Dan Ni, Founder and CEO of TLDR, shares his journey from Yale to culinary school and ultimately to leading a tech newsletter with over 5 million subscribers. He discusses the changing landscape of media, particularly the influence of AI and TikTok on how we consume content. The conversation also explores the importance of action over thought, the necessity of remote work, and his reflections on personal growth while navigating challenges. Plus, hear about his childhood in Missouri and the entrepreneurial spark from his parents.
Dan Ney emphasizes the importance of building a curious and enthusiastic team to successfully navigate the media landscape and enhance product value.
His journey highlights that periods of adversity and exploration can lead to significant learning experiences, fostering resilience and a growth mindset.
Deep dives
The Rise of TLDR: From Side Project to Success
The newsletter TLDR, founded by Dan Ney, serves as a concise resource for technology news, akin to what the Wall Street Journal provides for finance. Initially started in 2018 as a fun side project, TLDR rapidly grew from about 100,000 subscribers to over 5 million across various vertical newsletters, underscoring its popularity and impact. With TLDR achieving an estimated $10 million in revenue and operating with a lean team of just 20 employees, Ney highlights the efficiency and focused approach of the business model. The success stems from curating content sourced from industry professionals, ensuring that the newsletter delivers engaging and relevant information to its readers.
Navigating Challenges in Media and Building a Team
Dan Ney discusses the significant learning curve he faced when transitioning from tech and finance to the media industry with TLDR. Understanding the intricacies of media operations, especially how advertising budgets are controlled by agencies, presented a challenge that contrasted sharply with his previous experiences. Ney emphasizes the importance of building a team that not only understands the media landscape but also shares a culture of curiosity and enthusiasm for their work. This synergy, according to him, becomes crucial in navigating the diverse dynamics of the media environment and delivering a consistently valuable product to readers.
Personal Growth Through Adversity and Exploration
Dan Ney reflects on his challenging journey during which he lived with significant health issues for six years, shaping his approach towards life and entrepreneurship. This period of adversity led him to explore various side hustles and business ventures, including writing a cookbook and arbitraging gift cards. Ney pondered the notion that such seemingly unproductive times were actually rich learning experiences that contributed to his eventual success. His story illustrates the vital lesson that failure and exploration can provide significant insights, ultimately fostering resilience and a more substantial growth mindset in life.
Valuing Community and Authentic Feedback
The importance of community and authentic feedback in the entrepreneurial journey is a core theme in Dan Ney's narrative. Unlike his previous venture, TLDR has received a plethora of positive feedback from readers, enhancing the motivation behind the work being done. Ney explains how being appreciated by users fosters a sense of purpose that propels the team forward, contrasting the common SaaS experience where feedback is often oriented around issues. This highlights a broader point about the significance of connecting with an audience genuinely and leveraging those relationships to nurture a thriving business model.
Join me as I sit down with Dan Ni, the founder and CEO of TLDR (too long didn't read). TLDR is a tech newsletter with over 5M active subscribers producing $10+ million in annual revenue. He's built it with an extremely lean team, 20 employees strong. He previously founded and sold Scraper API, which allowed him to bootstrap TLDR and maintain 100% ownership. We discuss: -the future of media -his journey from Yale to culinary school -why he spent 6 years living at home in his 20's after working at Jane Street -the importance of doing vs. thinking -his next chapter as a father -growing up in the midwest **This episode is brought to you by REViVE Marketing Partners. If you are an entrepreneur looking to scale your business on Amazon, REViVE is the partner for you. After their Founder started, scaled and sold his own business after growing 4.5x on Amazon in 3 months he realized he had a formula. Their agency is partnering with brands to bring them growth they ve dreamt of. REVIVE took a company from $400 revenue/month to $90,000/month within 30 days. To see if you're a fit for their partnerships, view more case studies, and understand their deeply rooted values go to: https://revivemarketingpartners.com/** Please enjoy and thanks for listening! Feedback & Sponsorship: andrew@permissiontoshine.org
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode