Date: 2026-08-10 Source: Email - Stephan Schmidbauer (info@captainlink.de) to michael@ryevalley.co Thread: “Re: Next Steps” Context: Follows 2026-07-27 meeting; Julius Bachmann newsletter activation strategy
Signal
Stephan (CaptainLink, ops for Julius Bachmann) replied with a detailed response after internal debrief. Key signals:
What they want now:
- Activation campaign for their existing email list (people who already have email addresses - no collection needed)
- Same 4-episode activation flow used in the past
- First batch: 1.5k ICP contacts, expandable to 3-4k
- They are asking Michael to quote for running this operationally
Outstanding credit question:
- Stephan explicitly referenced a prior paid engagement that stopped early; asking where any remaining credit stands before committing to new scope
- Michael needs to clarify/confirm credit balance or address it in reply
Meta Ads / lead magnet offer - deferred:
- They acknowledge the Meta Ads -> lead magnet -> subscriber concept but say no back-end offer exists yet
- Julius open to ideas, but explicitly pushed acquisition to Q1 2027 minimum (timing around book launch)
- Stephan asked Michael to share offer ideas now so budget can be planned ahead of Q1
Business Facts
- Julius Bachmann / CaptainLink is moving toward a new paid activation engagement (Michael’s existing service model, client provides emails)
- Deal stage: requesting offer/quote - Michael needs to respond with pricing
- Blocker to close: credit resolution and pricing proposal
- Growth ads strategy: dormant until Q1 2027; discussion can begin now
- List size: 1.5k (ICP) to 4k, article content already drafted by client
Action Required
- Michael to reply to Stephan with: (1) credit balance/status, (2) activation offer for 1.5-4k list
- Michael (or Ben) to brainstorm scalable back-end offer ideas for Julius per request
Update: 2026-08-11 - Michael Replied with Offer Math
Michael responded to the Stephan/Julius thread with subscriber acquisition math and retreat-as-back-end-offer direction:
- Assume subscribers acquired at $2-3 each
- Suggested retreat as scalable offer: “If we spent $10k/mo on ads, that’s roughly [X subs]” - math-driven argument for the funnel
- This addresses both the Meta Ads question and the back-end offer brainstorm Stephan requested
- Status update: Michael has now sent the offer framework; ball is in Stephan/Julius court to respond with credit resolution and next steps
Action item from prior capture (Michael to quote + clarify credit) is now partially fulfilled (strategy sent; credit status not yet confirmed in the thread).
Update: 2026-09-03 - Automation Built, Blocked on Subject Lines
Source: ryevalley-julius Slack thread Permalink: https://ryevalley.slack.com/archives/C08965W3CLT/p1788428110800259
Ben built a new automation called “List Activate” in beehiiv that includes all 4 emails from Julius’s team with time delays within a 2-week window. Logic: subscribers who do not open or click across the 4 emails get switched to inactive; those who open or click become active and receive regular emails.
Earlier confusion: Ben had mistakenly enrolled 61 contacts in the “lead magnet automation” (welcome flow) instead of the activation flow. Julius’s team asked him to remove those and re-subscribe through the correct flow.
Current blocker: Activation automation is built but OFF. Julius’s team (Stephan/Julius) needs to confirm or update the subject lines before Ben turns it on. The Julius team POC (U089N8Q28G3) delegated this decision to Julius (U089NS365B4) in-thread: “can you make these decisions please.”
Standing status: Automation is ready. Ball is in Julius’s team’s court on subject line approval. Once confirmed, Ben will add subscribers in small daily batches.