In this week’s episode, I sat down with
and , co-founders of The AI Break, a Substack newsletter that’s grown to more than 90,000 subscribers in under two years.The two brothers shared how they turned their side-project into a full-time business, combining paid ads, organic growth, and practical AI education.
We also covered:
Why paid ads became their biggest growth engine - and how they reinvested every dollar to scale (02:41)
How they monetize their newsletter through 3 powerful income streams (13:00)
Why the best way to sell your services might be to stop pitching them altogether (19:40)
The smart paywall strategy that converts free readers into paying subscribers (21:00)
How to start using AI if you’re feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by it (28:20)
How you can create high-quality content with AI - that actually sounds and feels like you (37:00)
Why you should start monetizing your knowledge right now - even if you only have 10 subscribers (01:00:45)
And much, much more…
Watch On YouTube:
👉 Subscribe to the Write • Build • Scale YouTube channel, where we’ll upload a video version of the podcast every week.
Connect With Rui & Luis Sousa:
🧰 Grab Your Free Substack Starter Kit:
The Substack Starter Kit is your shortcut to building a successful publication that attracts readers, earns subscribers, and grows every single week.
Inside the Substack Starter Kit, you’ll find proven strategies, practical frameworks, and simple systems that help you turn your Substack into a thriving newsletter with thousands of readers who appreciate your work - even if you’re just getting started.
Key Lessons From This Episode:
Lesson 1: Use the Substack Ecosystem to Your Advantage
Rui and Luis say 40–50% of their newsletter growth now comes directly from Substack’s built-in features: Recommendations and Notes.
Most creators underuse these two features and miss out on a lot of new subscribers.
So, collaborate with other Substackers, exchange newsletter recommendations, and show up on Notes daily if you want to attract more new readers.
Lesson 2: Systems = Growth
Rui and Luis didn’t stumble into success, they built a repeatable system for it.
Every part of The AI Break runs like a machine: consistent publishing, smart content repurposing, Meta ads feeding new readers, and sponsor revenue fueling more growth.
Instead of relying on luck or virality, they engineered a feedback loop where every win made the next one easier.
That’s the real difference between a newsletter and a newsletter business.
Lesson 3: Monetize Early (Even if You’re Small)
Don’t wait for 10,000 subscribers to launch a paid tier or offer sponsor slots. Even if you have a small audience, you should already start monetizing.
The AI Break started monetizing almost immediately, using tools like Passionfroot to manage sponsors and adding a paid tier with premium tutorials.
Every dollar earned was reinvested into ads - creating a powerful snowball effect in (paid) subscriber growth.
Lesson 4: Don’t Study AI - Experiment With It
If you’re overwhelmed by AI, don’t try to “learn everything.” Instead, follow Rui and Luis’ advice: experiment.
Pick one or two AI tools - like ChatGPT or Claude - and use them to solve small, real problems in your workflow.
AI changes too quickly to master it academically - the creators who stay ahead are the ones who play, test, and adapt as they go.
Lesson 5: Don’t Be Afraid to Charge for What You Know
Your audience values your knowledge more than you realize.
What feels “basic” or “common sense” to you is often exactly what others are willing to pay for.
If you teach practical skills that save people time, money, or frustration, you deserve to charge for it.
