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This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. This will take you time, but if you stay the course, you can make a modest income. I genuinely believe the sky is the limit depending on how you approach this.
I started a newsletter thinking, 'How hard could it be?' Turns out, it's not easy—but with time and patience, it pays off. I now make $300/month in sponsorships. Here’s how I did it.
Pick a Niche: I chose something I genuinely enjoy—talking about startups and founders. Some niches will be more saturated than others, like gaming, politics etc. If you're a shit hot writer you can still breakthrough here.
Build an Audience: Shared insights on Reddit, Bluesky, and Linkedin founder communities. No ads, just organic engagement. This takes longer of course. I am contemplating paid ads at some point.
Consistent Content: Sent out a newsletter bi-weekly with useful insights, founder stories, and startup lessons. Founder stories with actionable points is critical. Readers don't necessarily care about overall success. They want to know what pivots/actions founders made to make that success a possibility.
Monetization: Reached out to relevant businesses and landed my first sponsorship within a few months. Now have on average 2 companies a week looking to collab, but most aren't a fit for me.
Leverage Social Proof: Highlighted engagement and subscriber growth to attract more sponsors. I expect this to pay dividends whenever my subscription list hits 10k.
Keep It Fun: I write about what I love, and that keeps the momentum going. If I didn't find success, I'd still be doing this for myself. I have a couple of other newsletters that aren't anywhere near as successful, but happy to keep doing it for the small amount of regular engagement from followers.
Patience & Persistence: Growth takes time. I didn’t expect overnight success, but steady effort brought results. Most people fail because they give up on themselves.
I wanted a low maintenance side hustle to share what I’m passionate about, and now it pays for itself. Happy to help answer any questions if you've been thinking about starting your own newsletter.
I started a newsletter thinking, 'How hard could it be?' Turns out, it's not easy—but with time and patience, it pays off. I now make $300/month in sponsorships. Here’s how I did it.
Pick a Niche: I chose something I genuinely enjoy—talking about startups and founders. Some niches will be more saturated than others, like gaming, politics etc. If you're a shit hot writer you can still breakthrough here.
Build an Audience: Shared insights on Reddit, Bluesky, and Linkedin founder communities. No ads, just organic engagement. This takes longer of course. I am contemplating paid ads at some point.
Consistent Content: Sent out a newsletter bi-weekly with useful insights, founder stories, and startup lessons. Founder stories with actionable points is critical. Readers don't necessarily care about overall success. They want to know what pivots/actions founders made to make that success a possibility.
Monetization: Reached out to relevant businesses and landed my first sponsorship within a few months. Now have on average 2 companies a week looking to collab, but most aren't a fit for me.
Leverage Social Proof: Highlighted engagement and subscriber growth to attract more sponsors. I expect this to pay dividends whenever my subscription list hits 10k.
Keep It Fun: I write about what I love, and that keeps the momentum going. If I didn't find success, I'd still be doing this for myself. I have a couple of other newsletters that aren't anywhere near as successful, but happy to keep doing it for the small amount of regular engagement from followers.
Patience & Persistence: Growth takes time. I didn’t expect overnight success, but steady effort brought results. Most people fail because they give up on themselves.
I wanted a low maintenance side hustle to share what I’m passionate about, and now it pays for itself. Happy to help answer any questions if you've been thinking about starting your own newsletter.
