"Media Empires" | The Business of Newsletters, Podcasts, Creators, and Data Acquisition

Building a $1M+ 'Juggernaut' Media Company with Snigdha Sur

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Media Empires, Erik Torenberg sits down with Snigdha Sur, CEO and co-founder of The Juggernaut, to discuss the challenges and strategies of growing a modern media company, including content strategy, team development, expanding their audience from 10,000 to over 500,000, and sustaining revenue, while emphasizing mission-driven journalism for the South Asian diaspora. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/2dfa074b-caaa-4105-80b3-c8fa4474f555

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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.

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🎙️ Dealcraft

Dealcraft | Insights from Great Negotiators https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

SPONSORS:

SHOPIFY

Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive

GIVEWELL

GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. GiveWell has now spent over 17 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to a few of the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found. Visit https://www.givewell.org to find out more or make a donation. (Select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to support our show.)

📑 Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at https://carta.com/investors/

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

LINKS:

Sign up to The Juggernaut's free newsletter: https://www.thejuggernaut.com/newsletter

Subscribe to their original articles: https://www.thejuggernaut.com/subscribe

Follow on X (@bethejuggernaut)

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X / TWITTER:

@snigdhasur (Snigdha)

@bethejuggernaut (Juggernaut)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

Harnessing the Power of Curated C-Suite Communities with Greg Raiten of The Suite

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Greg Raiten, a former lawyer and a co-founder at The Suite, a curated community-based platform for C-suite executives, joins Erik Torenberg to share the evolution of The Suite, from a side project that grew into a revenue-generating model through membership and sponsorships. They also discuss the process of building and scaling community-based businesses, effectiveness of paid memberships, and exploring future community expansion into other C-suite roles.

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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

SPONSOR: METAVIEW

Metaview is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/heretics

LINKS:

Explore the GC/legal community: https://www.lsuite.co

Explore the CFO/finance community: https://www.fsuite.co

Company website: https://www.thesuite.com

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@gregraiten (Greg)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:58) Greg's background and early career

(03:17) Evolution of The Suite

(05:51) Vision and expansion

(11:32) Business model

(13:45) Community engagement and events

(17:46) Online membership experience

(20:22) Sponsor: Metaview

(21:29) Sponsorship and revenue model

(22:55) Challenges of future of events

(28:44) Expanding professional communities

(34:16) Building a network

(35:49) Pricing strategies for community memberships

(42:08) Scaling and fundraising

(45:05) Future of paid vs. free communities

(47:37) Successful community models

(50:22) Wrap

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.

Navigating Content Strategy Across Platforms with JT Barnett

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 6 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

JT Barnett, a former professional hockey player and also the Founder and CEO of CreatorX, joined Erik Torenberg to share his journey from being the 'vibes guy' in the locker room to becoming an influential figure at the intersection of content and commerce. They also discuss the evolution of social media platforms, future of social media, creator financing, and the role of creators in shaping modern businesses. This conversation was recorded in 2023. Grow and monetize your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | METAVIEW | SECUREFRAME

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/

Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention Erik Torenberg during your demo to get 20% off your first year.

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LINKS:

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jtbarnett

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jtbarnett

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jtbarnett

Website: https://www.barnettx.com/jt

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@jtbarnett (JT)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:29) From hockey to CreatorX

(03:45) Creator economy and business strategy

(06:42) Future vision: JT's empire

(10:36) Evolution of platforms

(14:16) Role of new platforms and technologies

(15:51) Sponsors: Beehiiv and Metaview

(18:02) Content strategy across platforms

(22:54) Demographics on TikTok

(25:13) Brainstorming marketing strategies for SecureFrame

(27:03) Successful examples of TikTok marketing

(28:18) Principles for effective company content

(29:21) YouTube strategies for businesses

(30:51) Potential of YouTube shorts

(32:17) Creators building businesses beyond content

(35:44) Evaluating social media platforms

(36:53) Mr. Beast in a box

(38:58) Creator financing

(41:55) Future of the creator economy

(45:17) Maximizing long term commercial value

(47:56) Wrap

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The Future of the Creator Economy and the Digitally Native Generation with Rex Woodbury

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 10:03:00 +0000

Rex Woodbury, Founder and Managing Partner at Daybreak Ventures, and previously a Partner at Index Ventures joined Erik to explore the evolution and impact of the creator economy. They discuss the challenges of monetization for creators, the future of consumer social platforms, and the changing demographics and behaviors of different generations. Grow and monetize your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | METAVIEW

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

LINKS:

Daybreak: https://www.daybreakventures.com/

Digital Native: https://www.digitalnative.tech/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@rex_woodbury (Rex)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:46) Evolution of the creator economy

(03:26) Commerce in the digital age

(08:15) Gen Z: The digital native generation

(13:15) Monetization challenges in the creator economy

(15:57) Sponsors: Beehiiv and Metaview

(18:04) Future of secondhand and resale markets

(21:52) Individuals over institutions

(28:20) Unconventional jobs in the new economy

(31:01) Funding passion projects and NFTs

(34:23) Emerging platforms for digital businesses

(37:19) Challenges and opportunities in disrupting LinkedIn

(39:08) Potential of NFTs and blockchain

(40:22) Financialization of everything

(46:17) Evolution of social Media and commerce

(50:18) Demographic shifts and business opportunities

(53:15) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

(54:52) Wrap

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Michael Girdley on Incubating Media Businesses

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 08:50:00 +0000

Michael Girdley, CEO of an 11-business holding company and Sean Linehan, CEO at Exec and Squad join Erik Torenberg to talk about the unique approach to incubating businesses, the importance of leveraging media presence, and understanding the intricacies of modern media and business strategies. Grow and monetize your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | METAVIEW

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

LINKS:

Girdley Enterprise: https://www.girdley.com/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@girdley (Michael)

@seanlinehan (Sean)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:57) Michael’s journey from Silicon Valley to Texas

(02:58) High upside potential ventures

(04:25) Team-first approach to business incubation

(06:26) Art of incubation: Lessons learned

(09:52) Role of distribution in business success

(13:21) Building a media business

(17:16) Branches under Michael Girdley’s media

(19:37) Sponsors: Beehiiv and Metaview

(21:45) Ideas and consistency of media contents

(23:40) Hiring and incentivizing a CEO for media ventures

(26:02) Setting up early compensation structures

(27:05) Understanding phantom stock and profit interest

(28:14) Commitment levels for CEOs

(29:52) Reality of the HoldCo model

(32:38) Evaluating business opportunities

(34:17) Building trust with CEOs

(39:04) Raising capital and ownership structures

(46:02) Negative stigma on incubators

(48:26) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

(53:37) Common mistakes in scaling content

(55:06) Wrap

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Harnessing Multi-Platform Media with Boye Fajinmi of The Future Party

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Boye Fajinmi, co-founder of The Future Party, a community-based media brand with a daily newsletter reaching 200K subscribers, joins Erik Torenberg to share insights on transitioning from community events to a comprehensive media company, the power of specialized newsletters, and the necessity of diversifying revenue streams. Grow and monetize your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

LINKS:

The Future Party: https://futureparty.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boye-fajinmi/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boye/?hl=en

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@thefutureparty (Boye)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:29) Evolution and strategy of The Future Party

(04:35) Navigating the newsletter ecosystem

(08:44) Niche targeting

(10:27) Future aspirations and media diversification

(12:06) Power of events in media growth

(14:47) Sponsors: Beehiiv and Metaview

(16:54) Exploring different mediums

(19:57) Role of events and activations

(24:11) Monetization strategies and subscriber engagement

(27:16) Importance of value creation

(29:10) Wrap

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How to Build a Newsletter People Actually Want with Anuj Abrol and Sarah Wright of Product Hunt

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 9 Jul 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Anuj Abrol, Creator, former Chief of Staff for Justin Kan and ex-McKinsey, and Sarah Wright, head of content at Product Hunt, join Erik Torenberg of Turpentine to discuss building successful newsletters. In this conversation, they trade innovative strategies for creating high-quality content that attracts readers derived from the Turpentine podcast network, the importance of understanding your audience and social network engagement, and whether vertical newsletters can succeed. Grow and monetize your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ Second Opinion - A new podcast for health-tech insiders from Christina Farr of the Second Opinion newsletter. Join Christina Farr, Luba Greenwood, and Ash Zenooz every week as they challenge industry experts with tough questions about the best bets in health-tech.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1759267211

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A8NwQE976s32zdBbZw6bv

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

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LINKS:

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@nujabrol (Anuj)

@sarmariewright (Sarah)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:00) Brainstorming newsletter strategies

(04:40) Exploring group chats and social networks

(07:23) Newsletter goals and audience engagement

(13:15) Monetizing and growing newsletters

(15:48) Sponsors: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(17:36) Importance of high quality content

(20:14) Leveraging podcast ideas

(27:32) Repurposing content for maximum Reach

(32:48) Building relationship with high quality audience

(38:08) Potential of short-form video content

(40:57) Conversion from newsletters to podcasts

(44:33) Wrap

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The Transformation of Media with Byrne Hobart of The Diff

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 2 Jul 2024 08:34:00 +0000

Byrne Hobart, creator of the newsletter The Diff and Capital Gains, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss the intricate evolution of media industries. In this conversation, they delve into the comparative success of print and digital media, the economic transformation of the news sector, the disruption in media landscapes and the emerging scenarios in financial journalism.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1759267211

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A8NwQE976s32zdBbZw6bv

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

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LINKS:

The Riff on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRiffPodcast

The Riff on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-riff-with-byrne-hobart-and-erik-torenberg/id1716646486

The Riff on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rANlV54GCARLgMOtpkzKt

Being Not-a-Tech-Company: https://www.thediff.co/archive/being-not-a-tech-company/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@ByrneHobart (Byrne)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:56) Historical overview of media business

(04:36) Golden age of newspapers

(07:54) Impact of digital transformation

(13:28) Media fortunes and distribution changes

(18:55) Sponsors: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(20:43) Understanding the distribution model

(24:21) Role of AI in media layoffs

(31:35) Economics of investigative journalism

(36:32) Advice and Insights in building a media empire

(44:10) AI media: Opportunities and challenges

(53:09) Changing nature of fame in the algorithmic age

(58:17) Being Not-a-Tech-Company

(01:05:44) Wrap-Up

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Dan Ni of TLDR on Curating the Paper of Record for Tech

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Dan Ni, CEO of TLDR Newsletter, a leading modern media company that operates 10 curated newsletters with over 8 million readers, joins Erik Torenberg to talk about the success of TLDR. In this conversation, Dan shares the secrets behind TLDR’s rapid growth, the importance of building an audience on your own platform, challenges and strategies of launching new content formats, monetization tactics, and exploring the different niches and media formats.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1759267211

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A8NwQE976s32zdBbZw6bv

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

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LINKS:

TLDR Newsletter: https://tldr.tech/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@tldrdan (Dan)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:59) Unpacking TLDR’s success

(05:39) Aspirations for TLDR

(07:57) Role of original reporting in business

(09:02) Curator’s role in TLDR

(14:55) TLDR’s team set up

(15:21) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(17:09) Building a sales organization

(20:37) Identifying different niches and demographics

(26:35) Strategies for audience engagement

(28:21) Monetization and adjacency in newsletters

(31:46) Targeting and scaling with advertisers

(38:21) Building a defensible media company

(42:05) Importance of building audience on your own platform

(44:22) Wrap

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Austin Petersmith on Navigating the B2B Media Idea Maze Across Audio, Newsletters, and AI

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Austin Petersmith, an entrepreneur and investor with extensive experience in journalism joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his diverse experiences in the media and tech industries. He shares his journey at Inside, where he helped grow a remarkable newsletter business, and explores the complexities of user-generated content and niche social networks. In this conversation, they also explore the growth strategies, challenges, and monetization tactics used in scaling Inside to millions of subscribers.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) talks to experts who understand the complicated but not unknowable systems we rely on. You might be surprised at how quickly Patrick and his guests can put you in the top 1% of understanding for stock trading, tech hiring, and more.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mos4VE3figVXleHDqfXOH

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/id1753399812https://podcasts.apple.com/id1753399812

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

LINKS:

Howie.ai: https://howie.ai/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@awwstn (Austin)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:57) Austin's journey into tech

(03:42) Building a newsletter empire

(11:39) Evolution and potential of social audio platforms

(14:41) Inside's growth and monetization strategies

(20:52) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(22:40) Reflecting on editorial strategies and experimental approaches

(26:53) User-generated content and future ideas

(29:36) Rise of niche media

(36:37) Challenges and strategies in podcasting

(39:17) Innovative models in SaaS and software negotiation

(45:32) Private Equity for podcasting

(53:47) Request for startups

(55:13) Wrap

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How Pomp Built a Media Business at the Intersection of Social and Financial Capital

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Anthony “Pomp” Pompliano, founder of The Pomp Letter, joins Erik Torenberg for a captivating, wide ranging discussion about modern media dynamics — recorded live in 2022 with special guests entrepreneur Jesse Genet, host of In the Arena Pod and Ryan Hudson, co-founder of Honey. They discuss building social and financial capital, Pomp's biggest lessons, and strategies for leveraging high-profile influence.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mos4VE3figVXleHDqfXOH

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/id1753399812https://podcasts.apple.com/id1753399812

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

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SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

LINKS:

The Pomp podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pomp-podcast/id1434060078

The Pomp Letter: https://pomp.substack.com/

In the Arena: https://www.youtube.com/@InTheArenaPodcast

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@APompliano (Pomp)

@jessegenet (Jesse)

@ketau (Ryan)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:49) Diving into modern media and social capital

(03:36) Building an audience and business

(07:52) Intersection of media and business

(12:31) Tipping point in career trajectory

(14:40) Navigating controversies and cancel culture

(17:27) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(19:51) Social supply chain

(22:28) Role of values in business

(25:25) Employee activism

(35:16) Memorable Twitter feud

(42:53) Security concerns in the digital age

(52:03) Personal experiences with wealth

(01:04:50) Request for startups from Pomp

(01:11:22) Controversial views and cancel culture

(01:17:51) Wrap

—

Newsletter Growth Tactics with Matt McGarry

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 4 Jun 2024 09:40:00 +0000

Matt McGarry, a newsletter expert and the founder of GrowLetter, joins Erik to discuss his newsletter and media insights from his work with The Hustle, Sahil Bloom, The Milk Road, and more clients through his specialized agency. This is a masterclass in newsletter growth, email acquisition, and monetization models. Matt highlights opportunities in B2B and niche markets, stresses the importance of diverse newsletters, and advocates for a multimedia strategy including podcasts.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

—

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

GrowLetter: https://growletter.co/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@JMatthewMcGarry (Matt)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:48) Matt's journey into newsletters

(02:36) Agora model explained

(07:14) Leveraging paid marketing for newsletter growth

(16:40) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(18:28) Podcasts vs. newsletters

(19:56) Monetization and growth tactics

(25:28) Choosing the right niches and monetization models

(31:14) Exploring B2B newsletter success

(33:20) Challenges and opportunities in media niches

(35:51) Local media and hyper-niche opportunities

(43:41) Creating a master brand vs. niche newsletters

(50:53) Monetization tactics and lead generation

(54:28) More about Matt’s GrowLetter

(58:21) Wrap

—

Building AI Content Empires with Noah Edelman, Co-Founder of The Neuron

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Noah Edelman, co-founder at The Neuron, a daily AI newsletter that attracted 100,000 readers in its first month, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss the AI content space. Noah elaborates on their growth strategies, the unique strengths that set The Neuron apart, and his insights on the future of AI in media. Grow and monetize your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

—

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

LINKS:

The Neuron: https://www.theneurondaily.com

The Neuron Podcast: https://www.theneuron.ai/podcast

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@noahedelman02 (Noah)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:54) Evolution of The Neuron

(02:47) Strategies for success

(05:02) Navigating the AI media ecosystem

(07:35) Exploring newsletter dynamics: Types, trends, and tactics

(09:35) Expanding The Neuron's reach and impact

(15:24) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(17:12) Pros and cons of The Neuron’s framework

(20:07) Creating specialized content for various industry verticals

(25:11) Potential of transforming podcast content into newsletters

(32:29) Growth tactics and the future of AI in media

(35:07) Acquisition strategies in newsletter growth

(39:00) Choosing the right platform

(41:12) Noah’s advice on building newsletters

(46:47) Wrap

—

Building the Modern Auto Media Empire with The Car Dealership Guy's Yossi Levi

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 21 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Yossi Levi, founder and CEO of Car Dealership Guy, joins Erik Torenberg to share the evolution from running a Twitter account to establishing a growing media empire with significant influence in the automotive industry. They also discuss the blueprint behind generating 120 million impressions per month, defining their insights advantage, the importance of listening to the audience, and strategies for monetization that doesn't demand compromising the authenticity and quality of content.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

—

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Car Dealership Guy: https://www.dealershipguy.com/

Car Dealership Guy Podcast: https://podcast.dealershipguy.com/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@yossixciii (Yossi)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:00) Building an automotive media powerhouse

(02:33) Future of vertical media

(06:54) Navigating the complex landscape of media, trust, and monetization

(09:34) Building a news arm

(13:32) Evolution of newsletters and content strategy

(16:00) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(17:50) Collaborating with creators

(21:24) Exploring data products and market opportunities

(23:22) Event planning for brand alignment

(24:38) Applying the playbook to other industries

(28:13) Audience composition

(30:17) Future of Media: Expert-led and social-first

(32:43) Customer feedback and content development

(39:09) Wrap

—

Media Niches and First-Party Data with Jacob Donnelly of A Media Operator

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Jacob Donnelly, the founder of A Media Operator, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss the strategies behind building successful, sustainable media businesses, with a focus on niche markets. They also explore the role of technology and the significance of audience-centric approaches in both the media and events industries, providing a comprehensive overview of current trends and future directions for media entrepreneurs.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

—

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

A Media Operator: https://www.amediaoperator.com/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@JayCoDon (Jacob)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:53) Inside the mind of a media operator

(02:33) Vision and strategy behind AMO

(10:00) Why Jacob is bullish on media?

