Brent Davidson built a 500-person trade show for HVAC contractors from scratch — and in this episode, he breaks down the business model behind it: how exhibitors and sponsors pay the bills, how to design attendee flow, and why in-person marketplaces are more durable than anything algorithm-dependent. Matt and Kolby dig into the operational side of running a trade show — from booth pricing and venue logistics to speaker strategy and influencer relationships. If you&apos;re thinking about events as a media business model, this is the blueprint.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction &amp; What Is the US Heat Pump Summit02:12 Why Build a Trade Show 05:15 Trade Shows vs. Conferences07:03 Ticket Pricing, Booth Costs &amp; Revenue Model09:39 Balancing Attendee Tickets With Exhibitor Value11:29 Vendor Tickets13:13 The Role of Media &amp; Content in Growing the Event17:41 How Brent Sells Tickets19:26 Post-Purchase Surveys 21:27 HVAC Influencers 24:28 Should Influencers Attend the Event to Drive Tickets?26:34 Promo Codes, Measurability &amp; Implied Endorsement28:35 Audience-Event Fit30:29 Getting Your First Sponsors &amp; Exhibitors32:35 Proving ROI to Sponsors 35:02 What Other Trade Show Opportunities Exist Right Now37:35 Hosted Buyer Programs &amp; The Hidden Revenue Model38:16 How Big Can the Heat Pump Summit Get?41:24 Exit Strategies &amp; Building an Event Conglomerate43:52 Private Equity in the Trades &amp; the Blue Parachute Idea44:10 Mike Rowe &amp; the Role of Celebrity at Trade Events47:23 Final Advice🔗 Connect with Brent Davidson:<a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentdavidson/'>LinkedIn</a> <a href='https://www.usheatpumpsummit.com/'>US Heat Pump Summit</a>🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: <a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'>Click here to get a discount through my referral link.</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Brent Davidson built a 500-person trade show for HVAC contractors from scratch — and in this episode, he breaks down the business model behind it: how exhibitors and sponsors pay the bills, how to design attendee flow, and why in-person marketplaces are more durable than anything algorithm-dependent. Matt and Kolby dig into the operational side of running a trade show — from booth pricing and venue logistics to speaker strategy and influencer relationships. If you&amp;apos;re thinking about events as a media business model, this is the blueprint.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;00:00 Introduction &amp;amp; What Is the US Heat Pump Summit&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;02:12 Why Build a Trade Show &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;05:15 Trade Shows vs. Conferences&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;07:03 Ticket Pricing, Booth Costs &amp;amp; Revenue Model&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;09:39 Balancing Attendee Tickets With Exhibitor Value&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;11:29 Vendor Tickets&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;13:13 The Role of Media &amp;amp; Content in Growing the Event&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;17:41 How Brent Sells Tickets&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;19:26 Post-Purchase Surveys &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;21:27 HVAC Influencers &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;24:28 Should Influencers Attend the Event to Drive Tickets?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;26:34 Promo Codes, Measurability &amp;amp; Implied Endorsement&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;28:35 Audience-Event Fit&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;30:29 Getting Your First Sponsors &amp;amp; Exhibitors&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;32:35 Proving ROI to Sponsors &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;35:02 What Other Trade Show Opportunities Exist Right Now&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;37:35 Hosted Buyer Programs &amp;amp; The Hidden Revenue Model&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;38:16 How Big Can the Heat Pump Summit Get?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;41:24 Exit Strategies &amp;amp; Building an Event Conglomerate&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;43:52 Private Equity in the Trades &amp;amp; the Blue Parachute Idea&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;44:10 Mike Rowe &amp;amp; the Role of Celebrity at Trade Events&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;47:23 Final Advice&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🔗 Connect with Brent Davidson:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentdavidson/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.usheatpumpsummit.com/'&gt;US Heat Pump Summit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: &lt;a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'&gt;Click here to get a discount through my referral link.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Brent Davidson built a 500-person trade show for HVAC contractors from scratch — and in this episode, he breaks down the business model behind it: how exhibitors and sponsors pay the bills, how to design attendee flow, and why in-person marketplaces are more durable than anything algorithm-dependent. Matt and Kolby dig into the operational side of running a trade show — from booth pricing and venue logistics to speaker strategy and influencer relationships. If you're thinking about events as ...

How Trade Shows Make Millions

In today’s episode, we sit down with Matt Ragland to break down how top creators actually build leverage, grow audiences, and scale sustainable media businesses. We dive into frameworks that make you memorable, the reality of plateauing on YouTube, and how to evolve from solo creator to true operator. Matt also shares lessons from working behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in newsletters and creator education.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Matt Ragland 03:42 Why Every Creator Needs a Framework 07:19 The Gap &amp; Wrap System Explained 10:34 What Makes a Framework Actually Work 13:48 How Frameworks Drive Content &amp; Growth 16:36 Types of Frameworks (Acronyms, Visuals, Mental Models) 20:05 The Real Shift: From Creator to Operator 25:55 Why Growth Plateaus (And What Changes Next) 31:28 The Truth About YouTube Growth Today 36:41 The Substack Trap (And Why Most People Get It Wrong)🔗 Connect with Matt Ragland:<ul><li><a href='https://mattragland.com/'>MattRagland.com</a></li><li>Matt&apos;s <a href='https://www.youtube.com/c/mattragland'>YouTube Channel</a></li></ul>🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: <a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'>Click here to get a discount through my referral link.</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;In today’s episode, we sit down with Matt Ragland to break down how top creators actually build leverage, grow audiences, and scale sustainable media businesses. We dive into frameworks that make you memorable, the reality of plateauing on YouTube, and how to evolve from solo creator to true operator. Matt also shares lessons from working behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in newsletters and creator education.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;00:00 Introduction to Matt Ragland&lt;br/&gt;03:42 Why Every Creator Needs a Framework&lt;br/&gt;07:19 The Gap &amp;amp; Wrap System Explained&lt;br/&gt;10:34 What Makes a Framework Actually Work&lt;br/&gt;13:48 How Frameworks Drive Content &amp;amp; Growth&lt;br/&gt;16:36 Types of Frameworks (Acronyms, Visuals, Mental Models)&lt;br/&gt;20:05 The Real Shift: From Creator to Operator&lt;br/&gt;25:55 Why Growth Plateaus (And What Changes Next)&lt;br/&gt;31:28 The Truth About YouTube Growth Today&lt;br/&gt;36:41 The Substack Trap (And Why Most People Get It Wrong)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🔗 Connect with Matt Ragland:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://mattragland.com/'&gt;MattRagland.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Matt&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/c/mattragland'&gt;YouTube Channel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: &lt;a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'&gt;Click here to get a discount through my referral link.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In today’s episode, we sit down with Matt Ragland to break down how top creators actually build leverage, grow audiences, and scale sustainable media businesses. We dive into frameworks that make you memorable, the reality of plateauing on YouTube, and how to evolve from solo creator to true operator. Matt also shares lessons from working behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in newsletters and creator education. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Matt Ragland 03:42 Why Every Creato...

