I made $10K from 247 email subscribers. Here's how.

November 19, 2025

Hey Starterpreneur,

"You need at least 10,000 email subscribers before you can make real money."

I heard this advice everywhere. So I spent a year obsessing over list size. Freebie after freebie. Lead magnets. Pop-ups. Growth hacks.

I got to 247 subscribers. Then I ran out of patience.

So I tried something different. Instead of chasing more people, I focused on serving the people I already had. In 90 days, those 247 subscribers generated $10,600 in revenue.

Here's the truth nobody talks about: List size doesn't matter. Relationship depth does.

Here's what's inside this issue: The exact strategies I used to monetize a tiny list, a startup idea for email entrepreneurs, a tool that boosted my open rates by 40%, and a challenge that'll deepen your relationship with your audience this week.

The Email List Myth: Small List, Big Revenue

Most creators treat their email list like a numbers game. More subscribers = more money, right?

Wrong.

I've seen people with 50,000 subscribers struggle to sell a $27 product. And I've seen people with 300 subscribers launch a $2,000 offer and sell out.

The difference? Relationship depth.

Here's how I did it:

Strategy #1: The Personal Email Approach

Once a week, I sent an email that felt like a note to a friend. No fancy graphics. No complex formatting. Just me, talking directly to them.

The format:

  • Short personal story (something I struggled with that week)

  • One lesson I learned

  • One action they could take

  • An invitation to reply

The magic: People replied. A lot. And I responded to every single one.

Within a month, I wasn't writing to "my list"—I was writing to Sarah, who was launching her first course. To Marcus, who was struggling with imposter syndrome. To Jennifer, who had just quit her job.

The result: When I launched my first paid offer, 23 people bought it in 48 hours. That's a 9.3% conversion rate from a list of 247.

Strategy #2: The Survey-to-Sale Pipeline

Instead of guessing what to sell, I asked.

I sent a simple 5-question survey:

  1. What's your biggest challenge right now with [your niche]?

  2. What have you already tried to solve it?

  3. If I created something to help, what format would be most valuable? (course, template, coaching, etc.)

  4. What would you be willing to invest in a solution?

  5. Anything else I should know?

Out of 247 subscribers, 81 responded. That's a 32% response rate—insane for email.

What I learned:

  • 67% wanted a done-for-you template, not a course

  • They were willing to pay $97-147 (way more than I expected)

  • The #1 problem was X (which I'd been ignoring)

I built exactly what they asked for. Launched it two weeks later. Made $4,200 in the first week.

The lesson: Stop building what you think they need. Ask them. Then build that.

Strategy #3: The High-Touch Launch

I didn't do a big flashy launch with webinars and countdown timers. I did something simpler—and more effective.

I personally emailed 40 people who had replied to previous emails or filled out the survey. The message was simple:

"Hey [Name], I'm launching [product] next week based on the feedback you and others shared. I'm doing a small beta launch for 10 people before opening it up. Thought of you immediately. Interested?"

11 of them said yes. That's a 27.5% conversion rate. $1,617 before my "official" launch even started.

Why this worked: It felt exclusive. Personal. Like I thought of them specifically. Because I did.

Strategy #4: The Weekly Office Hours

Every Friday at 2 PM, I hosted a 30-minute Zoom call for anyone on my list. No pitch. No agenda. Just: "Bring your questions, I'll answer them live."

The first week, 3 people showed up. By month three, I had 15-20 regulars.

These calls did three things:

  1. Built insane trust (they saw my face, heard my voice, got direct help)

  2. Gave me content ideas (I turned their questions into newsletters)

  3. Created natural selling opportunities (they'd ask about my services, I'd share)

The ROI: Those office hours directly led to $3,100 in consulting work and two high-ticket clients.

Strategy #5: The 80/20 Rule of Engagement

I identified my top 20% most engaged subscribers (people who opened every email, replied, or clicked multiple times).

I gave them special treatment:

  • Early access to new content

  • Free bonus resources

  • Personal thank-you notes

  • Surprise Loom videos answering their questions

These 49 people (20% of 247) accounted for 68% of my revenue.

The takeaway: You don't need thousands of subscribers. You need dozens of raving fans.

🔥 Weekly Spark

Business Startup Idea of the Week: Niche Newsletter as a Lead Gen Machine

Most businesses use email wrong—they send promotions and updates nobody reads. Here's the opportunity: Start a valuable niche newsletter, grow an engaged audience, then monetize through sponsorships, affiliate deals, or your own products.

Example niches: "The 5-Minute CFO" (finance tips for small business owners), "The Side Hustle MD" (for doctors building side income), "The Solo Agency Owner" (for one-person marketing agencies).

Build to 500-1,000 engaged subscribers. Monetize at $5-15 per subscriber annually through multiple streams. It's a media business, not just an email list.

Tool of the Week: ConvertKit

I've tried them all—Mailchimp, Substack, Beehiiv. ConvertKit is the best for creators and small businesses. The automation is intuitive, the tagging system lets you segment like crazy, and the landing pages actually convert. Since switching, my open rates jumped from 18% to 31%. Starts free for up to 1,000 subscribers.

Book of the Week: "1,000 True Fans" by Kevin Kelly

This isn't a traditional book—it's an essay that changed internet business forever. Kelly argues you don't need millions of customers, just 1,000 true fans who'll buy anything you create. At $100/year per fan, that's a six-figure business. This philosophy is the foundation of everything I do. Read it free online, then read it again.

Mindset Hack of the Week: The "Reply-to-Every-Email" Challenge

For one week, respond personally to every single person who replies to your emails. Yes, every one. Even if it's just "Thanks for sharing!" This single habit transformed my business more than any growth hack. People remember when you actually show up.

⚡ Weekly Build Challenge

Your Challenge: Send a personal email to your list this week and track replies.

Here's exactly what to do:

  1. Write an email sharing one struggle you're currently facing (be vulnerable)

  2. Share what you're learning from it

  3. Ask: "What's your biggest challenge with [your niche] right now?"

  4. Send it—no links, no sales, just conversation

  5. Respond to every single reply within 24 hours

Bonus: If you get at least 5 replies, you're building real relationships. Keep doing this weekly.

If you get fewer than 5, your list doesn't know you yet. Keep showing up consistently. It takes time.

🎨 Creators Corner: What's Next?

Next week: "The Minimum Viable Offer: How to create and sell a product in 7 days (without building anything first)"

I'll walk you through the exact process for validating, pre-selling, and delivering your first digital product—even if you've never created one before.

This is the blueprint I used to launch three offers in three months, all pre-sold before I created them.

Stop chasing subscriber counts. Start building real relationships.

247 people who actually care beats 10,000 people who ignore you every single time.

Now go email your list like you're writing to a friend.

Basat

P.S. Hit reply right now and tell me: What's your current list size, and what's holding you back from monetizing it? I promise I'll respond personally—because that's exactly what this email is about.

P.P.S. If this changed how you think about email marketing, forward it to a creator who's obsessing over list size instead of list engagement. Let's build depth, not just reach.