Shows
Local Newsletter InsiderIdeas and Lessons From Local Media GrowthI’m going solo in this episode to share eight key strategies and lessons I’ve picked up over the past month. I walk through a high-performing apartment locator ad campaign, what I’ve learned from cold DMs on Instagram, and why I believe custom home builders are perfect targets for newsletter advertisers. I even show how I used ChatGPT to craft outreach messages that are already turning into real deals.I also dive into email engagement tactics—like why simply asking subscribers to reply “Yes” can dramatically boost response rates—and how I’m using tools li...2025-07-2229 min
The Nathan Barry ShowThis Mindset Shift Took Me From $700K to $2M | 085In this episode, I sit down with Tim Grahl to map out how he broke through a 3-year business plateau and scaled his education company from $695K to over $2M.We unpack how Tim made the leap by completely rebuilding his business model, delivering better outcomes for students, and building a variable-cost team that scales with revenue. He also shares how he ran 600+ customer interviews, built a coaching program around accountability, and used YouTube and SparkLoop to drive steady growth.If you’re stuck at a growth ceiling, this episode is a blueprint fo...2025-07-101h 05Local Newsletter InsiderHow to Monetize Subscribers in the First 7 DaysWant to grow a local newsletter without waiting months to recoup ad spend? Louis Nicholls, co-founder of SparkLoop, breaks down “zero-day payback” tactics—mixing paid recommendations, trip-wire offers, and high-value local lead-gen deals—to help operators turn every 50-cent subscriber into immediate profit.Louis shares real-world tests (including his own) that combine three monetization layers on the thank-you page and in the first 24 hours, plus tips for negotiating $10-$100 per lead with home-service pros, gyms, and even med-spas. He also explains why sending two welcome emails the first day actually boosts engagement and weeds out the...2025-06-2653 min
Small Efforts - with Sean Sun and Andrew AskinsLouis Nicholls on the future of SaaS and the top 5 rom coms of all timeWe've got a special guest on the pod today! Louis from Sparkloop joins to share how they evolved from referrals to recommendations and sold to Kit! 🚀 Meanwhile Andrew gets Louis's take on MetaMonster's positioning struggles and they debate how and why the SaaS landscape is changing. Plus: the most detailed rom-com ranking you've ever heard, featuring hidden gems and heated debates about classics.Links:Andrew’s Twitter: @AndrewAskinsAndrew's website: https://www.andrewaskins.com/MetaMonster: https://metamonster.ai/Louis's Twitter: @louisnicholls_Sparkloop (newsletter recommendations platform): https://sparkloop.app/Grow your newsletter: https://www.growmynewsletter.com/For more...2025-06-201h 42
Kickstart Your Book Sales PodcastExploring Sparkloop with Account Manager Cole BridgesMeeting summary for Sparkloop Writer MBA Membership call (02/20/2024)Quick recapThe team explored various strategies for monetizing their subscribers, such as a partner program, magic links, and referral programs. They also discussed the effectiveness of targeting "whale readers" on Facebook and the potential of combining fiction and non-fiction content. Additionally, they discussed different ways to monetize their book-selling business, including sponsorships, products, and subscriptions. The challenges of earning through referral links and the cost and benefits of subscriber acquisition in the nonfiction space were also discussed.SummaryCross-Promotion and Monetization StrategiesRussell proposed the use of magic links for cross-promotion among fiction...2025-05-041h 24
The Koerner Office - Business Ideas and Small Business Deep Dives with EntrepreneursQ&A: Masterclass on Starting a Newsletter, Business Failure and Validating Ideas⏐Ep. #124Check out the tools I use for my newsletter business:➡ Beehiiv – Build and monetize your newsletter: [https://www.beehiiv.com?via=chris-koerner]➡ SparkLoop – Grow your list with co-reg: [https://dash.sparkloop.app/signup?aff=b0c6f403]Using these links gets you a discount and helps support this podcast. 🚀I'm back with another Q&A episode! This week, I advise Dustin on recovering from business failure, suggesting he consider buying a business and expl...2025-01-2924 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopCoaching Session: Tips from a Newsletter Pro — with Josh Spector of For The InterestedEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE >>==================================Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Josh Spector—marketing strategist and publisher of For The Interested: a one-paragraph newsletter for experts with simple, proven ways to use writing to grow your business.Josh has been publishing For The Interested for 8 years and has built a substantial following transforming his insights into a...2024-04-231h 00
Send & Grow by SparkLoopRedefining Local Media Success: Strategic Insights with Geoff Sharpe of Lookout MediaEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE >>==================================Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Gunnar Holm of Grow Joy, a newsletter growth agency focusing on paid Meta ads.In this episode, Dylan & Geoff discuss…The Genesis of Lookout Media: how Geoff identified a niche for local newsletters in Canada's media landscapeKeys to Local Newsletter Success: the essential elements th...2024-04-1638 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopThe Secret Sauce to Paid Ads — with Gunnar Holm of GrowJoyEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE >>==================================Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Gunnar Holm of Grow Joy, a newsletter growth agency focusing on paid Meta ads. In this episode, Dylan & Gunnar discuss…→ The Dominance of Meta Ads: why Gunnar uses Facebook & Instagram ads as a newsletter growth platfrom→ Crafting High-Converting Ad Creatives: the secrets behind...2024-04-0934 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopHow to build a local newsletter business — with Ryan Sneddon of Naptown ScoopEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE >>==================================Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Ryan Sneddon of Naptown Scoop, a pioneering local newsletter dedicated to Annapolis, Maryland.In less than four years, Ryan's grown Naptown Scoop to a full-fledged local media business with a small staff and a target annual revenue of $350k. He plans to grow to...2024-04-0246 min
The Low Energy Leads Show: For Creative Entrepreneurs Scaling UpHow to grow your email list with newsletter swapsYou've started an email list but now what? How do you add more subscribers and grow your audience?
This episode looks at a strategy for email list growth called "newsletter swaps." A newsletter swap is a cross-promotion you do with another newsletter operator.
We'll talk about the benefits of doing swaps, how you do them, who to do them with and a few pitfalls to avoid before you start your collabs.
