Ghost Town Content Business
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Brent's success with Ghost Town Living shows how to turn a historical property investment into a successful content business through documentation and storytelling. The business evolved from a failed luxury resort concept into a thriving YouTube channel with over 1 million subscribers.
Key Points:
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Initial Investment & Pivot:
- Bought 300-acre ghost town (Cerro Gordo) for $1.3M
- Originally planned as luxury resort development
- Failed for 2-3 years losing money
- Pivoted to content creation during pandemic
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Content Creation Strategy:
- Started YouTube channel "Ghost Town Living"
- Documents exploration and restoration of historical site
- Features mine exploration (including 900ft deep mines)
- Combines adventure, history, and restoration content
- Leveraged previous content creation experience from Daily Stoic
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Growth & Success Factors:
- Grew to 1M+ subscribers
- Engaging personality and storytelling
- Authentic documentation of real experiences
- Regular content output
- Unique setting and historical significance
- Property backs up to thousands of acres of government land
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Business Evolution:
- Started with failed real estate development
- Transformed into successful content business
- Now includes infrastructure improvements (added water, shower facilities)
- Combines physical asset ownership with digital content monetization
The success came from documenting the journey rather than forcing a predetermined business model, allowing the content to naturally evolve from authentic experiences.
Sam Parr
Host of MFM and fitness influencer
Sam Parr is a serial entrepreneur and business media pioneer.
In 2016, he founded The Hustle, a business news media company that started in his kitchen with just $12 and grew to eight figures in revenue.
Sam led the charge in making newsletters popular when few believed in their potential.
After four successful years, he sold The Hustle to HubSpot, a publicly traded company. Now operating as HubSpot Media, The Hustle reaches 3 million readers daily, employs a team of nearly 100, and has been the launchpad for dozens of its staff to found their own media companies and newsletters.
Sam remains the host of the popular business podcast, My First Million, and continues to start and sell companies. He also co-founded Hampton, a highly vetted community for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs, and teaches people to write better through his platform, Copy That.