In the bustling world of SaaS, where innovation meets relentless ambition, Mike has carved out a unique space with his newsletter, “Mike’s Snippets.”
As a serial entrepreneur with a portfolio of successful products and a community of eager learners, Mike offers a rare glimpse into the gears of SaaS machinery.
“Mike’s Snippets” is not just a newsletter; it’s a conduit of shared wisdom, a bridge connecting Mike’s entrepreneurial journey with a growing legion of founders.
Before we dive into the heart of our discussion, let’s unravel the essence of Mike’s journey, from his motivations to the challenges and triumphs of connecting with over 20,000 founders through the power of storytelling.
Let’s start with a little about you. Who are you, and what inspired you to start Mike’s Snippets Newsletter?
Hey! My name is Mike, and I am a serial entrepreneur in SaaS building products like Upvoty and Feedefy. I’m also the founder of the Zero to SaaS community, wrote a 5-star SaaS course (with hundreds of students), and I write a weekly email in my newsletter, “Mike’s Snippets,” in which I share everything I learn building and scaling all of my businesses.
What’s the name of your newsletter, and what’s the story behind choosing this name?
The reason I started this newsletter is to share the things I can’t share online. It’s like my private journal in which I give people a behind-the-scenes look at building and scaling my businesses. I like to write and share, and my newsletter is the perfect medium to do so.
The newsletter is called “Mike’s Snippets” because it’s literally that: every newsletter is a snippet from my life. I share my lessons learned, the nitty-gritty, and all the things that happen behind “closed doors” in building all of my businesses.
Can you describe the main theme and content of your newsletter? What makes it unique?
The main theme is sharing my progress and journey in building my SaaS businesses, which is also what makes it unique, I guess.
What motivated you to become a newsletter creator, and how did you take the first step?
I’m already sharing my lessons in public, mainly on Twitter and through vlogs on YouTube. But there’s something exciting about writing and publishing a newsletter. Also, the audience is much more loyal and engaged. The fact they’ve decided to give you their email address and thereby their “inbox-time” is special.
Can you walk us through your process for creating content? How do you decide on topics, and what tools or methods do you rely on to keep your content fresh and engaging?
I have a Notion document in which I store all my ideas, all based on real-time lessons learned, and I just pick a random topic or I pick something accurate that happened this week. I then literally start to write in my composer in Beehiiv. I don’t have an extensive and sophisticated framework like Justin Welsh has, haha. I wish! But on the other hand, I don’t want to stick to any framework, I just “write with the flow.”
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in building and growing Mike’s Snippets Newsletter?
Distribution! But ever since I focused on getting people to my newsletter as the main call-to-action on all of my channels, it’s doing great.
How do you measure the success of your newsletter? Are there specific metrics or feedback you look for?
I try not to look that much at the metrics, to be honest. I do the same with my likes on Twitter, or views on YouTube, etc. I don’t really care. I just want to document and share. The ones who think it’s valuable will stick, the rest, they’ll leave and that’s just fine.
Are there any tools or resources that you’ve found invaluable in managing and producing your newsletter?
I’m using Beehiiv, which is basically an all-in-one tool for creating and publishing my newsletters. That, in combination with Notion, in which I write down all ideas and topics, is the golden combo.
How have you approached monetizing your newsletter, and what tips could you offer to others aiming to turn their passion into a profitable venture?
It sounds kinda obvious, but it’s not. I tried sponsoring other newsletters, but most of them don’t have a clear call-to-action to get on as a sponsor. Include a “sponsor my newsletter” link in every newsletter, plus, on your website, and you will get leads.
Based on your experience, what advice would you give to someone looking to start their newsletter? Are there any common pitfalls they should avoid?
Don’t overthink and use your unfair advantage. Make a story out of that!
If you could send your newsletter back in time, which historical figure would you want as a subscriber, and how do you think they’d react to it?
Haha, good one! Well, I’m a big Marcus Aurelius fan, so I’d like to have his thoughts on my newsletter.
Finally, how can our readers subscribe to your newsletter, and where can they connect with you online?
That’s fun! You can subscribe here and connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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