Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Troy Ericson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Troy, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from a few different places, but it’s all tied together by my mindset and approach to challenges.
I refuse to accept defeat. When I face a setback, like when a client wanted to fire me or my baseball career ended, I don’t just throw in the towel. Instead, I dig in and figure out what went wrong. For instance, when that client wanted to fire me, I asked them why, and it turned out to be an issue with their emails going to spam. That’s how I got into email marketing in the first place.
I’m all about solving problems. When I see an issue, I don’t shy away from it. I see it as a puzzle to solve. That’s what I did when that client’s emails were going to spam. I offered to fix it for free, and that ultimately boosted their email revenue by almost 4x. It’s the same with my “Reverse Cold Email” method. I saw that cold email was broken and I decided to fix it by creating a system that worked. I love a good puzzle, and I’m always looking for ways to make things better.
When I acquired MailGenius, it was a LOT harder than I thought to run a software company. There have been a ton of problems to fix, and it’s still my greatest business challenge. But putting my head down, doing the dang thing, and noting all the lessons on paper has been a massive help.
Basically, I see challenges as opportunities to learn, adapt and improve. I don’t sit around waiting for things to happen, I take action and create my own path. “Advantages are taken, not handed out” is one of my favorite quotes from a Metallica song I love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Well, let me tell you. I’m Troy Ericson, and I’m the guy behind Email Paramedic (which is now e-mailMarketing.com) and MailGenius.com. I’m also the creator of EmailDeliverability.com. You could say I’m obsessed with email marketing and deliverability, because I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be when done right.
I’ve been in the email game since 2019, and my team and I have generated over $200,000,000 for our clients using our email skills. It’s wild, I know, but we’re really good at what we do. I even got called the #20 copywriter in the world by Peter Tzemis of Traffic & Funnels. But it’s not just about writing a good copy, it’s about making sure those emails actually land in the primary inbox and get seen, not the spam folder.
What’s most exciting to me about what I do is that I’ve created a solution to a problem that’s been plaguing businesses for years. The old way of doing things was broken. You’d have a copywriter writing emails, then someone else uploading them, and neither of them really understood deliverability. So, I created Email List Management. This is where one person handles the whole email process – writing, uploading, and ensuring deliverability. And now, my team of Email List Managers does this for all our clients.
Now, we’re not just about warm email anymore. I also do cold email, but I’ve flipped it on its head with something I call “Reverse Cold Email”. Traditional cold email is broken because it’s hard to get into people’s inboxes and easy to get marked as spam. With reverse cold email, I opt into other people’s email lists, and then I reply to their emails with a solution to a common problem they have in their industry. So it’s like I’m joining their world, not interrupting it, and that’s a game changer. We even have a software for that at e-mailMarketing.com.
So, here’s what I want people to know about my brand:
We’re not just copywriters, we’re Email List Managers. We take care of the whole process, from start to finish, so that your emails actually get seen and drive results.
Deliverability is our jam. We make sure your emails land in the primary inbox, not spam or the Promotions tab.
We solve problems for our clients. Whether it’s fixing deliverability issues or creating high-converting email campaigns, we’re here to help businesses grow.
We’re innovative. We’re constantly trying to find ways to stay ahead of the curve and disrupt the status quo, like with my “Reverse Cold Email” method.
As for what’s new, I’m super excited about a few things:
Email Paramedic is now e-mailMarketing.com. It’s a big move, and we’re stoked about the new brand!
Our Reverse Cold Email system is up and running. This new system is changing the way people do cold outreach and getting incredible results.
I’m always pushing the limits of what’s possible with email marketing. My goal is to help as many businesses as possible leverage the power of email and connect with their audience in a meaningful way. So if you’re struggling with your email, or if you just want to take it to the next level, come check us out.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
First, it HAS to be problem-solving. I’m not just talking about troubleshooting a simple everyday problem – anyone can do that & it isn’t a high income skill. I’m talking about the ability to see a problem, understand it deeply, and then create a unique solution that dares to go outside the box.
For example, I saw that the traditional way of doing email marketing was broken. Businesses would hire a copywriter to write their emails, and then someone else would upload them, and neither of those people would understand email deliverability. So, I created Email List Management where one person does it all.
And again, when I saw how difficult cold email was, with low deliverability and low response rates, I didn’t just complain about it. I created the “Reverse Cold Email” system. So, yeah, problem-solving is about identifying the root cause, and then creating a solution that’s actually going to make a difference rather than being a bandaid that only pushes off the problem until later, or worse, sucks up all your time.
