The Revenue Room™, by H2K Labs

Heather Holst-Knudsen, CEO, H2K Labs
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to The Revenue Room™, brought to you by H2K Labs. Our podcast is designed for CEOs and their revenue-critical executive teams leading media, events, data/info, and marketplace businesses. We focus on boosting revenue, enhancing profitability, and elevating enterprise value. Each episode delves into cutting-edge data-driven strategies to accelerate revenue, manage risks, and establish scalable, predictable processes. We also discuss elevating revenue to the core of operational excellence, empowering you to consistently outperform your competitors. 

  1. Jul 29

    $101M, 27 People, Zero VC: How Tim Huelskamp Built 1440 Into America's Most Profitable Newsletter

    In this episode of The Revenue Room™ Podcast, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Tim Huelskamp, Co-Founder and CEO of 1440, the daily newsletter serving nearly five million intellectually curious readers. After a decade in private equity, Tim built one of the most profitable media businesses in America—27 employees, $1 million in revenue per person, a $101 million valuation, and not a dollar of venture capital. He breaks down the flywheel behind it: a product readers love, advertising that delivers measurable ROI, and disciplined reinvestment into growth. Why Listen: Learn the unit economics of a profitable newsletter: $3–$4 subscriber acquisition, payback within quarters, and stacked profitable cohortsUnderstand why talent is the single biggest ROI in business—and how 1440 achieved 90%+ retention over five yearsHear how reader feedback became the roadmap for 1440 Topics, a human-curated, AI-enabled knowledge discovery productDiscover how to build a durable, founder-controlled company with non-dilutive financing and lean operationsGet Tim's contrarian take on AI: why human curiosity can't be outsourced to agentsCONNECT WITH TIM: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timhuelskamp/ About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    $101M, 27 People, Zero VC: How Tim Huelskamp Built 1440 Into America's Most Profitable Newsletter

  2. Jul 22

    Stop Buying AI Tools. Start Buying Back Your People's Time.

    In this episode of The Revenue Room™ Podcast, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Jay Lauf, Co-Founder of Charter and former founding publisher of Quartz. With two successful media exits under his belt and decades leading iconic brands like The Atlantic and WIRED, Jay shares why the biggest AI opportunity isn't buying more tools—it's redesigning how people work. From building indispensable media businesses to creating sustainable high-performance cultures, he offers practical lessons for CEOs navigating AI, leadership, and the future of work. Why Listen: Learn why 93% of AI investment goes into tools while only 7% goes into training, and why that imbalance is holding companies back.Discover how AI can increase productivity without increasing burnout by giving employees time back to focus on higher-value work.Hear why the future belongs to businesses that become indispensable, not just interesting, by earning meaningful, recurring attention.Explore practical leadership strategies from Charter, including no-meeting Fridays, manager user manuals, and using AI to improve quality rather than simply increasing output.Understand why founders often underestimate the human side of acquisitions, and how vision, leadership, and storytelling influence successful exits.CONNECT WITH JAY: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-lauf-b7452724/ About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    Stop Buying AI Tools. Start Buying Back Your People's Time.

  3. Mar 12

    Why Your Next Revenue Stream Isn't More Content - It's Saving Your Audience Time

    In this episode of The Revenue Room™ Podcast, Heather Holst-Knudsen and David Newcorn, President of PMMI Media Group explore how B2B media companies can shift from chasing volume to delivering efficiency. Instead of overwhelming audiences with endless information, the winning strategy is helping professionals find the right insights faster and make better decisions with less friction. Why Listen: Learn why audience time is the most valuable currency in mediaUnderstand how B2B media companies can shift from content volume to decision valueHear how media platforms and trade shows work together to build stronger industry ecosystemsDiscover how trusted industry brands can create new revenue by reducing complexity for their audienceCONNECT WITH DAVID: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnewcorn/ About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    Why Your Next Revenue Stream Isn't More Content - It's Saving Your Audience Time

  4. Mar 5

    Why Traffic-Reliant Media is "Done For" (And Why Media + Events + Data Wins)

