JANUARY 17, 2025

Welcome to The Tilt, the newsletter for content entrepreneurs from Tilt Publishing. Together, we’re redefining what it means to be a publisher.

content entrepreneur spotlight

Jamie Northrup Takes Minimalist Hustler from Low-Content Products to Robust Newsletter

Entrepreneur: Jamie Northrup

Biz: Minimalist Hustler

Tilt: Minimalist methods to create a successful business

Primary Channel: Newsletter (7.6K)

Other Channels: Substack (11K), Medium (8.3K), LinkedIn (1K), X (7.4K), website, Gumroad

Time to First Dollar: 3 months

Rev Streams: Digital products, merch, low-content products, membership/community, book

Our Favorite Actionable Advice

  • Find a niche that combines passion and profit: Jamie’s early ventures, such as selling hockey cards, handling eBay consignments, and managing websites, highlight the importance of aligning personal interests with revenue-generating opportunities.
  • Start small and know your goals: Jamie’s ultimate goal was to leave his 9-to-5 job, but he later added a goal – a business without customers to manage. Experiment with ideas to identify what resonates with your audience and your own goals and iterate based on feedback and sales.
  • Build a central product: The Minimalist Hustler daily newsletter is the cornerstone of Jamie’s business. Having a central place where you funnel your content creates an anchor for your business and a cohesive experience for your audience.
  • Pick the best platforms for your needs: As the newsletter grew, Jamie moved it to Substack because it offered more necessary features than Gumroad. With his paid community, he selected Skool because it worked best for the community and his goals.

Marc Maxhimer

Read Jamie’s full story.


supported by:

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things to know

Money
  • Untapped profitability: To build up their video generators, AI companies, including Google and Open AI, want content creators’ unused videos. Reports say they pay $1 to $4 a minute. [PetaPixel]
    Tilt Take: Frankly, the revenue might not be worth your time combing through your unpublished videos to find something to sell.
  • Marketing move: In the potentially last days of TikTok in the US, Substack has a promotion – $25K for the “creative genius” who can make a video that sparks a trend. Judging isn’t about virality but how well it inspires other creators to post a video inviting their audience to join them on Substack. The winner gets paid no matter what happens on Jan. 19 (the TikTok ban deadline). [Fast Company]
    Tilt Take: Substack tapped into a trend (the ban of TikTok) affecting its target audience with a fun promotional stunt.
Audiences
  • TikTok boon: Though the ban might not be good for TikTok, it has prompted creators to invest in personal websites, blogs, newsletters, and more to have a direct relationship with their followers, says Sarah Gerrish of Movers+Shakers. [Digiday]
    Tilt Take: Nothing like a deadline to prompt entrepreneurs to take action on what they should have been doing all along.
Tech and Tools
  • Rank answers: New research suggests a website’s Google rankings are related to ChatGPT’s answers, according to a new study published by Seer Interactive. [Search Engine Land]
    Tilt Take: Search rankings still matter even though search audience behaviors have changed.
And Finally
  • Tall order: Dubai’s Creators HQ has opened at Emirates Towers. The goal is to become the world’s hub for digital content creators, aiming to attract 10K influencers to the United Arab Emirates. [Forbes]
    Tilt Take: Cool deal if you’re tempted to move. No deal if you like working from home.

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