Advice for folks early in their journey. Don’t shy away from problems. Instead, embrace them as a challenge. The more problems you solve, the better you’ll get at it. And one of those solutions could turn into an ultra-successful business. Start by looking for issues in your own life or business, and try to come up with creative solutions. Don’t just accept the status quo, challenge it!
Second is adaptability and a willingness to pivot. The world of marketing is always changing and you have to move with it. When I realized that the Facebook Ads space was saturated, I didn’t keep banging my head against the wall. I decided to go all-in on email marketing. I saw it as a “bluer ocean” and I knew I could make a bigger splash there. The same thing happened when I started with warm email and realized that I could reach WAY more people in the cold email market since it’s substantially bigger. But instead of doing cold email like everyone else, I slowly built my own system by diving into all the problems with traditional cold email & solving them one-by-one. The process has taken over a year to develop, but it’s doing super well. You can’t be afraid to try new things, even if it means changing your entire approach. You also have to be willing to let go of what’s not working and make a change.
Advice for folks early in their journey. Be open to new ideas and approaches and don’t get stuck doing things the same way if they’re not working for you. Just because someone else does it one way, doesn’t mean you have to. Learn what about their method works well – and what about their method could be better. And don’t worry about looking like you’re changing your mind, because if you’re not constantly thinking of innovations, you’re probably missing something.
Third, and this is a big one, it’s all about storytelling and connecting with people on a personal level. It’s not enough to just have the best product or service, you have to get people to know, like, and trust you. I didn’t just start an email marketing agency, I built a brand around my own story. Like, I share how my baseball career ended and how I started in Facebook Ads, and then went into email marketing. People want to connect with other people, so when you share your own journey you create trust and build a relationship with your audience. That’s why I don’t just share business stuff on social media, I share personal experiences. That’s how I built my brand, and how I’ve connected with so many clients. The most important thing is to be authentic because people can tell when you’re being fake. And this translates to my emails too. I don’t write boring, corporate emails. I write emails that are personal and that tell a story.
Advice for folks early in their journey. Start by getting your story straight. Ask yourself, “Why did I start this business?” and then share that story with others, whether it’s in emails, social media, or in person. Be relatable and show people who you are behind the business. Share your struggles and your wins. People respond to that because they see themselves in you. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, because that’s what builds real connections.
So, to recap, it’s about being a problem solver, being adaptable, and being a storyteller. And if you can master those three things, you’re gonna be unstoppable. And remember that advantages are taken, not handed out.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
It’s a great question, and honestly, there isn’t one single person. It’s been a combination of people, experiences, and even a little bit of self-discovery. But I can highlight some key influences.
First, I’d have to say it was that first client who wanted to fire me. I know it sounds crazy, but if they hadn’t told me their emails were going to spam, I might still be doing Facebook ads. They forced me to confront a real problem, and that’s where I learned about email deliverability, which became the foundation of my entire business. That situation taught me to dig deeper, to not accept the initial problem, and to look for the root cause. I offered to work for free to fix their email issues, and I increased their email revenue from $13k/month to $51k/month. That was a pivotal moment. That’s when I realized that email was my “blue ocean”, a place where I could make a real impact.
Then, there’s Grant Cooper from Social Vantage. He was the one who got me thinking about not getting a “real job” and running Facebook ads for clients instead. I bought his course and started doing that. He opened my mind to the possibilities of entrepreneurship and helped me see that I could create my own path, and not be stuck in a 9-5 job. Even though I didn’t stick with Facebook Ads, he was still a big influence in the beginning.
Also, I can’t forget my friends Jason and Dave. When I made my first real money, I moved to Florida to live with them. They were also entrepreneurs, and being around them helped me level up. Surrounding myself with like-minded people was really key to my growth.
Beyond specific people, I’ve also learned a ton from my clients and my team. Working with so many different businesses has given me insight into all sorts of industries. Every client interaction is a learning opportunity. My team also challenges me to continue improving and developing new methods and systems.
And, of course, I’ve learned a lot from my own experiences, my successes, and my failures. For example, being cut from my college baseball team was a major setback, but it taught me resilience and adaptability. That experience led me to think differently and find new opportunities. This is something that I often share in my emails and on social media. My story is a big part of my brand and allows me to connect with my clients.
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