The hottest Revenue Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

One Product, Three Revenue Streams

Tiny Empires • 61 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. A single product can support three revenue streams: the core sale, audience monetization via sponsors or affiliates, and productized knowledge like guides, workshops, or consulting.
  2. For solo founders, three streams hit the sweet spot—diversify enough to cushion revenue shocks but avoid the extra maintenance that four or more streams create.
  3. Start with your existing customers: spot common needs, run cheap tests (an affiliate link, a short guide, or a consulting session), and scale whatever shows real demand to stabilize income.

Problems at Yelp (YELP)

The Bear Cave • 1096 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Revenue has stalled and recently turned negative, with ad clicks falling — a clear sign the business is losing momentum.
  2. Rising competition from social platforms and the move from web search to AI agents are making Yelp less relevant to consumers and advertisers.
  3. A high-pressure, often sleazy sales culture and many angry or disgruntled merchants are harming Yelp's brand and making growth harder.

How to fix your business in a day

Tiny Empires • 36 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Most business problems are visible frictions—old pricing, unused features, and clunky onboarding—and can be fixed in one focused day by looking for what you’ve been avoiding.
  2. Use a simple schedule: raise prices and fix billing, cut or stop maintaining low-value features, improve onboarding, then automate a recurring task to reclaim time and boost revenue.
  3. Protect your attention by writing down what you’re not going to do; small, focused fixes compound over weeks and months, though they won’t save a fundamentally broken business model.

Inside The New York Times Business Model: How Bundling Saved Journalism

Huddle Up • 166 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. The New York Times built a bundle of products — like games, cooking, and Wirecutter — that now drive most user engagement and make news one piece of a larger offering.
  2. Moving readers onto bundled subscriptions instead of news-only plans dramatically improved economics, producing far more subscribers, revenue, free cash flow, and a higher market valuation.
  3. That bundling playbook is being copied across media because diversifying subscription products gives publishers a clearer path to sustainable growth and survival.

What's Kalshi's revenue?

Technically • 31 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Kalshi handled about 203 million trades and roughly $41.7 billion in volume, generating about $545.6 million in trading fee revenue from those trades.
  2. Over 82% of the activity is sports (including parlays), so the platform functions a lot like a sportsbook even though users trade peer-to-peer and Kalshi also acts as a market participant and liquidity provider.
  3. Fees follow a formula tied to P*(1-P) (taker fee ≈ round up(0.07·C·P·(1-P)), maker fee ≈ 0.0175·C·P·(1-P)), which makes fees highest near 50% probability and lower at extreme odds, and resolution practices and regulatory treatment remain somewhat manual and unsettled.
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Profile: Ryan Reynolds and Owning the Outcome

Creating Value from Nothing • 132 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Own inbound sales end-to-end by building systems that route leads quickly and make signing up simple, so growth doesn’t stall.
  2. Solve root causes instead of surface symptoms by creating repeatable workflows, clear handoffs, and measurable definitions of “good” so the team doesn't rely on heroics.
  3. A scrappy, cross-functional culture with a bias toward action and rituals that celebrate gritty execution helps teams move fast, learn from outcomes, and sustain improvements.

The AI churn wave?

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 441 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
💼 Business Revenue
  1. AI-native apps have much lower retention than traditional B2B SaaS because many users are experimental and leave after trying the product.
  2. Pricing and distribution matter a lot: cheap, self-serve AI tools (under $50/mo) see massive churn while products above about $250/mo show retention similar to B2B SaaS.
  3. Sustained growth depends on durable retention. To reduce churn, focus on real-budget workflows, offer services or forward-deployed engineers, avoid overselling, accelerate adoption, and favor annual plans.

📰 The New York Times vs. OpenAI

How They Make Money • 1552 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. The New York Times dominates in digital media and subscription race.
  2. The NYT shifted from ads to subscriptions, investing in digital content and various products.
  3. The lawsuit between The New York Times and OpenAI challenges AI training on copyrighted material, impacting AI and journalism.

The NBA Needs Reforms, Not Gimmicks

House of Strauss • 30 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
🎾 Sports Revenue
  1. The league keeps rolling out gimmicks—like the Play-In, NBA Cup, and All-Star tweaks—instead of fixing underlying problems.
  2. The Play-In has diluted the prestige of the playoffs and hasn’t stopped tanking, because expanding the playoff field reduces incentives to avoid mediocrity.
  3. Meaningful fixes—shortening the season, equalizing lottery odds for non-playoff teams, scrapping the Play-In, and holding players accountable in All-Star selections—would take real sacrifice but would address root causes. The league prefers easy money and half-measures, which is why it keeps choosing gimmicks over hard reforms.