(11:34) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine

(13:23) Core ideas and philosophies

(17:03) Intersection of media and data companies

(25:16) Exploring the SaaSification of media

(33:06) Future of AI in media

(40:24) Media acquisitions and the essence of audience

(49:16) Crypto media lessons and audience type

(52:25) Art of building a media empire

(01:06:30) Business of podcasting

(01:22:23) Future of vertical communities

(01:26:11) Importance of first party data

(01:28:30) Wrap

—

Scaling Newsletter Monetization and Email-as-a-Channel with Tyler Denk, CEO & Co-Founder of Beehiiv

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 7 May 2024 06:20:00 +0000

Tyler Denk, co-founder and CEO of Beehiiv, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss how he came to be a part of building two media empires: Morning Brew and Beehiiv, a newsletter publishing platform which just raised a $33 Million Series B. They also discuss the market potential of email newsletters, ad networks, and successful newsletter strategies across industries. Tyler delivers a masterclass in understanding email and newsletter platforms.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Each episode of Company Breakdowns dives into S-1s and series B-and-beyond companies, interviewing founders and investors to break down the companies. First episode is on Rubrik - which just IPO'd. Coming up this season: Databricks, Reddit + more,

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0epyYBAxLeF0PsNagdDJAJ

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/company-breakdowns/id1743119197

—

LINKS:

Beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@denk_tweets (Tyler)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:00) Morning Brew & Beehiiv

(03:00) Evolution of Morning Brew's business model

(09:49) The genesis of Beehiiv

(14:30) Sponsor shout out

(16:17) Building a newsletter empire

(21:09) Biggest inflection point

(25:32) Leveraging newsletters for growth

(28:47) Future of Beehive and email monetization

(41:36) Fundraising and navigating venture

(44:40) Success stories in the newsletter industry

(47:47) Wrap

—

John Yedinak on Finding New Verticals to Build B2B Media

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

John Yedinak, co-founder and president of Aging Media, joins Erik Torenberg to talk about his journey from the mortgage industry to building a powerful media company focused on the senior care sector. They explore the strategies for building a profitable media company in the B2B sector, the creator economy, and how traditional trade shows are being reimagined to engage audiences more effectively.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Media Empires is brought to you by Beehiiv. Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝 to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Spotify

Apple

—

LINKS:

Aging Media Network: http://www.agingmedia.com

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@jryedinak (John)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:52) John’s journey from Mortgage Industry to Media Mogul

(05:17) Strategies for Growth and Diversification

(10:04) Building Vertical Media from Scratch

(14:46) Sponsor: Beehiiv

(15:56) Team Composition and Investment in Building a Media Empire

(18:21) Evolution of Business Media

(29:37) Investment and Growth Strategies in the Creator Space

(34:41) Data Collection and Monetization

(42:24) Leveraging Creator Partnerships for Event Success

(46:56) Potential of Paid Communities in Niche Markets

(51:10) Podcasting Insights and the Future of Media

(54:52) Wrap

—

The New Media Flywheel: Content and Data with Craig Fuller of Freightwaves

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 06:42:00 +0000

Craig Fuller, Founder and CEO of FreightWaves which began as a combination media company and data provider for the logistics industry, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss the evolution of FreightWaves, different media models and their scalability, and shares his thoughts on what the future of AI media will look like.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

SPONSORS: BEEHIIV

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝 to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.

—

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Spotify

Apple

—

LINKS:

FreightWaves: https://www.freightwaves.com/

Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@FreightAlley (Craig)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:15) The Evolution of Freight Waves

(03:01) Breaking Down Media Business Models and Monetization Strategies

(08:42) Complex Landscape of Media and Audience Engagement

(12:35) Sponsor: Turpentine

(13:26) Strategic Synergy Between Media and SaaS Businesses

(17:27) Underrated Potential of Media Businesses

(27:35) Opportunities and Challenges of Niche Media

(29:59) Vertical Media Opportunities Across Industries

(30:54) Dynamics of Media in the Supply Chain Industry

(32:33) Expanding Media Ventures

(33:41) Potential for Vertical Media in AI and Crypto

(35:39) Critique and Future of Tech Journalism

(37:34) Strategies and Challenges of Building a Vertical Media Business

(43:06) Importance of Breaking News and Building Credibility

(48:48) Evaluating Business Models for a New Media Venture

(58:06) Wrap

—

Zawwar Khan on the Intersection of Media and Commerce

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Zawwar Khan, a CPG consultant for creators (Rel Brands), joins Erik Torenberg to talk about his journey from being the youngest brand manager at Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo, to advising media creators on building their own commerce brands. He also shares some strategies for creators to expand beyond their audience, the potential of creator-incubated businesses, and the future of the creator economy through innovative financing and business models.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Spotify

Apple

LINKS:

Zawwar Khan: https://www.hellorel.com/

X/ TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@zawwarkhan_ (Zawwar)

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:49) Zawwar’s journey from Brand Manager to CPG Consultant

(05:51) Evolution of Media and Commerce

(09:13) Strategies for Success

(16:56) Sponsor: Turpentine

(17:44) Rise of B2B Influencers and Creator Opportunities

(26:32) Potential of Creator-Led Ventures

(28:56) Building Brands as a Creator

(34:32) Venture Capital Perspectives on the Creator Economy

(40:09) The Future of Investing: Venture Studios for Creators

(49:25) Wrap

The Future of Tech Media with Danny Crichton of Lux Capital

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 9 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Danny Crichton, a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Head of Editorial at Lux Capital, and former Managing Editor at TechCrunch, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss the evolution of TechCrunch+, alternative business models, strategic investments in media, and tips for building a tech media company.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Danny Crichton: https://www.dannycrichton.com/
Lux Capital: https://www.luxcapital.com/securities
TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/
TechCrunch+: https://techcrunch.com/techcrunchplus/

X/ TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@DannyCrichton (Danny)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:28) Evolution of TechCrunch+

(01:27) Building a new product, ExtraCrunch

(04:50) Challenges of subscription media

(06:26) Identifying the core audience

(08:57) Exploring alternative business models in media

(15:26) Sponsor: Turpentine

(16:07) History of TechCrunch

(22:00) What worked and what didn't for TechCrunch

(29:20) Building a significant tech media company

(30:12) Strategies for success

(31:03) The need of focus formula

(35:32) Challenges of monetizing journalism

(37:50) Rethinking media products

(51:21) Potential of vertical media

(56:30) Wrap

—

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

—

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Spotify

Apple

The Winning Strategies Behind Major Media Waves with Dave Nemetz

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 2 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Dave Nemetz, Founder of Bleacher Report and Inverse, joins Erik Torenberg to share his insights on media business models and the future of the creator economy. They also cover the growth of sports, web3, and B2B media. This conversation was recorded in early 2023

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Dave Nemetz: https://davenemetz.com/

The Inverted Curiousity Pyramid: https://davenemetz.com/inverted-curiosity-pyramid/

Bleacher Report: https://bleacherreport.com/

Inverse: https://www.inverse.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@davenemetz (Dave)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:13) Insights behind Starting Bleacher Report

(03:21) Pros and Cons of Subscriptions and Ads

(06:12) Funding and Business Models in Media

(14:22) Sponsor: Turpentine

(15:10) Rise of B2B Media and Future Opportunities

(23:03) Strategies for Media Companies

(30:17) Innovative Approaches to Supporting Creators

(48:02) Wrap

—

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

—

Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Spotify

Apple

Unlocking Scalable Growth on YouTube | Jamie Rawsthorne, The YouTube Views Machine

