In partnership with
{{first name | friend}}!
One entrepreneur makes $5,000 every time he sends an email.
That’s Ali Abdaal.
That's more than he made in a month as a doctor.
But here's the crazy part. He's not selling anything in most of those emails.
He figured out something most entrepreneurs miss about email marketing. And it changed everything.
1. The value-first approach
Most people get email marketing backwards.
They build a list, then immediately start pitching. "Buy this! Sign up for that! Limited time offer!"
This doctor-turned-entrepreneur does the opposite.
He figured out that 99% of his content should be free value. And maybe 1% can be about his products.
Translation? He gives massive value almost all the time. Then occasionally mentions his course.
2. The LifeNotes system
For six years straight, he's sent a weekly newsletter called LifeNotes.
Every single week. Without fail.
What's in it? Productivity tips. Book recommendations. Life advice. Insights from across the web.
Zero fluff. Zero hard sells. Just stuff people actually want to read.
This newsletter has grown from 0 to 290,000+ subscribers. And it makes him more money than his medical career.
Today’s newsletter is sponsored by: Fintech Takes
f you work in fintech or finance, you already have too many tabs open and not enough time.
Fintech Takes is the free newsletter senior leaders actually read. Each week, I break down the trends, deals, and regulatory moves shaping the industry — and explain why they matter — in plain English.
No filler, no PR spin, and no “insights” you already saw on LinkedIn eight times this week. Just clear analysis and the occasional bad joke to make it go down easier.
Get context you can actually use. Subscribe free and see what’s coming before everyone else.
3. Permission-based marketing
Here's his approach to monetization. He calls it the "Pentagram Model."
First, convert strangers into fans through excellent content. Then, fans into customers through permission-based marketing.
Instead of interrupting people, he earns permission to sell to them.
By the time he launches his course, people are already convinced he knows what he's talking about. Because he's been teaching them for months.
4. The launch sequence
When he launches his Part-Time YouTuber Academy, he doesn't just blast his list with sales emails.
He builds anticipation through teaching sequences:
Week 1: Free YouTube crash course (teaching)
Week 2: Behind-the-scenes case studies (more teaching)
Week 3: Student success stories (social proof)
Week 4: Course launch (finally selling)
By launch day, people are begging to join. His last launch did $2 million in revenue.
5. The funnel strategy
His email funnel is brilliant. He meets people wherever they are:
Free content → $1 foundations course → $995 main course → $4,995 accelerator
Each step is a small commitment that leads to bigger ones. People can "test drive" his teaching before making big investments.
This isn't pushy. It's helpful. Because people get exactly the level of support they want.
6. My take
He cracked the code on something most entrepreneurs struggle with.
How do you sell without being sleazy?
Answer: Teach first. Sell second.
While most people blast their lists with offers and wonder why nobody buys, smart entrepreneurs build trust through consistent value.
His secret isn't fancy funnels or aggressive sales tactics. It's simple: Be genuinely helpful. Do it consistently. Earn the right to make offers.
The money follows the value. Not the other way around.
— Stephen
P.S. This approach proves what I see with every successful entrepreneur: the best marketing doesn't feel like marketing. It feels like education.
