Growth In Reverse (Newsletter Growth & Email Marketing)

Turning a Niche Newsletter of 30k Subs Into a Full-Time Business

24 snips
Jul 30, 2025
Matt Johansen, the creative mind behind the Vulnerable U newsletter, shares his journey from cybersecurity expert to content creator, amassing nearly 30,000 subscribers in under two years. He discusses the power of storytelling in connecting with audiences and how he has skillfully turned social media engagement into newsletter subscriptions. Matt emphasizes the importance of strategic sponsorships for revenue growth and reveals his approach to balancing high-quality content with monetization. His insights are invaluable for anyone looking to thrive in a niche market.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Paid to Hack Early Career

  • Matt Johansen shared stories of being paid to ethically hack companies early in his cybersecurity career.
  • He transitioned from offensive hacking to protecting companies and later focused on content creation in the field.
ANECDOTE

Leveraging Reputation for Growth

  • Matt launched his newsletter leveraging a decade-long online presence and industry reputation.
  • A friend's suggestion to treat the newsletter as a business inspired consistent weekly publishing without missing an issue.
ADVICE

Edit Content for Each Platform

  • Tailor content specifically for each platform to optimize engagement.
  • Short-form videos need quick attention-grabbing visuals and messages within the first three seconds.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app