Growth In Reverse

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

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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 | Bluesky
• Dylan: LinkedIn | Bluesky

OUR NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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

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

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

"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 | LinkedIn | Bluesky
• Dylan: LinkedIn | Bluesky

OUR NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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!

"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 NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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:

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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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 | LinkedIn | Bluesky

OUR NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

#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 NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

#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

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

#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 | Bluesky
• Dylan: Twitter | LinkedIn | Bluesky

OUR NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & 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!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.

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 →