Email List Independence
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Sam Parr and Shaan Puri discuss the power of building an independent email-first media company, focusing on owning your distribution channel rather than relying on social platforms.
Core Email Strategy Philosophy
- Build your own "pirate ship" rather than depending on other platforms
- Every email subscriber represents "wind in the sails"
- Focus on owning distribution rather than building on rented platforms (Facebook, Snapchat, etc.)
- Maintain independence from major tech platforms
The Hustle's Strategic Execution
- Built email list to 1 million subscribers
- Used advertising revenue to fund additional product development
- Reinvested profits into building more media properties
- Created a self-sustaining growth cycle:
- Grow email list
- Monetize through ads
- Build new products
- Use products to grow more media
Why Email-First Works
- Complete ownership of distribution channel
- Not dependent on platform algorithm changes
- Direct relationship with audience
- Ability to monetize through multiple streams:
- Advertising
- Products
- Services
Proof of Strategy
- Sam created a 2015 video outlining exact strategy
- Strategy executed exactly as planned over following years
- Demonstrated success through eventual acquisition
- Sam was so committed he got a pirate ship tattoo with "bold fast fun" motto
This approach represents a deliberate choice to build sustainable, independent media businesses rather than chasing trending platforms or relying on venture capital funding.
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.