It’s always fun to hear about unique business models that have the potential to scale. Yesterday, Andrew Wilkinson wrote an inspiring case study on Twitter about a unique type of newsletter – one that’s based around local news. This thread is why I believe in the little guy. The “entrepreneur” who chips away at the little problems in front of them not realizing they are lighting a match in a forest.

Sure, I might be a little partial here (if you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of newsletters), but this is an idea that could be implemented almost anywhere in the world! Let’s dive right in:

• In 2019, Andrew realized that the local news in his town – Victoria, Canada – could use some work. So, Andrew hired a journalist and started a newsletter that delivered a quick summary of everything that was going on in Victoria at 7 AM each morning.
• The newsletter was a quick, informative read that you could get through over coffee (sound familiar?). And, as it turns out, people in Victoria were craving this type of format. In just about a year, the newsletter hit 40k subscribers – more than 10% of Victoria’s population!
• Brands are lining up for a spot to advertise. Andrew’s newsletter is now bigger than the traditional local paper, and is a go-to source for people in Victoria. As you can probably guess, he’s got a line of sponsors out the door.

But how much did it cost? Andrew answered that, too. In total, he’s spent about $200k on Facebook ads, $60k on hiring a journalist, and $50 on Mailchimp, and he now owns the largest daily audience in the city. On all accounts, that’s impressive.

It seems like everyone has a newsletter these days, but the reality is that most just don’t end up becoming successful. Andrew’s idea worked because he found a specific market without much competition, and dedicated a year of time and about $200k in advertising to build the audience he wanted.

Thinking about following in Andrew’s footsteps? If you are, this is probably as good a time as any!