Knowledge Marketplace
My First Million

My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

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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 transition

What Success Looks Like

Higher revenue per audience member, better margins, and more sustainable business model

Steps to Execute

1

Calculate current advertising revenue and margins

2

Identify products/services your audience actually buys from advertisers

3

Commit to personally covering operating costs during transition

4

Turn off advertising revenue streams

5

Build or acquire the products/services directly

6

Use distribution to promote owned products

7

Measure unit economics: aim for 3-5x what advertisers were paying you

Checklist

Have 6-12 months operating expenses saved
Identified specific products to build/acquire
Team committed to revenue-less period
Clear timeline for when owned products launch

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”