Local Media HQ

Shane Brady, an AI workflow expert and former newsletter publisher who builds custom MCP tools, explains how connecting Claude to tools like Beehive and Canva automates local media tasks. Hear demos of interactive dashboards, subscriber segmentation, automated landing pages, and Canva-driven design. Quick, practical tech dives that make powerful automations accessible to non-technical creators.

Rae Lambert, founder of DNNR and builder of a white-labeled social dining platform, helps creators run hostless six-person dinners to build local community and monetize audiences. She discusses scaling to 70 communities, hands-off creator workflows, sponsorship integrations, using Meta ads for high ROI, and automating operations with AI tools like OpenClaw.

Mitko (Mitkoka), co-founder of Cincy Scoop and local media entrepreneur, built a visual-first Cincinnati brand and venture studio. He discusses rapid Instagram growth, turning followers into newsletter subscribers, productizing audience attention with Cincy Battles, and shifting from small ad sales to high-value brand partnerships. Practical growth tactics and community-driven activations take center stage.

Landon Heuslig, the founder of Wichita Life who built a large local newsletter and events business. He talks about growing to ~38,000 subscribers, using Facebook ads and ManyChat, and hiring a young social manager to spark viral memes. He explains running monthly Dinner Clubs that build community and sellouts, plus designing Wichita-themed puzzles and merch to diversify revenue.

Uriah Kaiser, local journalist and founder of Potomac Local News, built a hyperlocal brand over 16 years. He discusses growing an email list from 3,000 to 20,000 without ads. Topics include paywall timing, using email capture walls, feeding AI with accurate inputs, YouTube channel strategy, and relationship-driven local ad sales.

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.

Michelle Rueda, an engineer-turned-local-newsletter publisher who founded What's Weird ATX and Social Radar. She explains growing a newsletter to nearly 5,000 subscribers organically. She built an app that alerts her to relevant Reddit posts so she can reply authentically. She discusses balancing human responses with tech, repurposing content for social, and scaling tools to help other local newsletters grow.

Tad Moore, operator of NWA Daily and co-founder of Skipstone Group and Front Porch Real Estate, grew a hyperlocal newsletter into multiple businesses. He talks organic growth tactics like social repurposing, creative nonprofit referral incentives, and trading tickets for subscribers. He also covers turning newsletter engagement into a real-estate brand, events and partnerships, and choices around newsletter tech and deliverability.

Shane Brady, local newsletter operator and entrepreneur behind multiple city newsletters (~32,000 subscribers) and co-founder of Lightbreak. He talks about legacy media suddenly courting newsletter businesses. They unpack Meta ad-driven audience growth, scaling to thrice-weekly sends, pairing technical growth with local reporters, and practical ad-sales and automation tactics for sustainable local monetization.

Keith Pepper, owner of Rough Draft Atlanta, shares how he acquired a legacy print media company during the height of the pandemic and transformed it into a profitable, digital-first local media brand. The conversation explores the realities of owning and operating a modern community news business.Keith explains why print still represents more than 70 percent of Rough Draft’s revenue, how saturation mail distribution changes advertiser value, and why weekly and monthly print products can still thrive. He also breaks down the role newsletters play as the “new morning paper” for local audiences.The episode dives into ad sales strategy, sponsored content, newsletter monetization, and why focusing on high-value advertisers is critical. Keith also discusses scaling cautiously, acquiring complementary publications, and building sustainable local journalism without venture capital pressure.Guest contact information:Website: https://roughdraft.news/LinkedIn: Keith PepperSubscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:https://www.localmediahq.com/subscribe Join the Community (Discord):Connect with TJ, share ideas, ask questions, and be part of a growing creator & media community👉 Join here: https://discord.localmediahq.com/Follow My JourneyTwitter/X: https://x.com/TJLarkin23 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj.larkin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjlarkin1 Website: https://tjlarkin.com/ Work With MeFor brand partnerships, sponsorships, and business inquiries:tj@localmediahq.com  #LocalMedia#Newsletters#MediaBusiness#DigitalPublishing#PrintMedia#CommunityNews#AdSales#MediaEntrepreneur#LocalJournalism#RoughDraftAtlanta