Email Peeps 63: Dan Oshinsky

How did you get into email… I mean, newsletters?

By accident! Back in 2012, I was interested in what BuzzFeed was doing, so I reached out, and they invited me up to New York City to chat. They asked me to pitch them on a job within the company, and since BuzzFeed was all about getting readers to share our content, and email is one of the original sources of sharing on the web, I thought it might be a good fit at BuzzFeed. I told them I wanted to be BuzzFeed’s first-ever Newsletter Editor. More than a decade later, I’m still working in the email space!

What makes a good newsletter?

A clear audience + a clear job to be done + a clear sense of why your newsletter belongs in the inbox.

Which newsletters do you read on a regular basis?

I spend a lot of time reading newsletters that cover my local area — I live in Utah — particularly from local news brands like the Salt Lake Tribune, TownLift, and KPCW. I always need to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in my neighborhood, and newsletters are still a fantastic way to stay connected.

What’s in your email marketing toolbox?

Software:

Besides my ESP, I’m using:

Glueletter to track newsletter analytics.
Fathom Analytics to track how my newsletter audience engages with my on-site content.
OptinMonster to convert website readers into newsletter subscribers.
Everlit to convert my articles into audio.
Granola.ai to help me record, summarize, and act on conversations with sources or clients.

Hardware:
I’ve got a Macbook laptop, a second monitor, a Blue Yeti microphone, and a webcam from Opal.

Are you using AI? How?

I use tools like Everlit to quickly turn my articles into audio — having audio versions of these pieces is a part of my pledge to make sure my content is accessible to all. I’ve really been enjoying NotebookLM to suggest questions to ask a source or topics to explore in more detail. And I’m playing around with tools like Bolt to try to create custom apps to help with my workflow.

How do you see AI changing the newsletter industry in the next few years?

I think from a process standpoint, it’s going to present amazing opportunities for small operations to punch above their weight. Even one-person newsletters will be able to automate so many parts of their workflow, from research to design to editing. Adding a tool like Granola.ai to my workflow, for instance, has saved me 5-10 hours a week that I used to spend typing handwritten notes into various Google Docs that I have for each client.

It’s such an exciting time for the newsletter operator who’s willing to experiment with new AI tools.

What’s your advice for someone thinking about starting their own newsletter?

All the good stuff happens after you start. Until you start, you don’t really know who your audience will be, how you might be able to monetize, or what doors your newsletter might open for you. Don’t wait until you feel 100% ready. Start as soon as you can.

Much love,
Andy

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @emaillove

Run a free test

Check for deliverability or content issues before hitting send.

Looking to take the guesswork out of deliverability? Mailyser gives you the power to test, analyze, and monitor your email campaigns before you even hit send. With in-depth pre-flight testing, inbox placement insights, blacklist checks, and real-time monitoring of your IPs and domains, Mailyser helps ensure your messages land exactly where they should — in the inbox. Whether you’re troubleshooting domain issues, optimizing content, or tracking sender reputation, Mailyser gives you the visibility and tools you need to improve performance and send with confidence.