Local Media HQ

Build a greetform that turns new newsletter subscribers into data, leads, and offers, https://greetform.com/Ken Jee built Austin Founders Feed into a newsletter for Austin founders and entrepreneurs, growing it to approximately 6,500 subscribers by the time of this recording.After years of creating data science content on YouTube, Ken is now focused on local media, newsletter growth, community-building, and AI-resilient businesses in Austin.In this Local Media HQ interview, Ken walks through how Austin Founders Feed grew through Meta ads, organic community campaigns, founder interviews, sponsorships, and a local business directory.He explains why partnered expert columns can outperform traditional ad placements, how the directory became a source of warm sponsorship leads, and why real-world relationships are becoming more valuable as AI makes content easier to commoditize.Ken also shares his plans for the Austin Creator Brief, a newsletter agency for content creators, creator-focused events, and a potential physical space for Austin’s creator economy.Ken’s guiding principle is that local media should create win-win relationships by investing in the community before asking for anything in return.Chapters00:00 Ken Jee and Austin Founders Feed introduction00:57 Why Ken started a local B2B newsletter03:57 Austin Founders Feed's early growth and business model06:19 Why expert columns build more trust than traditional ads08:42 Using interviews and human content to stand out from AI10:55 The Top Connectors campaign and organic growth12:40 Building a collaborative local business community15:19 Why local communities are a hedge against AI16:05 Ad break17:41 The Austin Creator Brief and Ken's three-business roadmap19:37 Building a newsletter agency for content creators23:08 Ken's vision for a larger national newsletter26:54 How past relationships create long-term leverage30:13 Why Ken prefers partnering on eventsGuest LinksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenjee/Austin Founders Feed: https://www.austinfoundersfeed.com/Austin Creator Brief: https://austincreatorbrief.com/AI Survival Guide: https://ai-survival-guide.beehiiv.com/The Growth Account: https://the-growth-account.beehiiv.com/Work with me: https://www.localmediahq.com/Discord: https://discord.localmediahq.com/TJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1TJ on X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23TJ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin#LocalMedia #Entrepreneurship #NewsletterGrowth #CommunityBuilding #AustinFoundersFeed #CreatorEconomy #NewsletterMonetization #CommunityEvents #KenJee #LocalMediaHQ

greetform turns a newsletter signup into revenue in the first few minutes: https://greetform.com/Katie Myers built Localish in Janesville, Wisconsin (about 65,000 people). Twelve videos for a free-roof giveaway pulled 170 leads. Her first dinner club got 50 people, and she barely has a newsletter.Katie is an insurance agency owner who opened in Janesville on March 1, 2020, knowing one person in town. Personal Facebook content was producing about $60,000 a month in new insurance business within the first year or two. Close rate on quotes is about 50% because people already know her. In 2025 she did 80 million views across platforms. About 50 million of those were content about small businesses and what was going on around town.She built a Localish app on Replit, got 1,800 downloads in the first month from three videos, could not pay the developer, and pivoted. Localish Janesville as a media brand started February 2026. It runs mainly on Facebook and TikTok (about 90,000 followers across platforms, Instagram under 1,000). She says it is averaging about a million views a month, all organic. She is launching Localish Madison with a partner (another insurance agency owner) and does not want her face on the brand. The vision is Localish in every city. She only wants advertisers spending $50,000+ a year on ads. She will not film a shop for $100.Dinner club: she heard it on this show and planned one that morning. First event, June 2026, 50 people, mostly strangers, town of 65,000. Four dinners this summer. A business-only dinner got 15 people. She is not repeating that. Localish Madison dinner club was announced the day before this recording.Free roof with Brady Boland / Rooster Roofing: idea from Cole Simpson (Soda City Simpson) on this show. Google Form, disclosed they would be contacted for a quote, stories used to pick the winner (not a hat draw). 11–12 videos, 170 form fills. Her private goal was 50. Local roofers pay $40 to $300 a lead. They gave the roof to a veteran's family (seven tours in Iraq, back surgery). She says they have already sold roofs off the list. Best videos: announcement clips and the call. A polished drone video was the worst. Crowd-sourced friend videos and a rooster mascot (Rufus) did better.Also in this episode: digitize your reputation, more volume beats three precious videos a week, a "who's hiring" poll that got 75 comments in under 24 hours, why BNI and chambers fail most operators, and why she wants to give away $100 million someday.Mentioned in this episodeRooster Roofing (Brady Boland): https://rooster-roofing.com/Cole Simpson / Soda City Simpson: https://www.youtube.com/@sodacitysimpsonLocalish Janesville Dinner Club: https://localishjanesvilledinnerclub.dnnr.io/Katie MyersEmail: [email protected]: https://www.facebook.com/ThekatiemyersshowTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_katie_myersInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_katie_myers/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-myers-388515105Localish JanesvilleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LocalishjanesvilleTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@localishjanesvilleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/localishjanesville/Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/Subscribe to the weekly newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribeJoin the community (Discord):https://discord.localmediahq.comFollow TJX: https://x.com/TJLarkin23Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1Website: https://tjlarkin.com/Work with me:https://www.localmediahq.com/#LocalMedia #LocalNewsletters #Janesville #TikTok #DinnerClub #Roofing #Localish #NewsletterGrowth #AdSales #CreatorEconomy

