The Growth Vault is LIVE: https://growthinreverse.com/vault
----------------------------------------------------------------
“You don’t need to create for everyone. You need to create for the people who value you most — and they’ll carry your newsletter further than you think." — Matt Johansen, Vulnu.com
We sat down with Matt Johansen, creator of the Vulnerable U newsletter (nearly 30,000 subscribers), to unpack how he’s grown a must-read in the cybersecurity space. Matt has successfully transitioned from working in the cybersecurity space to running a newsletter + content agency business. So we wanted to learn exactly how he's done it.
Matt shares how he combines industry expertise with personal storytelling, why B2B creators can command a premium, and what’s working for him across newsletters, sponsorships, and short-form video.
If you want to learn how to grow and monetize a niche newsletter, this one’s for you.
PS - Matt is not only a brilliant video & newsletter creator, he's also a member of the GIR Pro community 🔥
→ Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >>
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- How Matt grew to over 30,000 subscribers in under 2 years
- How he's crushing short-form video content for his newsletter
- How he monetized through sponsorships and built an agency alongside the newsletter
- The strategy behind his short-form and long-form video content
- His approach to setting boundaries with sponsors while maintaining audience trust
- How he leveraged industry presence & experience for early newsletter traction
- Why and how he’s adding a paid newsletter subscription tier
- Tips for avoiding burnout as a solo creator juggling multiple content platforms
- Why platform-specific editing matters for short-form video success
LINKS MENTIONED
- Vulnu.com (Matt's website)
- Matt's socials: Instagram || YouTube || Twitter || LinkedIn
- Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
- Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questions
- Get Chenell's brand-new course: The Growth Vault — newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace.
- Growth In Reverse PRO Community
- Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here.
- Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
OUR NEWSLETTERS
Subscribe & Leave a Review:
If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!
Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing
Popular Podcasts
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.