Reflection on Building Decode Econ

Behind the Scenes of Building a Newsletter

This marks the 64th post on Decode Econ!

When I launched Decode Econ late this summer, it was more than a rebrand; it was a shift in mindset. Econ with Dr. A was a wonderful chapter, but it was deeply personal and not easily scalable. Decode Econ was built to grow beyond me, to be a platform where others can share their ideas, analyses, and stories.

If you’ve ever thought about writing or contributing a column, I’d love to hear from you. My goal for Decode Econ is for it to be a community, not a monologue.

Today, I want to provide you with an update on the behind-the-scenes data, challenges, opportunities, and how building Decode Econ has actually impacted my 9-5!

Growth and Strategy

When I transitioned from Econ with Dr. A, there were over 8,000 subscribers, but only about 2,300 were active. When I moved to Decode Econ, I brought along the most engaged readers, those who had opened an email in the previous 60 days. The 60-day cutoff was arbitrary, and sometimes I wish I had moved all of them over.

Subscriber count:

Starting base (Aug 13): 2,258
Today: 2,463 subscribers

That’s modest growth, but the engagement is what matters. Open rates hover around 58%, which is outstanding, and more readers are commenting and sharing. That tells me Decode Econ is resonating. Thank you for reading, engaging, and spreading the word.

Frequency and Focus

Decode Econ has evolved into a daily weekday newsletter, with occasional weekend bonuses like this one! Many have asked if that’s sustainable. The short answer: I’ll keep going until it isn’t fun anymore.

At first, I felt every issue needed to contain some earth-shattering insight. Now, I write what genuinely interests me that day. That small mindset shift, from “What will impress?” to “What do I want to share?”, has kept this project joyful.

With that said, I am still surprised by which posts take off. It is usually the more opinion-based or personal story that resonates with you.

Marketing and Brand Evolution

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned: brand identity matters.

With Econ with Dr. A, sharing my own content often felt self-promotional. Decode Econ, on the other hand, feels like a community brand, something bigger than one person and something that belongs to all of us. That’s made it much easier to market and grow.

That said, I know many of you enjoyed the more personal tone of the old brand. To bring that back, I’ll start sharing more behind-the-scenes reflections and personal essays, available to paid subscribers as bonus posts, like this one.

Paid Subscribers

A huge thank you to the 40 paid subscribers who support Decode Econ.

Your support means more than you know. It helps keep the newsletter going, funds experiments with new formats, and moves us closer to a big goal:

Generate $10,000 in annualized revenue to hire an economics student intern to help build Decode Econ.

If you believe in that mission, consider inviting a friend who would enjoy this kind of daily economic storytelling.

Beyond the Newsletter

Decode Econ now lives across multiple platforms. If you prefer short videos or visual explainers, follow on:

• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/decodeecon/)

• TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@decodeecon)

• YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvtzGTCRmmVzN05zHedMskA)

Each platform adds something unique, make sure to follow!

Externalities (Real-World Impact)

Everything I’ve learned from growing Decode Econ has spilled into my day job. Our Haile Graduate Programs now runs a newsletter and a podcast, both designed to communicate the value of higher education in a more authentic way.

If you’re curious about what my 9-to-5 looks like subscribe to the Haile Graduate Programs Newsletter, follow us on LinkedIn, or listen to Beyond the Degree on Spotify.

The Future

The next chapter is all about community. I’m lucky to have thoughtful readers, commenters, and amplifiers who help these ideas reach new audiences. My focus moving forward is to invest in you — the community that makes this all possible.

Expect new initiatives, collaborations, and reader features soon.

Thank you for helping Decode Econ grow from a personal project into a shared platform for curiosity, clarity, and connection.

— Dr. A

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