Hey friends,
This week, I sat down with Kyle Renfrow — CEO & CTO of the ESP OptiPub — for one of the most eye-opening conversations I’ve had about email infrastructure, deliverability control, and why most senders don’t realize how much power they’re leaving on the table.
Kyle has a rare mix of deep technical chops and a marketer’s mindset, which made for an incredible discussion about what really drives inbox placement in 2025.
Smart Delivery
Smart Delivery boosts inbox placement by solving list decay, reputation, and engagement drop-off.
💡 Here’s what we covered::
✅ Owning Your Infrastructure
Why having control over your sending environment is the ultimate deliverability lever — and the tradeoffs between self-hosting vs. using a managed ESP.
✅ The True Cost of “Plug-and-Play” ESPs
Convenience is nice… until it hides critical deliverability data and limits your ability to react when reputation dips.
✅ Yahoo & Gmail Updates
How Yahoo’s infrastructure changes and Gmail’s stricter engagement signals are reshaping the playing field for high-volume senders.
✅ Custom IP Strategy
When to go dedicated, when to share, and why hybrid models (using dedicated for some sends and shared for others) could have a competitive advantage.
✅ Data Visibility = Power
The metrics most ESP dashboards don’t give you, and how having full transparency changes the way you troubleshoot.
✅ Scaling Without Burning Reputation
Kyle’s framework for sending millions of emails per month without tripping ISP filters or tanking domain health.
This episode is packed with actionable insights, whether you’re sending 10k emails a week or 10 million a month.
🎧 Listen now and get the inside track on how ESP pros think 👇
✅ Final Thought
The ESP you choose isn’t just a tool — it’s a partner in your deliverability strategy.
The more control and visibility you have, the faster you can diagnose problems, optimize performance, and scale without fear.
Chris Miquel
PS: If you’ve ever wondered what’s really happening behind the curtain when you hit send, this is the episode you want to hear. Kyle doesn’t hold back.
BEFORE YOU GO
Better Inbox Placement Starts Here
If your emails aren’t landing in the inbox, they’re not doing their job. I’ve seen too many brands struggle with deliverability issues without knowing why.
The truth is, a few key optimizations can make all the difference in getting your emails seen, opened, and clicked.
