Taking Simple Ideas Seriously

Shaan Puri discusses how Crime Junkie's creator Ashley Flowers built a true crime podcast empire by taking a simple concept and scaling it dramatically, similar to how Mr. Beast operates in his content niche.

Key Points:

• Crime Junkie's Success Formula:

  • Started with a simple format: telling true crime stories to a friend who actively listens
  • The friend mostly nods and asks clarifying questions "when the listener would have one"
  • This approach works because "most content gets better the more you narrow it to an audience of one"

• Growth and Expansion:

  • Started by taking existing shows/stories
  • Now has a team of 10 journalists doing original reporting
  • Launched "The Deck" where she works with local police to solve cold cases
  • Given access to evidence to help solve real cases

• The Mr. Beast Comparison:

  • "She is basically the Mr. Beast of true crime"
  • Both took very simple ideas and scaled them dramatically
  • Both kept iterating on their core concept: "she just kept going with the very simple idea"
  • Both took their concepts "more seriously than anybody else"

• Scale of Operation:

  • Hosts two podcasts herself
  • Produces shows
  • Sells ads and closes deals
  • Tours around the country and world
  • Previously worked 15 hours a day (now down to 10)
  • Has a 3-year-old daughter
  • Accumulated 500+ million downloads in five years
  • Built a full production company with "a hundred employees"

• True Crime Market Observations:

  • The hosts have discussed true crime opportunities for years
  • Each year they thought it might be "too late" to enter the market
  • Yet each year, new 9-figure companies emerge in the space
  • Multiple companies have sold for $100M+ (Parcast to Spotify, Law and Crime)
  • Audience is approximately "80% women"
  • Sam believes women listen thinking "how would I get out of this situation" while men listen thinking "how would I get away with this"