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Jun 19, 2016 · 24m · top-founders

How to Capture 150 New Emails Leads From Instagram Daily, EP 302: Nathan Chan

Nathan Latka · 12m spoken Nathan Chan · 9m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

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In episode 302 of 'The Top', host Nathan Latka interviews Foundr Magazine founder Nathan Chan to uncover how the publication leveraged Instagram, App Store Optimization, and automated funnels to build a multi-million-dollar modern media empire.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Nathan holds 55.6% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Nathan as informed peer 3.7 Guest teaching 2.3 Guest disagreement 0.7 Nathan pushing back 1.4
05100:0010:0020:001:08–3:20 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 Welcoming Nathan Chan, Founder of Foundr Magazine Latka introduces Nathan Chan and references their previous episode together, establishing an open and collaborative foundation by asking which content channel drives the most revenue.3:20–7:36 · Nathan as informed peer 5/10 Foundr's Instagram Team Workflow and Posting Cadence Latka probes the exact posting workflow and questions whether shoutouts are paid promotions. Latka also demonstrates subject familiarity by referencing user and revenue numbers for Latergram.7:36–10:14 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 Lead Magnet Funnels, Conversion Rates, and Weekly Webinars Chan details his lead magnet and webinar funnel numbers, including a 65% opt-in conversion rate, while Latka digs into lead velocity and webinar attendance figures.10:14–12:32 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 Revenue Breakdown: Courses, Memberships, and App Downloads Latka aggressively brackets Chan's vague sponsorship numbers to pin down exact dollar ranges, while Chan explains that the digital magazine functions primarily as a tripwire rather than the main revenue engine.12:32–15:00 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 Design Sourcing via Behance and Brand Authority Building Latka presses Chan to disclose magazine revenue figures under Twitter pressure, prompting Chan to confirm multiple six figures under seven figures, while discussing design sourcing via Behance and Dribbble.15:00–18:18 · Nathan as informed peer 5/10 App Store Optimization Tactics for Top Category Rankings Chan educates Latka on App Store Optimization techniques, debunking the value of description metadata in favor of title keywords, while Latka dissects Foundr's naming structure and podcast metrics.18:18–20:34 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 Scaling a $100M Media Empire and Foundr Club Beta Launch Latka proposes a hypothetical $30M acquisition, but Chan pushes back on the premise by explaining why legacy single-channel media business models fail compared to modern diversified funnels.20:34–23:50 · Nathan as informed peer 3/10 Sponsor Message: HostGator Hosting and Exclusive Promotion Following a HostGator sponsor read, Latka takes Chan through the rapid-fire Famous Five question set in a relaxed, friendly exchange.23:51–24:47 · Nathan as informed peer 0/10 Episode Conclusion and Listener Giveaways Solo host outro segment featuring listener promos, host credit promotions, and a recap of upcoming episodes.1:08–3:20 · Guest teaching 1/10 Welcoming Nathan Chan, Founder of Foundr Magazine Latka introduces Nathan Chan and references their previous episode together, establishing an open and collaborative foundation by asking which content channel drives the most revenue.3:20–7:36 · Guest teaching 3/10 Foundr's Instagram Team Workflow and Posting Cadence Latka probes the exact posting workflow and questions whether shoutouts are paid promotions. Latka also demonstrates subject familiarity by referencing user and revenue numbers for Latergram.7:36–10:14 · Guest teaching 3/10 Lead Magnet Funnels, Conversion Rates, and Weekly Webinars Chan details his lead magnet and webinar funnel numbers, including a 65% opt-in conversion rate, while Latka digs into lead velocity and webinar attendance figures.10:14–12:32 · Guest teaching 3/10 Revenue Breakdown: Courses, Memberships, and App Downloads Latka aggressively brackets Chan's vague sponsorship numbers to pin down exact dollar ranges, while Chan explains that the digital magazine functions primarily as a tripwire rather than the main revenue engine.12:32–15:00 · Guest teaching 2/10 Design Sourcing via Behance and Brand Authority Building Latka presses Chan to disclose magazine revenue figures under Twitter pressure, prompting Chan to confirm multiple six figures under seven figures, while discussing design sourcing via Behance and Dribbble.15:00–18:18 · Guest teaching 4/10 App Store Optimization Tactics for Top Category Rankings Chan educates Latka on App Store Optimization techniques, debunking the value of description metadata in favor of title keywords, while Latka dissects Foundr's naming structure and podcast metrics.18:18–20:34 · Guest teaching 4/10 Scaling a $100M Media Empire and Foundr Club Beta Launch Latka proposes a hypothetical $30M acquisition, but Chan pushes back on the premise by explaining why legacy single-channel media business models fail compared to modern diversified funnels.20:34–23:50 · Guest teaching 1/10 Sponsor Message: HostGator