The Business of Content with Simon Owens

Discover how Stacker revolutionizes content syndication by offering free data journalism to publishers. Their innovative model allows brands to distribute sponsored content across over 3,000 media outlets. Learn about the collaboration between data journalists and publishers to ensure high-quality content. Explore the nuances of sponsored versus editorial content and how it can enhance audience reach. Dive into the strategies that build brand authority and the critical role of sales teams in forging partnerships!

Mignon Fogarty, a trailblazing media entrepreneur and one of the world’s top podcasters, chats about her remarkable journey with the Grammar Girl podcast and her successful transition into online courses. She shares insights on the importance of partnerships, such as her collaboration with LinkedIn Learning. Mignon discusses the evolution from casual content to structured courses and how evergreen topics keep audiences engaged. Her innovative approach has garnered thousands of students, proving the power of effective communication in today's world.

My newsletter: https://simonowens.substack.com/   Most companies buy advertising to drive sales of their products, but Andrew Curtin’s first sponsor mostly bought out of pity. It was May 2022 and he had just launched Construction Wave, a B2B outlet that covers the UK’s construction industry. He had absolutely no audience, but a major crane manufacturing company bought a $10,000 sponsorship anyway.   That $10,000 allowed him to hire his first editor, and over the next two years they built Construction Wave up into one of the leading publications in its sector. Its website is mainly monetized through high-priced sponsorships, and this year it hosted its first conference geared toward construction CFOs.   In an interview, Andrew explained how he got interested in the sector, where he found his initial readers, and why he thinks there’s an opportunity to launch a subscription data product for his industry.  

Tim Burrowes, co-founder of the renowned media brand Mumbrella, discusses his journey from traditional journalism to digital innovation. He shares how Mumbrella quickly gained traction with a lively comment section and industry events that raked in millions. Tim explains the strategic decisions behind selling the brand and dives into his latest venture, Unmade, emphasizing the power of Substack and an email-first approach. He also addresses the current challenges of launching media companies in a saturated market, highlighting the need for unique content and audience engagement.

Alex Halperin, founder of WeedWeek, shares his journey from journalism to building a B2B platform focusing on California's cannabis industry. He discusses the challenges of reaching a national audience due to fragmented legalization and how pivoting to California strengthened his business. Alex reveals insights on monetization through subscriptions and sponsorships, along with a recent collaboration with the LA Times for an investigative series. He also explores the balance of free versus paid content and innovative strategies for engaging readers in this evolving market.

My newsletter: https://simonowens.substack.com/   One of the great things about being a college journalism major today is that it’s incredibly easy for professors to build their own news sites and allow students to experience every aspect of the publishing process. Not that long ago, journalism students had few avenues for publication outside their college newspaper.   Lydia Chavez took advantage of this dynamic while teaching at UC Berkeley. In 2008, she and her colleagues launched Mission Local, a local news blog that covered San Francisco’s Mission District. It quickly gained traction within the community, and in 2014 Lydia spun it out into its own independent news organization. Today, it’s fully sustained by a mix of large and small donors.   In our interview, Lydia walked me through how she incorporated the site into her journalism curriculum, why she spun it out from the university, and whether she thinks Mission Local’s model can be replicated across the US.  

Patrick O’Shaughnessy, the visionary behind the podcast Invest Like the Best and co-founder of Colossus, shares his journey from finance to media. He reveals how his podcast blossomed into a thriving network, producing diverse investing shows. The discussion highlights innovative monetization strategies, the significance of audience engagement, and exclusive networking events for investment professionals. O’Shaughnessy also emphasizes quality over quantity in content creation, aiming to build a self-sustaining ecosystem for listeners and sponsors.

Professional travel photographer Gary Arndt pivoted to podcasting during the pandemic, creating Everything Everywhere with 1.5M monthly downloads. He discusses audience building, episode ideas, and leaving social media. The podcast covers diverse topics beyond travel, uses SEO-friendly name for content variety, and focuses on daily scripted episodes for search visibility and revenue growth through affiliate advertising and sponsorships. Arndt shares plans for business expansion with tours and merchandise.

Jared Newman, Founder of Cord Cutter Weekly, discusses launching his newsletter during the streaming boom, gaining 32,000 subscribers. He shares insights on monetization, strategies for promotion, and potential transition to full-time newsletter growth.

My newsletter: https://simonowens.substack.com/   Today, the personal finance content niche is absolutely ginormous. You can’t open up YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram without encountering an influencer who gives advice on how to make and save money.   Today’s guest Philip Taylor anticipated this content explosion all the way back in 2011. That’s when he launched FinCon, a conference specifically designed for personal finance content creators. That first year he attracted around 250 attendees, but over the next decade it grew into the largest conference in this niche, attracting over 3,000 attendees a year.   In our interview, Philip walked us through how he got into the personal finance space, his strategy for growing the conference, and his ambitions for launching similar conferences in other niche categories.