You'll love this episode if:
You're growing your email newsletter
You're thinking about cross-promotions
You appreciate a good "how to"
...2024-03-2720 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopGrowth Secrets from a Newsletter Expert — with Alex Brogan of Faster Than NormalEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE >> ==================================Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. In this episode, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop sits down with Alex Brogan of Faster Than Normal.Faster Than Normal began as a curiosity-fuelled project but has quickly evolved into a vital resource for over 70k+ subscribers who are learning insightful mental models, concepts, and frameworks for personal growth.In...2024-03-2640 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopDoes your newsletter need a podcast? With Jeremy Enns of Scrappy PodcastingIn this week's episode of the Send & Grow podcast, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop sits down with Jeremy Enns, the bearded brains behind the Scrappy Podcasting newsletter and Podcast Marketing Academy.Jeremy is not just a podcast marketing expert; he's a master at intertwining the worlds of newsletters and podcasts to create a unique blend of content that captivates audiences.In this episode, Dylan & Jeremy dive into:The Synergy Between Newsletters and Podcasts: How Jeremy leverages this dynamic duo to build a loyal audience.Podcasting for Newsletter Operators: Jeremy shares why he believes creating a...2024-03-1941 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopNavigating Newsletter Ads in 2024: Expert Strategies with Ryan Sager & Jesse Watkins of Who Sponsors StuffEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Ryan Sager & Jesse Watkins of Who Sponsors Stuff. In this episode, Dylan, Ryan & Jesse discuss…How they became Experts: Ryan and Jesse's journey from managing a multimillion-dollar newsletter ad division to founding Who Sponsors Stuff2023 Ad Market Retrospective: A look back at the challenges and shifts within the newsletter ad space in 2023, setting the...2024-03-1232 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopHow Noor Chopra grew Touristy to 100k+ subscribers 100% organicallyEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you.Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Noor Chopra. Noor writes the Touristy newsletter: "quick bites on Business, Tech and the Future of Consumer Culture, served with a side of millennial sarcasm."Touristy, loved for its witty tone and skimmable format, has captivated a diverse audience, soaring to an impressive 111,000 subscribers in just four years. The impressive part? She's grown it 100...2024-03-0535 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopDeep Dives & Community Ties: Unlocking Newsletter Growth — with Chenell Basilio of Growth In ReverseEnjoying the podcast? Then you'll LOVE the Send & Grow newsletter where we share deep dives, tips, and news for smart newsletter operators like you. Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Chenell Basilio. Chenell writes the popular Growth In Reverse newsletter. Since publishing her first edition to 4 people, she has since grown her newsletter to over 30k subscribers organically in the past year. In this episode, Dylan & Chenell discuss…The Genesis of Growth In Reverse: How Chenell's curiosity about newsletter monetization led to the birt...2024-02-2732 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopCrafting newsletters that connect — with Tarzan KayWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Tarzan Kay. Tarzan has written a weekly newsletter to her email list for over 7 years. In that time, she went from making $15,000/yr as a piano teacher to over $2M a few years later. But the success wasn't all it was cracked up to be. She's since made a 180° change in her approach. Since doing so, She's built a robust community around her newsletter, primarily serving course creators, coaches, and service providers by sharing invaluable insights on emails. ...2024-02-2048 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopThe LinkedIn Growth Playbook for your newsletter — with Tom Alder of Strategy BreakdownsWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Tom Alder of Strategy Breakdowns — a weekly newsletter diving into .Tom recently quit his job at Atlassian to go *all in* on Strategy Breakdowns—a big gamble for many, but with a LinkedIn audience of over 75k followers, Tom has increased his odds for success with taking Strategy Breakdowns to new heights.In this episode, Dylan & Tom discuss…Exceptional Growth: Discover how Tom leveraged his LinkedIn to amass a following of 75k.Conversion strategies: Tom reveals his most s...2024-02-1339 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopThe Future of Newsletters: Insights & Predictions — with Yong-Soo Chung of First Class FoundersWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Yong-Soo Chung, the visionary behind First Class Founders – a cutting-edge platform designed to intertwine the creative and entrepreneurial spirits.Yong-Soo, a serial entrepreneur, has embarked on a journey from owning several businesses to launching First Class Founders. His innovative approach bridges the gap between content creation and business operation, aiming to equip the next generation of creators-turned-company founders.In this episode, Dylan & Yong-Soo discuss…The Evolution of Creators into Entrepreneurs: Why the future belongs to those who can...2024-02-0633 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopThe Power of Partnership - with Colton Sakamoto and Tyler Parker of Office PartyWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Tyler Parker & Colton Sakamoto, the co-founders of Office Party, a free 2x-weekly newsletter that's a curated guide for career advancement, tackling everything from job market trends to the impact of AI on employment.Colton and Tyler's partnership approach in managing and growing Office Party is a path far less traveled in the newsletter space—which is what makes this conversation unique and fascinating. In this episode, Dylan, Colton, and Tyler discuss:How they decided to split up the...2024-01-3031 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopHow to Build a Newsletter as a Full-Time CEO - with Bill Kerr of Open Source CEOWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Bill "Doc" Kerr, founder of Open Source CEO, a weekly newsletter helping founders, investors, and leaders in tech who want to outperform the competition.Bill's journey as the founder of Open Source CEO offers a unique perspective on newsletter creation and growth—given he's a full-time CEO himself at his own startup, Athyna. His insights provide invaluable lessons for founders & CEOs keen on exploring similar paths.In this episode, Dylan & Bill delve into:The Genesis of Open So...2024-01-2342 min
PerpetualSparkLoop and beehiiv Go To War on TwitterThe newsletter world stopped being polite and started getting real this week, and TBH this is the moment Adam’s been waiting for his whole life. He breaks down the Twitter feud between SparkLoop’s Lewis Nicholls and beehiiv’s Tyler Denk, which ended with Tyler responding, “Didn’t you sell your failed company in a fire sale?” to the SparkLoop Co-Founder’s tweet about their closed recommendation ESP network. Who’s right and who’s wrong? And is SparkLoop’s bully strategy ultimately doomed to fail? Tune in to find out why Adam thinks both need t...2024-01-1911 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopFrom Launched to Sold in 11 months: How LeQwane Lynch grew & sold the Alerts Daily newsletter — with LeQwane LynchWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with LeQwane Lynch, founder of Alerts Daily, a daily newsletter he started, scaled, and sold in under a year.In this episode, Dylan & LeQwane discuss…The Rapid Growth of Alerts Daily: LeQwane shares how he leveraged a private community & social media into a newsletter reaching tens of thousands.Effective Growth Strategies: How LeQwane nailed organic growth, reaching a massive audience—without paid advertising.Monetization Techniques: How LeQwane transitioned from a community-based model to integrating sponsors effectively.The Art...2024-01-1628 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopBuilding a profitable newsletter side hustle to over $50k - with Anthony Castrio of Bot Eat BrainWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Anthony Castrio of the Bot Eat Brain newsletter.Anthony launched Bot Eat Brain (BEB) in Sept. '22 alongside his full-time project, Indie Worldwide. Despite BEB being a side project, Anthony earned over $50k in revenues for 2023 and scaled growth to over 20k+ subscribers—going from 1k to 20k in 4 months!In this episode, Dylan & Anthony discuss…The Birth of Bot Eat Brain: Uncovering the initial spark that led Anthony to dive into the AI news...2024-01-0931 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopThe $3M playbook for newsletter ad sales - with Dan Barry of RevenewsWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Dan Barry of the Revenews newsletter.Dan has managed brand partnerships for major media businesses like Finimize and The Daily Upside where he was responsible for bringing in over $3M in ad sales revenue in just over 3 years.In this episode, Dylan & Dan discuss…How to prospect for ideal brand partners—and how to know if they're ready to advertise.Dan's 5-step approach to newsletter ad sales, from Prospecting all the way to Post-sale manag...2024-01-0340 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopHow to Transform a Personal Brand into Newsletter Success - with Amanda Goetz of Life's A GameWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Amanda Goetz of the Life's a Game newsletter.Amanda's journey in the newsletter world is as fascinating as it is instructive. From her experiences in marketing and entrepreneurship to finding her unique voice in the newsletter space, she shares valuable insights from reaching 20k subscribers in a few months while maintaining a high engagement rate and driving revenue. In this episode, Dylan & Amanda discuss…The two most important things Amanda considered when choosing her newsletter niche—and why.H...2023-12-1940 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopHarnessing the power of newsletters for your business - with Tiffany Uman of Peak PerformersWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, podcast host Dylan Redekop sits down with Tiffany Uman, a career coach and workplace expert, and the creator of the Peak Performers newsletter.With her Peak Performers newsletter, Tiffany channels her wealth of experience from her time at L'Oreal into empowering others in their careers. She's a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, a LinkedIn learning instructor, an author, and speaker.In this episode, Dylan and Tiffany discuss…The Genesis of 'Peak Performers': What drove Tiffany to create an intimate, community-focused ne...2023-12-1437 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopMastering the Newsletter Trifecta of Community, Growth, and Revenue — with Brad Barrett of ChooseFIWelcome to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. Today, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop sits down with Brad Barrett, co-founder of ChooseFI, to explore the pivotal role of newsletters in the journey of content creation and community building.Brad shares his rich journey from modest beginnings with a personal finance blog to the monumental success of ChooseFI, a podcast that has achieved over 65 million downloads. Along his journey, Brad's experienced the transformative power of newsletters, which have been instrumental in nurturing a dedicated community, facilitating growth and generating significant revenue.In this episode, Dylan & Brad delve...2023-12-0543 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopUnpacking innovative growth strategies — with Sam Klemens of The RollupWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop's Dylan Redekop chats with Sam Klemens of The Rollup, a unique and irreverent newsletter about finance. Sam started The Rollup less than a year ago. In its short existence, The Rollup has garnered over 14k subscribers and now makes enough revenue for Sam to devote his full-time focus on it—and even hire an assistant. In this episode, Dylan & Sam discuss…Sam's Unique Approach to Content: How The Rollup differentiates itself by curating investment information while offering a fresh perspectiveSubscriber Growth Insigh...2023-11-2826 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopFrom Newsletter to Creator Empire - with Jay Clouse of Creator ScienceWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Jay Clouse of Creator Science, a newsletter. Jay Clouse is the successful founder and operator of Creator Science — a creator-led business that did over $300k in 2022 and is on pace to nearly double that in 2023. But Jay's journey started with a newsletter way back in 2017. And despite many other projects & initiatives, Jay's newsletter is still one of his most powerful distribution channels. In this episode, Louis & Jay discuss…Why narrowing your target audience could be the ke...2023-11-1737 min
Newsletter OperatorJohn Elder - How To Start, Grow, and Monetize a Micro-Niche Newsletter, B2B Newsletter Advice, How To Use Engagement Groups, and MoreIn this episode of the Newsletter Operator Podcast, Jon Elder, the founder of Black Label Advisor, shares his journey from commercial construction to building a successful consultancy in the Amazon space. He started a side gig by launching his first brand on Amazon, which eventually led to the creation of the newsletter "Amazon Insiders." The newsletter focuses on the niche community of Amazon sellers and has seen rapid growth to over 15,000 subscribers.Key Topics Covered:Background and Entrepreneurial Journey: Jon Elder shares his transition from the commercial construction industry to creating a consultancy for Amaz...2023-11-1743 min
StickyNewsletter monetization techniques with Louis NichollsIn this episode, Louis shares how to effectively monetize and scale your newsletter business. He also talks about diversifying revenue streams beyond ads and subscriptions, calculating lifetime subscriber value, and aggressive paid acquisition tactics used by the largest newsletters.Key timestamps:00:27 - Intro to Louis Nicholls and Spark Loop02:45 - Louis talks about the payback period and subscriber lifetime value and how they interplay.06:51 - What are some common ways to decrease the payback period?11:44 - The 2x2 matrix for revenue streams13:12...2023-11-1358 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopMastering efficient organic growth — with Mike Benitez of The MergeWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Mike Benitez of The Merge, a newsletter delivering military news & technology trends for people in the national security space. Mike is a retired US military fighter pilot. Since retiring, he's been working in the military tech space -------- while publishing The Merge as a passion project. In this episode, Louis & Mike discuss…How Mike maximizes his audience to help with growth AND contentThe pillars of success for The Merge's referral campaignThe creative ways Mike is dr...2023-10-1036 min
The Food Blogger Pro PodcastGrow Your Email List with ConvertKit’s Creator Network with Nathan BarryGetting started with ConvertKit's Creator Network, collaborating with other creators to accelerate growth, and monetizing your email list with Nathan Barry. ----- Welcome to episode 430 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Nathan Barry from ConvertKit. Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit’s Creator Network Nathan Barry is back on the podcast this week to chat about all things email marketing and strategic business growth. ConvertKit recently started the Creator Network and Nathan is here to explain what it is, as well as how food creators can us...2023-10-1059 min
The Business GayHow My Email List Grew By Over 12,000% in 7 DaysIn this episode of The Business Gay Podcast, host Calan Breckon speaks with the Creative Director of ConvertKit, Charli Marie.
Charli is a designer, writer, and content creator who is passionate about helping designers to succeed in their careers. She works remotely for ConvertKit, the leading creator marketing platform, and as a creator herself she spends her free time hosting the “Design Life” and “Inside Marketing Design” podcasts as well as creating weekly content for her over 220k YouTube subscribers about life and work as a professional designer.
Together they do a deep dive into why emai...2023-09-1330 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopFrom side hustle to nearing $1M revenue - with Michael Houck of Houck's NewsletterWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Michael Houck of Houck's Newsletter, a newsletter for startup founders. Michael has worked for world-renowned startups like Uber and AirBnB. Those experiences—along with building his own startup—have helped him build Houck's Newsletter to over 63k subscribers while quickly approaching $1M in total revenue, including $250k in ARR. And it all started as a side hustle. In this episode, Louis & Michael discuss…How Michael has grown his newsletter by 50k subscrib...2023-09-1238 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopUsing giveaways to maximize growth with Aleyda Solis of SEOFOMOWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Aleyda Solis of SEOFOMO, a newsletter for SEOs. Aleyda Solis started the SEOFOMO newsletter to keep up with SEO news for her consulting services. "I was saving all the links anyway," she told us. Now SEOFOMO goes out to over 27,000 SEO professionals (or SEOs). And her newsletter brings in over $80k per year in addition to her consulting service. In this episode, Louis & Aleyda discuss…How she used her newsletter to grow...2023-09-0647 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopFrom Layoff to Payoff: How a laid-off journalist built & sold a paid newsletter — with Matt Brown of Extra PointsWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Matt Brown of Extra Points, a paid newsletter for the college sports industry. Matt was laid off from working at Vox during the pandemic. He started the Extra Points newsletter as a business experiment. And it's paid off. With 16k subscribers, including 3k paid, Matt's leveraged his experience, business savvy, and network to build & sell a newsletter in under 3 years. After selling to D1 Ticker, Matt's remained as head publishing for Extra Points. I...2023-08-2955 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopTurning niche expertise into a $100k newsletter — with Jon Elder of Amazon InsidersWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Jon Elder of Amazon Insiders, a super niche newsletter set to hit $100k in revenue. Jon is an ex-Top3000 Amazon Seller who grew his Amazon business to over $10M in sales—and then sold for 7 figures. Now he publishes Amazon Insiders — the fastest-growing newsletter for Amazon sellers. In this episode, Louis & Jon discuss…The key strategies he used to go from 100 to 10k subscribersHow Jon is leveraging his expertise to monetize to $100kHis str...2023-08-0835 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopExploding newsletter growth with Reddit — with Eric Lam of Exploding IdeasWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Eric Lam of Exploding Ideas, a fast-growing newsletter about business start-up ideas on trending topics. Eric is always looking for business ideas. So he started the Exploding Ideas newsletter where sends curated startup ideas in "million dollar niches" to all his subscribers. But for paying subscribers, Eric sends a second weekly edition with an even deeper dive (more information, tips & resources) for that week's business idea.In this episode, Louis & Eric discuss…How...2023-08-0144 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopUsing Twitter ads to grow newsletters — with Ryan Carr from Blakely Digital (formerly The Hustle)Welcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Ryan Carr of the Blakely Digital: an agency dedicated to helping newsletter operators grow their audience & revenue. And Ryan knows a thing or two about newsletter growth. Ryan was the Growth Lead at The Hustle when they were acquired by Hubspot and now — with his agency — helps drive growth for newsletters like Bankless DAO and Matthew Berry's Fantasy Life, to name a few. In this episode, Louis & Ryan discuss…3 common traits of newslett...2023-07-1138 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopPowerful Lessons in Media for 2023 — with Joe Pulizzi of The Tilt MediaWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop content marketer Dylan Redekop sits down with Joe Pulizzi of The Tilt Media. Joe is considered the "godfather" of content marketing, founding Content Marketing Institute in 2007 and selling it 9 years later. In addition to writing a number of content marketing books, he's founded The Tilt Media, a growing newsletter & education business, along with its own live event: the Creator Economy Expo. Joe has been in the media game for a long time and has a lot of lessons to share. In th...2023-07-0440 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopHow to sell more newsletter ads & sponsorships in 2023 and beyond — with Ryan Sager & Jesse Watkins from Who Sponsors StuffWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Ryan Sager & Jesse Watkins of Who Sponsors Stuff. They are the co-founders of Who Sponsors Stuff—a database that tracks which brands & businesses are advertising in email newsletters and brings the data straight to you. Ryan and Jesse have a wealth of combined knowledge and success working in the newsletter ad space.In this episode, Louis, Ryan, and Jesse discuss…The best ways to prospect for ideal newsletter sponsorsWhat you should include in your rate c...2023-06-2729 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopEarning 6-figures from your newsletter side business — with Katelyn Bourgoin of Why We BuyWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Katelyn Bourgoin of the Why We Buy newsletter. Katelyn's newsletter is earning over $300k in annual revenue—and it's not even her full-time business. She founded Customer Camp in 2019 where she helps businesses figure out what triggers customers to buy so they can market smarter. In this episode, Louis & Katelyn discuss…How she leverages social media to grow & promote her newsletterHow Katelyn created gamification inside her newsletterThe lessons Katelyn learned from selling newsle...2023-06-2045 min
Deliverability DefinedHow to Grow and Monetize Your Newsletter Featuring Dylan RedekopAs a creator, you are never going to feel “ready” to build something. The hardest part is getting started and accepting that creation is an iterative process, and the mistakes you make along the way will lead to stronger content over time. In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa talk with Dylan Redekop, Growth Currency Newsletter Strategist and Product Marketer at SparkLoop, about his journey building his newsletter from scratch. What started as a multitopic newsletter niched down into a newsletter that helps creators and solopreneurs start, grow, and monetize their own newsletters. Dylan delves into...2023-06-2038 min
Creator ScienceNathan Barry of ConvertKit — Acquiring SparkLoop and turning email into multiplayer mode with the Creator NetworkEPISODE DESCRIPTIONNathan Barry is a creator, author, speaker, designer, and the founder of ConvertKit. ConvertKit powers the audiences for creators like Gretchen Rubin, Chris Guillebeau, Pat Flynn, Tim Ferriss, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Tim McGraw.If you're not familiar with Nathan, he was a guest on episode number 96 of this show a little more than a year ago.Nathan and I caught up about a month ago at CEX, the creator economy expo in Cleveland and there is some big news. ConvertKit acquired Sparkloop.In this episode, you’ll learn:
What you can expect...2023-06-0950 min
The HeyCreator ShowConvertkit and Sparkloop: Insights from Nathan Barry, Founder of ConvertkitThis week, we have a special episode of The Copyblogger Podcast. At the CEX conference, Tim sat down with Nathan Barry, the founder of Convertkit. We talk about ...
- the Convertkit sponsorship network
- how Nathan deals with the weight of running such a big company
- how creators can create "flywheels" of growth
- why using Sparkloop to generate revenue is such an important first step.
Links
- Convertkit
- Convertkit Creator Network
- Sparkloop.app2023-06-0833 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopGrowing your newsletter in 2023 — with Manny Reyes of WorkweekWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Manny Reyes from Workweek Inc. Manny was on the Morning Brew team before joining Workweek in a paid acquisition role. In this episode, Manny & Louis discuss:the key differences in marketing & publishing a B2B newsletter vs. a B2C newsletterthe best way for creators to get started with paid newsletter growththe most important metric Workweek looks at to determine paid growth budgets what Manny would do to get 100,000 subscribers starting from scr...2023-05-3044 min
Solopreneur Grind PodcastThe Grind Mastermind: Episode 9Josh and Chris go live every 2nd week to discuss their businesses, recent progress, struggles and focus for the next few weeks.
