Build a hold co.

Good day my friend -

I just got back to the Catskills after a good month on the open road. Hiking, fly fishing, and horseback riding across Montana and Idaho. It was glorious, but it’s sure nice to be back home.

For today's edition — I'm pulling back the curtain on my local hold co. the strategy and the portfolio — and perhaps convincing you to start your very own, or at the least begin to examine opportunities through a similar lens of increasing your surface area for compound opportunities and creative monetization.

When I launched my local media company (Catskill Crew) I knew I had absolutely no interest in building another ad-slinging-clickbait-ridden-trad-local-media-company.

I wanted to create something that lit me up, that excited me, that was a platform for something much larger.

Catskill Crew was going to be different. It had to be. So I plotted out 3 core goals for the business and myself.

Why a local holding company you ask?

If I could get creative, build something I truly loved, then just maybe others would enjoy it too. And if that was the case, I could channel that creativity to validate new ideas, launch new products, and create new companies — all off of a newsletter AKA the platform.

Through this lens, I viewed the platform as:

In under three years, this approach has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit, and the collective value of the portfolio is 7-figures.

So with the stage set, let me break down the local hold co portfolio.

As mentioned, this is the platform.

And as it relates to generating profit for the hold co — that is done through advertising.

I don’t work with many advertisers (even though there is demand), I prefer to prioritize the brand, the subscriber experience, and use that space to continue to launch new things, and have fun.

But but but…. that doesn’t mean I avoid ads altogether work — I just drafted a contract this morning that tickles $40,000 in pure profit, and includes ramp-up clauses that can push that number significantly higher.

Since I’m so selective with the limited sponsors, there is a halo effect for those partners — and as a result, a pricing premium.

Additionally, a new premium subscription will be launching in the coming weeks with a Y1 profit target of $120,000.

Perhaps I’ll do a further breakdown on the strategy and offer in a future edition.

I run a local events company — hosting all types of gatherings across the region. And yes, I use the platform to build those partnerships and sell tickets.

These range from simple happy hours and trivia nights to thematic dinners, outdoor adventures, or multi-day experiences.

In any given month there may be upwards of 5 events (I just had 2 on Monday alone).

Each event can generate anywhere between $1,500 and $7,000 in profit.

If you told me before I started this business that I’d do 6-figures via board games — I would have chuckled and said “hell yeah”.

In the last few years, I’ve designed, manufactured, and sold three different board games, with the fourth on its way, and the fifth in the pipeline.

Sales are both D2C as well as wholesale — shops, hotels, markets, etc. — and each new SKU secures more shelf space, commanding more attention, and translating to more sales.

Additionally, these high velocity products drive brand awareness, boost subscribers, and create new opportunities.

I’m a partner in a local commercial real estate portfolio.

We’re rebuilding a town… although, technically speaking, it’s a hamlet.

What started as one building, has now grown into many, as well as many plots of land.

There will be restaurants, markets, shops, staff housing, and much more.

By being highly selective (and supportive) of which businesses come in as tenants, we can ensure that the town becomes something truly special — a place we love — with a bunch of tenants who will stick around and pay their rent on time. For some of these tenants, we are negotiating profit share as well.

I plan to partner with tenants for sponsorships via the platform. Driving foot traffic and awareness for their businesses.

With all the commercial space, there are opportunities to directly start new businesses as well as invest into others.

1) I’m partnering on a new venture— an outdoor gear shop and taproom.

2) I’m investing in an insanely talented chocolatier’s new ice cream shop (there will absolutely be a Catskill Crew flavor).

3) TBD lots of conversations every-single-day

Once again, using my platform to promote, drive traffic, host events, sell products, open wholesale connections, etc.

Hats, tote bags, hoodies, a snail mail product, art… you name it. I launch tons of different products all the time.

There is no print on demand.

Most merch is limited edition.

Everything is picked, packed and shipped by me. Not some 3PL. I enjoy this stuff. It’s fun.

Some products have sold out in hours. Some have been total duds. It’s how it goes.

My guiding principle here is: If I would buy it, wear it, rock it — then I’ll make it.

That is the portfolio. A platform. Tons of products. Events. Sponsors. Real estate. New business ventures.

I'm always pushing to see what else I can create. To build layered monetization that compounds.

To stay true to those 3 CORE GOALS I set out for myself and my business.

There will be more.

There always is.

But for now, I leave you with this — Think in layers. Create surface area for opportunistic creative monetization. build your platform. Build your own multi-headed hydra of revenue. Build your hold co.

Want to launch or level up your local newsletter?
Come build with us.