👋 Hey friends,
This week on Audience Bridge Insights, I sat down with Tyler Morin, the founder of The Water Coolest and Leverage Letter, for one of the most raw and insightful conversations yet.
Tyler built The Water Coolest from scratch, sold it to Barstool Sports, bought it back, and turned that experience into a thriving newsletter consultancy.
We talked about authenticity, scaling newsletters the right way, and how to build a brand that actually lasts in an oversaturated inbox.
For a summary of the juicy details, continue reading 👇
But first, a quick message from Audience Bridge…
Smart Feed
Most channels promise reach. Smart Feed delivers performance — real subscribers, real intent, real results.
…Now let’s get into the juicy details.
Big Takeaways (and quick plays to run)
Tyler and I talked about how to stay true to your voice, using AI as a creative tool (not a crutch), and how to keep readers clicking in an increasingly noisy inbox.
Here are the 7 biggest takeaways from our conversation.
1. Authentic Voice Beats Everything
Tyler learned firsthand at Barstool that the secret to content that sticks is simple: be yourself.
“At Barstool, everyone is exactly who they are on camera — and that’s their superpower.”
In a world drowning in AI content, your real voice is your moat. It’s the one thing no one can clone or automate.
Takeaway:
Stop sounding like everyone else.
Personality-driven newsletters win.
2. Think Bigger, Then 10x That
When Tyler was at Barstool, one lesson stuck:
“You’re thinking too small. Take bigger swings.”
It’s easy to play it safe — chasing incremental growth and staying “profitable.”
But true scale comes from bold bets: collaborations, influencer partnerships, and cross-channel expansion.
Takeaway:
If your next growth move doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough.
3. Structure Your Chaos
Tyler writes The Water Coolest daily — and still helps dozens of other newsletters grow.
How? Discipline.
He built a strict voice and brand guide, setting boundaries for tone, pacing, and humor.
“No more than two sentences of pure entertainment. Every joke needs to earn its keep.”
Takeaway:
Consistency creates creativity.
Build systems that protect your voice.
Tyler doesn’t chase trends — he focuses on steady, repeatable growth.
His approach:
Master your organic content first.
Partner with proven growth platforms (like Audience Bridge, SparkLoop, or Beehive).
Scale with paid acquisition once engagement proves the model.
“It’s almost impossible to grow organically at scale in 2025. Paid growth done right is the difference between a list that lives and one that dies.”
Takeaway:
Don’t fear paid growth — fear wasting great content on a stagnant list.
5. Engagement Is the New Deliverability
Tyler tracks more than open rates — he studies replies, forwards, and reader interaction.
“I’d rather have 10 subscribers who reply than 100 who never open.”
He even encourages readers to forward the newsletter by CC’ing him — offering to buy both friends a drink.
That’s creative engagement strategy.
Takeaway:
Treat your readers like people, not data points.
Engagement fixes deliverability before your ESP does.
6. AI Is the Assistant, Not the Author
Tyler calls himself a “content purist” — but he’s testing AI tools to streamline research and repurpose old writing.
“AI should handle the busywork — but the voice will always be mine.”
Takeaway:
Let AI handle the heavy lifting, but never outsource your personality.
Despite saturation, Tyler believes there’s room for creators who actually give a damn.
“Most people quit after 10 issues. The ones who stay? They’re the ones who’ll own the next wave.”
Takeaway:
Longevity beats virality. Consistency compounds.
This one’s packed with hard-won lessons about growth, content, and carving out your own lane in a noisy market.
🎧 Listen now 👇
✅ Final Thought
If you’re serious about building a sustainable newsletter business, stop chasing the hacks.
Build systems. Protect your voice. And think bigger than you’re comfortable with.
Your voice matters,
Chris Miquel
PS: If you’ve ever tried balancing authenticity with scale, I’d love to hear how you’ve handled it. Drop a comment or reply — what’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now in growing your newsletter?
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.
