Long-Game Hiring Strategy
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Sam shares two business ideas discovered while working on Hampton:
Business Idea 1: Modernized HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
A reimagined version of the press connection platform that connects journalists with sources.
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Current HARO Model:
- Journalists submit requests for sources
- PR people and startups receive daily emails with journalist requests
- Users respond to get backlinks and press coverage
- Has ~1.5M subscribers who pay for access
- Currently owned by Cision but seems stagnant
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Opportunity:
- Platform needs innovation and updating
- High demand from reporters seeking founder connections
- Already proven business model
- Could be quickly built into significant company
Business Idea 2: Vetted Vendor Lists
Create niche websites/newsletters for verified service providers across different categories.
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Core Concept:
- Curate vetted lists of service providers
- Focus on specific niches (copywriters, designers, lawyers, etc.)
- Charge access fee to view verified lists
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Implementation:
- Interview vendors and customers in each space
- Document what people love/hate about services
- Create highly vetted lists
- Could be monetized through:
- Subscription access to lists
- Lead generation fees from vendors
- Monthly fees ($500/month example for writer's list)
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Validation:
- Most common question in founder communities is "Does anyone know a good [service provider]?"
- Clear product-market fit
- Simple to execute with 3 months dedicated time
- Can be profitable quickly
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.