The Opportunity in Social Audio

The recent history of the Internet, however, warns that we shouldn’t necessarily expect the endearingly homegrown nature of these 1,000 True Fans communities to persist. When viable new economic niches emerge online, venture-backed businesses, looking to extract their cut, are typically not far behind. Services such as Patreon and Kickstarter are j... See more

The past few years have seen platforms arise that make some aspect of creation, distribution, monetization, and administration easier. Yet, there is still much that can be streamlined.

In the short-term, we’re seeing audio-first social serving users based on relevance or familiarity: either they (1) serve niche communities with relevant, shared interests whether it be a topical interest or a functional interest (Clubhouse, QuarantineChat), or they (2) serve small groups with people that are familiar with each other (Rodeo, Chalk,... See more

Adriene, who is just one person, is beating the largest Yoga Magazine in the US on every single metric. She is more popular, she has a much better model, and she can charge 10 times the price. Unlike traditional publishers, she doesn't have a problem attracting young people to her channel.

So, if Yoga Journal came to me to ask: "Hey Thomas, we have ... See more