In this episode we discuss:
- FB ad fixes and landing pages
- Youtube channel update
- testing AI
- sales calling update and rant
- email list cadences and marketing
- catchup on recent books we've read
Resources we mentioned:
- Sparkloop
- VidIQ
- Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
- Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
- Winning by Tim...2023-05-2841 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopThe playbook for acquiring a newsletter — with Emanuel Cinca from Stacked MarketerWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Emanuel "Manu" Cinca of Stacked Marketer—and now also of Psychology of Marketing. Manu is the first returning guest to the Send & Grow podcast, back for round #2 (listen to the first episode here). We invited Manu back after he & the Stacked Marketer team acquired the Psychology of Marketing (PoM) newsletter, started by Abhishek Shah. In this episode, Manu & Louis discuss the acquisition, including:how the acquisition talks evolved from a brief message to c...2023-05-1138 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopBuilding a Creator-Driven Newsletter in 2023 — with Nathan Barry of ConvertKitWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Nathan Barry, founder & CEO of ConvertKit. Nathan started ConvertKit 10 years ago and has since grown it to one of the largest creator-driven newsletter platforms in the world. On top of running an 8-figure business, Nathan's a consistent creator who writes several newsletters, including a new paid newsletter. In this episode, Nathan talks about the state of creator-driven newsletters today and how creators can build—and are building—massive 6-to-7 figure businesses on the backs...2023-05-0342 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopFrom Zero to Profit: How to Build and Monetize a Successful Newsletter — with Justin Moore of Creator WizardWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Justin Moore, founder of the Creator Wizard newsletter. Justin's creator journey started back in 2009 with a YouTube channel. Since then, he's built a successful business as a Sponsorship Coach, backed by his rapidly-growing Creator Wizard newsletter where he shares weekly sponsorship opportunities with over 22k readers (his list has doubled in size since the time of this recording!). In this episode, Justin shares why and how he started Creator Wizard—and how it's a L...2023-04-1949 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopGrowing a 6-figure newsletter with no audience — with Jason Woodruff of The Pour OverWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Jason Woodruff, creator of The Pour Over newsletter. Jason started The Pour Over as a news-based but "Christ-first" newsletter. Their mission is to provide unbiased, non-partisan news. Jason shares how he struggled through slow growth and missing growth goals to now reaching over 350k inboxes. In today's episode, we discuss:how they grew to 350,000 newsletter subscriberswhat Jason would do today to grow a newsletter from scratchthe platforms they're investing in paid gr...2023-04-1138 min
Indie BitesHow to build a newsletter business - Louis Nicholls, SparkLoopLouis Nicholls is the co-founder of SparkLoop, a product that helps newsletter operators grow through referral partnerships. Indie hackers might know Louis from his Sales for Founders course which he ran a few years ago, as well as his many other projects.What we covered in this episode:How Sparkloop StartedHow Louis met his cofounder ManuelGoing Niche vs BroadPursuing a growing marketWhat is your unique competitive advantage?Avoiding shiny object syndromeSpeaking to your customersHow does a newsletter referral program work?Can you start a referral program from the beginning?What’s the value of a newsletter su...2022-11-1616 min
Send & Grow by SparkLoopDoes your newsletter need a puzzle strategy? With Mary Tobler of Morning BrewWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Mary Tobler, the brains behind the fun puzzles and games you find in the Morning Brew newsletter.Publishers and newsletter operators alike are waking up to the value of having a “games” strategy and — like with most things newsletters — Morning Brew have been leading the way.In today's episode, we discuss:how games and puzzles fit into the newsletter formatwhy publishers are starting to prioritise games and puzzles in their newsletters(why) sho...2022-10-2634 min
The Business of Content with Simon OwensInside Morning Brew's video strategyVisit SparkLoop: https://sparkloop.app/partner-network?utm_campaign=simonowens If you’re aware of Morning Brew, it’s probably because of its daily business newsletter. Since its founding in 2015 by two college students, it’s grown to over 4 million subscribers, and its news digest format has been copied by dozens of other media startups. But since getting acquired in 2020 by Business Insider, Morning Brew has expanded into new niches in verticals. Not only has it launched several B2B industry newsletters, but it also invested heavily in podcast and video production. 2022-07-2042 minThe Business of Content with Simon OwensDo people want longform Twitter content?Visit SparkLoop: https://sparkloop.app/?utm_campaign=simonowens If there’s one thing Twitter’s known for, it’s character limits. It famously only allowed 140 of them and then later expanded to 280. In some ways, that forced brevity made Twitter what it is today: a real-time commentary on what’s going on in the world. But for years, Twitter has been trying to expand beyond its own character limits, first by launching features like photos, gifs, and videos. It launched a threading tool that allows you to string several tweets together. In 2021, it acquired newsletter platform...2022-06-3054 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopSustainable media businesses — with Brian Morrissey of The RebootingWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Brian Morrissey, creator of The Rebooting newsletter and podcast. Before starting The Rebooting as an outlet to share commentary and insight into building sustainable media businesses, Brian was president and editor-in-chief at Digiday Media.In today's episode, we discuss:transitioning from managing a large media brand to being a solo creatorthe value of consistency as a publisherhow the newsletter industry and "creator economy" are likely to develop in the futureY...2022-06-2136 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopRunning events as a newsletter operator — with Sophia Patten of WorkweekWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Sophia Patten, Head of Events for Workweek. Sophia plans and runs all kinds of different events both for the Workweek brand and their individual newsletter creators.Events are a super hot-button topic for newsletter operators right now. With the potential to grow community, boost audience growth and add new revenue streams.We discuss:when should you run your first event? And why?how to plan your first e...2022-06-0842 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopHow to plan your referral rewards — with Arvid Kahl of The Bootstrapped FounderWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with author, podcaster and newsletter creator Arvid Kahl. Arvid is in the process of setting up a referral program for his newsletter, The Bootstrapped Founder. And asked me if I could help him with his reward strategy. We decided to record the whole conversation — to give you an inside look at what to think about when coming up with the perfect rewards for your own referral program.You can find Arvid on Twi...2022-05-3137 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopHow to sell newsletter ads — with Katy Huff of MadRevWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Katy Huff, ex-professional-newsletter-ad-slinger for The Hustle, turned cofounder of MadRev.We jump straight into the details of how to sell more ads and sponsorships for your newsletter. Including:how important is is a media deck, really?how should you package your ad sales?what results should you be reporting to sponsors, and how?how did Katy approach ad sales for The Hustle?... and much, much more.You can find Katy over at MadRev.co...2022-05-2531 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopGrowing a daily newsletter to 300k+ subscribers — with Pat Trousdale of The Daily UpsideWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Pat Trousdale, founder and operator of The Daily Upside.We jump straight into the good stuff, including:how The Daily Upside grew to over 300k newsletter subscribers without any social media presencewhat growth and revenue channels are working for The Daily Upside todaywhat newsletter metrics is Pat paying attention to... and much, much more.You can find Pat on Twitter at @pat_trousdale and Louis at @louisnicholls_2022-05-0428 min