Check out Greetform here: https://greetform.com/In this episode of the Local Media HQ show, host TJ Larkin interviews Price Foulger, the creator of Low Tide Local in Northern California. Price shares his journey of launching a local newsletter focused on community events in Santa Cruz while simultaneously building a new roofing business. He explains how he views the newsletter not only as a passion project for community connection, but also as an effective, long-term marketing engine for high-ticket home services.Price walks through his early growth strategies, detail how organic posts on Facebook and Nextdoor brought in thousands of initial subscribers, followed by cost-effective Meta ad campaigns. The conversation covers the balance between short-term lead generation and long-term community trust, as well as how local media brands create "local gravity" that benefits backend business offers.Additionally, Price discusses leveraging technology to streamline operations, including using AI coding tools to build interactive, map-based event calendars for subscribers. The episode provides practical perspectives for local media operators and home service entrepreneurs looking to integrate media with traditional local business models.For more information or to connect with Price Foulger, visit his website at lowtidelocal.media. You can also follow his updates on Twitter and Instagram under the handle @PriceFoulger.Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.aiSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalNewsletters #LocalMedia #HomeServices #RoofingBusiness #SantaCruz #Entrepreneurship #ContentMarketing #CommunityBuilding #BusinessGrowth #LocalMarketing

In this episode of the Local Media HQ Show, host TJ Larkin sits down with Andrew Smith, the founder of Huntsville Explorer, a hyper-local media brand based in Huntsville, Alabama. Andrew shares his journey of transitioning from a planned statewide blog network to running a hyper-focused city newsletter that currently boasts over 25,000 subscribers. The conversation breaks down the mechanics of local media monetization, organic and paid audience growth strategies, and how to effectively build authority within a specific geographic market.Andrew details the exact operational numbers behind Huntsville Explorer, revealing how the brand brought in $55,000 in revenue through the first six months of the year with a target of crossing six figures annually. He explains how he leveraged Facebook "Page Like" ads early on to build a massive 50,000-follower baseline, which served as a crucial psychological tool for establishing legitimacy with local business owners. Additionally, the episode covers the logistics behind his upcoming event, the Huntsville Food Fest, demonstrating how live events can generate substantial profit margins while providing free marketing opportunities for community restaurants.Listeners will walk away with actionable insights regarding local business outreach and advertiser psychology. Andrew explains why targeting companies with dedicated marketing budgets is vastly more efficient than selling to tightly run small businesses, and how naturally featuring brands before a pitch changes the sales dynamic. The episode emphasizes the necessity of automated low-ticket options for smaller local entities to protect your time while scaling your operations.The best place to reach Andrew is via email at [email protected] (or [email protected]) or by sending a direct message on the Huntsville Explorer Instagram account, where he remains highly active monitoring community outreach.Check out Greetform! https://greetform.com/Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.aiSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalMedia #NewsletterGrowth #HuntsvilleExplorer #HyperLocal #DigitalMarketing #MediaEntrepreneur #FacebookAds #AudienceBuilding #LocalAdvertising #BusinessAutomation

