Turning a Niche Newsletter of 30k Subs Into a Full-Time Business
Newsletter & Email Growth: Growth In Reverse · Chenell Basilio and Dylan Redekop
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Show Notes
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“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 years
- How he's crushing short-form video content for his newsletter
- How he monetized through sponsorships and built an agency alongside the newsletter
- The strategy behind his short-form and long-form video content
- His approach to setting boundaries with sponsors while maintaining audience trust
- How he leveraged industry presence & experience for early newsletter traction
- Why and how he’s adding a paid newsletter subscription tier
- Tips for avoiding burnout as a solo creator juggling multiple content platforms
- Why platform-specific editing matters for short-form video success
LINKS MENTIONED
- Vulnu.com (Matt's website)
- Matt's socials: Instagram || YouTube || Twitter || LinkedIn
- Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
- Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questions
- Get 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 Community
- Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here.
- Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/
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Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.