How to Build a $5m Media Business Into a $20m Flywheel

So there's emphasis across the organization on NPS churn reduction, the metrics that really matter toward building the highest quality revenue base we can. And then I don't know what else I should be thinking of from valuation. We think of scale. Like we still look at M and A.

We know like there's, you know, there's some power that comes with size and resources and every time we've done a deal so far it's brought in a new capability and in some financial firepower to help us go further faster. Yeah. So when I'm thinking about building valuation, well, it's about scale and revenue quality are getting a huge percentage of my attention.

So we'll finish this year between 4, 4 and 5x the where we started at 4 million in, in 2016. You know, a percentage of that growth has been organic, a percent through, through M&A. Proven we're pretty good at acquiring small businesses and, and helping them grow faster than they were before.

So yeah, we're both approaching 20 million. Amazing.

Yeah.

You know Clayton, I don't think there are that many B2B publishers in single categories that are doing $20 million of revenue. Also, as you've given us a picture of what Housing Wire is today, as I just said, it's very differentiated. It's, it's, it's kind of its own animal.

You've been figuring out how all the pieces fit over these years. All to say that like when you go to a conference for media business owners, does such a thing exist? I, I don't feel like there are many you that you would have many counterparts around the country.

This, this feels like a pretty unique animal what you've built like, I'll give.

The one event organizer that matters to me A shout out. Jacob Donnelly, a media operator. I don't know if you followed Amo, but Jacob puts out a fabulous newsletter media product and he hosts one event each year in October in New York and that's an event that I, that I don't miss.

So yes, you're right, there's very few others. A lot of other media events have focused on the, the traditional trade publisher, the, the, the print publisher and like I've attended a few of those in my earlier years at Housing Wire and quickly learned it wasn't for me. All the conversations were very Woe is me.

The world is ending. Print is dead. I don't know how to run this business in a digital world. And like we were fortunate to have like the, the energy, the digital like native team, the aspiration and resources to achieve something bigger.