Disney & PayPal Earnings Reviews

Stock Market Nerd • 963 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Disney missed revenue estimates slightly but saw growth in streaming revenue.
  2. Disney beat earnings estimates and showed strong profitability and balance sheet
  3. PayPal beat revenue estimates and showed stable transaction margin growth, but gave conservative guidance for 2024

Why this business news outlet ditched advertising to focus entirely on paid subscriptions

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 249 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
💼 Business Revenue
  1. The National Business Review stopped taking advertising and now only makes money through paid subscriptions.
  2. They have more than 14,000 subscribers who pay about $499 each year, making the business profitable.
  3. The owner, Todd Scott, plans to share his publishing technology with other media outlets around the world.

Autos deepdive 🚗

Genuine Impact - Charting Finance, Investing & Tech • 982 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. 2022 saw a significant rise in the electric vehicle market, with companies like Tesla and BYD achieving impressive results.
  2. Tesla's revenue in 2022 hit $81.5 billion, showing a 51% increase from the year before, with net income growing by 128%.
  3. BYD, a Chinese company, reported a remarkable 319% year-on-year increase in net profit in 2022 due to the expansion of the new energy vehicle industry.

How the Kyiv Independent used global sympathy to generate membership revenue

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 124 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
📰 News Revenue
  1. Being the main English-language outlet on the ground during Russia’s invasion brought massive global attention and traffic.
  2. They turned international sympathy into income by shifting from one-off donations to a Guardian-style membership model without using a paywall, growing recurring revenue.
  3. They’ve also started producing longform documentaries as part of their editorial and revenue strategy.

Palantir (PLTR) Q4 Earnings Review

Stock Market Nerd • 687 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Palantir beat revenue and profit estimates, showing strong demand and profitability growth.
  2. Balance sheet details indicate a healthy financial position with no traditional debt and significant cash reserves.
  3. The company has shown impressive growth, particularly in the U.S. commercial sector, and is poised for further success with its AI platform.

🍿 Netflix Steps into the WWE Ring

How They Make Money • 569 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Netflix secures a $5 billion, 10-year deal with WWE for exclusive rights to 'Raw' and other shows, expanding its reach internationally.
  2. WWE's global appeal, available in 180 countries and reaching over one billion homes, makes it a strategic fit for Netflix.
  3. Moving WWE content to Netflix provides a win-win situation, giving WWE access to a larger platform and providing Netflix with exclusive content to retain and attract members.

Big Tech Myths And Facts: Vision Pro, Google Culture, Digital Ad Market Edition

Big Technology • 3878 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Revenue
  1. Big Tech companies are experiencing a mix of record revenue and deep layoffs as they navigate the costs of developing new technologies like AI and mixed reality.
  2. Apple may face challenges with the Vision Pro as it might not reach mass-market success until 2030 or beyond, despite initial hype.
  3. Google is acknowledging the need to address its slow-moving culture by simplifying its organizational structure and removing layers to improve efficiency.

Broadcom’s Google TPU Revenue Explosion, Networking Boom, VMWare Integration

SemiAnalysis • 4849 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Broadcom is the second largest AI chip company in the world behind NVIDIA, driven by Google's TPU ramp.
  2. Broadcom's strategy involves acquiring companies with strong products, cutting costs, and focusing on core products.
  3. Broadcom has diversified segments including wireless, networking, and custom silicon, with a focus on efficiency and stable growth.

Curt Cignetti Is the Most Valuable Coach in College Football

Huddle Up • 47 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🎾 Sports Revenue
  1. Curt Cignetti’s on-field success has driven big off-field gains like larger sponsorships, increased donations, and enrollment growth.
  2. Indiana’s run to the College Football Playoff semifinal triggered a contract market-review clause that will force the school to make him one of the highest-paid coaches.
  3. The combination of wins and clear financial and institutional returns makes him arguably the most valuable coach in college football.

Connecting New Subscribers with Value

Growth Croissant • 786 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Improving retention is crucial for growing revenue by increasing customer lifetime value.
  2. Identifying valuable behavior and encouraging it through onboarding can boost retention.
  3. Prioritize specific actions, avoid information overload, and make onboarding dynamic for continuous improvement.

Sphere Entertainment’s New Playbook: Smaller Venues, Less Risk, Bigger Returns

Huddle Up • 26 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Sphere is shifting from one huge $2.3B flagship to smaller, cheaper venues (like a planned 6,000-seat National Harbor) to lower risk and scale the concept.
  2. The Las Vegas Sphere earns money from four pillars—immersive film-like shows, multi-night concert residencies, massive exterior advertising, and corporate/event rentals—so it has multiple revenue streams beyond ticket sales.
  3. Despite strong revenue and big-ticket events, high development and operating costs have produced losses, so smaller, less expensive venues could make the model profitable and more scalable.

