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

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

Erik Torenberg interviews influential media creators, podcasters, newsletter writers, and media entrepreneurs to learn exactly how they built their empires. Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co

  1. 12 NOV

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

    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 _ 📰Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  _ 🎙️ 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: 🎙️ 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 __ 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) — X / TWITTER: @snigdhasur (Snigdha) @bethejuggernaut (Juggernaut) @eriktorenberg (Erik)

    50 min

  2. 13 AUG

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

    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. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj __ 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 __ 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/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @gregraiten (Greg) — 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 — 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.

    52 min

  3. 6 AUG

    Navigating Content Strategy Across Platforms with JT Barnett

    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.     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 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. — 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/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @jtbarnett (JT) — 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 — 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.

    49 min

  4. 31 JULY

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

    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 — SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | METAVIEW Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.     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: Daybreak: https://www.daybreakventures.com/ Digital Native: https://www.digitalnative.tech/ Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @rex_woodbury (Rex) — 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 — 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.

    58 min

  5. 23 JULY

    Michael Girdley on Incubating Media Businesses

    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: 🎙️ 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 — SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | METAVIEW Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.     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: Girdley Enterprise: https://www.girdley.com/ Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @girdley (Michael) @seanlinehan (Sean) — 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 — 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.

    58 min

  6. 16 JULY

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

    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: 🎙️ 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 — 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/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @thefutureparty (Boye) — 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 — 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.

    30 min

  7. 9 JULY

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

    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 — SPONSORS: BEEHIIV Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code “EMPIRES” for 20% off your first three months.     — LINKS: Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @nujabrol (Anuj) @sarmariewright (Sarah) — 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  — 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.

    46 min

  8. 2 JULY

    The Transformation of Media with Byrne Hobart of The Diff

    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: 🎙️ 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 🎙️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 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/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @ByrneHobart (Byrne) — 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 — 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.

    1h 7m
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About

Erik Torenberg interviews influential media creators, podcasters, newsletter writers, and media entrepreneurs to learn exactly how they built their empires. Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co

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