In the Pit with Cody Schneider | Marketing | Growth | Startups

James Cadwallader, co-founder of Profound, discusses the rising influence of AI search engines on traditional methods. He explains the difference between AI answering engines and chats, highlighting shifts in user behavior and traffic patterns. James shares which industries, like healthcare and automotive, can thrive in this new landscape and offers strategies for optimizing visibility. He emphasizes the necessity of understanding bot traffic, creating targeted content, and utilizing innovative tools like llm.txt to improve marketing effectiveness in the AI era.

In this episode, I sit down with Louis Shulman of Orbit Flows Marketing to dive deep into why a warmed email list is the single most valuable asset a brand can own. We explore how consistent, process-driven newsletters can drive thousands of targeted clicks weekly, share real-world examples and metrics, and unpack the exact frameworks, templates, and AI-powered workflows Louis uses to produce hundreds of newsletters a month for some of the world’s fastest-growing companies. Whether you’re resurrecting a dormant list or scaling a six-figure send, you’ll walk away with concrete steps to build, clean, and monetize your newsletter with repeatable, bite-sized automation.About the GuestLouis Shulman Louis leads client success and content strategy at Orbit Flows, where his team of five writers produces over 50 email newsletters per week for a collective audience exceeding one million subscribers. He’s spent years perfecting the playbook for turning long-form expert conversations into high-impact weekly sends that consistently deliver 3,000+ clicks per issue.Key TakeawaysEmail Newsletters as Owned Media: A weekly newsletter is an asset you own and control, unlike social platforms or paid ads.Process Over Perfection: Success comes from simple, repeatable systems (templates, cadence, checklists)—not chasing “perfect” content.Customer Journey Mapping: Structure newsletters around problem-aware, solution-aware, and vendor-aware stages to guide subscribers down your funnel.Bridge of Belief: Craft content that anticipates and answers subscriber objections before they arise—turn objections into subject lines.AI as an Accelerator: Treat AI like a managed teammate—define clear sub-steps and approval checkpoints to get 90% of the work done, then add human polish.List Hygiene & Segmentation: Start conservatively, re-engage dormant subscribers with win-back sequences, and prune non-openers after five sends to protect deliverability.Lead Magnets & Growth: Educational email courses and targeted downloadable assets (e.g., “5 Day Course on Accounting Pitfalls”) drive higher opt-in rates than generic “join my newsletter” pitches.ROI in Click Equity: With a 170,000-subscriber list sending twice weekly, 10,000 clicks per send saves upwards of $800,000 in paid LinkedIn ads annually.Episode Highlights00:00 – 01:00 – Why Email Is King: The host frames newsletters as the most valuable, yet overlooked, marketing channel.01:00 – 02:00 – Sponsor Break: Acclaim Podcasting: Full-service agency that builds your weekly content machine (acclaimpodcasting.com).02:00 – 04:00 – Volume & Scale: Louis shares that Orbit Marketing dispatches 50+ newsletters weekly to 1M+ subscribers—and how one weekly send drives ~3,000 clicks.04:00 – 07:00 – Defining “Newsletter”: Establishing clear expectations, consistent format, and landing-page first mindset for newsletter signups.07:00 – 11:00 – Customer Journey & Content Strategy: Reverse-engineer subscriber beliefs at each funnel stage; problem, solution, vendor.11:00 – 15:00 – Objections into Subject Lines: Proactively address subscriber doubts (e.g., “Is TikTok still worth it?”) in your newsletter copy.15:00 – 18:00 – Ideation & Prompts: Three core content buckets—personal stories, business strategies, industry insights—and 100+ ghostwriting prompts for weekly topics.18:00 – 22:00 – Templates & Systems: Pin down a weekly structure with 3–5 sections to eliminate decision fatigue and ensure consistency.22:00 – 26:00 – AI-Powered Workflow: Build “Orbit Flows” with templates, voices, knowledge bases, and spaces—treat AI like a junior teammate with incremental approvals.26:00 – 30:00 – List Building & Hygiene: Start small with new or cold lists, run win-back sequences, remove non-engagers after five weeks to maintain deliverability.30:00 – 34:00 – Lead Magnet Mastery: Email courses and downloadable guides convert far better than generic newsletter invites—package education, not just tips.34:00 – 38:00 – Productizing Internal Tools: How Orbit spun its own AI newsletter engine into the OrbitFlows SaaS platform, with live demos of templates and research pipelines.38:00 – End – Final Advice & Connect: Louis drops his top three rapid-fire tips for B2B founders and shares where to reach him next.Resources & LinksGuest SocialsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisshulman/Orbit Marketing: https://www.orbitmarketing.io/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/LouisShulman/Brought to you byAcclaim Podcasting: https://acclaimpodcasting.comOrbitFlows (Built by Louis & Team)Product Site: https://orbitflows.com

