122: Behind the Scenes: How I Grew My Email List With a Low-Lift Collaborative Event

You've heard of summits. You've heard of bundles. But what if there's a simpler, lower-lift way to collaborate that still delivers real email list growth — without the two-day video marathon or the elaborate launch plan? That's exactly what the Workflow Exchange was. And in this episode — recorded live at the Grow Without Social online event hosted by Gabe Cox — I'm pulling back the curtain on how it worked, what surprised me, and how you can model something similar in your own business. **In this episode you'll learn:** - What the Workflow Exchange actually is and why it's different from a traditional summit or bundle - How I organized it, automated it, and kept my own involvement to 10–15 hours total - The opt-in strategy I used so *every* contributor gained email subscribers (not just the ones attendees selected) - Why I was so intentional about who I invited — and how that directly impacted the results - How to start small if 10 collaborators feels like too much (hint: three business besties is a completely valid starting point) - What I'd do the same — and what I'd simplify — if I ran it again **Episode Timestamps:** - \[00:00] Introduction from Gabe Cox — what the Workflow Exchange is and why this conversation matters - \[02:15] My social media journey — from waiting for my Facebook invite to getting completely off the algorithm treadmill - \[06:00] The Workflow Exchange explained — the idea behind it, the format, and why I built it this way - \[10:45] Results: ~200 new email subscribers per contributor, roughly 10–15 hours of total work - \[14:30] The opt-in strategy that made the email growth work — and why I chose it over the traditional "select who you want" model - \[17:00] What I'd keep the same vs. what I'd simplify next time (spoiler: my Google Drive folder system got a little out of hand) - \[20:30] Turning it evergreen — what that looks like and why simple wins - \[23:00] First steps if you want to try something like this in your own business - \[26:00] The Visibility Vault — what it is and how to grab it **Key Takeaway:** *"Find your core and then expand out as it feels right. You don't have to go big. Find three of your business besties who have businesses that complement each other and launch it that way."* **Resources Mentioned:** - Visibility Vault Mini Course — Private podcast + companion guide with one action step per episode on organic visibility off social - Gabe Cox — Grow Without Social Event *(host of this conversation)* - FlowDesk — email marketing platform Jan uses for automation - Claude AI — used to organize contributors and determine the sequencing of workflow delivery **Connect with Jan:** Website: jantouchberry.com Podcast: Marketing Without Social **Ready to get clients without posting?** Your website is your most powerful owned media asset — and if it's not working as hard as you are, that's worth a look. Book a call with Jan to talk about what's possible. *Marketing Without Social is the podcast for Christian women entrepreneurs who are done chasing algorithms and ready to build a business on owned media — podcast, email, and website — that keeps working even when life calls you away.*