In Part 1 of this episode, host TJ Larkin sits down with Marissa Lavelle, founder of the hyper-local media brand From Boise, to pull back the curtain on building a highly profitable local newsletter. Marissa shares her foundational journey, detailing how she grew her subscriber base to over 25,000 readers and an Instagram following of over 40,000. The conversation targets the financial realities of moving away from a casual solo side hustle to establishing a sustainable local business model pacing toward a six-figure revenue.Marissa highlights the massive growth that occurred after hiring her first dedicated sales contractor, Leslie. Instead of leaning into automated AI tools or digital agency spam bots, Leslie utilizes high-touch, hyper-personalized email outreach and active networking at local restaurant and venue openings to win over corporate sponsors. Marissa breaks down the exact sales mindset required to build relationships with local business owners and how in-person local presence serves as a primary competitive advantage.The core lesson of this first half focuses on simplifying your business structure to capture financial traction. Marissa candidly talks about the necessity of shifting out of a content writer's shoes and stepping into a true CEO mindset to better monetize local news. Her primary piece of advice for early-stage digital publishers is to stop obsessing over huge subscriber metrics, emphasizing that even a small list of 200 highly dedicated community subscribers offers incredible, pitchable value to local advertisers.Guest Information:Connect with Marissa Lavelle and check out her hyper-local newsletter via the official website at fromboise.com. You can follow their local community updates on Instagram @from.boise or check out Marissa's business insights on LinkedIn and Instagram under Marissa from Boise. To explore the specific branding and in-person outreach strategies discussed in this episode, you can connect with her sales contractor, Leslie E. Johnson, on Instagram @leslie.e.johnson.Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.aiSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalMedia #NewsletterBusiness #EmailMarketing #FromBoise #HyperLocalNews #MediaMonetization #SalesContractors #OnboardingSystems #CreatorEconomy #BoiseBusiness

In this episode of the Local Media HQ show, host TJ Larkin sits down with Paul Gewuerz, founder of LocalPod and creator of LocalPod Studio. The conversation focuses on the modern intersection of AI technology and the legacy local media landscape. They discuss how traditional media companies are adapting to a rapidly changing digital ecosystem, the shifting dynamics of audience trust, and how new operational models can help older local brands survive.The duo shares insights into how artificial intelligence is changing operational workflows overnight, moving from simple assistance to comprehensive design and development capabilities. Paul breaks down how mission-driven career journalists are navigating the tension between investigative storytelling and the commercial realities of running a business. They highlight real-world success stories, including publishers using AI to run multiple publications and large legacy brands leveraging advanced coding setups to stay ahead of the technical curve.The key takeaway is that AI shouldn't be viewed as a threat to local journalism, but rather as an operational "lightsaber" that handles tedious backend tasks. By reducing time spent on administrative duties like database sorting, bookkeeping, and formatting, media teams can dedicate 100% of their energy to high-value reporting and community relationships. This creates a highly efficient business model where proprietary, ground-level local news remains irreplaceable by big tech models.To connect with Paul Gewuerz, learn more about his insights on local media, or try out his platform, visit the LocalPod website at localpod.co or email him directly at [email protected]. You can also find him on LinkedIn under Paul Gowertz or listen to his podcast "Small Press, Big Ideas" on all major streaming applications. For those interested in utilizing the LocalPod Studio platform, Paul offers a 20% discount on the first month using the promo code TJ20 at checkout.Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.aiSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalMedia #Journalism #ArtificialIntelligence #Podcasting #Newsletters #MediaBusiness #ContentStrategy #SoftwareDevelopment #LegacyMedia #PaulGewuerz

