The Rebooting Show The B2B indie opportunity
21 snips
Jan 16, 2026 
CJ Gustafson, founder of Mostly Metrics and a former finance executive, shares his unique journey of transforming a newsletter into a thriving, $3 million B2B media business. He discusses the shift from subscriptions to sponsorships, revealing why CFOs are a lucrative audience for advertisers. CJ also dives into the intricacies of long sales cycles, the importance of product quality, and how intimate events can foster connections without becoming a full-fledged events company. His insights emphasize balancing growth with personal values in the media landscape.
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Slow Start, Big Traction
- CJ started Mostly Metrics in December 2020 and spent over two years with only 400 subscribers before growth took off.
- He reached 71,000 subscribers by late 2025 after iterating on audience and monetization fit.
Subscriptions Hurt B2B Ceiling
- Substack-style paid subscriptions feel like a B2C motion and under-index on long-term monetization for B2B audiences.
- CJ realized subscriptions have appeal but advertising and sponsorship align better with CFO buying power.
Content Is A Treadmill
- Content is a treadmill: you must keep producing valuable work for readers to stay subscribed.
- Software sells once and runs; content requires continuous creation and refresh to retain value.