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Jamie Rawsthorne, formerly of the Zac and Jay show and now a YouTube strategist behind The YouTube Views Machine methodology, joins Erik to explore growth and success tactics on YouTube, monetization, and where he thinks the platform is going. This conversation with Jamie was recorded in 2023

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Jamie Rawsthorne: https://www.jamierawsthorne.com/

Zac and Jay Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@ZacandJayShorts

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@jamierawsthorne (Jamie)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:26) Jamie’s YouTube story

(04:47) Transition from creator to strategist

(12:45) The biggest video that went viral

(13:20) Sponsor: Turpentine

(14:08) Making a big bet on YouTube

(20:08) Getting 400,000 views on a video in the first month

(24:53) Key to getting a great title and thumbnail

(29:12) Exploring YouTube monetization

(36:17) From vlogs to business opportunities

(40:43) Understanding the YouTuber ecosystem and opportunities for growth

(49:11) Wrap

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

A Deep Dive on Axios | Jordan Zaslav, Axios HQ

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Jordan Zaslav, COO at Axios HQ, joins Erik to talk about the inspiration and launch of Axios. He shares his key lessons learned along the way and the importance of the smart brevity approach. They also chat about AI's impact on media and the need for companies to adapt.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Axios: https://www.axios.com/

Axios HQ: https://www.axioshq.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@jz (Jordan)

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:48) Smart Brevity Approach

(04:12) Key to Axios' Success

(06:38) Exploring Axios' Business Model and Diverse Offerings

(11:45) Sponsor: Turpentine

(16:23) The Axios HQ Product

(18:17) What Has Made the Most Money at Axios.

(21:11) Challenges of Media Business Growth

(25:13) Audience Selection on Digital Media

(30:07) Value of Different Audiences

(32:28) Post-Internet Challenges and Cable's Future

(37:57) Embracing AI in Media: Opportunities and Challenges

(41:56) Wrap

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Dynamics of the Creator Economy | Nathan Barry, ConvertKit

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Nathan Barry, Founder and CEO of ConvertKit, joins Erik to discuss the evolution of the creator economy, the ‘billion dollar creator’, the importance of prioritizing long-term equity and adopting a flywheel approach to audience growth, and more. This conversation took place in early 2023 but is relevant and insightful for 2024.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

ConvertKit: https://convertkit.com/

Nathan & Sahil Bloom’s Agency: https://www.paperboystudios.co/

Nathan Barry: https://nathanbarry.com/

Nathan Barry’s Podcast: Billion Dollar Creator

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@nathanbarry (Nathan)

—

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(00:55) The Evolution of the Creator Economy

(03:36) ConvertKit in the Creator Economy

(05:26) Power of Attention

(08:33) Future of the Creator Economy

(16:49) Sponsor Turpentine

(17:30) Rise of ‘Business Creators’

(21:30) Newsletter’s Significance in Audience Growth

(28:52) Role of Agencies

(38:04) Wrap

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Ins and Outs of Building a Successful Podcast Network | Andrew Sharp, Stratechery, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 5 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this conversation, Andrew Sharp, the co-host of Sharp Tech and Greatest of All Talk, shares his journey building a podcast network at Stratechery. He discusses the future of the Stratechery network, lessons learned from the sports media industry, tips for becoming a great host, strategies for podcast network growth, and more. This conversation was recorded in early 2023.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Stratechery - Subscribe to Stratechery Plus (https://stratechery.com/stratechery-plus/) to access the subscriber only Stratechery updates and Sharp Tech, Sharp China, Dithering, and Greatest of All Talk podcasts.

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@andrewsharp (Andrew)

—

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(00:55) Basketball Talk

(03:00) Andrew's Podcasting Journey

(04:40) Transition from Law to Podcasting

(06:27) Building the Stratechery Network

(07:29) Future of Podcast Networks

(09:18) Balancing Passion and Business in Podcasting

(11:41) Art of Hosting Podcasts

(14:06) Evolution of Podcast Networks

(23:49) Subscription Model in Podcasting

(27:52) Lessons from Sports Media for Tech Media

(33:10) Advice for Aspiring Podcast Hosts

(37:57) Wrap

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Betting on the Business of Sports Media | Joe Pompliano, Huddle Up

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Erik sits down with Joe Pompliano, an investor, entrepreneur, and one of the fastest-growing personalities in sports, to talk all about sports media and business. From opportunities for entrepreneurs in the sports industry, to athlete entrepreneurship, to the importance of mastering a niche content creation within the realm of sports, this episode is a masterclass in the intersections between sports, digital media, business, and investment. This conversation was recorded in early 2023.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

LINKS:

Joe Pompliano:

https://www.joepompliano.com/

Huddle Up on Substack Huddle Up

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@JoePompliano (Joe)

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode preview

(04:03) The Evolution of Sports Media

(06:11) The Power of Athletes in Business

(11:59) The Global Reach of the NBA

(15:21) Investing in the Sports Industry

(20:05) The Potential of Athletes as Entrepreneurs

(24:57) The Challenges of Minority Ownership in Sports Teams

(26:17) Opportunities to Make Money in Sports

(27:54) Content Creation in Sports

(29:35) The Role of Agents in Sports

(31:52) The Future of Sports Media

(33:14) Investing in Athletes

(38:47) The Power of Sports Broadcasting

(44:01) The Future of the NBA

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Navigating the Future of Media Industries | Brian Morrissey, The Rebooting

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 02:29:00 +0000

This week on Media Empires, Brian Morrissey, author and podcast at The Rebooting, who was formerly editor-in-chief of Digiday and editor at Adweek, shares insights about the evolving media landscape, shifts in the marketplace, the rise of platforms that enable more independence for creators, the future of ‘micro-media,’ and much more. This conversation took place in 2023, and since recording, Brian's podcast and newsletter The Rebooting launched a private membership tier.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

LINKS:

The Rebooting:

https://www.therebooting.com/

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@bmorrissey (Brian)

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:58) A journey through Brian’s media evolution

(02:47) Building a sustainable media ecosystem

(04:02) The role of advertising and subscriptions

(10:07) Niche audiences

(17:14) The impact of AI on media

(20:51) Investing in media

(25:29) The power of collective writing

(26:52) Exploring high value areas

(27:44) Networking is powerful

(32:13) The role of experts

(34:51) Intersections between tech and media

(41:32) Future of media and tech companies

(45:36) Being a solo entrepreneur isn’t for everyone

(47:24) Potential of VC for creators

(48:19) Realities of running a media business

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

The Art of Choosing The Right Creator To Back | Megan Lightcap, Slow Ventures

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Megan Lightcap from Slow Ventures joins Erik Torenberg to discuss both of their insights into evolving creator economy and the role of strategic investment in digital creators and entrepreneurs. Megan discusses strategies for investing in creators, leveraging her experience, how to evaluate potential in creator businesses, deal structures, challenges of this new asset class, and how the future of creator financing might unfold.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

Slow

https://slow.co/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@mmlightcap (Megan)

@slow (Slow Ventures)

—

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:25) Funding creators

(05:52) The art of choosing the right creator to back

(07:23) Examples of successful creator investments

(15:24) Potential in creators building marketplaces

(17:33) Creator investing vs investing in startups

(23:25) The concept of creator franchises

(25:31) Involving angel investors

(28:33) The challenges of investing in humans

(31:08) Entrepreneurs vs creator investment

(32:59) The creator economy

(35:30) The use of funds

(45:05) The future of social tokens and NFTs

(48:05) The future of in creators

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

The Power of Platforms and AI | Nathan Baschez, Every Inc, Lex

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 6 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

This week we’re sharing a conversation with Erik Torenberg and Nathan Baschez , the co-founder of Every Inc. and creator of Lex, an AI-powered writing tool that’s aimed to revolutionize the writing process for writers. The discussion ranges from the nuances and challenges of podcasting, to the impact of AI on content creation, to the business models of various platforms like Substack and YouTube, and much more. This conversation was recorded in early 2023 but still holds numerous insights on the future of digital media and entertainment.

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

LINKS:

Every Inc. https://every.to/

Lex: https://lex.page/

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@nbashaw (Nathan)

@every (Every Inc)

@lexdotpage (Lex)

TIMESTAMPS

(00:29) Episode preview

(02:17) Nathan's journey in the media industry

(02:51) Lessons learned building Every Inc

(08:26) The role of personalization in media

(15:51) Strengths and weaknesses of the podcasting industry

(21:01) The power of niche content on YouTube

(22:55) Financing creators

(30:25) The Evolution of Media Creation

(32:14) Introducing Lex: The AI-Powered word processor

(37:32) The Future Workflow for Writers

(39:47) Conclusions

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Request for Startups: Receipt-Based Dating, Reference Checks as a Service, and WeWork for Productivity with Justin Mares and Sean Linehan

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Fri, 2 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Today we're dropping the debut episode of Request for Startups which features

Justin Mares: Founder of Truemed,Kettle & Fire, Surely, and a partner at True Journey Ventures
Sean Linehan: CEO of Exec.com, previously VP Product at Flexport
Host: Erik Torenberg

The conversation maps startup ideas and concepts, including dating apps based on spending patterns, a matching platform for singles, an exclusive dating app with angel investments, Google Maps for market ontologies, a personal trainer for life, Wikipedia by experts, and a vision of WeWork for productivity. What will you build?

Upcoming guests on this season of Request for Startups include Aashay Sanghvi, Talia Goldberg, Imran Khan, Qiao Wang, Nick DeWilde, Greg Isenberg, Gagan Biyani, and more.

SUBSCRIBE & FORWARD TO FOUNDERS & ANYONE NAVIGATING THE IDEA MAZE.

Video episodes on Substack: https://requestforstartups.substack.com/p/receipt-based-dating-reference-checks

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/request-for-startups-with-erik-torenberg/id1728659822

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/739L1LR32QI2XyoZlRh5nv

Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1728659822

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(00:45) Justin's Incubation Processes

(04:00) Dating App Based on Spending Patterns

(06:40) Yenta

(08:22) Exclusive Dating App with Angel Investments

(13:16) Google Maps for Market Ontologies

(19:07) Personal Trainer for Life

(20:57) Wikipedia by Experts

(27:01) WeWork for Productivity

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Mastering Podcast Growth | Chris Hutchins, All the Hacks

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Chris Hutchins joins Erik Torenberg as he explores the intricacies of building and growing a successful podcast. Learn about crucial factors of optimization, tracking growth, choosing platforms, monetization practices including subscription models and content-brand alignments, and more.

—

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

LINKS:

All The Hacks: https://www.allthehacks.com/

—

X / Twitter:

@hutchins (Chris)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:27) Chris's Journey to Podcasting

(02:26) The Challenges of Content Creation

(04:18) The Power of Podcasting

(05:00) The Importance of Creating Content for the Platform

(06:32) The Struggles of Social Media Content Creators

(09:57) The Future of All The Hacks

(11:39) The Importance of Good Content

(14:18) The Power of Cross Promotion

(20:35) The Importance of Analytics in Podcasting

(28:30) The Reality of Podcast Monetization

(32:49) Exploring the Idea of Full-Time Creators

(33:36) Building a Podcast Network: Challenges and Opportunities

(35:03) The Impact of Audience Demographics on Advertising

(36:23) The Pros and Cons of Niche Podcast Networks

(39:54) Investing in Podcasters

(45:21) The Journey of Building a Successful Podcast

(47:46) Exploring the Idea of Subscription-Based Podcasts

(53:25) The Future of Podcast Ecosystem

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Mapping the Tech Writing Ecosystem | Mario Gabriele, The Generalist

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

This week, Erik Torenberg sits down with Mario Gabriele, founder of The Generalist to delve deep into the evolution of The Generalist, as well as discuss fascinating insights around the tech writing ecosystem, niche publication opportunities, NFT experiments, and the essential role a community can play in growing a media business.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

LINKS:

The Generalist on Substack: https://thegeneralist.substack.com/

—

X / Twitter:

@mariogabriele (Mario)

@thegeneralistco (The Generalist)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(01:45) The Generalist Empire: A Deep Dive

(03:38) The Tech Writing Ecosystem

(06:38) The Evolution of Tech Analysis

(07:31) The Future of Tech Analysis

(10:02) The Challenges of Scaling a Publication

(13:04) The Evolution of The Generalist

(16:50) The Importance of Community in Content Creation

(23:25) The Business Model of The Generalist

(26:23) The Future of Content Creation

(39:35) The NFT Experiment

(43:58) Lessons Learned and Future Plans

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Building a Business of Creators | Adam Ryan, Workweek

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Erik Torenberg sits down with Adam Ryan, the CEO of Workweek, for an insightful conversation on Workweek's business and media strategies, the transformation of digital media in the B2B sector, the potential of podcasts, their approach towards working with established and emerging creators, and much more.

—

LINKS:

Workweek: https://workweek.com/

Perpetual, a podcast by Adam Ryan:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2qYQQirnkYzgLy0W1JrhrE?si=c8fe88148c8a469d

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual/id1611806982

—

X / Twitter:

@AdamRy_n (Adam)

@workweekinc (Workweek)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

—

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Intro

(2:10) Opportunities in media investments.

(6:48) Different waves of B2B media

(8:42) Evolution, insights, &opportunities of B2B media

(12:50) Comparing content production

(15:05) Market segmentation & real purchasing power

(18:55) Early strategies

(20:25) Workweeks' media and business strategies

(26:20) The creator financing ecosystem

(27:03) Focus on long-term

(28:25) Individualized deals for creating satisfaction

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Bootstrapping a Media Company in 2024 | Where It Happens with Erik Torenberg

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 9 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Today’s episode is a special one – Erik Torenberg and Greg Isenberg discuss the future of B2B creators, monetizing media and the venture of Turpentine on Greg’s podcast “Where It Happens.” Erik shares his vision for 'audience in a box' services, explores how channels can be expanded for creators, the future of niche B2B creators, and the importance of building infrastructure that facilitates growth.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

—

LINKS:

Where It Happens with Greg Isenberg:

Twitter/X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@gregisenberg (Greg)

@_trwih (Where It Happens Podcast)

—

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

–

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro/Episode Preview

(01:44) Rise of the B2B Creator

(04:39) The Power of Podcasts

(09:17) B2B Niche Selection

(16:48) The Future of Media Monetization

(19:41) Value of Data in Media Businesses

(26:52) Role of Producers in the Creator Economy

(30:01) Diversification in Business

(33:36) Co-ownership and Partnership

(35:01) Leveraging Existing Platforms

(40:01) Challenges & Opportunities of the Creator Path

(47:45) The Evolution of Business Goals and Metrics

(51:06) Exploring New Business Ideas

(56:26) The Future of San Francisco and the Tech Industry

Building Podcast Networks | Robert Leonard, Investors Podcast

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 3 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Erik Torenberg sits down with Robert Leonard, creator of The Investor's Podcast Network, to discuss all angles of building a podcast network, from vertical integration, the best titles, monetization strategies, quality vs quantity, and much more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

—

LINKS:

The Investor's Podcast Network: https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/

—

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:09) The Investor's Podcast Network

(03:02) Difference Between a Media Company and a Podcast Network

(05:23) Creating Niche Tech Vertical Podcasts

(07:41) Sequencing New Shows

(09:59) Monetization

(13:16) Structuring Podcast Feeds

(25:42) Newsletters as Revenue Stream

(28:34) Working with Hosts

(33:49) Evaluating White Space and Opportunity for New Shows

(38:35) Working with Hosts in Podcast Networks

(41:37) Focus on Quality

(43:32) In-House vs. Outsourcing

(46:23) Turning cost centers into profit centers

(47:18) Considerations for partnerships and ownership

Lessons Learned From Building Agencies | Hunter Hammonds

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Erik Torenberg sits down with Hunter Hammonds, CEO of Assembly, a venture studio for creator-led businesses, to discuss the evolution of co-founders, the potential of creator-led B2B businesses, Hunter's strategies behind building multiple agencies, and more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

—

LINKS:

Late Checkout: https://www.latecheckout.studio/

—

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:14) The start of Assembly

(04:59) Strategy behind building multiple agencies

(07:15) Future categories and expansion plans

(10:57) Why creators partner with assembly

(14:21) Structure and growth of Assembly

(19:15) Division of labor in a hold co-model

(25:04) The future of Assembly and vertical integration

(30:13) Potential of B2B creator-led businesses

(33:03) Future of the creator-led hold co-model

(38:55) Shared services of Assembly

(44:12) Building businesses with creators

(45:11) Rapid growth and artificial limitations

(47:35) The importance of iteration

—

X / Twitter:

Hunter Hammonds: @_hunterhammonds

Erik's Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Media Empires: @mediaempirespod

Turpentine @turpentinemedia

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

AI and Offshore Labor in Service-Based Businesses | Romeen Sheth, Metasys

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Romeen Sheth, CEO of Metasys, joins Erik Torenberg and Sean Linehan to discuss the intersections between Ai and service business, vertical software, and much more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

—

LINKS:

Late Checkout: https://www.latecheckout.studio/

—

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(03:12) Intersection between AI and service businesses

