Stay ConnectedNew Media is a podcast for founders and creators building independent media businesses. We explore how to grow and monetize audiences without depending on algorithms, advertising, and platforms you don’t control. Each episode shares practical insights on building profitable media and education businesses.
A GrowLetter podcast, hosted by Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch.
Copyright: © 2023 Newsletter Operator
Traditional online courses are dead. People don’t need more information. They need execution. In this video, I break down why live cohort-based programs are the fastest way to turn your expertise into a $100K+ offer and eventually a $1M/year business. You’ll learn how to craft your cohort in 8 simple steps, even if you have no audience, testimonials, or teaching experience.
Get the full guide and next steps here.
Timestamps:
01:35 Introduction
3:00 Why courses are dead
5:25 The execution problem
5:48 Why cohorts win
7:22 Step 1: Pick the outcome
10:45 Step 2: Structure it
14:22 Step 3: Homework plan
15:06 Step 4: Build the system
16:11 Step 5: Gamify + track
19:40 Step 6: Track results
20:43 Step 7: Scarcity
21:22 Step 8: Social proof
26:58 Step 9: Cohort outline
30:15 Step 10: Build anticipation
31:17 Step 11: Always sell, then build
31:55 Step 12: Marketing schedule
Want to learn what's working in media right now? New Media Summit brings together 500+ founders in Austin Feb 26-27 with Codie Sanchez, Ryan Deiss, Matt Paulson, and more. Get tickets here!
What’s changing in newsletters, email marketing, and the creator economy — and how do you grow, monetize, and scale in 2026?
In this FREE online event, 8 industry experts share 15+ data-backed predictions on newsletter growth, email deliverability, audience development, and media monetization — plus actionable strategies you can apply immediately.
🎤 Featuring: Tyler Denk (beehiiv), Matt McGarry (GrowLetter), Robin Re (Industry Dive), Greg Van Horn (Launch Potato), Nathan May (The Feed Media), Max Bidna (Growth Daily), Chris Miquel (Audience Bridge), and Daniel Bustamante (Ship 30 for 30).
If you’re building a newsletter, email list, or media business, this event will help you create a clear, tactical plan for growth in 2026.
Timestamps:
1:00 Speaker Introductions
3:06 Tyler Denk
18:20 Greg Van Horn
29:10 Nathan May
44:07 Robin Re
55:50 Chris Miquel
01:08:10 Marketing Max
01:22:57 Daniel Bustamante
1:36:56 Matt’s Takeaways
1:38:20 New Media Summit
Bonus 1: Use code 'NEWMEDIA' and receive 20% off Beehiiv.
Bonus 2: FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days.
Bonus 3: Our New Media Summit promotional discount has ended — however, you can still save $400 by purchasing today with early-bird pricing.
👉 Grab your ticket to New Media Summit.
New Media Summit is where today’s top speakers, media founders, newsletter operators, publishers, and marketers come together to share real tactics and build meaningful connections — and many of the experts in this event will be there. February 26-27
This episode is a complete 15-part breakdown of how to sell your first digital product from scratch. I walk through how to choose the right product, validate demand, and price it for maximum conversions. You’ll learn why you don’t need a huge audience to make real money. I also cover launch strategy, promotion timelines, and common mistakes that kill first launches. If you’re a creator, founder, or newsletter writer aiming for your first $1k–$10k launch, this is for you.
Watch the full episode on YouTube linked here.
Watch my monetization masterclass here.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Selling Digital Products
01:09 Building an Email List for Success
03:48 Understanding Your Audience's Needs
06:08 Types of Media Products
06:50 Pricing Your Product
08:15 Your Tech Setup
10:26 Overcoming the Need for Testimonials
11:31 Navigating Sales Without Being Salesy
12:25 Mastering Copywriting
13:56 Promoting Your Product Effectively
15:29 Establishing Credibility as a Seller
16:48 Your First Launch
18:26 Refunds and Customer Concerns
19:14 Creating a Minimum Viable Product
20:04 Validating Your Product Idea
20:53 Running a Pre-Sale for Your Product
In this video, I break down why so many people hesitate to start a newsletter— and why that fear once held me back too. You’ll learn the biggest advantages of launching one, from owning your audience to building a scalable, high-profit media business with multiple revenue streams. I also share my full journey, including early failures, the lessons that changed everything, and how my newsletter eventually grew to 50,000+ subscribers and a multimillion-dollar business. By the end, you’ll understand not only why a newsletter can transform your income, but also how it accelerates your skills, opportunities, and long-term growth—no matter your starting point.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Timestamps:
00:00 Overcoming the Fear of Starting a Newsletter
00:55 The Value of Owning Your Audience
04:03 Low Startup Costs + Big Income Potential
07:31 Scalability and Major Business Potential
09:18 Multiple Revenue Streams You Can Build
12:02 Building Skills Through Publishing
15:07 The Right Motivation for Starting a Newsletter
18:45 Personal Journey, Failures & Lessons Learned
22:05 Taking Action: Launching Your Newsletter
In this Q&A, we discuss the future of media and why newsletters, YouTube, and podcasts will dominate. Matt shares his MAGIC Framework for converting social followers into email subscribers. We discuss Beehiiv’s newest features, including dynamic content, native analytics, and its ad network. The Q&A also covers paywalls, reader behavior shifts, and the biggest newsletter design mistakes. Finally, Matt explains how to know when you’ve hit content–market fit and when to use paid acquisition.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Timestamps & Questions:
00:00 Introduction
00:48 What do you think the future of media will look like?
