My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Transition from advertising revenue to owning the products you promote
Content creators with substantial audiences in verticals where they can build products
6-18 months of revenue loss during transitionWhat Success Looks Like
Higher revenue per audience member, better margins, and more sustainable business model
Steps to Execute
Calculate current advertising revenue and margins
Identify products/services your audience actually buys from advertisers
Commit to personally covering operating costs during transition
Turn off advertising revenue streams
Build or acquire the products/services directly
Use distribution to promote owned products
Measure unit economics: aim for 3-5x what advertisers were paying you
Checklist
Inputs Needed
- Substantial existing audience
- Operating capital for transition period
- Team willing to weather revenue drop
- Product development capabilities
Outputs
- Higher margins per customer
- More sustainable revenue model
- Direct customer relationships
- Product ownership equity
Example
“Finance podcaster stops taking crypto company ads and launches own research subscription service, going from $1 ad revenue to $3-5 product revenue per listener”
Related Knowledge
Capital + Distribution Framework
A business building approach where you leverage existing capital and distribution channels to launch multiple products/services rather than operating them directly.
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Higher Success Probability with Own Business
The probability of making money starting your own business with 50-100K is higher than angel investing the same amount
Young contrarian people create the most interesting opportunities
Seek out and work with young people who think differently rather than traditional high achievers
you're much more likely to be able to take fifty a hundred thousand dollars start a business and get
Starting your own business has higher success probability than angel investing
historically you built a company by building the product and then going and looking for customers no
The internet enables audience-first business building instead of product-first approaches