1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Learn how to start a local newsletter and build a profitable business you truly own! After 15 years in the startup world, Michael Kauffman faced an existential crisis that led him to launch Catskill Crew—a local newsletter that bypassed traditional blogging rules and scaled to a multi-six-figure media empire. Michael has grown his list to over 40,000 subscribers by prioritizing community depth over broad algorithm reach. In this episode, Michael shares: -How to choose the perfect local newsletter scope for your geography -The community-first approach that turns subscribers into active participants -Why he chooses creative monetization over a traditional Substack paywall -His exact strategy for scaling to over 40,000 subscribers (starting from zero!) -Tips for balancing content across platforms without burning out -And more! Plus, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at Michael’s anti-funnel newsletter workflow and how he uses his platform to make a tangible impact on his local community. 🎁 FREE BONUS: Grab access to my free travel blogger resource library: https://jessieonajourney.com/free-blogging-printables/&amp;nbsp; It includes 75+ blogging resources all meant to help you grow your traffic, community, and income faster and with less overwhelm. Snag workshops, tutorials, workbooks, cheat sheets, Trello boards, workflows, and more—including a Launch &amp;amp; Scale A Local Newsletter Cheat Sheet! 📸 VIP Opportunities for Travel Bloggers Newsletter (+ 1 Free Issue!) This newsletter is simple but powerful: you get 5 high-value leads that can help grow your blog’s traffic, email list, and income straight to your inbox every Monday at 8am ET. Sign up to get one issue of your choice for free! ⬇️ https://vipblogger.substack.com/&amp;nbsp; 🛠️ TOOLS MENTIONED: Visit this link for a list of my favorite blogging tools, resources, and discounts - including tools mentioned in the episode:&amp;nbsp;https://jessieonajourney.com/tools/&amp;nbsp; ✨ CONNECT WITH MICHAEL: Website &amp;amp; Newsletter: https://catskillcrew.com/ The Newsletter Club: https://www.thenewsletter.club/ Twitter(X): https://x.com/mikeypesto 🎉 CONNECT WITH JESSIE: YouTube (blogging):&amp;nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/@makemoneytravelblogging&amp;nbsp; Travel Creator Community Facebook Group:&amp;nbsp;https://www.facebook.com/groups/bloggrowthposse&amp;nbsp; Threads:&amp;nbsp;https://www.threads.net/@jessieonajourney Facebook:&amp;nbsp;https://www.facebook.com/jessieonajourney/ Instagram:&amp;nbsp;https://www.instagram.com/jessieonajourney/ Twitter:&amp;nbsp;https://twitter.com/JessonaJourney TikTok:&amp;nbsp;https://www.tiktok.com/@jessieonajourney&amp;nbsp; Flipboard:&amp;nbsp;https://flipboard.com/@JessieFesta YouTube (travel):&amp;nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/@jessieonajourney/featured 🙏 CREDITS 🎶&amp;nbsp;Music by Bjorn Lynne via Depositphotos The Profitable Travel Blogger Podcast https://jessieonajourney.com/podcast-for-bloggers/ <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/41247850/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/201824475