    In this episode of The Revenue Room, host Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Jacob Donnelly, founder of A Media Operator (AMO). They discuss why media business models built on algorithmic traffic are operating on borrowed time, and why anyone dependent on it is simply "done for". Between the threat of AI replicating "average" content and a shifting M&A landscape heavily influenced by Private Equity, the old publishing playbook is broken. Jacob reveals how the smartest CEOs are future-proofing their businesses by abandoning the mass-reach illusion and building a durable "three-legged stool": Media, Events, and Data. Why Listen: Learn why Artificial Intelligence makes "average" content obsolete, and why CEOs need to have hard conversations with PE owners about compressing short-term EBITDA to invest heavily in elite, proprietary content.Discover why publishers must prioritize the Lifetime Value (LTV) of their audience and treat advertising as a high-margin secondary model behind reader revenue—much like Uber's advertising model. Understand the current M&A market, why Private Equity buyers assign premium valuations to diversified media and event assets, and why pure-play event companies are leaving massive value on the table.Hear the hard truth on why the easiest way to make 7 figures is a media company, but the hardest way to make 8 figures is a media company.Find out why founder-led companies with clear-cut voices and rapid decisiveness drastically outperform executive-run media brands during times of industry disruption.About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    Why Traffic-Reliant Media is "Done For" (And Why Media + Events + Data Wins)

  5. Mar 4

    Turning Your Passive Data Lake into an Active Revenue Stream

    In this episode of The Revenue Room™, host Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Max Gabriel, the Co-Founder and CEO of Markus AI. Drawing on his extensive experience as the former Chief Transformation Officer at Informa and leading tech transformations at Pfizer, Max discusses the monumental shift from the bloated "Tool Economy" of SaaS apps to the highly anticipated "Agent Economy". He shares the secrets behind building Informa's massive IIRIS data engine—which captured over 1.8 billion audience interactions—and how he empowers ordinary teams to achieve extraordinary things. Why Listen Discover the "Agent Economy": Learn why the era of overpaying for 15,000 fragmented SaaS tools is coming to an end, and how AI agents will soon orchestrate complex, multi-step workflows.Master Data Transformation: Uncover practical strategies for organizing siloed data, deploying data lakes, and balancing compliance with commercial revenue generation in complex enterprise environments.Leadership Insights: Find out how to inspire cross-functional teams and secure the top-down leadership buy-in required to execute massive tech projects successfully.The Future of Events: See how AI event crews are replacing clunky event apps to deliver intentional connections, contextual matchmaking, and actionable ROI for sponsors and attendees.CONNECT WITH MAX GABRIEL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxgabriel/ About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    Turning Your Passive Data Lake into an Active Revenue Stream

  6. Feb 27

    How the Next Audience Is Rewriting the Media Business Model

    In this episode of The Revenue Room™ Podcast, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Billy Carney, Co-Founder of RocaNews, to explore how a next-generation media company built for Gen Z turned social attention into owned revenue and profitability. Launched in 2020 as an Instagram experiment, RocaNews has grown to more than 3 million followers and subscribers across social platforms, newsletters, a gamified news app, and YouTube. With a lean team of roughly 11 people, the company became profitable in late 2024 and quickly crossed $1M in annual recurring revenue, challenging long-held assumptions about young audiences, subscriptions, and media economics. Why Listen This episode is essential listening for CEOs and media executives who are: Rethinking audience growth in a platform-first worldLooking to diversify revenue beyond advertisingExploring product-led growth in media and information servicesTrying to reach Gen Z without eroding brand trustBuilding sustainable, profitable media businesses in a data-driven economyConnect with Billy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-carney-02a041152/ If you’re a CEO, CRO, product leader, or media operator navigating the future of digital media, this conversation delivers practical insight into how new business models are being built from the ground up. About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    How the Next Audience Is Rewriting the Media Business Model