Nick Abraham, founder of the cold email agency Leadbird, shares invaluable insights into email marketing strategies that are winning today. He discusses the recent changes in data sourcing and the challenges posed by restrictions on tools like Apollo. Nick explains effective tactics for cold emailing and emphasizes the revival of cold calling as a powerful approach. He highlights the importance of validating offers and using AI smartly, while debunking myths around deliverability. Tips on maintaining diverse infrastructure for safer outreach also take center stage.

Romain Torres, co-founder of ArcAds and expert in AI-driven ad solutions, discusses the future of advertising with Cody. They explore how AI avatars can create thousands of ad variations seamlessly, reshaping traditional marketing strategies. Romain shares insights on making ad testing significantly cheaper and easier, while emphasizing the necessity of creative volume as a growth lever. He also reveals how gaming tactics can enhance emotional engagement in ads. This conversation is a treasure trove for marketers looking to leverage AI for performance optimization.

Laurent Boulin, co-founder of FocusTree—a productivity app for students—shares how they achieved 100,000 downloads in just 15 days. He reveals his viral growth playbook, highlighting the shift to media-first strategies and utilizing TikTok for creator-led marketing. Laurent discusses sourcing international creators and the game-changing impact of a gamified onboarding process. He emphasizes the importance of validating ideas and creating habits similar to popular apps, all while targeting Gen Z and navigating a saturated market with innovative tactics.

Jack Friks, the creator of PostBridge, shares his journey from coder to app developer, achieving 100,000 downloads without any marketing budget. He discusses the importance of validating product ideas through engaging media first and how this can drive organic growth. Jack emphasizes leveraging viral content, adapting to audience feedback, and the shift towards AI-driven automation in content creation. He provides actionable insights for founders on replicating successful content formats and utilizing organic strategies over traditional ads.

In this conversation, Alex Heiden, co-founder of Get Payd and a savvy marketing arbitrage expert, shares insights on effectively using short-form content to reduce marketing costs. He highlights the benefits of platforms like TikTok for brand visibility and building top-of-funnel awareness. Alex reveals strategies for impactful creator campaigns, emphasizing performance and collaboration with high-performing creators. He also discusses how to generate viral content that encourages organic replication, transforming traditional marketing into dynamic, cost-effective campaigns.

Discover the crucial role of page speed optimization in boosting e-commerce success. Learn how bloated app stacks can stifle conversion rates and why many quick-fix solutions are scams. Explore the profound impact of site speed on ad spend and SEO. Gain insights into the best tools and technologies for enhancing Shopify store performance, including essential free resources for testing speed. Hear a compelling case study that reveals a 17% increase in sales after optimization. Elevate your website's user experience to drive higher average order values!

Dive into the world of e-commerce funnel optimization! Learn how listicle-style pre-sell pages can skyrocket your conversions. Discover the power of engaging GIFs and trust badges to captivate customers. Explore innovative upselling techniques right before order shipment and the psychology behind effective landing pages. Hear about unique ad strategies, including storytelling and 'ugly ads,' that hook customers. Plus, get insights on subscription models and effective cold emailing to enhance visibility and engage with local markets.

Discover how AI is transforming product development, from concept to functional prototypes in record time. The guest shares insights on creating a product requirements document and generating a visual prototype. There's a deep dive into an innovative AI-powered infographic generator, highlighting market needs and user engagement. The discussion also covers using AI to streamline workflows, improve design processes, and enhance content creation. Get ready for practical tips on validating ideas and effectively engaging clients!