"Every time I try to be an expert, I lose readers. When I’m just me, they stick around." – Jesse J. Anderson, Extra Focus newsletter

For the first time ever, Chenell & Dylan have recorded LIVE, in-person podcast episodes!  

Coming at you in-person from Kit Studios in Boise ID, Chenell & Dylan connect with Jesse J. Anderson—better known online as ADHD Jesse—to uncover the evolution of his successful newsletter, Extra Focus. 

Jesse's grown Extra Focus to over 70,000 subscribers and a combined social following in the hundreds of thousands. Jesse shares the real, raw, and often hilarious truth about building a brand and business around ADHD while balancing a full-time job and raising three kids.

We talk through the early days of posting atomic essays in Ship 30 For 30, stumbling into virality, learning what content resonated (and what didn’t), and how he’s navigated massive growth across platforms like Substack, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Whether you're managing life with ADHD or not our chat with Jesse is full of valuable insight into newsletter growth, business, and some brutal honesty.

→ Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >>

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Jesse’s unexpected entry into content creation through Ship 30 for 30
• The signal pointing him towards doubling down on ADHD content
• How he built a massive newsletter while working full-time and raising a family
• Lessons learned from running paid newsletters, courses, and planning a thriving ADHD community
• What led to his viral Instagram and Twitter growth, and Jesse's simple content repurposing strategy
• The emotional rollercoaster of getting laid off and turning that moment into a creative breakthrough
• Why authenticity matters now more than ever in a post-AI content world

LINKS MENTIONED

• Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questions
• Jesse’s Newsletter: ExtraFocus.com
• Jesse on: Instagram | Twitter | Bluesky
• Ship30For30.com (←affiliate link)
• Recorded in Kit Studios, Boise ID
• Check out the 30 Days of Growth FREE >>
• 30 Days of Growth Course Pre-launch
• Growth In Reverse PRO Community
• Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here. 
• Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL

• Chenell: Twitter | LinkedIn | Substack
• Dylan: LinkedIn | Bluesky

OUR NEWSLETTERS

• growthinreverse.com
• growthcurrency.net

Subscribe & Leave a Review:

If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.