Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business 213 - From Amazon PM to $1M Newsletter Business in 9 Months with Nic Conley
Aug 4, 2025
Nick Conley, a former Amazon Product Manager turned newsletter entrepreneur, shares his journey of generating $1M in newsletter ad sponsorships within just nine months. He discusses the importance of powerful lead magnets for building trust with subscribers. Discover how he grew his B2B newsletter, The Follow-Up, to over 22,000 subscribers and the benefits of targeting B2B over local newsletters. Nick also reveals tools and strategies for optimizing email marketing and discusses how AI is transforming content creation for newsletters.
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Nick's Early Entrepreneurial Hustles
- Nick Conley had early entrepreneurial experiences flipping sneakers and knocking on neighbors' doors as a kid.
- He later built and sold a referral tool for newsletters even though it was not massively successful initially.
Newsletters Bypass Algorithm Dependence
- Newsletters remove reliance on social media algorithms to reach customers directly.
- This direct access is why newsletters are growing rapidly and attracting ad dollars.
Use Lead Magnets For Better Ads
- Use lead magnets in newsletter ads to boost click-through rates two to five times.
- Resource downloads or templates convert better than generic sales pitches for advertisers.