Alex Hormozi's advice for local newsletter operators

Hi newsletter operators,

It’s not every day that one of the biggest business influencers on the planet goes deep on your niche business model. Yet here we are, getting Alex Hormozi’s ideas for local newsletter operators, thanks to Jas from Winnipeg.

Key takeaway is that you can build a local media company into a high six figure or even seven figure business with complete focus and determination. From my perspective, this is true in the right large markets. Yet I’m still not following it personally. And not sure it’s right for everyone. Definitely listen to the Jas episode below and decide for yourself.

The Future of Newsletters

Matt McGarry and Beehiiv put on an Expert Predictions panel yesterday with a lot of good info about the future of newsletters in 2026.

I haven’t watched yet, but here are a couple interesting nuggets I got from Gemini (I’ll be watching it in full this weekend)

• The Content Flywheel (Newsletter ↔ YouTube): Don't just repurpose content; use the newsletter to drive views to a YouTube video, which generates ad revenue and finds new subscribers, who are then funneled back to the newsletter.
• 2026 is the Year of M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions): Many newsletter operators will realize how hard the business is and look to sell.
• Gmail Auto-Unsubscribe: Gmail is already testing prompts to unsubscribe users who haven't opened emails in ~30 days. In 2026, they may start automatically unsubscribing inactive users without asking.

Watch it here

Podcast spotlight

Hormozi Pep Talk: Scale One City to $1M

Top Three Takeaways

Go Deeper, Not Wider

Hormozi hammered home that Winnipeg alone can support a seven-figure media business, if Jas stops chasing side gigs like a Christmas-lights service.

• Focusing on one million locals lets ad pricing rise with audience density, while multi-city expansion adds complexity and dilutes brand equity.
• Cutting the lights project after a $6k sunk cost freed December hours and cash to chase another 209k reachable subscribers.
• A single-city pitch resonates with sponsors; two new annual partners signed $15k deals once the message sharpened.

Try to Get Every Subscriber to Pay in 30 Days

A self-liquidating offer (SLO) funds growth by recouping ad spend before the credit-card bill hits.

• Jas packaged five curated restaurant guides plus bonus PDFs and sold the bundle at $23.99, hitting the first sale within 48 hours of launch.
• He’s testing $9 price points, stronger landing pages, and future “$200 in gift cards for $23” upsells, aiming for a 14% conversion that wipes out his $1 CAC.
• Solving this single funnel unlocks unlimited Facebook spend and painless expansion because subscriber acquisition is no longer cash-constrained.

Holiday Giveaways = Follower, Sponsor, Subscriber Engine

A 25-day December giveaway dangles $18k in local prizes and doubles daily posting without annoying the feed.

• Only brands with 10k+ followers join, ensuring each collab post compounds reach and accelerates Jas’s push from 67k to 80k followers.
• ManyChat auto-DMs every new follower a subscribe link; current tests convert roughly 10% into email readers.
• The promo sweetened two more $15k annual contracts by adding a $3k Instagram slot at no extra cost.

How Nate Spangle Hit $500K in 18 Months

Top Three Takeaways

Turn Low-Engagement Giants into Cash Clients

Forget trendy brands; Nate courts insurance, banks, and utilities starving for attention. One viral test unlocks year-long, five-figure deals.

• Spangle sold a $500 Indy 500 truck sticker to a local agent, then upsold corporate HQ after 2 new policies landed overnight.
• “Just get one to bite and blow it out of the water,” he says, competitors soon chase the spotlight.

Stack Channels, Stack Revenue

Multiple touchpoints push CPMs down and contract sizes up. Social drives awareness; newsletters and podcasts seal credibility.

• Bundling four videos, 12 podcast reads, and 12 newsletter slots doubled average sponsor spend versus single-channel offers.
• Statewide list attracts marquee partners, while micro-digests like Get Fishers let small shops buy in without discounting the flagship.

Recruit Passionate Locals, Not Résumés

Great talent is already creating; Nate simply gives them pay, gear, and a platform.

• He poached a Purdue student with 40k TikTok fans and turned him into an editor whose cuts now top 15million views.
• Open-book finances and clear milestones (“hit 1m views, earn a raise”) convert part-timers into loyal, on-brand evangelists.

Great reads

Rapidly Expanding Local News Networks

Interesting article about the value the legacy local media players are seeing in networks; leveraging their tech and infrastructure to launch in more communities. Which is literally part of my long term model, just coming at it more from a creator perspective. Definitely worth a read.

Read it HERE.

From Local Podcast Network to Social-First Storytellers

City Cast is one of the bigger players in the local newsletter/modern local media space. And they just shut down two underperforming locations, while opening new ones. But they’re focus has been on local podcasts and paid subscriptions. Plus, they have multiple employees per location. Interesting read on the good and the bad of their model.

Read it HERE.

A New Playbook for Pan-European Media

I mentioned on one of my recent episodes about the potential value of state-wide newsletters. And then I see this, about a countrywide one. Interesting read, even if just to expand your thinking on what’s possible.

Read it HERE.