The Grill Room The $25M Bloomberg of Travel
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Sep 30, 2025 Rafat Ali, founder of Skift, has transformed his company into 'the Bloomberg of travel,' raking in $25 million in revenue. He shares insights on the power of hyper-targeted B2B media and how to build a successful audience through innovative strategies like newsletters and events. Rafat discusses the unique monetization opportunities for vertical media compared to consumer outlets and emphasizes the role of storytelling and talent in media storytelling. He also touches on advice for budding founders in the evolving media landscape.
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Turn Reporting Into Customer Acquisition
- Use journalism to build credibility and attract industry customers through breaking news and deep reporting.
- Turn that credibility into events and other commercial formats to deepen relationships with executives.
First Conference Sold Out Fast
- Rafat booked the New York Times Center for Skift's first Global Forum and sold out its 368 seats a month early.
- The conference established Skift's credibility and became a core revenue and influence driver.
Layer High-Value Products
- Sell high-priced research and enterprise subscriptions alongside free news to diversify revenue.
- Package advisory and consulting to convert editorial relationships into six-figure contracts.