Out of BetaNewsletters For FoundersThank you to this month's sponsor, SnapShooter (an awesome backup service)! Listeners get 50% off for 6 months when signing up with the coupon code "outofbeta".Thank you to our Show Notes sponsors:Mailman: Make your inbox, truly yours.Mailman allows you to control who can send you emails, and at what hours. Tame your inbox with Mailman - check out Mailman (and get 30% off the first year on annual plans).Interested in sponsoring? Get in touch.Peter is considering starting a newsletter so he invited Louis Nicholls, founder of Sparkloop, on...2022-04-201h 05Send & Grow by SparkLoopMonetization, growth & newsletter trends — with Jacob Donnelly of A Media OperatorWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Jacob Donnelly, GM of B2B at Morning Brew and creator of A Media Operator — a media business covering the business of media.We jump straight into the good stuff, including:how should media brands think about monetizing their email audiences?what growth channels worked for the AMO newsletter?paid subscriptions vs advertising — which revenue stream wins?... and much, much more.You can find Jacob on Twitter at @JayCoDon and Louis at @louisnicholls_...2022-04-1938 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopMonetizing & growing a niche media business — with Emanuel Cinca of Stacked MarketerWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Emanuel Cinca, creator of the Stacked Marketer newsletter.We jump straight into the good stuff, including:how to actually keep your email-list cleanwhat audience growth channels are performing for Stacked Marketer right nowwhat mistakes publishers make when trying to close sponsorship & advertising deals... and much, much more.You can find Manu on Twitter at @emanuelcinca and Louis at @louisnicholls_2022-04-1237 min
Streamlined Solopreneur: Helping solopreneur parents stop checking email at the playgroundBuilding a Newsletter People Will Actually Read (and Recommend) with Louis Nicholls5 years ago, email was dead. Now it’s not only growing, it’s the life’s blood of the creator economy. As a creator or small business owner, without a good, helpful, and nurtured email list, you’re leaving money on the table. And to tell you why Louis Nicholls from SparkLoop is here this week. We talk all about what makes a good newsletter, what mistakes to avoid, how to come up with good content, and how to make money. It’s a packed episode, and totally worth your time — especially if you’re an independent creator.Top Takeaway...2022-04-1156 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopBuilding "The Avengers of media" — with Becca Sherman of WorkweekWelcome back to another episode of the Send & Grow podcast. This week, SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls sits down with Becca Sherman, cofounder and COO of Workweek.We jump straight into the good stuff, including:what's more important... individual personalities or brand?what audience growth channels are performing for Workweek right now?what newsletter metrics does Becca really care about?... and much, much more.You can find Becca on Twitter at @becsherm and Louis at @louisnicholls_2022-03-2228 min
The HeyCreator ShowHow to Build Referral Programs + The “Outlier Algorithm"Are you planning a referral program to grow your audience? There’s a strategy to make it work.
On this week’s episode, Tim Stoddart (@timstodz) and Ethan Brooks (@damn_ethan) talk about lessons learned from the godfather of referral programs, Louis Nicholls.
Nicholls is the co-founder of SparkLoop*, the app that powers 7 of the 10 largest newsletter referral programs in the world. It’s been used by major players like Tim Ferriss and James Clear to grow their audiences, and building it has given Nicholls unique insight into what does and doesn’t work in referral...2022-02-161h 03Deliverability DefinedGrowing Your List With a Referral ProgramCreators always ask, “how do I grow my audience?” While the answer is different for everyone, when you’re an emerging creator with a tight budget, referral programs are a great way to expand without burning revenue. And not only expand, but find subscribers more likely to engage.As we continue moving away from open rates as our main metric, referral programs are a great step toward increased engagement. Luckily, where there’s a will, there’s an app. Tools like SparkLoop smooth out the logistics and make tracking your referral progress fun and easy. ...2021-12-0740 min
The Shopify Growth ShowLouis Nicholls: Growing SparkLoop and A Startup Idea Brainstorm (#25)Referral programs sound good, but how do you make them work? That’s something that today’s guest can talk about with authority. Louis Nicholls is the CEO and co-founder of SparkLoops, a referral tool for newsletter growth. Listen to today’s interview as Louis discusses some advice for launching a referral program, creative things to try with a referral program, and what prompted the idea for SparkLoop in the first place. Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:What SparkLoop doesAdvice for launching a referral programCreative things to try with a referral programJa...2021-07-0634 min
The Tim Stodz PodcastLouis Nicholls: The Easiest Way to Build an Email List - EP 127Louis is the co-founder and an evangelist for Sparkloop, which is a groundbreaking new platform that is helping entrepreneurs grow their newsletter by doubling and even tripling their subscribers. Follow Louis on Twitter @louisnicholls_ Sparkloop is a simple referral program, that enables newsletter creators to give out prizes and incentives in exchange for referrals. In this conversation Louis and I talked about how Sparkloop was created, and why the simple interface is what allowed it to become the dominant product in the space today. In addition, Louis and I went in depth about...2021-04-2644 min
Better Done Than PerfectSales vs Customer Success with Louis NichollsHow do SaaS sales and customer success compare? Today we speak with Louis Nicholls, co-founder of SparkLoop. You'll learn how to approach customer success with long-time-to-value products, what to watch out for with sales calls and demos, the benefits and drawbacks of freemium, and much more.Visit our website for the detailed episode recap with key learnings.Show notesSparkLoop — referral tool for newslettersReferralHero — a referral tool run by Louis’s co-founder, ManuelGymhopper — the first of Louis' startupsClassPass — fitness, spa, and beauty app with similarities to GymhopperPostPerk — marketing SaaS tool for eCommerce, one of Louis' compa...2021-04-1238 minSend & Grow by SparkLoopGrowing Morning Brew to 2.5 Million Newsletter Subscribers — With Jenny RothenbergAs a newsletter creator, how do you decide where to put your marketing dollars? And which growth channels will yield best results?Jenny Rothenberg, Director of Growth at Morning Brew, joined the team as a growth manager a little over two years ago. She’s had a front-row seat as the newsletter grew to 2.5 million highly engaged subscribers, and she shared the engagement-focused approach to growth with SparkLoop cofounder Louis Nicholls.Morning Brew has grown significantly from branching out into new channels to acquire subscribers, but it isn’t just about the numbers. The key is t...2021-03-0625 min