In this episode, Francis Zierer of Creator Spotlight reveals how he grew a YouTube channel from 16 to over 5,000 subscribers in just two years by reinvesting in high-quality video production and "slick intro clips". He and host TJ Larkin break down why local media remains one of the healthiest business models today, focusing on curated content rather than traditional crime or political reporting. They discuss the value of creating a "curated point of view" in a world saturated with commoditized information.Francis shares insights from his interviews with successful local newsletter owners, discussing how they leverage Meta ads and welcome surveys to package audience data for local advertisers. He highlights the story of Marissa from Boise, who more than doubled her revenue after recognizing she wasn't suited for sales and hiring a professional to handle that side of the business. The discussion also covers the "aura of seriousness" created by professional branding and why treating a newsletter like a newspaper can build trust.Actionable advice from the episode centers on leveraging the authority of an established brand while simultaneously building your own personal presence. Francis emphasizes the need to move past "navel-gazing" by studying successful strategies in adjacent industries rather than just watching direct competitors. He also provides a realistic look at the difficulties of finding the right partners and why being "invested in the problem" is a requirement for a successful creator partnership.Find Francis Zierer at:Website: www.creatorspotlight.comLinkedIn: Francis ZiererBuild your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.aiSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #NewsletterStrategy #LocalMedia #SparkLoop #NewsletterMonetization #EmailMarketing #LouisNicholls #TJLarkin #DigitalMedia #MediaEntrepreneur #SubscriberGrowth

In this episode, TJ Larkin sits down with newsletter expert Dylan Redekop to discuss the evolving landscape of media brands. They explore why major companies like OpenAI and HubSpot are investing millions into established media properties and what this means for independent creators. The conversation centers on the idea that "attention" is the new currency and why building a loyal, engaged audience is more valuable than ever in an AI-driven world.Dylan explains the "Barnacle Strategy," a method for positioning your newsletter or media brand to be an attractive acquisition target for larger SaaS companies. They discuss real-world examples of creators who built niche audiences over several years and successfully exited for millions. Whether you are operating at a national level or focusing on a specific local niche, this episode provides a roadmap for understanding the long-term equity you are building in your audience.The discussion also dives into the unique advantages of local media, where competition is lower and the value per subscriber can often be much higher than in broad national niches. You’ll learn how small-town newsletter operators are leveraging their local influence to acquire and promote adjacent businesses, from high-end rentals to local shops. Dylan and TJ share insights on how to stay relevant by focusing on hyper-local content that people truly care about.Dylan Redekop is the creator of the Growth Currency newsletter and works with Growth in Reverse. You can find his newsletter at growthcurrency.net and connect with him on LinkedIn by searching for his full name, Dylan Redekop.Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.aiSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #Newsletters #LocalMedia #MediaBrands #DylanRedekop #GrowthCurrency #ContentStrategy #CommunityBuilding #EmailMarketing #CreatorEconomy #NicheMarketing

In this episode, TJ Larkin sits down with Kyra Adams, the founder of Chino Chew, a thriving local newsletter serving the Inland Empire in the suburban part of Los Angeles. Kyra shares her journey of growing a local media brand from just six family members to over 10,000 email subscribers and 10,000 Instagram followers in less than a year. She details her aggressive growth strategies, including how she used Meta Ads to acquire subscribers for as low as 18 cents each to maintain a consistent five-digit audience.Kyra Adams dives into the technical systems that allow her to run Chino Chew sustainably while working a demanding full-time job as a scientist. She explains how she leverages Claude and Make.com to automate time-intensive tasks like scraping local event data from multiple sources and generating organized, formatted content. Kyra even shares a unique "hack" for creating Instagram carousels directly from newsletter bullets using AI, enabling her to stay present on social media with minimal manual effort.The conversation also highlights Kyra’s success in monetizing her community through curated, high-end events such as luxury charcuterie tastings and wine nights. She discusses the strategy of going "up-market" to increase profitability and shares a brilliant "at-the-door" upselling tactic that significantly raised her average ticket price. Viewers will gain actionable insights on building efficient systems, professionalizing a side hustle early on, and using segmentation to achieve open rates as high as 57%.Guest Contact Information: Kyra Adams can be reached fastest on Instagram @thechinochew. You can also find her on Twitter or subscribe to her newsletter at Chino Chew.Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.ai/Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalMedia #NewsletterGrowth #ChinoChu #AIAutomation #EmailMarketing #EventMonetization #InlandEmpire #SideHustle #CommunityBuilding #MetaAds