(08:30) The rise of cashflow businesses

(13:12) Opportunities in offshore labor & AI

(19:26) Building an automation consulting firm

(25:30) Carta for non-venture companies

(29:20) GLG & Tegas space

(45:04) Opportunities in vertical software

(46:24) Building a business around PE due diligence

(47:47) Understanding the diligence process

(51:25) Using a media company as a wedge

(53:21) Leveraging lists & data from media companies

(54:47) Challenges of recording and maintaining knowledge

—

X / Twitter:

Romeen Sheth: @romeensheth

Sean Lineman: @seanlinehan

Erik's Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Media Empires: @mediaempirespod

Turpentine @turpentinemedia

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Understanding Data Businesses | Auren Hoffman

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode, Erik Torenberg sits down with Auren Hoffman, CEO of SafeGraph, to discuss all things data business like building around products, selling horizontal data, second party data sharing, and much more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

—

LINKS:

SafeGraph: https://www.safegraph.com/

—

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:09) What ties Auren's businesses together

(03:00) The importance of market share and declining CACs

(03:39) Challenges & types of data businesses

(05:00) Selling horizontal data

(05:40) People, places, organizations, and products

(10:12) Methods for sourcing and verifying data

(14:48) Potential of building data businesses around products

(16:21) The nuances in recommendations for people and products

(26:46) LinkedIn’s success and disappointments

(33:09) Windfall data and net worth

(34:27) Reputation and bias

(37:32) Challenges & potential for social recommendations

(42:10) Improving the user experience of LinkedIn

(47:12) Crossbeam & second party data sharing

(49:14) DSL Co-op & aggregating general ledger data

(50:41) Building a reputation database

(51:50) NDA network

(53:01) Software businesses masquerading as services businesses

(55:24) Incubators & structuring ownership

–

X / Twitter:

Auren Hoffman: @auren

Erik's Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Media Empires: @mediaempirespod

Turpentine: @turpentinemedia

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

The Art of Multipreneurship, SEO, & Holding Companies | Greg Isenberg

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Tue, 5 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Media Empires is back for another season. In today’s episode, Greg Isenberg, CEO of Late Checkout, a holding company for businesses powered by community, joins Erik Torenberg and Sean Linehan, CEO at Exec, to discuss multipreneurship vs solopreneurship, building value around community-based products, requests for startups, and much more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Late Checkout: https://www.latecheckout.studio/

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(00:55) Welcome + Intro

(03:00) What is a multipreneur?

(08:50) Understanding Greg's empire

(13:08) Promo: The Riff

(14:10) Where does Greg hope to take the AI community?

(19:53) On Late Checkout and where it's going

(36:40) Greg's request for startups

(48:00) Calling all nerds!

(48:35) Wrap

—

X / Twitter:

Greg Isenberg: @gregisenberg

Sean Lineman: @seanlinehan

Erik's Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Media Empires: @mediaempirespod

Turpentine @turpentinemedia

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

The Democratization of Audio | Michael Mignano, Lightspeed

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Today’s episode is with Michael Mignano, co-founder of the podcasting platform Anchor, and venture capitalist at Lightspeed. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires and use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

In this episode, Michael and Erik discuss the demand, personalization, analytics, and whitespace for audio content. This is the Season 1 finale for Media Empires. Stay tuned for Season 2 and check out Turpentine’s other shows, like Moment of Zen, Upstream, Turpentine VC, Econ 102, and more.

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

LINKS:

Lightspeed: https://www.lightspeedhq.com/

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Moment of Zen: https://link.chtbl.com/moz

Upstream: https://link.chtbl.com/Upstream

Turpentine VC: https://link.chtbl.com/TurpentineVC

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:58) Democratizing audio

(06:24) Anchor’s success point

(11:49) Don’t just distribute, define

(16:04) The demand for audio content

(20:45) Analytic limitations

(28:30) Personalization

(31:30) Creator funding models

(37:18) All roads lead to TikTok

(39:27) A.I. working for the consumer?

(44:16) Making NPCs

(45:16) What media businesses need to do

(47:18) Mid-sized social networks

(50:56) New social network for only audio?

—

X / Twitter:

Jason: @Mignano

Erik's Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Media Empires: @mediaempirespod

Turpentine @turpentinemedia

Crypto, Events Spaces, and Trust in Media | Jason Yanowitz, Blockworks

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Erik sits down with Jason Yanowitz, the co-founder of Blockworks, an events and crypto-media company, as well as the host of the podcast Empire. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires and use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this episode Jason and Erik discuss podcast networks, trust in the media world, building audiences, and much more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:01) Evolution of BlockWorks

(03:35) Categorizing types of crypto information

(05:12) Where the revenue comes from

(07:13) Blockworks in five years

(09:07) Building media companies in fresh ways

(15:55) Building in fast-growing spaces like crypto and AI

(20:05) Psychedelics podcasts and newsletters

(21:33) B2B events businesses centered around creators

(24:30) Investing in multiple channels

(28:00) Niches make riches

(31:26) Essentials in events

(33:57) Content or sponsorship first?

(35:20) The dirty secret of the conference business: Bigger is better

(38:10) Building, growing, and maintaining multiple feeds

(43:36) Long term business values of podcasts

(45:00) YouTube is essential for podcasts

(46:30) Newsletter Models

(48:46) Finding white space in crypto media

(52:32) Trust in Media

(54:25) Perseverance & good teams will win

(56:48) Building an executive team for a media company

(58:35) Advice for growing media companies

LINKS:

Blockworks: https://blockworks.co/

X / Twitter:

Jason: @JasonYanowitz

Erik's Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Music Credit: L1U1KU2OUDVEVMON

E15: Monetization and Value on YouTube | John Coogan, Lucy

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:27:00 +0000

Erik sits down with John Coogan, co-founder of Lucy and creator of @JohnCooganPlus, a YouTube channel with over 300,000 subscribers that documents highlight moments in Silicon Valley.

Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEm... + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this episode John and Erik discuss the monetization on YouTube, understanding algorithms as a creator, and the value of content on various platforms.

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:39) Why John started his YouTube channel

(04:04) What's the value on YouTube?

(07:01) Monetization

(09:16) Evergreen vs News content

(10:45) The Packy Model

(12:44) Audiences on YouTube

(14:29) How to help your video do well

(19:04) Newsletters

(20:54) How the algorithm can work in your favor

(24:26) Separating channels

(27:24) Are niches better?

(30:18) The future of YouTube

(31:49) John's content evolution/philosophy

(37:46) Experimenting then filtering with content

(45:34) Twitch's value

(49:00) What can be built on top of YouTube?

LINKS:

Lucy: https://lucy.co/

John Coogan Plus on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnCooganPlus

X / Twitter:

John: https://twitter.com/johncoogan

Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Music Credit: RJQQIL7L6K8BBVRE

E14: Ben Gilbert of Acquired on Improving the Craft of Podcasting

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Thu, 7 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Erik sits down with Ben Gilbert, co-host and co-founder of Acquired, a podcast with 300,000+ subscribers that has been ranked the #1 Technology show on Apple Podcasts. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this episode we talk about experimentation in media, quantity vs quality in media, combining feeds, and much more. Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:01) Evolution of Acquired Podcast

(04:12) Experimentation in media

(06:26) LP channel versus Acquired channel

(09:33) Should everyone have an experimental feed?

(10:28) Should everyone have a subscription feed?

(12:28) Private versus public content

(13:34) Lower quantity with higher quality

(16:12) Advice for podcasters

(19:24) Why is a media company a good idea?

(22:09) White space for different shows

(27:21) What if you have lots of niche interests?

(31:02) Combining feeds

(35:08) Are we early or late to podcasts?

LINKS:

Acquired Podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/

SOCIALS:

Ben’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/gilbert

Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

E13: The Truth About Content Creation | Nuseir Yassin, Nas Daily

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:20:00 +0000

Erik sits down with Nuseir Yassin, creator and CEO of Nas Company, to discuss the value of followers on social media, how to create viral content, and why people are craving community content. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

Nuseir is most known for his viral 1,000 daily, one-minute-long videos online under Nas Daily. Nas Company is a production studio focused on community building and empowering creators to become educators.

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(01:00) Episode Preview

(03:38) The common thread between Nuseir’s endeavors

(04:50) What is Nas Daily’s creative superpower

(06:16) Nas Daily’s inflection point

(07:14) Which platforms give you vitality?

(08:06) Monetization

(08:50) Followers vs community

(12:23) Creator relevancy

(13:40) The Evolution of Nas Academy

(14:28) Operational to SAS Platform

(15:17) Cohort-based services

(18:13) Capital sources for creators

(20:02) Misaligned incentives for creators

(21:05) Mr. Beast as a case study

(23:16) How to build a perfect “exit plan”

(25:33) The person vs the brand

(26:31) Vertical form one-minute long videos

(28:27) Shelf-life of content

(29:33) Tiers of creators

(33:21) How to properly build community

(34:36) Podcasts

(35:50) Evolution of social spaces

(37:48) What should creators and brands build?