Hosting and Exclusive Promotion Following a HostGator sponsor read, Latka takes Chan through the rapid-fire Famous Five question set in a relaxed, friendly exchange.23:51–24:47 · Guest teaching 0/10 Episode Conclusion and Listener Giveaways Solo host outro segment featuring listener promos, host credit promotions, and a recap of upcoming episodes.1:08–3:20 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Welcoming Nathan Chan, Founder of Foundr Magazine Latka introduces Nathan Chan and references their previous episode together, establishing an open and collaborative foundation by asking which content channel drives the most revenue.3:20–7:36 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Foundr's Instagram Team Workflow and Posting Cadence Latka probes the exact posting workflow and questions whether shoutouts are paid promotions. Latka also demonstrates subject familiarity by referencing user and revenue numbers for Latergram.7:36–10:14 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Lead Magnet Funnels, Conversion Rates, and Weekly Webinars Chan details his lead magnet and webinar funnel numbers, including a 65% opt-in conversion rate, while Latka digs into lead velocity and webinar attendance figures.10:14–12:32 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Revenue Breakdown: Courses, Memberships, and App Downloads Latka aggressively brackets Chan's vague sponsorship numbers to pin down exact dollar ranges, while Chan explains that the digital magazine functions primarily as a tripwire rather than the main revenue engine.12:32–15:00 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Design Sourcing via Behance and Brand Authority Building Latka presses Chan to disclose magazine revenue figures under Twitter pressure, prompting Chan to confirm multiple six figures under seven figures, while discussing design sourcing via Behance and Dribbble.15:00–18:18 · Guest disagreement 1/10 App Store Optimization Tactics for Top Category Rankings Chan educates Latka on App Store Optimization techniques, debunking the value of description metadata in favor of title keywords, while Latka dissects Foundr's naming structure and podcast metrics.18:18–20:34 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Scaling a $100M Media Empire and Foundr Club Beta Launch Latka proposes a hypothetical $30M acquisition, but Chan pushes back on the premise by explaining why legacy single-channel media business models fail compared to modern diversified funnels.20:34–23:50 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Sponsor Message: HostGator Hosting and Exclusive Promotion Following a HostGator sponsor read, Latka takes Chan through the rapid-fire Famous Five question set in a relaxed, friendly exchange.23:51–24:47 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Episode Conclusion and Listener Giveaways Solo host outro segment featuring listener promos, host credit promotions, and a recap of upcoming episodes.1:08–3:20 · Nathan pushing back 0/10 Welcoming Nathan Chan, Founder of Foundr Magazine Latka introduces Nathan Chan and references their previous episode together, establishing an open and collaborative foundation by asking which content channel drives the most revenue.3:20–7:36 · Nathan pushing back 2/10 Foundr's Instagram Team Workflow and Posting Cadence Latka probes the exact posting workflow and questions whether shoutouts are paid promotions. Latka also demonstrates subject familiarity by referencing user and revenue numbers for Latergram.7:36–10:14 · Nathan pushing back 1/10 Lead Magnet Funnels, Conversion Rates, and Weekly Webinars Chan details his lead magnet and webinar funnel numbers, including a 65% opt-in conversion rate, while Latka digs into lead velocity and webinar attendance figures.10:14–12:32 · Nathan pushing back 3/10 Revenue Breakdown: Courses, Memberships, and App Downloads Latka aggressively brackets Chan's vague sponsorship numbers to pin down exact dollar ranges, while Chan explains that the digital magazine functions primarily as a tripwire rather than the main revenue engine.12:32–15:00 · Nathan pushing back 3/10 Design Sourcing via Behance and Brand Authority Building Latka presses Chan to disclose magazine revenue figures under Twitter pressure, prompting Chan to confirm multiple six figures under seven figures, while discussing design sourcing via Behance and Dribbble.15:00–18:18 · Nathan pushing back 2/10 App Store Optimization Tactics for Top Category Rankings Chan educates Latka on App Store Optimization techniques, debunking the value of description metadata in favor of title keywords, while Latka dissects Foundr's naming structure and podcast metrics.18:18–20:34 · Nathan pushing back 2/10 Scaling a $100M Media Empire and Foundr Club Beta Launch Latka proposes a hypothetical $30M acquisition, but Chan pushes back on the premise by explaining why legacy single-channel media business models fail compared to modern diversified funnels.20:34–23:50 · Nathan pushing back 0/10 Sponsor Message: HostGator Hosting and Exclusive Promotion Following a HostGator sponsor read, Latka takes Chan through the rapid-fire Famous Five question set in a relaxed, friendly exchange.23:51–24:47 · Nathan pushing back 0/10 Episode Conclusion and Listener Giveaways Solo host outro segment featuring listener promos, host credit promotions, and a recap of upcoming episodes.

speaking balance: gold is Nathan, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Nathan 92.5% · guest 7.5%0:00 · Nathan 92.5% · guest 7.5%3:00 · Nathan 13.1% · guest 86.9%3:00 · Nathan 13.1% · guest 86.9%6:00 · Nathan 33.3% · guest 66.7%6:00 · Nathan 33.3% · guest 66.7%9:00 · Nathan 41.2% · guest 58.8%9:00 · Nathan 41.2% · guest 58.8%12:00 · Nathan 59.6% · guest 40.4%12:00 · Nathan 59.6% · guest 40.4%15:00 · Nathan 53.2% · guest 46.8%15:00 · Nathan 53.2% · guest 46.8%18:00 · Nathan 58.9% · guest 41.1%18:00 · Nathan 58.9% · guest 41.1%21:00 · Nathan 83.8% · guest 16.2%21:00 · Nathan 83.8% · guest 16.2%24:00 · Nathan 100% · guest 0%24:00 · Nathan 100% · guest 0%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 19:07 Rejecting legacy media monetization models

Chan dismisses Latka's acquisition hypothetical about selling solely the magazine asset, arguing that modern media businesses fail if they rely strictly on traditional advertising rather than multi-tiered product ecosystems.

 Hardest push from Nathan ▶ 11:03 Latka demands specific revenue brackets

Latka refuses Chan's vague characterization of sponsorship income as 'very little,' immediately pushing for concrete parameters between five and ten thousand dollars.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 16:22 Debunking iTunes description relevance in ASO

Chan straightforwardly corrects Latka's assumption regarding App Store indexing, clarifying that metadata descriptions do nothing compared to target title keywords and review volume.

 Nathan holds their own ▶ 6:10 Latka cites operational data from Latergram founder interview

Latka demonstrates deep industry awareness by citing specific user volume and monthly revenue data directly from his past interview with the founder of the tool Chan uses.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicNathan as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementNathan pushing backWhy
Welcoming Nathan Chan, Founder of Foundr Magazine 4100 Latka introduces Nathan Chan and references their previous episode together, establishing an open and collaborative foundation by asking which content channel drives the most revenue.
Foundr's Instagram Team Workflow and Posting Cadence 5312 Latka probes the exact posting workflow and questions whether shoutouts are paid promotions. Latka also demonstrates subject familiarity by referencing user and revenue numbers for Latergram.
Lead Magnet Funnels, Conversion Rates, and Weekly Webinars 4301 Chan details his lead magnet and webinar funnel numbers, including a 65% opt-in conversion rate, while Latka digs into lead velocity and webinar attendance figures.
Revenue Breakdown: Courses, Memberships, and App Downloads 4313 Latka aggressively brackets Chan's vague sponsorship numbers to pin down exact dollar ranges, while Chan explains that the digital magazine functions primarily as a tripwire rather than the main revenue engine.
Design Sourcing via Behance and Brand Authority Building 4213 Latka presses Chan to disclose magazine revenue figures under Twitter pressure, prompting Chan to confirm multiple six figures under seven figures, while discussing design sourcing via Behance and Dribbble.
App Store Optimization Tactics for Top Category Rankings 5412 Chan educates Latka on App Store Optimization techniques, debunking the value of description metadata in favor of title keywords, while Latka dissects Foundr's naming structure and podcast metrics.
Scaling a $100M Media Empire and Foundr Club Beta Launch 4422 Latka proposes a hypothetical $30M acquisition, but Chan pushes back on the premise by explaining why legacy single-channel media business models fail compared to modern diversified funnels.
Sponsor Message: HostGator Hosting and Exclusive Promotion 3100 Following a HostGator sponsor read, Latka takes Chan through the rapid-fire Famous Five question set in a relaxed, friendly exchange.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Giveaways 0000 Solo host outro segment featuring listener promos, host credit promotions, and a recap of upcoming episodes.

