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🕵️‍♂️ The “Write to Your Former Self” Growth Hack

PLUS A referral growth loop that fuels itself and a funnel that actually converts.

Author

Brian Augsburger
March 05, 2025

Hey thieves,

This week’s newsletter is a special one—all of my favorite steals from last week’s Creator Growth Summit.

There was a ton of good info, but these are the tactics that really stuck with me. From AI-powered engagement hacks to a referral growth loop that practically runs itself, these are the moves worth stealing.

Did anyone else attend? Would love to hear what stood out to you.

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Stolen Tactics

#1 - The “Write to Your Former Self” Growth Hack

The exact move

Joey Justice built his audience by writing to who he was 5 years ago. Instead of guessing what people want, he shares the advice, frameworks, and hard lessons he wished he had when he started. His relatability and hyper-specific content helped him grow a massive social following and sell digital products without being pushy.

Why it works

  • Authenticity wins – People connect with real, personal stories.

  • You already know your audience – They’re just a past version of you.

  • Trust = conversions – If someone feels like you get them, they buy.

🕵️‍♂️ Stolen from Joey Justice (Cortex AI)

🕵️‍♂️ How to Steal it?

→ Write down your biggest past struggles. What confused you back then?

→ Answer those problems in your content. Share your real solutions.

→ Use “I wish I knew this earlier…” as a hook—it gets attention.

→ Create a roadmap. Your journey = their blueprint.

→ Monetize with products. Sell what you would’ve paid for 3 years ago.

*********

#2 - Instant Gratification Referral Growth Loops

The exact move

Beehive’s referral system, led by EJ White, turns subscribers into growth engines by offering instant, gamified rewards. Instead of just promising a reward after 10 referrals, they show progress immediately and use lower-barrier incentives like exclusive content at 1 or 3 referrals. The result? Their users’ referral programs generate millions of free subscribers.

Why it works

  • Triggers dopamine – People love instant rewards. A single referral feels like progress.

  • Gamifies sharing – Tiers keep people engaged. More referrals = more perks.

  • Compounds growth – One engaged subscriber can bring in 10x more.

🕵️‍♂️ Stolen from EJ White (Beehive)

🕵️‍♂️ How to Steal it?

→ Offer a small reward at 1 referral (PDF, bonus issue, exclusive content).

→ Show progress inside every email—make it visual.

→ Use leaderboards or “top referrers” shoutouts to create competition.

→ Remind users how close they are to the next milestone.

→ Keep incentives stacked—multiple small wins beat one big one.

*********

#3 - The AI-Prompted Engagement Trigger

The exact move

Yannick Veys, co-founder of HypeFury, shared how AI-generated engagement triggers boost post reach. Instead of ending with a weak “What do you think?”, they use strategic prompts like:

  • “What’s a mistake you made in [topic]?”

  • “If you could only use ONE tool for this, what would it be?”

  • “What’s your biggest struggle with [problem]?”

These tiny tweaks massively increase reach and engagement.

Why it works

  • More comments = more reach – The algorithm loves engagement.

  • People love talking about themselves – Great questions force replies.

  • Easy CTA = More conversions – Gets followers off the sidelines.

🕵️‍♂️ Stolen from Yannick Veys (HypeFury)

🕵️‍♂️ How to Steal it?

→ Pre-plan engagement triggers in your posts. Ask something easy to answer.

→ Make it irresistible. Frame it like a challenge: “Can you answer this?”

→ Use “Reply & I’ll DM you” for bonus content. Turns lurkers into leads.

→ Test different formats. Polls, Qs, or “this vs. that” always work.

→ Do this on every post. More engagement = more reach = more subs.

The Stash

👉️ 

🕵️ Multiple streams of income (YouTube)

🕵️ Hacks for scripts (LinkedIn)

🕵️ Build a team of AI Agents (YouTube)

 👉️ 

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See you soon with more thefts!

Brian Augsburger, Chief Thief