(39:12) People are craving community content

LINKS:

Nas Daily: https://nasdaily.com/

Nas.IO: https://nas.io/

SOCIALS:

Nuseir’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nasdaily

Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

E12: Levels of Content, Investing in Creators, & MGK’s Nail Polish | Alex Lieberman, Morning Brew

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Erik sits down with Alex Lieberman, co-founder of Morning Brew @MorningBrew, and host of Founder's Journal and 60 Second Startup. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this interview, Erik and Alex discuss the different levels of content, investing in creators, and much more. Learn how Alex thinks about working with creators' businesses, choosing platforms, and formats for niche creators.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:46) Positioning Morning Brew

(07:13) Where does the business come from?

(08:42) Levels of Content

(14:05) Working with creators’ businesses

(18:50) Investing in Creators

(21:52) Pairing creators with COO’s

(27:00) The Atomic for creators

(28:20) Would Erik need a management arm if he ever started an Atomic for creators?

(31:56) The four categories of creator businesses

(37:26) Commerce vs software for creators

(40:31) Youtube for B2B Creators

(42:28) John Coogan's long term game

(43:15) How Alex thinks about picking platforms and durability of the business

(45:39) Formats for niche creators like watch or cigar creators

(49:09) Alex's advice for Erik on podcast networks

(48:43) How Alex is thinking about his experience as a creator

(50:58) The future of Morning Brew's content

(52:05) Alex's closing thoughts on why you should be a creator

LINKS:

Morning Brew's Website: https://www.morningbrew.com/daily

SOCIALS:

Alex's Twitter: https://twitter.com/businessbarista

Morning Brew's Twitter: https://twitter.com/morningbrew

Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Music Credit: BNUEVM75G9VD4ZY6

E11: "Creating a $1M+ Business Through Communicating Complex Ideas" | Jack Butcher, Visualizing Value

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 09:25:00 +0000

Erik sits down with Jack Butcher, the founder of Visualize Value. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this interview, Erik and Jack discuss how Jack built a media platform with a network of mentors and an audience of over five hundred thousand people. Learn Jack transitioned his agency into a community-driven million dollar business with effective branding and communication of complex ideas.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Check out Turpentine VC

(01:00 Episode Preview

(02:29) Sponsor: Riverside

(03:35) What is Visualized Value?

(04:29) Jack's core skillset and the evolution of Visualized Value

(10:06) Sell the dream, deliver the nightmare

(14:15) Transitioning from pure services to a high leverage media business

(20:47) Picking great names

(25:00) Where does Jack want to take Visualized Value in the future?

(28:50) Mr. Beast

(34:58) Build once, sell twice.

(36:10) Be an API

(38:35) NFTs and what we've learned as an ecosystem

(44:51) Blockchain infrastructure for Visualized Value's community

X/ Twitter

@jackbutcher

@eriktorenberg

@visualizevalue

@mediaempirespod

E10: "Where Tech and the Entertainment Industry Intersect" | Greg Silverman, Stampede Ventures

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 9 Aug 2023 19:57:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with film executive, producer, tech investor, and CEO/founder of Stampede Ventures, Greg Silverman. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this interview they compare and contrast the film and tech industries in all aspects, what makes a successful project, and investment practices.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:33) Why Greg got into the film industry

(08:22) Analogs of the film world vs tech

(10:45) Learnings from film versus tech

(12:20) Product launching in film vs tech

(13:39) Leverage in the tech vs entertainment world

(17:15) Where investments comes from in Hollywood

(18:15) Where did Stampede come from?

(23:11) Raising venture money

(26:50) Where does the money from hits come from?

(28:10) Moats in Hollywood

(29:27) Can the Hollywood approach work in tech?

(31:04) The cultural impact of the theater

(32:40) How similar is it with the music industry?

(33:44) The hints of a successful project (or resistance and persistence make for successful projects)

(37:05) How technology has changed the entertainment industry

(39:00) Will AI change the game of entertainment?

(41:48) NFTs and Web-3

(44:30) Greg’s Investing Practices

(47:21) What is the value in short form content?

LINKS:

Stampede Ventures: https://stampedeventures.com/

SOCIALS:

Greg's Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregsilverman

Stampede Venture's Twitter: https://twitter.com/stampede_vent

Stampede Venture's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stam...

Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

E9: "Diving Into the Data of 4000+ Tech Markets" | Anand Sanwal, CB Insights

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 2 Aug 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Anand Sanwal, CEO of CB Insights. Over 900,000 people turn to CB Insights for the insights they share in their newsletter. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this conversation, Anand and Erik discuss data collection, scaling across different technology markets, media and data businesses, and more.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:00) What is CB Insights

(02:45) What CB Insights does

(03:30) The needs of the CB Insight customer

(07:00) Scaling to a thousand markets

(12:16) Evolution of CB Insights

(15:58) Which data is most helpful to collect?

(17:51) A dataset Anand would want to acquire

(19:45) Events and Community

(21:32) The Future of CB Insights

(23:15) Increasing density of coverage

(26:48) Perspective on past opportunities

(28:30) Litmus test for what is worth Focusing On

(30:08) Breadth of data front

(32:38) Private analyses

(34:25) Data business idea: startup-investor pitches

(38:16) Data business idea: Reference checks

(39:12) Online reputations

(42:20) Which media businesses should be data businesses?

(46:10) Scalable and programmatic ways of acquiring data

(48:50) If Anand was starting today

(49:44) Building a data business on top of a successful media company

LINKS:

CB Insights: https://www.cbinsights.com/

SOCIALS:

Anand's Twitter: https://twitter.com/asanwal

Anand's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anandsanwal?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Erik's Twitter: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

E8: "Scaling a Newsletter Into 10 Businesses" | Sahil Bloom, Curiosity Chronicle

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 18:31:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Sahil Bloom, writer of The Curiosity Chronicle, whose insights are seen by over one million people across his social platforms and newsletter. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this conversation, Sahil and Erik discuss the strategies to scaling your business as a creator, Sahil's career journey of leaving private equity to write impactful financial content, and how to build durability into your career as a creator.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:09) Sponsor: Riverside

(02:12) Being a creator entrepreneur

(05:26) B2C to B2B and operationalizing your content creation

(07:24) Examples of operationalizing in media

(10:13) Finding the operator to partner with

(12:37) Transforming cost centres into profit centres

(16:05) Building durability into your career as a creator

(17:56) COO as a service

(18:30) What do deals with creators and operators typically look like?

(20:53) The opportunity of talent incubation

(22:48) Sahil's moonshot and what he'll be working on five years from now

(25:21) Types of businesses worth buying

(26:43) Sahil's career journey and developing conviction

(28:50) Would Sahil consider building a platform?

(30:12) Hundred million dollar vs one billion dollar plan

(32:04) Investing and getting upside in creators

(44:12) The scarcity of attention and distribution

(46:27) Where's the opportunity today for the next Sahil Bloom?

(47:22) Content strategy between Twitter and LinkedIn

(49:12) Is podcasting worth the time?

(50:49) Creating a book from the business perspective

LINKS:

Sahil's site: https://www.sahilbloom.com

SOCIAL MEDIA:

@sahilbloom (Sahil)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)

E7: "Honing Your Information Advantage" | Steph Smith, a16z

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Steph Smith, host of the a16z podcast and the driver behind the newsletter Trends for The Hustle, which was acquired by Hubspot. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this conversation, Steph and Erik discuss unfair information advantages and how to hone them, choosing a social platform based on the degree of truth and anonymity, and Steph’s advice for building a media network from her own experience at The Hustle and now as a podcast host at a16z.

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00) Episode Preview

(01:21) Sponsor: Riverside.fm

(01:52) Intro: Steph Smith

(02:30) Steph’s nonlinear background

(04:28) If Steph could go back four years ago, how would she allocate her time differently?

(07:24) How Steph thinks about her “unfair” information advantage

(08:46) How Steph grew The Hustle’s Trends

(11:58) Challenges of building out great educational content in tech

(14:20) The intersection of media and tech companies

(18:29) Having an emotional connection with your audience

(19:27) Ownership deals in media

(22:39) 85 years from now, what will be different about the creator economy?

(25:41) Digital virtual influencers and the metaverse

(27:28) What Steph would do if she was unconstrained

(30:00) Using subreddit data to build businesses

(38:14) The degree of truth as a function of anonymity on social platforms

(40:41) Choosing a medium for content

(44:09) Steph’s advice for building a media network

(51:34) Anything else that’s top of mind?