Everything Is MarketingPedro Cortes — SaaS Marketing Mistakes, CRO, and The Landing Page FormulaOn the show today is Pedro Cortes. Pedro is a messaging and positioning consultant who works with SaaS companies to revamp their site using conversion copywriting and design best practices.I wanted to bring him on because Pedro developed a fantastic SaaS landing page template that I've referenced many times and is my go-to guy for SaaS landing pages. He's worked with many companies and seen real, tangible results from his work. You'll hear about the big mistakes SaaS companies are making with their landing pages and website in general, how he uncovers w...2021-03-031h 18Everything Is MarketingChase Dimond — DTC Email Marketing Playbooks, Email List Growth, and Black Friday / Cyber MondayOn the show today is Chase Dimond. Chase is the co-founder of the email marketing agency Boundless Labs. I wanted to bring him on because since launching Boundless Labs in June of 2018, they've helped clients do $50 million in email attributable revenue. This guy lives and breathes email marketing for e-commerce. You'll hear about how he started and grew an email travel series from 0 to 500K subscribers in just 10 months, all the mandatory email campaigns and flows you need to have set up for your store, and the Black Friday / Cyber Monday playbook he us...2021-03-011h 13Everything Is MarketingSteph Smith — Doing Content Right, Building In Public, and The 7-Figure ARR EmailOn the show today is Steph Smith. Steph is the head of product for Trends, which is a membership site for entrepreneurs under The Hustle. Previously she did content marketing for TopTal and is also the author of Doing Content Right, which did $40,000 in sales in the first month of launching.I wanted to bring her on because Steph really knows her stuff when it comes to content marketing. She's done it for SaaS companies, marketplaces, newsletters, communities, and even herself. She's also a fantastic example of how to build in public the right way.2021-02-241h 25Everything Is MarketingTaylor Lagace — Whitelisting Influencer Marketing, DTC, and Scaling CampaignsOn the show today is Taylor Lagace who is the co-founder of Kynship, an influencer marketing agency. I wanted to bring him on because unlike a lot of others in the influencer marketing space, Taylor actually knows his stuff. He's actually been there and done that. In fact, he's basically helped pioneer many of the cutting-edge strategies that brands are using successfully today.You'll hear about Taylor's thoughts on micro-influencers vs larger influencers, how they approach sourcing influencers and structuring deals, and their unique influencer whitelisting strategy that will blow your mind.2021-02-221h 36Everything Is MarketingMojca Žove — The Science of Facebook Ads, Channel Experimentation, and Tiger KingOn the show today is Mojca Zove — the founder of Super Spicy Media (a boutique Facebook ads agency) and the creator of The Science of Facebook Ads, which speaks for itself.I wanted to bring her on because she's one of the go-to practitioners on Facebook ads. She's worked with a lot of brands and really knows her stuff on Facebook ads. She's also got an interesting perspective across marketing for her clients, marketing herself, and her own digital products.You'll hear about how she ran ads for Carole Baskin of "Tiger King" fa...2021-02-171h 18Everything Is MarketingAshley Levesque — Challenger Brands, Channel Sales, and The Myth of "Boring Industries"On the show today is Ashley Levesque. She's the Director of Marketing for Demio, a leading webinar platform. She was also previously a marketer at Soft Robotics, a robotics manufacturer.I wanted to bring Ashley on because it's not every day you talk to someone who's done marketing in the robotics industry, let alone someone who's done it really well.She also doesn't come from a traditional marketing background. She was a theater kid, a waitress, and an executive assistant and then found her way into marketing — though as you'll hear, there's actually a...2021-02-161h 28
Nathan Barry Archive025: Louis Nicholls - Explode Your List Growth: Use a Referral ProgramLouis Nicholls is the co-founder of SparkLoop, an email newsletter referral program where you can have each of your subscribers refer their friends to unlock cool rewards.SparkLoop is amazing. They’re growing really quickly in the audience-building space and ConvertKit actually gives away free SparkLoop accounts to all of our creative pro customers.In today’s show, Louis talks about how to increase your email list growth rate by more than 30% with a referral program. He also gives his (hot!) take on paid newsletters, discusses how best to monetize your audience, and so much more...2021-02-1559 minEverything Is MarketingTaylor Lindsay-Noel — Branding, Resourcefulness, and Oprah's Favorite ThingsOn the show today is Taylor Lindsay-Noel. Taylor is the owner of Cup of Te, host of the Tea Time with Tay podcast, and, believe it or not after listening to our conversation, is just getting started with her entrepreneurial journey.I wanted to bring her on because, in the summer of 2008, I was a tall and gumpy 13-year-old who liked playing video games. Taylor was a 14-year-old elite gymnast on track to represent Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games. But on July 15th of 2008, she had a tragic accident on the gym floor that broke her...2021-02-081h 20Everything Is MarketingVal Geisler — Email Marketing, Customer Empathy, and The Dinner Party StrategyOn the show today is Val Geisler. Val is now the Customer Evangelist for Klaviyo and was previously the Chief Email Officer of Fix My Churn. She's worked with many SaaS and e-commerce companies to improve their email marketing and retention.I wanted to bring Val on because she is one of the go-to's for all things email marketing. She eats, breaths, and lives email.You'll hear about how her background as a stage and event manager helped her build out her consulting practice and collaborate on email marketing, how you can level...2021-02-081h 19Everything Is MarketingJay Acunzo — Podcasts, Storytelling, and How To Make Your Audience's Favorite ShowOn the show today is Jay Acunzo. Jay is the founder of Marketing Showrunners — which helps marketers create their audience's favorite show. He's also a keynote speaker and consultant who's worked with brands like Drift and Wistia to create some of my favorite shows.I wanted to bring Jay on because he's "the guy" when it comes to creating a podcast or video series for your business. I first came across Jay when he created a podcast series for Drift and since then he's created many more amazing series like I Made It for Podia and Ag...2021-02-081h 10Everything Is MarketingDan Murphy — Product Marketing, Launch Playbooks, and Unconventional Marketing IdeasOn the show today is Dan Murphy. Dan is the Director of Marketing at Privy — one of the leading Shopify apps. Previously, he was the Director of Product Marketing at Drift — the conversational marketing platform.I wanted to bring him on because Dan is a student of product marketing — a discipline in marketing that isn't talked about enough. He's fantastic at product launches, positioning, education, and driving product adoption.You'll hear about the key to successful product launches and how to keep them up without overhyping yourself, what he learned running marketing for a loca...2021-02-081h 35Everything Is MarketingAlex Hillman — Earning Trust At Scale, Audience Building, and Community LeadershipOn the show today is Alex Hillman. Alex is a partner of Stacking The Bricks (which produces the popular 30x500 course), founder of the OG co-working space IndyHall, and the author of The Tiny MBA.I wanted to bring him on because Alex doesn't consider himself a marketer, but he's a fantastic marketer. He and Amy Hoy are always top of mind for me when I think of marketing digital products like courses and