How To Improve Retention

Growth Croissant • 668 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Segment subscribers by voluntary and involuntary cancels to improve retention.
  2. Use tactics like special offers and downgrades in the cancel flow to reduce voluntary cancels.
  3. Encourage annual plans to benefit from upfront cash and better retention.

Chelsea Finances 2021/22

The Swiss Ramble • 648 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Chelsea's 2021/22 season saw highs and lows, including finishing 3rd in the Premier League and winning UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
  2. New ownership led by Todd Boehly saw a record £481m revenue for Chelsea, with a reduced pre-tax loss of £122m.
  3. Revenue increase was boosted by fans returning to the stadium, resulting in higher match day and commercial revenues, although broadcasting revenue fell due to specific reasons.

Newcastle United Finances 2022/23

The Swiss Ramble • 373 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Revenue
  1. Newcastle United's financial performance improved with new ownership, benefiting from significant investment.
  2. Despite impressive revenue growth, the club still ended up with a substantial pre-tax loss of £73m.
  3. Major revenue growth was seen in all streams, establishing new club records in commercial, match day, and broadcasting.

Money League 2022/23

The Swiss Ramble • 334 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Revenue
  1. The top 20 revenue-generating football clubs reported record earnings for the 2022/23 season.
  2. Commercial revenue surpassed broadcasting revenue as the most significant income stream for the clubs.
  3. English clubs saw a decrease in rankings within the Money League, with only one club in the top four places.

The 3 Marketing Metrics To Rule Them All [Part 1]

Category Pirates • 530 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Marketing that does not produce revenue is called arts and crafts.
  2. Honing focus and adopting a different marketing mindset is important for category creators.
  3. Understanding what metrics matter, why results matter, and what made legendary marketers successful are crucial for driving maximum marketing outcomes.

"We're In The Discovery Business"

TSOH Investment Research Service • 511 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Spotify's MAU growth has been strong, with 88 million net MAU's added in FY22
  2. Spotify reached a milestone with over 200 million premium subscribers in Q4 FY22, having quadrupled since 2016
  3. Spotify's profitability is a concern, but the company's scale positions it for potential advantages in the future

Manchester United Finances H1 2022/23

The Swiss Ramble • 471 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Manchester United announced their financial results for the first half of the 2022/23 season
  2. Despite challenges, United is showing signs of recovery under Erik ten Hag
  3. Revenue remained stable, but there were significant changes in commercial and broadcasting revenues

10X Full Year

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. 10X published preliminary full-year results on Jan 12, 2026.
  2. Excluding patent litigation revenue, total revenue matched the expectations set in Q3.
  3. The full report and details are behind a paywall and available only to paid subscribers.

Middlesbrough Finances 2022/23

The Swiss Ramble • 196 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Middlesbrough reduced their pre-tax loss by increasing profit from player sales.
  2. The club saw a rise in revenue, particularly in match day and commercial income.
  3. Despite improvements, Middlesbrough still posted a loss, but it was considered good for the Championship.

Adobe

Business Breakdowns • 353 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Adobe sells software for designers and marketers, known for products like Photoshop.
  2. Adobe's business is divided into three segments: Digital Media, Digital Experience, and Publishing.
  3. Adobe transitioned from product sales to subscription revenue model, leading to significant growth and challenges.

How to Sell AI Consulting at High Margins

Enterprise AI Trends • 189 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
💼 Business Revenue
  1. AI consulting is tough for many businesses because they struggle to be unique. Most try to offer either simple products or expensive custom services, but neither works well.
  2. OpenAI is changing the game by expanding its consulting services to focus on big clients. They want to build long-term relationships, not just make quick money.
  3. OpenAI sees consulting as a way to embed its technology into companies for the future. This strategy helps them create a profitable service while also deepening their involvement in enterprise tech.

🚪 A snail-mail platform with $200MRR in just 2 months

No-Code Exits • 176 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Nick Freiling created a successful snail-mail platform called StampFans that generated $200 MRR in just 2 months.
  2. He started by testing the idea with a simple landing page and manual operations, then used tools like Softr for further development.
  3. Nick focused on keeping things lean, leveraged LinkedIn for user acquisition, and reached $200 MRR in less than 2 months.

Alphabet

Business Breakdowns • 334 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Alphabet, parent company of Google, mainly focuses on search advertising revenue.
  2. Google's search business maintains high margins despite paying a significant amount to ensure default search engine status.
  3. AI advancements, like Microsoft's ChatGPT, pose a potential threat to Google's dominance in search.