LINKS:

a16z podcast: https://a16z.com/podcast-episodes/

TWITTER:

@stephsmithio (Steph Smith)

@eriktorenberg (Erik

@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)

E6: "How to Build A Personal Holding Company in 2023" | Greg Isenberg, Late Checkout

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Greg Isenberg, CEO of Late Checkout, and co-host of Where It Happens. He's spent the last 15 years building venture-backed businesses at WeWork, Islands and WallStreetSurvivor, as well as advising the teams behind Reddit and TikTok. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this episode, Greg and Erik discuss personal holding companies, the unbundling of Reddit and how subreddits can help identify product opportunities, and how Greg is strategizing his own PHC, content, and projects in 2023.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:49) Greg's inspiration for starting a personal holding company and building differently

(04:34) Greg Isenberg for X

(06:10) Why start an agency?

(08:00) Cashflow opportunities for people without audiences or expertise

(10:30) What platforms are ripe for audience-building and what's changed in 2023?

(16:45) Email is king

(17:28) Y-Combinator for PHCs and the "do things that don't scale" for creators

(22:51) Acquisitions and ownership percentages

(24:26) Why build a services business

(26:48) The unbundling of Reddit and how Greg's thesis has changed

(30:09) Forget being an EIR, be a subreddit moderator

(31:27) Content first vs. community first

(34:40) New funding models for creators

(38:25) How Greg is thinking about his projects in 2023

LINKS:

Late Checkout: https://www.latecheckout.studio/

Where It Happens Podcast: https://whereithappens.trwih.com/

TWITTER:

@gregisenberg (Greg)

@_trwih (Where It Happens Podcast)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)

E5: "The Business of Building a B2B Media Company" | Sean Griffey, Industry Dive

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 5 Jul 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Sean Griffey, CEO and Co-founder of Industry Dive, a business journalism company that reaches 14 million executives across 32 publications, and was acquired by Informa for $525 million. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this conversation, Erik and Sean discuss the story of how Industry Dive came to be, how Sean evaluates acquisition deals and talent in the media space, and what Sean would do differently if he started building Industry Dive in 2023.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:13) Sponsor: Riverside.fm

(02:29) The story of Industry Dive

(04:58) The evolution of business media

(07:05) What did everyone miss in the consumer media space?

(08:17) Business media models and their tradeoffs

(12:27) Industry Dive's value prop

(15:34) How Sean evaluates acquisition deals

(18:40) Choosing a media platform

(22:35) What Sean would do differently if he started Industry Dive today

(28:22) Sean's dream acquisition

(29:42) Building a viable initial audience

(34:12) Substack

(36:56) Data worth collecting and evaluating in media

(40:42) Advice for evaluating talent in media

LINKS:

IndustryDive: https://www.industrydive.com/

TWITTER:

@seangriffey (Sean)

@industrydive (Industry Dive)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)

E4: "The Craft of Building a Course Business" | David Perell, Write of Passage

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:02:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with David Perell – writer, founder and CEO at Write of Passage, and podcaster. Perell's writing is read by 70,000+ people. He has catalyzed many creators at the intersection of media and tech, including Packy McCormick. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans. Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

In this conversation, Erik and David discuss: how David chooses opportunities, his vision for the future of liberal arts education, and how Walt Disney serves as his enduring inspiration.

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(00:50) Sponsor: Riverside

(02:12) David's inspiration to create the Annual Review

(03:34) Write of Passage's evolution

(10:30) Tradeoffs in ambition and lifestyle

(14:04) How David chooses opportunities and remains focused

(20:24) The Disney diagram

(23:54) Investing in people

(28:00) Success with cohort-based courses

(32:03) Walt Disney as David's enduring inspiration

(37:45) The future of liberal arts education

LINKS

David Perell's site: https://perell.com/

Write of Passage: https://writeofpassage.school/

TWITTER

@david_perell (David)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)

Music License: LQ2DW3MRL0BZDOOW

E3: "The Best Business Model For Creators" | Blake Robbins, Benchmark and Gamecraft

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:44:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Blake Robbins, Principal Investor at Benchmark, and the host of Gamecraft, a podcast about the video game business' modern history. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this conversation, Erik and Blake discuss Blake's journey and experience working with fan favorites like 100 Thieves, how creators should think about choosing platforms and monetizing, and the value of live streaming platforms like Twitch for gamers and non-gamer creators. Blake's knowledge of the gaming industry and creator economy makes this episode a worthwhile watch for gaming aficionados, streamers, and creators on any platform.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(00:48) Sponsor: https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires

(01:50) Blake's majors and minors

(06:25) Blake's reflection on hype cycles and where he's looking to now as an investor

(08:24) The question you need to answer to define your moat as a creator

(01:35) What the next evolution of creator businesses should look like

(05:18) More ways to monetize than meets the eye

(19:37) Blake's views on creator equity

(24:35) Compensation vs Value capture in tech

(29:28) Comparing financing ecosystem for creators to VC

(36:11) Waves in the creator economy

(42:11) Which platforms should creators go to?

(47:05) Sequencing platforms when building an audience

(48:23) The value of livestreaming

(51:40) Livestreaming beyond gaming

LINKS:

Blake Robbins' site: https://blakeir.com/

Gamecraft Podcast: https://www.gamecraftpod.com/

TWITTER:

@blakeir (Blake)

@gamecraftpod (Gamecraft)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@MediaEmpiresPod (Media Empires)

E2: "Not Boring and the Future of Tech Media" | Packy McCormick, Not Boring

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 17:33:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg sits down with Packy McCormick of the newsletter Not Boring and Not Boring Capital. For many, Packy is the epitome of the single creator-led media empire.Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this conversation, they discuss: how Packy evolved his content format, why a venture model is the business he wanted to build, and his plans for experimentation with Not Boring. They also analyze the opportunities for successful media businesses that should exist in the world.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:00) Sponsor: https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires

(03:07) The story and evolution of Not Boring

(07:58) Breaking into venture through media

(09:45) What have you chosen not to do with Not Boring?

(12:11) ProductHunt for fundraise announcements

(16:03) Packy's investing style and how its changed

(20:46) How Packy's content has evolved

(24:40) Content formats to experiment with in the future

(26:29) A museum where you could see what the world is like in 2050

(28:06) Rap Genius for S-1

(30:30) Competing with Crunchbase or PitchBook

(31:44) Not Boring in a universe where Packy didn't start a venture fund

(34:30) If Packy built a tech media company today, how would he do it?

(37:06) Topics in tech media to cover

(39:48) Workweek vs Not Boring approach

(41:07) Would Packy have taken a Workweek offer instead of starting Not Boring?

(42:30) Investing in creators vs startups

(45:08) Exploring other content platforms

(46:21) The future of tech media

(48:26) Is there a book in Not Boring's future?

(50:26) Financing good businesses that are not venture-backable

(52:31) The full-time fan and the idea of fans investing in media businesses

LINKS:

Not Boring: https://www.notboring.co/

TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@packym

@notboringco

E1: “How to Build a Media Business in 2023”| Austin Rief, Morning Brew

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Thu, 8 Jun 2023 15:40:00 +0000

On the first episode of Media Empires, Erik Torenberg sits down with Morning Brew's CEO Austin Rief to learn his perspective on the future of the media business, the critical elements that determine success, and where he sees the single biggest opportunity to build a media empire. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

This episode was recorded in early spring of 2023, but just as relevant today.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:02) Sponsor: https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires

(02:10) The evolution of Morning Brew at critical junctures

(04:39) How to target your audience

(06:20) Where is the biggest opportunity: super niche or aggregation of niches?

(10:04) Austin’s hopes for media in 2023

(11:35) Why succeeding in media is different than succeeding in startups

(16:12) Data businesses in media

(17:24) B2B in media

(20:52) Austin offers advice for attracting and working with talent

(23:12) Tradeoffs in monetization

(25:00) What is the opportunity in tech media?

(26:50) How Morning Brew picks its categories to cover

(30:00) Building additional businesses on top of a media business

(30:32) How should creators pick platforms?

(36:18) How to think about podcasting

(37:44) How has the course business evolved?

(39:20) How Austin envisions Morning Brew growing

(43:29) How the Morning Brew mafia continues to build out the media ecosystem

LINKS:

Morning Brew: https://www.morningbrew.com/

TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@austin_rief

@morningbrew

SPONSOR:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months

Thanks to our sponsor Riverside

Go to https://bit.ly/Riverside_MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

Introducing: Media Empires

zwang@a16z.com (Turpentine) — Wed, 7 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Erik Torenberg interviews influential media creators to learn exactly how they built their empires.

Follow Media Empires on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.