04:39 How do you drive traffic from a discovery platform to your newsletter?
11:01 How do you recommend utilizing paywalls and gated content?
13:29 What’s the best new Beehiiv feature for smaller creators?
16:05 How do you know a discovery platform is working?
16:53 How should you utilize dynamic content?
19:08 Should Beehiiv integrate better with Shopify?
20:00 Does this put pressure on Kit and Substack to evolve?
22:03 What’s the most underrated moat a newsletter can have?
23:12 How will reader behavior change overtime?
25:01 How will B2B newsletter evolve?
26:38 Advice for someone sitting on an idea for 6 months?
28:32 How do you know when you have audience market fit?
30:04 When should you run paid ads?
31:53 What are the biggest design mistakes you see?
In this episode, we break down how to build a profitable, future-proof content business. You’ll learn why email subscribers are far more valuable than social followers, how to balance content frequency and quality, and how AI is reshaping media and audience engagement. We also cover how to identify real problems that lead to valuable products and how to test newsletter ideas to find your perfect niche.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:30 How do you know if a Newsletter idea is worth pursuing?
2:15 What's more valuable: 10,000 email subscribers or 100k Instagram followers?
3:15 What are you thoughts on buying active email lists?
4:57 How do you think about frequency vs quality?
6:00 How to avoid last minute changes from sponsors?
8:25 What shift in the media industry are founders not ready for?
11:43 How do you think about community building?
14:01 How can you sell digital products to moms?
16:38 If you could only monetize your audience in one way, what would you choose?
18:33 What's a contrarian opinion you have on the newsletter industry?
19:10 How to launch a newsletter based newsletter while living abroad?
20:26 How to approach content when competitors copy you?
21:44 How do you think about standing out in a crowded market?
In this episode, I break down 30 different newsletter growth channels—from social and search to partnerships and paid ads—and rank them based on scale, effort, and subscriber quality. I’ll share surprising data showing just how wildly subscriber value can vary between sources, plus the framework I use to evaluate conversion and lifetime value. We’ll cover channels like YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, SEO, Meta ads, cross-promotions, and more. If you’re trying to figure out which few channels to focus on for real, sustainable growth, this video will point you in the right direction.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Timestamps:
00:00 Overview of the Newsletter Growth Tier List
01:33 How I’m Ranking 30+ Newsletter Growth Channels
02:11 Organic Social: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Substack Notes, X, TikTok
10:42 Paid Social: Meta, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok Ads
14:41 Search & SEO: Organic vs. Google Ads
18:05 Partnerships & Collaborations: Guest Posts, Podcasts, and Cross-Promotions
24:07 Organic Growth Tactics: Referrals, Giveaways & Communities
28:52 The Worst Channels Hurting Your Newsletter
37:54 The Tier List Recap
38:53 My Recommendation
40:09 Real Data Breakdown: Conversions & Revenue per Source
45:01 What I've Learned From The Data
In this Q&A video, I answer questions about how to start, grow, and monetize a newsletter. I explain how to get 1,000 subscribers in 30 days using my “1K Challenge,” which includes daily posting, commenting, and outreach on platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram. I cover how niche is too niche, why cross-promotions between newsletters work best when both sides match clicks, and how to measure success beyond open rates by focusing on revenue and engagement. I also share thoughts on the future of newsletters— shorter formats, weekly cadence, and using them to drive product or service sales instead of relying only on ads.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Episode Questions & Timestamps
00:00 Introduction & Q&A Overview
00:18 Is it possible to get 1,000 subscribers in 30 days?
09:58 How niche is too niche?
11:15 How do you approach partnerships and cross-promotions?
14:28 Can you still trust open rates and click-through rates?
17:32 How many links are too many in a newsletter?
18:20 How can you find and sell the right product to your audience?
21:56 What’s the next big shift in the newsletter industry?
24:19 Is there opportunity for newsletter aggregators?
In this episode, I unveil the vision behind the new New Media Summit—our upcoming 2026 conference focused on the future of media—and how we’re leveling it up with bigger speakers, more actionable sessions, and better networking. I also share why I’m shifting to a YouTube-first content strategy in 2025, how weekly Q&A episodes fit into that plan, and why newsletters remain the backbone of our business and monetization.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Timestamps:
00:00 Podcast Direction & Content Strategy
02:21 Introducing New Media Summit
04:38 What You Can Expect This Year
06:46 Networking, Community, and Venue Experience
08:35 Our Commitment to Quality
In this Q&A, I answer your biggest questions about building and scaling a newsletter in 2025. We cover everything from whether LinkedIn newsletters are still worth it, to what platform you should use (Beehiiv, Kit, Substack, or Klaviyo), and the most effective ways to grow your audience organically. I also share what I’d do if I had to start from scratch, how AI is reshaping content creation, when to pivot your strategy, and how to price your first sponsorships.
FREE Guide: How to get your first 1000 newsletter subscribers in 30 days >>
Episode Questions & Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Q&A
00:26 The truth about LinkedIn newsletters in 2025
02:54 What newsletter business would you start if you had to begin from scratch tomorrow?
07:43 Should you use Beehiiv, Kit, Substack, or Klaviyo?
11:20 What are the best organic growth strategies for newsletters?
14:06 How do you think about newsletter vs. YouTube content?
16:16 How will AI impact the newsletter space?
18:50 How do you decide when to pivot your content strategy?
21:41 How should you communicate a publication name change to your audience?
24:39 How do you approach newsletter sponsorship pricing?
28:38 What’s the best way to approach list cleaning and re-engagement?
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
