The eCommerce Marketing Podcast walks you through everything that goes into ecommerce marketing — from inbound marketing to paid advertising to conversions. Learn the strategies top marketing experts use to grow their businesses.
In this episode of the eCommerce Marketing Podcast, host Arlen Robinson chats with Jesse Kay, founder and CEO of Vyber Media, about the proven strategies behind building, scaling, and monetizing an email and SMS list to over 200,000 subscribers. Jesse shares how he launched his first podcast at 16, built his agency from the ground up, and now helps 8- and 9-figure brands achieve profitable digital growth. The conversation dives deep into common mistakes brands make with list-building, how to implement self-liquidating funnels, and a real-world case study where a welcome series alone drove over $400K in revenue.
Key Episode Takeaways:
- Jesse Kay started his entrepreneurial journey by launching a podcast at 16 and now runs a successful performance marketing agency.
- Email and SMS remain highly profitable channels—especially when properly integrated.
- Many brands, even large ones, fail at basic setup steps like correct form integrations and automation triggers.
- Using a multi-step popup form can significantly increase opt-ins.
- Segmenting your list by engagement and product interest dramatically improves deliverability and conversions.
- Automations like welcome series, cart abandonment, and post-purchase flows can drive 40%+ of email revenue.
- Brands can build a 200K+ list cost-effectively without relying heavily on paid ads.
- Consistent email sends—especially to your most engaged subscribers—are critical for staying top-of-mind.
- SMS should be used in sync with email to create a cohesive customer experience.
- Jesse’s case study: Grew a sporting goods brand’s list to 146K subscribers and $400K+ in welcome flow revenue using Facebook lead ads and smart automations.
- For show transcript highlights, past guests, and more, visit: https://www.ecommercemarketingpodcast.com
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Past guests on the ecommerce marketing podcast include Neil Patel, Nemo Chu, Luke Lintz, Luke Carthy, Amber Armstrong, Kris Ruby and many more.
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Jesse Kay is the founder and CEO of Vyber Media, a performance marketing agency focused on helping eight and nine-figure eCommerce brands unlock scalable, high-margin digital growth using youth-focused strategies. Launching his first podcast at just 16, Jesse’s entrepreneurial journey began in high school and rapidly evolved into building a high-impact marketing firm. He’s worked with Fortune 1000 CEOs, professional athletes, and small business owners to drive results across email, SMS, paid social, and influencer marketing.
In this episode, Jesse breaks down the step-by-step process for building, scaling, and monetizing an email and SMS list to over 200,000 subscribers—cost-efficiently and without relying heavily on paid ads. He outlines critical mistakes brands make when trying to grow their lists, the automation strategies that power up to 40% of email revenue, and how to maintain list quality through segmentation and proper campaign management. Jesse also shares a real-world case study where a welcome series alone generated over $400,000 in revenue.
Key Topics Discussed
- Jesse’s entrepreneurial journey from sneaker reselling and podcasting to founding Vyber Media
- Why email and SMS remain essential for eCommerce growth in 2025
- Foundational mistakes even large brands make in their email/SMS strategy
- The importance of proper automation flows like welcome series, cart abandonment, and list segmentation
- Building a self-liquidating acquisition funnel
- Why segmenting by engagement and product interest is crucial for deliverability and revenue
- The overlooked power of SMS when integrated with email efforts
- Case study: Growing a sporting goods brand’s list to 146K+ subscribers and $400K+ in welcome series revenue
Time Stamps
[00:01] – Jesse’s background: launching a podcast at 16 and early hustle
[04:56] – Why email and SMS are still powerful in today’s noisy digital world
[08:53] – Low-cost strategies to build a list from scratch
[11:44] – Making automation flows profitable
[15:28] – How to maintain list quality at scale
[19:35] – Segmentation strategy: daily emails to your super fans
[21:02] – Case study: $400K+ revenue from a single welcome flow
[25:56] – Fun Fact: Raised $125K for COVID relief via digital campaigns
[27:11] – How to connect with Jesse
Guest Contact Information
Website: vybermedia.com
LinkedIn: Jesse Kay
Instagram/X: @JesseKay