TJ Larkin welcomes Rae Lambert, founder of DNNR, to discuss the rapid growth of her social dining platform. The episode explores how local creators and newsletter owners are using DNNR to facilitate six-person "hostless" dinners that help strangers become friends while generating significant monthly revenue. Rae shares how the platform has scaled to 70 active communities, providing creators with a hands-off way to build local GDP and strengthen their personal brands without the exhaustion of traditional event planning.The conversation dives into the mechanics of the "white-labeled" engine, where creators set the dates and select neighborhoods while the platform handles matching, reservations, and follow-ups. Rae highlights success stories like Troy Farkas of Seacoast Stories, who integrates sponsors into his DNNR clubs and utilizes after-party bars to converge multiple tables for a larger social experience. They also discuss the surprising effectiveness of using Meta ads for DNNR clubs as a high-ROI alternative to traditional subscriber growth campaigns.Viewers will gain insights into the "personal brand moat," learning why authentic, unpolished content often outperforms glossy, faceless media brands. Rae also details her use of "OpenClaw" and AI bots to automate financial analysis, content drafting, and creator reminders, effectively acting as mid-level analysts for her team. The episode concludes with a look at why being a "big fish in a small pond" in tier-two cities offers more sustainable business value than chasing a global, faceless audience.Guest Contact Information:Website: dnnr.io Twitter/X: @rae_lambert Instagram: @rae_lambert LinkedIn: Rae LambertBuild your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.ai/Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalMedia #CreatorEconomy #SocialDining #CommunityBuilding #NewsletterGrowth #PersonalBranding #AIAutomation #DigitalMarketing #InPersonEvents #Entrepreneurship

Landon from Wichita Life returns to the show to share how he has significantly scaled his local media brand over the last several months. The conversation covers his impressive growth to nearly 38,000 email subscribers and how he leverages tools like ManyChat and Facebook ads to maintain steady momentum. Landon breaks down the business model behind his highly successful monthly dinner clubs, which regularly attract over 100 attendees seeking genuine community connection in Wichita.The episode delves into the diversification of Wichita Life through physical products, specifically the creation of a custom Wichita-themed puzzle that has sold hundreds of units. Landon shares insights on hiring a social media manager to tap into younger trends and how he uses creative memes to drive massive engagement on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. He also discusses his approach to ad sales, emphasizing the importance of keeping a full pipeline even when inventory is sold out.Viewers will gain actionable advice on applying the principles of "Unreasonable Hospitality" to digital products by focusing on the "moments between the moments," such as a well-crafted welcome email sequence. Landon also explores the potential of recurring revenue through paid programs and future events like lectures on tap. This episode is a masterclass for anyone looking to turn a local passion project into a thriving, multi-faceted media business.Guest Contact Information:Social Media: Wichita Life (on all platforms)Email Newsletter: Wichita Life UpdateTwitter/X: Landon Heuslig (@LandonHeuslig)Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.ai/Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #WichitaLife #LocalMedia #NewsletterGrowth #CommunityBuilding #Entrepreneurship #SocialMediaStrategy #WichitaKansas #DigitalMarketing #EventPlanning #SmallBusinessTips

Justin Gordon quit his job at a venture firm to start a newsletter. Nine months later, he crossed $100K in revenue.In this episode, Justin breaks down exactly how he built the LA Grind and SF Grind into real businesses. Not just newsletters. Businesses with events, sponsorships, and a paid membership that grows every single month.We get into the specifics: how he closes $5K event sponsors like JustWorks and Citizens Private Bank, how he hosted a 250-person event with a 280-person waitlist, and the exact funnel that turns free newsletter subscribers into paying members at $59/month.Justin also talks about selling his previous newsletter (Just Go Grind) through Acquire.com and why he went all-in on local over national.If you're building a newsletter, running events, or trying to figure out how to actually make money in local media, this one is packed.What we cover:Crossing $100K revenue in 9 months with the LA GrindLaunching a second newsletter (SF Grind) and hitting 2,000 subscribers fastHow to get enterprise sponsors for local eventsBuilding a paid membership alongside a free newsletterSelling a newsletter and why focus mattersThe content expansion plan: deal flow, founder profiles, and startup newsWhy local beats national for newsletter monetizationConnect with Justin:The LA Grind: https://thelagrind.com/The SF Grind: https://thesfgrind.com/Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.ai/Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalNewsletter #NewsletterBusiness #StartupCommunity #EventSponsorship #NewsletterMonetization #CommunityBuilding #LocalMedia #FounderEvents #NewsletterGrowth #PaidMembership