How Ellen Donnelly’s Newsletter Startup Grew to 3,400 Subscribers and Six-Figure Revenue

How Ellen Donnelly Turned a Simple Newsletter into a Coaching Powerhouse

In 2020 Ellen Donnelly tapped into her decade of recruiting experience to launch The Ask, a newsletter offering career advice to professionals. She didn’t wait for perfect branding or a fancy website. Instead, she started by messaging friends, former colleagues, and peer coaches directly, and asked them to subscribe and share. That hands-on outreach set the tone for rapid, organic growth.

Building Momentum: 0 to 500 Subscribers

Once Ellen hit 100 subscribers, she leaned into word of mouth. She crafted clear calls to action at the end of each issue, inviting readers to forward the newsletter to someone who might benefit. She also created simple lead magnets—checklists and career planning worksheets—that pulled cold traffic into her list. By month three, she was at 500 subscribers.

Cross-Promotion and Shareable Content

When Ellen reached 500, she zeroed in on shareability. She wrote listicles like “5 Common Job Hunt Mistakes” and teamed up with complementary newsletter authors for swap promos. Those swaps put her in front of fresh audiences, helping her crack 1,000 subscribers in a matter of weeks.

The Breakthrough: Talent To Money Summit

In early 2022 Ellen organized a free online event—Talent To Money Summit—with expert speakers in career coaching, negotiation, and personal branding. She used Zoom and a mix of email reminders to register attendees. The summit alone drove 1,000 new subscribers and positioned her as a credible voice in the career space.

Platform Switch: Substack to Mailerlite

By 2023 Ellen had 3,400 subscribers on Substack but needed more flexibility. She migrated to Mailerlite to customize landing pages, run A/B tests, and integrate directly with her CRM. Growth slowed briefly as subscribers re-opted in, but the move paved the way for better segmentation.

Monetization: Paid Membership Launch

With a solid free audience, Ellen rolled out a paid membership program offering in-depth guides, live Q&A sessions, and exclusive templates. This created a dependable revenue stream and deepened relationships with her most engaged readers.

Key Lessons and Next Steps

Ellen’s approach shows that consistent, proactive outreach combined with high-value content can turn a newsletter into a full-time coaching practice. She continues to test new lead magnets, plans another summit in late 2024, and is exploring partnerships with industry publications to expand her reach.

Conclusion

Ellen’s journey from zero subscribers to a six-figure coaching business underlines how newsletters remain one of the most cost-effective channels for audience building. By focusing on reader needs, leveraging events, and iterating on platform choice, she built a model that any coach or consultant can adapt.