Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business 263 - Best of 2025! The Modern Newspaper: How to Build a 50,000-Person Local Audience in 6 Months with Jas Singh
Dec 23, 2025
In this chat, Jas Singh, the mastermind behind a thriving local newsletter in Winnipeg, shares his journey to building a 50,000-person audience in just six months. He discusses the strategic advantages of owning an email list over social media. Jas explains how he utilizes AI to create authentic local content, and reveals tactics for leveraging Facebook Ads to drive subscriber growth. He also dives into the nuances of monetizing the newsletter through exclusive ad contracts, showcasing a unique playbook for aspiring newsletter publishers.
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Rapid Local Launch From Social Roots
- Jas launched a local Winnipeg newsletter and grew to ~50,000 total audience in six months, including ~16,000 email subscribers.
- He previously grew an AI Twitter account to 35,000 followers and used that playbook to jumpstart the local product.
Owning Audience Beats Chasing Algorithms
- Email newsletters let you own the relationship because you hold the subscriber email off-platform.
- This protects you from algorithmic changes that can suddenly cut reach on social networks.
Make It Community-Led And Non‑Polarizing
- Exclude crime and politics and frame the newsletter as community-led to build trust and engagement.
- Position readers as part of the product and involve them in decisions to foster ownership.