Most creators wait until they hit 10K subscribers to earn.
Tyler Denk He built a newsletter that makes $1,000/day using beehiiv—with no big team, no funnels, no BS.
And thanks to a recent deep-dive podcast with Greg Isenberg (who interviewed Tyler Denk, the CEO of beehiiv), we got to see the entire system. Here’s the raw, real breakdown.
Step 1: Start With the Website (Top of Funnel)
Everything begins at the front door: your website.
Tyler launched Big Desk Energy with beehiiv’s built-in site builder. Think: Windows 98 aesthetic meets conversion-focused UX. It works.
Here’s why:
Custom landing + archive pages
Smart email popups
Lead magnet pages with targeted signup flows
Pro tip: You don’t need Webflow + Substack + Typeform + Mailchimp.
beehiiv is the stack.
Step 2: Customize Signup Flows (Based on Source)
Not all subscribers are created equal.
Where they come from should determine how you welcome and convert them. Every form Tyler uses is wired to trigger a specific experience:
A unique signup flow (recommendations, surveys, thank-you page)
A tailored automation sequence
Example:
Homepage signup → Default Welcome Series
Lead magnet page → Custom follow-up based on topic
That means more relevance, more engagement, and fewer generic emails.
You can even route users based on traffic source (e.g. Twitter form → different onboarding).
Step 3: Automate Immediately (Flows That Work)
Time is your most limited asset. Automations let you engage at scale without being glued to your inbox.
Here's the behind-the-scenes magic that makes Tyler’s funnel run itself.
🔁 Welcome Automation
Day 0:
Welcome email with:
Brief newsletter introduction.
Links to top/popular posts.
Spotify playlist link (to build trust, increase engagement, humanize the brand).
Immediate CTA asking the new subscriber to refer someone else ("Is there anyone else you think would enjoy this?").
🧠 Survey Follow-Up
If user skips onboarding survey, wait 1 day, then send:
"Hey—quick 30-second survey helps me help you (events, deals, meetups)"Result: 30%+ completion rate, 22K+ responses
📥 Lead Magnet Flow
User arrives via gated landing page (custom-built on beehiiv’s website builder).
User opts in with email to receive the lead magnet (e.g., seed funding deck).
Automated email immediately sends the digital lead magnet download link:
Embedded directly into the email (no external steps required).
Subscribers automatically segmented/tagged based on the type of lead magnet downloaded.
🔗 Referral Program Flow
Tyler sets up a referral flywheel using beehiiv’s referral system:
1 Referral: Subscriber receives a digital product (e.g., Tyler’s Series B fundraising deck PDF).
3 Referrals: Subscriber receives a $10 merch discount code.
Uses Fourthwall for automated dropshipping fulfillment (no manual effort required).
Each subscriber receives:
A unique referral link embedded in every email.
Access to their own referral status tracking page.
Approaching ~1,000 referrals at the time of recording.
Entire process is 100% automated.
📆 12-Month Check-in Flow
Trigger: 1 year after signup
Email:
"You said your goal was X. Did you hit it?"Result: High reply rates and emotional re-engagement
Step 4: Use Referrals To Drive Free Growth
Referral loops beat ad spend. Your readers become your growth engine, no CPM required.
Tyler built a flywheel using beehiiv’s referral system. The setup:
1 referral = free digital good (e.g. PDF deck)
3 referrals = $10 merch code
Uses fourthwall to dropship—no manual fulfillment
Each email includes:
Unique referral link in every email
Referral status page
Outcome: 1,000+ referrals. 100% automated.
Step 5: Monetize From Day 1
Newsletters shouldn’t wait to make money.
Tyler didn’t wait to scale. He made money from day one.
💸 Revenue Streams:
Boost Network: Get paid $2–$4 per subscriber for recommending others
Ads: Sell direct (via beehiiv storefront) or plug into beehiiv’s ad network
Paid Products: PDF decks, digital templates
Referrals: Monetize passively while acquiring new readers
His goal: Spend $2.50 per sub, make $4–5 in return.
He even added AutoPause rules:
If a partner sends low-engagement subs (<30% open rate), it cuts them off
It’s a full growth loop with zero wasted spend.
Step 6: Run Targeted Lead Magnets (Built on beehiiv)
The right magnet attracts the right reader.
And with beehiiv, they’re more than leads, they’re segmented customers.
Example:
Tweet: “Here’s the exact deck I used to raise $1.6M”
Link to beehiiv-built landing page
Subscriber gets an auto-email with download + added to newsletter
And yes, he collects first name, birthday, role, skillset, and 12-month goals. Why?
Sell ads with audience data
Segment content by type
Offer tailored products later
Step 7: Add Gated Content for SEO + Email Capture
Blog content drives traffic. Gating turns traffic into subscribers.
This is how Tyler grows and monetizes at the same time. Every post is dual-published as:
Web article (SEO-indexed)
Email newsletter
Then he gates posts like:
“Subscribe to read this post.”
Results:
Posts go viral on X/LinkedIn
New traffic hits gated version
Email collected before access
Step 8: Use the Sponsorship Storefront To Sell Ads
Inbound interest is great — but not if it clogs your inbox.
The Sponsorship Storefront makes ad sales seamless.
beehiiv’s new feature: Sponsorship storefront
Live inventory calendar
Set rates (e.g. $7,000/placement)
Accept bookings
Collect assets + payments inside beehiiv
This saves Tyler hours/week and makes inbound ad sales seamless.
Plus: $10 flat transaction fee vs. 10% cuts from other platforms.
Step 9: Focus On Output, Not Overhead
You don’t need a complicated stack. You need a smart one.
Tyler proves you can scale with simplicity.
No funnels. No VAs.
Tyler’s stack:
beehiiv (everything)
Stripe (for payments)
Twitter/X (distribution)
That’s it.
He sends 1 email/week.
Reposts the content on X
I fucked up
I recently realized that we've been celebrating and optimizing for all the wrong things @beehiiv
gave a deep dive in today's newsletter 👇
— #Tyler Denk 🐝 (#@denk_tweets)
2:33 PM • Apr 22, 2025
Uses every post as a growth asset
Turns each reader into a revenue path
Final Reminder: It’s a System, Not a Side Hustle
This is why it works:
This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a machine.
And now, you have the blueprint.
👉 Want to build your own $1K/day newsletter?
Start for free on beehiiv—no fluff, no gimmicks, just everything you need to build the system:
