning subscribers into revenue. Learn how they attract traffic, increase conversions, boost retention, and scale without burning out. Whether you're launching your first newsletter or refining your growth engine, Growth In Reverse gives you proven tactics you can use right away. From onboarding systems and referral programs to sponsorships and paid products, this podcast helps you grow faster and smarter. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start applying what works, tune in and learn how the best are building newsletters that last.

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