He Sold His National Newsletter to Go All-In on Local (And It's Working)

from Local Media HQ · host TJ Larkin

Justin Gordon quit his job at a venture firm to start a newsletter. Nine months later, he crossed $100K in revenue.In this episode, Justin breaks down exactly how he built the LA Grind and SF Grind into real businesses. Not just newsletters. Businesses with events, sponsorships, and a paid membership that grows every single month.We get into the specifics: how he closes $5K event sponsors like JustWorks and Citizens Private Bank, how he hosted a 250-person event with a 280-person waitlist, and the exact funnel that turns free newsletter subscribers into paying members at $59/month.Justin also talks about selling his previous newsletter (Just Go Grind) through Acquire.com and why he went all-in on local over national.If you're building a newsletter, running events, or trying to figure out how to actually make money in local media, this one is packed.What we cover:Crossing $100K revenue in 9 months with the LA GrindLaunching a second newsletter (SF Grind) and hitting 2,000 subscribers fastHow to get enterprise sponsors for local eventsBuilding a paid membership alongside a free newsletterSelling a newsletter and why focus mattersThe content expansion plan: deal flow, founder profiles, and startup newsWhy local beats national for newsletter monetizationConnect with Justin:The LA Grind: https://thelagrind.com/The SF Grind: https://thesfgrind.com/Build your own local media business:https://localmediahq.com/ https://lightbreak.ai/Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:[email protected] #LocalNewsletter #NewsletterBusiness #StartupCommunity #EventSponsorship #NewsletterMonetization #CommunityBuilding #LocalMedia #FounderEvents #NewsletterGrowth #PaidMembership

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This episode was published on February 23, 2026.

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