books.You'll hear about the similarities between teaching and marketing, "flintstoning" marketing and avoiding the temptation to automate, scale...2021-02-081h 22Everything Is MarketingTaylor Holiday — Celebrity Influencers, DTC Marketing, and Earned MediaOn the show today is Taylor Holiday. Taylor went from professional baseball player to accidental e-commerce marketer to agency owner and now to being a part of a whole host of businesses all related to direct to consumer e-commerce.I wanted to bring him on because Taylor has a fascinating background in sports that very tangibly affected his career as a marketer. He's established himself and his agency Common Thread Collective as one of the top resources for DTC marketing. He's got some amazing experience and insights on Facebook advertising that we can all learn from.2021-02-081h 00Everything Is MarketingHiten Shah — Go-To-Market Models, Landing Page Minimalism, and Why Marketing Is Everyone's JobOn the show today is Hiten Shah. Where do I start with Hiten... most notably he's the founder of the software companies FYI, Crazy Egg, and KISSmetrics. He's also been involved in starting a number of other companies. He writes a newsletter called Product Habits. He does a podcast called The Startup Chat. He angel invests. He has a grand career in tech.I wanted to bring him on because Hiten has been in the world of tech and startups for a long time. And with time and experience comes wisdom. I'm always impressed by the...2021-02-081h 34Everything Is MarketingApril Dunford — Positioning, Product-Market Fit, and Creating a CategoryOn the show today is April Dunford. April is the author of one of my all-time favorite marketing books, Obviously Awesome: How to nail product positioning so customers get it, buy it, love it.I wanted to bring April on because she's THE person to go to regarding positioning. Positioning is probably the most essential part of marketing and yet the least understood. April is a very unconventional thinker. She's not afraid to disagree, tell people they're wrong, or offer up her opinion. She's also consulted with hundreds of companies, spoken at conferences around the world...2021-02-081h 29Everything Is MarketingEric Bandholz — YouTube, Shark Tank, and Vertical Content ProductionOn the show today is Eric Bandholz — the founder and CEO of BeardBrand, which produces beard, hair, and skin products for men. He also hosts the Practice Ecommerce podcast.I wanted to bring Eric on because several years ago I wanted to start a line of beard balms and oils and then discovered BeardBrand and knew that they had just nailed it. So I left that to them — and they've established an amazing brand.Eric and BeardBrand really embody the premise of the show that everything is marketing since they started a Barbershop, thei...2021-02-081h 18Everything Is MarketingRand Fishkin — Channel Diversification, SparkToro Growth, and The Future of ContentOn the show today is Rand Fishkin. Rand is the founder and CEO of SparkToro, an audience intelligence and market research tool to discover what your audience reads, watches, listens to, and follows. He previously founded Moz, one of the market-leading SEO tools, and also authored a fantastic book about his journey through the startup world called Lost and Founder.I wanted to bring him on because he's a truly original thinker. Rand really gets to the core of an issue and uses first principles thinking to understand the dynamics, incentives, and ingredients, which has allowed...2021-02-081h 28
Default Alive19 | Juggling a growing SaaS *and* online course with Louis NichollsChris is out temporarily with the pending due date of his new baby, so Louis Nicholls is filling in as a guest host.Corey talks about the aftermath of launching both Swipe Files and SavvyCal on Product Hunt. Louis talks about setting goals for SparkLoop now that they're a growing and profitable business. They also talk about hiring a content marketer, live vs self-serve online courses, and short-term vs long-term marketing.Notable mentions:Art of Product podcastSwipe Files on Product HuntSavvyCal on Product HuntThe SUP? PodcastMore podcasts for bootstrappersLearn more about...2021-01-121h 13
FastForward110: Power Struggles: Why Women in Business Shouldn't Try to be MenGayle Carpenter is the creator of the iconic Red Bull packaging. Sixteen years ago she took a risk. She left the security and support of full-time employment as a design director to start her own creative and brand agency.
Just two weeks after launching Sparkloop Gayle found herself pitching to Red Bull UK to design the packaging. She won the contract and still counts Red Bull among her clients today along with some other household names including The Prince’s Trust, Prudential, Checkatrade, Homeserve and Asics.
Gayle has kept her vision, kept her team small and focussed, and has offices in Lo...2020-12-0100 min
SUP? Inside Stories About Building Our Profitable BusinessesThe one where we talk side project marketingLouis hasn’t had the most productive week. The network in Switzerland was down for 3 days, which introduced a whole new set of challenges. Thankfully, Mojca filled the productivity quota for him. She closed a new client, sold out an online workshop she’s been preparing with Nina and Masha, and finally started working with new contractors.In this episode we talk about SparkLoop’s new free tool: Reactions. How does this fit into SparkLoop? Louis talks about the big plan and strategy. Sometimes you need to think bigger and more long-term if you truly...2020-11-2251 minSUP? Inside Stories About Building Our Profitable BusinessesThe one where we talk about launching a courseMojca is determined to launch her Science of Facebook Ads course before the end of the year. She shares her progress and talks about the challenges. While relaunching a course may sound straightforward, it requires a lot of work if you want to make it work.We talk about what it takes to make the launch of a new course successful, how to think about course pricing, and more.Louis talks about the new partners he's bringing on with SparkLoop. They talk about the approach Louis is taking with bringing new partners on and the...2020-11-0347 min
The CPOstrategy PodcastWhere are the female founders? With Gayle Carpenter, Creative Director and Founder of SparkloopThe Digital Insight is joined by Gayle Carpenter, Creative Director and Founder of Sparkloop. Together, we discuss her journey as an incredibly successful female entrepreneur and we explore the glaring lack of female founders and the challenges and barriers that many women face in entrepreneurship.We also look at the progress and the real change for good that we have seen over the last 15 years in a truly fantastic and enlightening discussion.2020-10-2334 minSUP? Inside Stories About Building Our Profitable BusinessesThe one with the quizWondering how Mojca's relaunch of The Science of Facebook Ads is going? In this episode she's talking about finding a good way to engage her audience and prepare them for the relaunch. She's also struggling with determining if running an affiliate program for the course is worth her time.Meanwhile Louis takes us behind the scenes and talks about the process of creating a free course for SparkLoop. Creating engaging content is not as easy as opening up a document and start writing. If you really want to make it good, there's a lot more that needs...2020-10-2133 min
Forging AheadSales for Founders. Landing your first 100 customers with Louis Nicholls.Louis runs Sparkloop.app, a SaaS referral tool for newsletters that is growing 20-30% every month.
He runs a course called Sales for Founders, which is why I wanted to chat with him.
Louis intends to help founders get good enough at sales to close their first 100 customers. Getting to around 10k MRR allows you to take a breath, regroup, and make a plan for what to do next. This often includes shifting gears to a different customer acquisition strategy or bringing someone else in to run sales.
I'd pay special...2020-10-2000 min