Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share 206. How I built a newsletter with 7,000+ subscribers (and growing) (Dexter Zhuang)
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
206. How I built a newsletter with 7,000+ subscribers (and growing) (Dexter Zhuang)
As creators, many of us start with a hunch, a curiosity, or a simple “let’s see where this goes.” Today’s guest, Dexter Zhuang, embodies this experimental mindset. He’s the founder of Portfolio Path and a fractional product leader who’s spent the last 12 years leading teams across the U.S., Southeast Asia, and Latin America at companies like Dropbox and Xendit.
In 2023, Dexter launched Money Abroad—a newsletter exploring personal finance for expats—as an experiment. Over time, it evolved into Portfolio Path, an education platform that helps high-performers grow their portfolio careers and manage their money with intention.
Today, Portfolio Path reaches over 7,000 subscribers. Along the way, Dexter has leaned into audience surveys, embraced feedback, and navigated the common insecurities that come with publishing your ideas publicly.
In this episode, we unpack that journey—from testing an idea to building something that resonates deeply with a growing community.
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:02) Starting a newsletter as an experiment
(06:11) Pivoting the newsletter
(11:10) Reviewing Dexter’s past content
(16:26) Insecurities when building the newsletter
(20:49) Content is a stepping stone for the audience
(23:24) Conducting surveys with your audience
(30:52) Underrated parts of building a newsletter
(37:26) Actionable Takeaways
Connect with Dexter Zhuang
Newsletter: https://www.theportfoliopath.com/subscribe
Website: https://www.dexterzhuang.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dexterzhuang
Connect with Cheryl Lau
Website: https://cheryllau.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheryltheory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau
ANNOTATIONS - The Newsletter
The edits that got cut from the podcast.
Every interview on EDIT HISTORY runs about 60 minutes. But less than 40 minutes makes it into the final cut. This newsletter is where the rest live.
ANNOTATIONS is where I share the 33% I left behind — and the insights that came after we stopped recording.
Subscribe at: https://cheryllau.com/email
Contact
Please email [email protected] for business inquiries.
View all episodes
By Cheryl Lau
4.7
1414 ratings
As creators, many of us start with a hunch, a curiosity, or a simple “let’s see where this goes.” Today’s guest, Dexter Zhuang, embodies this experimental mindset. He’s the founder of Portfolio Path and a fractional product leader who’s spent the last 12 years leading teams across the U.S., Southeast Asia, and Latin America at companies like Dropbox and Xendit.
In 2023, Dexter launched Money Abroad—a newsletter exploring personal finance for expats—as an experiment. Over time, it evolved into Portfolio Path, an education platform that helps high-performers grow their portfolio careers and manage their money with intention.
Today, Portfolio Path reaches over 7,000 subscribers. Along the way, Dexter has leaned into audience surveys, embraced feedback, and navigated the common insecurities that come with publishing your ideas publicly.
In this episode, we unpack that journey—from testing an idea to building something that resonates deeply with a growing community.
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:02) Starting a newsletter as an experiment
(06:11) Pivoting the newsletter
(11:10) Reviewing Dexter’s past content
(16:26) Insecurities when building the newsletter
(20:49) Content is a stepping stone for the audience
(23:24) Conducting surveys with your audience
(30:52) Underrated parts of building a newsletter
(37:26) Actionable Takeaways
Connect with Dexter Zhuang
Newsletter: https://www.theportfoliopath.com/subscribe
Website: https://www.dexterzhuang.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dexterzhuang
Connect with Cheryl Lau
Website: https://cheryllau.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheryltheory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau
ANNOTATIONS - The Newsletter
The edits that got cut from the podcast.
Every interview on EDIT HISTORY runs about 60 minutes. But less than 40 minutes makes it into the final cut. This newsletter is where the rest live.
ANNOTATIONS is where I share the 33% I left behind — and the insights that came after we stopped recording.
Subscribe at: https://cheryllau.com/email
Contact
Please email [email protected] for business inquiries.
More shows like EDIT HISTORY | Successful entrepreneurs & creators revisit, review, and roast the content that got them to where they are
View all
The Amy Porterfield Show
4,574 Listeners
Podcast Marketing Trends Explained: Data-Driven Podcast Growth Strategies
66 Listeners