Local Media HQ He Sold His National Newsletter to Go All-In on Local (And It's Working)
Feb 23, 2026
Justin Gordon, founder of LA Grind and SF Grind, built newsletters into events, memberships, and sponsor-driven local businesses. He talks about hitting rapid revenue, closing $5K sponsors, running sold-out 250+ events with waitlists, and the funnel that converts free subscribers into $59/month members. He also explains why he sold a national newsletter to double down on local.
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Local Newsletters Multiply When Paired With Events
- Local newsletters scale beyond email when paired with in-person events to build community.
- Justin grew the LA Grind to 9,000+ subscribers and launched SF Grind to ~2,000 while hosting 50+ events across both cities.
Use A Newsletter-to-Events-to-Membership Funnel
- Use a funnel: run ads to a free newsletter, host free and paid events, then convert engaged attendees to a paid membership.
- Justin runs Meta ads to grow subscribers, uses free events to drive interest, then upsells members to the LA Grind Club.
Months Of Outreach Turned A Dinner Into A 250-Person Event
- Long-term relationship building with large brands led to a 250-person event funded by sponsors.
- Justin worked months with JustWorks and Citizens Private Bank and turned a 30–40 person dinner idea into a 250-person event with curated art and private chef.
