Ep. 33: How Tyler Denk Built the Newsletter Platform, Beehiiv, to Reach $7M in ARR

In this episode, Tyler Denk, a self-taught software developer turned CEO of beehiiv, a newsletter publishing platform, shares his story on how he built a product from scratch into a multi-million dollar company. From teaching himself to code to navigating the complexities of startup growth and securing a $12.5M Series A and reaching $7M annual recurring revenue, he's got cheat codes to fundraising for startup founders. Here's what you're in for: 04:35 - Transition from Morning Brew to Google to beehiiv 17:49 - Raising $2.6M in seed round 27: 35 - Hitting $7M ARR 37:26 - Current state and future plans 44:05 - Tyler's cheat codes and advice for fellow founders This episode is sponsored by ThunderVC, an investment bank for founders by founders. Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders  Raising debt? Find the perfect lender in minutes here: https://debt.thunder.vc Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips - https://join.thunder.vc ABOUT TYLER Tyler is a multifaceted tech entrepreneur with a Mechanical Engineering degree and a minor in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland. He started as a self-taught software developer, launching VentureStorm to connect startups with developers. Tyler joined Morning Brew developing their referral program and tech ecosystem, which eventually led to a $75m exit in 2020. After a stint at Google as a Product Lead at YouTube Music, he left to cofound beehiiv—a newsletter platform to fuel creators' and publishers' ability to create, monetize, and grow their audience. Now beehiiv is home to thousands of the top newsletters in the world. Tyler also pursues personal projects, like Big Desk Energy, combining music and web development. Connect with Tyler on: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk/?originalSubdomain=co X: https://twitter.com/denk_tweets?lang=en Website: www.beehiiv.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beehiiv/?hl=en ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape. Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders. ABOUT JASON Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development. You can reach out to Jason through: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/