  7. Feb 25

    Leadership Secrets to Navigating Nonstop Change with Laura Molen

    In this episode of The Revenue Room™, host Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with visionary media and advertising executive, President and Founder of Monarch Advisory Collective, Laura Molen. With a career spanning MTV Networks, Paramount, Univision, and NBCUniversal, Laura has had a front-row seat to every major shift in media over the last two decades.  Laura shares her incredible journey of navigating constant industry disruption—from the days when cable challenged broadcast television, to the rise of social media fandoms, to the streaming revolution. She offers an inside look at how she spearheaded NBCUniversal’s "One Platform" cross-channel strategy, successfully led the high-stakes launch of Peacock's ad-supported streaming business, and ultimately made the brave personal decision to step away from the C-suite to focus on her family and advisory work. Key Takeaways: • Disruption is an Environment, Not a Phase: Leaders must stop waiting for periods of transition to settle down. • Sell the Vision Before the Proof Exists: When launching the ad-supported tier of Peacock, Molen’s team had just six weeks to secure 10 exclusive launch partners without any historical data to prove it would work.  • Break Down Internal Silos to Focus on the Customer: A major hurdle at NBCUniversal was that teams were selling in rigid product silos (broadcast, cable, digital, etc.).  • Leverage and Monetize "Fandom": To truly connect with audiences, brands must tap into existing passions. Molen highlighted a BravoCon partnership where Lay's created custom potato chip recipes based on Real Housewives cast members, leading the brand to trend in the top three on Twitter.  • Secure Executive "Air Cover" to Break Legacy Rules: Driving massive transformation requires the backing of visionary leaders. About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    Leadership Secrets to Navigating Nonstop Change with Laura Molen

  8. Feb 24

    Beyond the Booth: How to Engineer Ecosystems that Compound Revenue

    Revenue isn't just about transactions; it's about creating ecosystems where value compounds across multiple stakeholders. In this episode of The Revenue Room™, host Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Michelle Metter, CEO and Co-Founder of Fast Forward Events, to decode how modern event leaders build scalable, accelerated growth strategies. Over the last two decades, Michelle has transformed a regional food festival into a nationally recognized economic driver, proving that live experiences aren't cost centers—they are sophisticated revenue platforms. Today, she services over 100,000 industry professionals annually across a growing portfolio of interconnected B2B and B2C properties. In this episode, we unpack her playbook for turning live media and events into dynamic ecosystems where consumer passion directly fuels B2B growth. Key Takeaways: • The B2B/B2C Hybrid Ecosystem: Discover how converging B2C consumer events with B2B trade initiatives allows your sales team to meet almost any brand objective and solve multiple stakeholder challenges. • Mastering "Evolutionary Management": Learn Michelle's unique philosophy of intentionally treating every cultural movement as a direct revenue opportunity. • Leveraging Data as Demand Signals: Understand why you should stop viewing attendees as mere ticket-buyers. Learn how to use registration data to predict future travel trends, attract non-endemic sponsors, and justify your pricing. • Engineering Viral Brand Activations: Ditch the standard "menu" sponsorships. Hear the story behind the famous Monkey Shoulder Porta-Potty Speakeasy, a surprise activation that generated massive social engagement, residual media value, and raised the bar for all other event sponsors. • Building Resilience Through Diversification: Hear a real-world case study on pivoting during a crisis with the launch of "Pitch Box Media". Learn why diversifying across new industry verticals protects your business against market compression. • Empowering Women in Leadership: Discover the importance of building diverse teams, fostering mentorship, and teaching women to overcome the fear of "asking" and inserting themselves into spaces where they belong. About Heather Holst-Knudsen Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™. About Revenue Room™ CXO Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. Learn more or apply for membership at https://www.revenueroomcxo.com/apply

    Beyond the Booth: How to Engineer Ecosystems that Compound Revenue
See All (57)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Revenue Room™, brought to you by H2K Labs. Our podcast is designed for CEOs and their revenue-critical executive teams leading media, events, data/info, and marketplace businesses. We focus on boosting revenue, enhancing profitability, and elevating enterprise value. Each episode delves into cutting-edge data-driven strategies to accelerate revenue, manage risks, and establish scalable, predictable processes. We also discuss elevating revenue to the core of operational excellence, empowering you to consistently outperform your competitors. 

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Holst-Knudsen, CEO, H2K Labs
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Revenue Room™, by H2K Labs
  • Show Website
    The Revenue Room™, by H2K Labs

You Might Also Like