Statements from this episode (18)

Assertion Not checkable as stated
Instagram is Foundr's top channel for revenue and customer acquisition
“So I would say probably Instagram is generating the most revenue for us in terms of customer acquisition leads, especially leads.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 2:53
Assertion Supported
Foundr grew from zero to 700,000 Instagram followers in 16 months
“We've built our Instagram account, the founder magazine, Instagram account from zero to 700 K followers now in 16 months.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 3:29
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Foundr's Instagram generated over 100,000 email subscribers
“That's generated over a 100,000 plus email subscribers, at least maybe closer to 150,000.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 3:41
Insight
Higher posting frequency directly accelerates Instagram audience growth
“We've found the more we post, the faster we grow.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 4:16
Assertion Supported
Latergram reached $50,000 monthly recurring revenue with 500,000 users
“They just passed 50 grand per month in revenue with 500,000 users.”
Nathan Latka Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 6:23
Disclosure
Foundr refuses sponsored Instagram posts to focus on its own sales
“The purpose of the founder account isn't to make, like the Instagram account isn't to make money. It's to drive leads, traffic, and sales for us. We don't, we get asked every day by all sorts of people. We don't do that kind of paid stuff.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 6:58
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Foundr captures 300 to 400 email leads per day via Instagram
“So from Instagram, At least at minimum, 300 to 400 a day.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 8:14
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Foundr's Instagram guide landing page converts visitors at 65 percent
“That's a page that you see, it's heavily split tested. It, that one in particular converts at 65%.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 9:29
Disclosure
Foundr uses its magazine as a tripwire for high-revenue digital courses
“Magazines like a entry-level product. Think of it almost like a tripwire, bro. So yeah, no, a lot of it's being generated from the courses and yeah, just, yeah, really the digital products.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 11:36
Assertion Not checkable as stated
The Foundr Magazine mobile app has surpassed 500,000 downloads
“No, not past a million. Closer to around 500,000 last I checked. I haven't checked in a couple of months, but yeah, close to 500, half a million. It'd be over half a million, yeah.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 12:13
Disclosure
Foundr's digital magazine generates multiple six figures in annual revenue
“It would be under seven figures. Just the magazine. Multiple six.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 14:54
Insight
An app's name is the most critical factor for App Store ranking
“No, not just the metadata, but the actual name. That's most important. The app name.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 15:44
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Foundr Magazine has more US App Store reviews than Entrepreneur
“We've got more reviews than them in the American App Store, and that's, you know, our target market.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 16:32
Assertion Supported
App Store descriptions have zero impact on iTunes search rankings
“ITunes, iTunes description means nothing.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 16:46
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Foundr's podcast reached 70,000 monthly downloads by June 2016
“Last, last month we did 70,000 downloads.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 17:38
Insight
Purely ad-based digital media publishing is a broken business model
“Like all these media companies out there are struggling right now because they think you just create a magazine or you create a website and then you just sell ads. And that's just a broken model these days.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 19:20
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Foundr reached 210,000 total email subscribers by mid-2016
“No, it's 210,000.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 19:46
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Foundr Club acquired 400 paying customers while still in beta
“400 and we're still in beta.”
Nathan Chan Jun 19, 2016 ▶ 20:05
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