I just sold my 2nd company! (@MilkRoadDaily)
super happy.
- grew from zero to 250,000 readers in less than 1 year
- self funded & profitable even w/ crypto crash
- biggest daily crypto newsletter
here's how it happened..
super happy.
- grew from zero to 250,000 readers in less than 1 year
- self funded & profitable even w/ crypto crash
- biggest daily crypto newsletter
here's how it happened..
Me and Ben decide we want to start a crypto business.
But we're too dumb to do anything fancy.
So we stick to what we know.
Writing.
Let's make a newsletter that summarizes "what happened in crypto today?"
But we're too dumb to do anything fancy.
So we stick to what we know.
Writing.
Let's make a newsletter that summarizes "what happened in crypto today?"
inspired by my buddy @thesamparr who I got to watch step-by-step build @TheHustle from scratch over several years.
I felt like I could copy+pasta his blueprint, but for crypto.
(lesson: be friends with winners, then learn from them)
I felt like I could copy+pasta his blueprint, but for crypto.
(lesson: be friends with winners, then learn from them)
We brainstorm names.
Eth Daily
Web3 World
blah blah blah
"those all sound boring. let's do something different. what sounds fun?"
Milk Road.
A few minutes later, Ben whips up a logo
(lesson: a great name helps. but don't fuss with details early on)
Eth Daily
Web3 World
blah blah blah
"those all sound boring. let's do something different. what sounds fun?"
Milk Road.
A few minutes later, Ben whips up a logo
(lesson: a great name helps. but don't fuss with details early on)
We started super simple.
A shitty google doc that we sent via email to friends to get feedback.
eventually we got smart and switched to @beehiiv
(lesson: if you're not embarrassed by v1 of your product, you've waited too long to launch)
A shitty google doc that we sent via email to friends to get feedback.
eventually we got smart and switched to @beehiiv
(lesson: if you're not embarrassed by v1 of your product, you've waited too long to launch)
I needed a strong hook to break thru the noise.
So we decide to put $1,000,000 into a crypto wallet, and trade it publicly as a stunt to grow the list.
It works, but it goes down 70% as crypto crashes
(lesson: crazy stunts are good. but wear a helmet in case you crash)
So we decide to put $1,000,000 into a crypto wallet, and trade it publicly as a stunt to grow the list.
It works, but it goes down 70% as crypto crashes
(lesson: crazy stunts are good. but wear a helmet in case you crash)
But we turn the L into LAUGHTER
I make a funny video about losing money on Luna.
People love it & was fun to make. We grow even faster.
(lesson: turn your disadvantages into advantages)
I make a funny video about losing money on Luna.
People love it & was fun to make. We grow even faster.
(lesson: turn your disadvantages into advantages)
We hit 100k subscribers, 45% open rates
To celebrate, we treat ourselves to a rebrand.
We create a new character.
He's calm under pressure. He's an optimist who calls bullshit when he sees it.
He is...the Milk Man.
To celebrate, we treat ourselves to a rebrand.
We create a new character.
He's calm under pressure. He's an optimist who calls bullshit when he sees it.
He is...the Milk Man.
Along the way, we assemble a scrappy all star team.
- Diego, our best writer who had never even written anything before.
- Billy the kid, who runs our tiktok, IG etc..
- Wouter, a kid in the netherlands who joined & somehow sold > $250,000 of ads in 60 days
- Diego, our best writer who had never even written anything before.
- Billy the kid, who runs our tiktok, IG etc..
- Wouter, a kid in the netherlands who joined & somehow sold > $250,000 of ads in 60 days
And as we grew, aquisition offers came. But nothing felt right.
Until we met @kendallsaville & @mikewittmeyer
These guys are unreal.
- never had a job in their life
- learned affiliate marketing as teenagers
- built & sold companies for hundreds of millions of dollars
Until we met @kendallsaville & @mikewittmeyer
These guys are unreal.
- never had a job in their life
- learned affiliate marketing as teenagers
- built & sold companies for hundreds of millions of dollars
After a bunch of conversations. We shook hands, and made a deal.
They money is great, but more importantly we got to re-invest proceeds back into owning a chunk of equity
AND I get to hang with these guys and watch them roll up their sleeves and grow this over the next decade.
They money is great, but more importantly we got to re-invest proceeds back into owning a chunk of equity
AND I get to hang with these guys and watch them roll up their sleeves and grow this over the next decade.
There's a bunch more details. including the deal process, and all the fun stuff we did along the way to grow it.
I'll share some stories over on my personal newsletter. Just click the link in bio for that.
I'll share some stories over on my personal newsletter. Just click the link in bio for that.
And now...I'm a free agent.
What should I do next?!
What should I do next?!
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