​[Read the browser version right here]​

FREE Resources (created & curated by GC⚡)

→ Increase opt-ins like a best-selling author (FREE templates)

→ 30 Days of Growth (via Chenell @ Growth In Reverse)

44,000 Subs. $0 Revenue.
​500 Subs. $50,000+ Revenue!

Tom Orbach is a marketing wiz.

(He also works full-time @ Wiz.io leading their marketing efforts)

So when he told the GIR Pro community he was launching a paid newsletter, our ears perked right up.

If anyone was going to crush a paid newsletter launch... it was Tom.

But why a paid newsletter?

welllll...

Tom had grown his Marketing Ideas newsletter to over 40k subscribers in about 2 years—and had earned a whopping $0 revenue—

but that was all part of the plan.

Because Tom delivered high value every week, he built two years worth of trust in his readers.

So when it came time to launch the paid tier for Marketing Ideas...

Tom became a Substack best-seller for the week: getting over 500 subscribers within a few days of launching.

At $99/year as the launch subscription offer, you can do some quick napkin math and see that equals about $50,000 in revenue.

Whoa.

Now, neither I nor Chenell have launched a paid newsletter, so we knew we needed to get Tom on the podcast.

Other things we discuss:

• Balancing a full-time job with weekly publishing.
• His top growth levers (including one that helped him gain over 7,000 subscribers).
• Why he waited nearly two years to launch a paid tier.
• How he designed the offer to feel premium and "non-calculable."
• Behind the scenes of Tom’s nine-day email launch strategy that brought in 500+ paid subscribers.
• ...and a lot more!

​Watch now →​

Or listen here:

→ Apple Podcasts​
→ Spotify​
→ More...​

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode.
Hit 'Reply' or let me know on LinkedIn 🙏
(this post ↓)

Newsletter Hits
Of The Week

⚡ Are you meeting these paid growth benchmarks in 2025? (PS: article includes formulas for ROAS + Payback Period)

​

⚡ How this team builds smarter email campaigns with subscriber data (and how you can too→)

​

⚡ A smart way to promote blog content: use it as the ad. That’s how Boston Globe grew subs 10x faster →​

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⚡Turn your newsletter into a consistent income engine—with hands-on support →​

👆 that last link is from my friend Matt Ragland. He's helped some of the biggest newsletter creators build successful email-based businesses. And now he's launching Inbox to Income*—where he's going to help you do the same thing.

Growing your newsletter feel like this?

Stop beating your head against a wall.

Book a 1:1 Newsletter Strategy Sesh

​30-minute Strategy Sesh →​

Includes:
​→ Live 1:1 call with me
→ Recording of the call + transcript
​

​60-minute Strategy Sesh →

Includes:
​→ Live 1:1 call with me
→ Recording of the call + transcript
→ 1-month async support (via email)

Got more questions about these sessions? Just hit reply and ask me!

Improve your newsletter with these:

→ The 1KS Roadmap: A Free Course To Your First 1,000 Subscribers​
→ Increase opt-ins like a best-selling author (FREE templates)​​
​→ Start a newsletter for FREE with Kit (free up to 10k subscribers)​*
→ Book a 1:1 newsletter strategy sesh w/me: 30 mins || 60 mins

Peace and platonic love,

Dylan

​LinkedIn | Twitter | Bluesky | Threads

* indicates affiliate links. I get paid a small commission if you use these links to purchase a product or service.

​.​