Casey Lewis discusses building and selling her first newsletter, writing to 0 subscribers, leaving a full-time job for her newsletter business, and her premium subscriber model with a 5% conversion rate. She also talks about monetizing a curation-style newsletter and her journey on TikTok.
Casey transitioned from fashion blogger to successful newsletter entrepreneur, showcasing her adaptability and growth in the media industry.
The podcast discusses Casey's journey of monetizing her newsletter, achieving a 5% conversion rate and steady revenue growth through premium content.
The conversation explores the definition of a creator, focusing on consistent content creation, audience engagement, and the unique editorial freedom offered by creator platforms.
Deep dives
Casey Lewis' Journey into Content Creation and Gen Z Insights
Starting from her early years with a blog called Teen Fashionista, Casey Lewis's passion for writing has evolved over time. Transitioning from a teen fashion blogger to an editor and writer, her career path has adapted amidst changes in the media industry. Her early experiences in fashion blogging and attending events like South by Southwest and Fashion Week in New York shaped her perspective on content creation and youth culture.
From Teen Fashionista to After School: Evolution of Casey's Creations
Casey's journey from launching Teen Fashionista at a young age to later founding After School reflects her growth as a creator. Starting with a listserv about fashion at 12, she transitioned to blogging, embracing the early days of fashion blogging culture. Her dedication to writing daily content and engaging with fashion trends led to exciting opportunities, including speaking at South by Southwest and attending Fashion Week in New York.
The Success and Challenges of Clover Letter and After School
Casey's ventures with Clover Letter and After School highlight the balance between success and challenges in content creation. While Clover Letter gained 200,000 subscribers and explored innovative referral systems, challenges like media industry changes and corporate acquisitions posed obstacles. After School's growth to 38,000 subscribers in three years showcased Casey's commitment to tracking trends and sharing insights, despite navigating the complexities of content sourcing and time management.
Monetization Journey and Subscriber Growth
The podcast delves into the host's journey of monetizing their newsletter, sharing insights on turning on the paid feature at 2000 subscribers and seeing a 5% conversion rate. The host discusses the slow but steady growth, reaching 38,000 subscribers with a consistent 5% conversion rate, leading to a good revenue stream. The episode also highlights successful monetization through premium content like TikTok haul deep dives and appearances on platforms like CNBC, driving significant subscriber growth.
Defining a Creator and Engagement with Audience
The conversation explores the definition of a creator, emphasizing consistent online content creation, audience engagement, and monetization. The host reflects on evolving comfort with the 'creator' label, considering creators as those building a direct relationship with their audience. They touch on editorial responsibility, emphasizing the authenticity and dialogue fostered by the creator's role, diverging from traditional media structures. Additionally, the discussion navigates financial support prospects from subscriptions and partnerships, underscoring the unique connectivity and editorial freedom offered by creator platforms.
Casey has been writing the youth consumer trends newsletter After School for three years, the culmination of nearly two decades writing and editing content about and for teens in her own online publications and in Teen Vogue and New York Magazine.
On the occasion of Casey leaving her day job to work full time on a newsletter β for the second time in her career β we spoke about:
π΅ Building and selling her first newsletter business (2016β2019)
π Writing her newsletter to 0 subscribers for the first month
βοΈ Leaving a full-time job to commit to her newsletter business (again)
π Her premium subscriber model with a 5% conversion rate