From Tweets to 70k: How Jesse "Accidentally" Built a Newsletter of 70k Subscribers

Key takeaways

Engagement and connection through authenticity are key in building a loyal audience.
Repurposing content across platforms is an effective strategy and can broaden reach without overextending oneself.
Navigating life changes, such as job loss, can lead to new opportunities in creativity and personal growth.
Community and membership models may offer sustainable pathways in content creation, enhancing user experience and support.
Focusing on personal experiences rather than striving for expertise can resonate more deeply with an audience.

Summary

The Journey to 70k Subscribers

In this episode, Jesse J. Anderson explains how he grew his newsletter, Extra Focus, to over 70,000 subscribers. Initially starting with negligible ambitions in content creation, Jesse's journey began post-pandemic as he participated in the Ship 30 for 30 program. This program encouraged him to write atomic essays, which eventually became the foundation of his newsletter as he discovered a community interested in his insights on ADHD.

Authenticity Over Expertise

Jesse emphasizes the importance of authenticity in content creation. He shares a pivotal lesson that every time he tries to present himself as an expert, he tends to lose readership. Instead, connecting with readers through his personal experiences and being 'just himself' has proven to maintain and grow his audience.

Growth Across Platforms

Jesse discusses the various platforms he's utilized to build his audience, notably Twitter and Instagram. His straightforward strategy of repurposing content—screenshotting tweets and sharing them on Instagram—has had a notable impact. He notes how this approach alleviated his earlier fears of losing originality in content and allowed his message to resonate consistently across platforms.

Navigating Life Changes

The conversation includes Jesse's recent job loss, which he describes as a blessing in disguise that pushed him to focus more on his creative ventures. He reflects on how significant life changes can prompt personal growth and new opportunities in professional pathways. Jesse's openness about balancing his professional life, family responsibilities, and his creative aspirations offers an inspiring narrative.

The Future of Newsletter and Community Building

As Jesse contemplates the future, he expresses a desire to transition from a typical newsletter model to a membership-driven community. The aim is to leverage his course offerings while fostering a supportive environment for others with ADHD, highlighting the sentiment that personal connection and community understanding are crucial for success.

Show notes

"Every time I try to be an expert, I lose readers. When I’m just me, they stick around." – Jesse J. Anderson, Extra Focus newsletter

For the first time ever, Chenell & Dylan have recorded LIVE, in-person podcast episodes!

Coming at you in-person from Kit Studios in Boise ID, Chenell & Dylan connect with Jesse J. Anderson—better known online as ADHD Jesse—to uncover the evolution of his successful newsletter, Extra Focus.

Jesse's grown Extra Focus to over 70,000 subscribers and a combined social following in the hundreds of thousands. Jesse shares the real, raw, and often hilarious truth about building a brand and business around ADHD while balancing a full-time job and raising three kids.

We talk through the early days of posting atomic essays in Ship 30 For 30, stumbling into virality, learning what content resonated (and what didn’t), and how he’s navigated massive growth across platforms like Substack, Instagram, and YouTube.

Whether you're managing life with ADHD or not our chat with Jesse is full of valuable insight into newsletter growth, business, and some brutal honesty.

→ Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >>

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Jesse’s unexpected entry into content creation through Ship 30 for 30
The signal pointing him towards doubling down on ADHD content
How he built a massive newsletter while working full-time and raising a family
Lessons learned from running paid newsletters, courses, and planning a thriving ADHD community
What led to his viral Instagram and Twitter growth, and Jesse's simple content repurposing strategy
The emotional rollercoaster of getting laid off and turning that moment into a creative breakthrough
Why authenticity matters now more than ever in a post-AI content world

LINKS MENTIONED

Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questions
Jesse’s Newsletter: ExtraFocus.com
Jesse on: Instagram | Twitter | Bluesky
Ship30For30.com(←affiliate link)
Recorded in Kit Studios, Boise ID
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30 Days of Growth Course Pre-launch
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Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL

Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | Substack
Dylan: LinkedIn | Bluesky

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Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.