The Substack TRAP, Why Creators Plateau, How To Create Frameworks

In today’s episode we break down four media companies including Breaking Points, Starter Story, Lenny&apos;s Newsletter, and Colin and Samir&apos;s creator summit, pulling out what&apos;s working, what&apos;s being left on the table, and what every media founder should take notes on. Plus, we get into the AI slop debate and what it actually means for creators trying to build something real.Timestamps:00:00 Overview of Topics 01:04 Breaking Points: A Case Study in New Media Success 13:39 Starter Story&apos;s Acquisition by HubSpot 24:15 Lenny&apos;s Newsletter: A B2B Creator&apos;s Journey 33:30 Colin and Samir&apos;s LA Creator Summit 35:03 The Importance of Marketing for Creators 37:14 How To Make A Great Event 43:17 Monetization Strategies for Events 49:58 The Rise of AI-Generated Content 57:02 Navigating the Future of AI in Media🔗 Resources Mentioned:<a href='https://breakingpoints.supercast.com'>Breaking Points</a> <a href='https://www.starterstory.com'>Starter Story</a> <a href='https://www.lennysnewsletter.com'>Lenny&apos;s Newsletter </a><a href='https://www.thecreatorsummit.com'>Colin and Samir&apos;s LA Creator Summit</a>🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: <a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'>Click here to get a discount through my referral link.</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;In today’s episode we break down four media companies including Breaking Points, Starter Story, Lenny&amp;apos;s Newsletter, and Colin and Samir&amp;apos;s creator summit, pulling out what&amp;apos;s working, what&amp;apos;s being left on the table, and what every media founder should take notes on. Plus, we get into the AI slop debate and what it actually means for creators trying to build something real.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;00:00 Overview of Topics&lt;br/&gt;01:04 Breaking Points: A Case Study in New Media Success&lt;br/&gt;13:39 Starter Story&amp;apos;s Acquisition by HubSpot&lt;br/&gt;24:15 Lenny&amp;apos;s Newsletter: A B2B Creator&amp;apos;s Journey&lt;br/&gt;33:30 Colin and Samir&amp;apos;s LA Creator Summit&lt;br/&gt;35:03 The Importance of Marketing for Creators&lt;br/&gt;37:14 How To Make A Great Event&lt;br/&gt;43:17 Monetization Strategies for Events&lt;br/&gt;49:58 The Rise of AI-Generated Content&lt;br/&gt;57:02 Navigating the Future of AI in Media&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🔗 Resources Mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://breakingpoints.supercast.com'&gt;Breaking Points&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.starterstory.com'&gt;Starter Story&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.lennysnewsletter.com'&gt;Lenny&amp;apos;s Newsletter &lt;br/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.thecreatorsummit.com'&gt;Colin and Samir&amp;apos;s LA Creator Summit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: &lt;a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'&gt;Click here to get a discount through my referral link.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In today’s episode we break down four media companies including Breaking Points, Starter Story, Lenny's Newsletter, and Colin and Samir's creator summit, pulling out what's working, what's being left on the table, and what every media founder should take notes on. Plus, we get into the AI slop debate and what it actually means for creators trying to build something real. Timestamps: 00:00 Overview of Topics 01:04 Breaking Points: A Case Study in New Media Success 13:39 Starter Story's Acquisi...

$6M Newsletter With 1 Employee, HubSpot Buys Starter Story, $500k/Month WITHOUT Ads

Welcome to the first episode of the New Media Podcast with Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch. In this episode, we break down the business of media—from newsletters and YouTube to events and monetization strategies. We also dive into lessons from New Media Summit, building profitable media companies, and what’s actually working right now. If you’re building in the creator economy, this is the behind-the-scenes conversation you don’t usually hear.🍿 <a href='https://youtu.be/S-cN35RxQPs'>Watch on YouTube here</a>.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to New Media Podcast 02:19 Inside the New Media Summit 04:08 How Event Businesses Actually Make Money 06:32 Sponsorships &amp; Revenue Streams Explained 08:23 Why Audience Engagement Matters More Than Ever 10:47 The Truth About Growing a Podcast 13:15 Why Most Content Fails (And What Works Instead) 16:01 Where New Media Is Heading 27:25 How Storytelling Shapes Media Success 28:10 Lessons From Past Media Trends 31:44 Gated Content: Smart Strategy or Bad UX? 39:07 Email Growth Hacks &amp; Automation Strategies 44:59 Sponsorships Are Changing—Here’s How 52:42 Is Email Marketing Still Worth It? 55:31 Why Organic Subscribers Are 10x More Valuable 57:40 The Real Business Models Behind Newsletters 58:29 Are Newsletters Dead or Evolving? 01:02:45 Why Conferences Are a Massive Opportunity 01:04:11 IRL &gt; URL: The Power of In-Person Networking 01:06:54 Why Big Events Are Declining 01:12:11 Building Community Through Local EventsCheck out <a href='https://www.growthcurrency.net/'>Dylan&apos;s newsletter here</a>!🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: <a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'>Click here to get a discount through my referral link. </a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the first episode of the New Media Podcast with Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch. In this episode, we break down the business of media—from newsletters and YouTube to events and monetization strategies. We also dive into lessons from New Media Summit, building profitable media companies, and what’s actually working right now. If you’re building in the creator economy, this is the behind-the-scenes conversation you don’t usually hear.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🍿 &lt;a href='https://youtu.be/S-cN35RxQPs'&gt;Watch on YouTube here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Chapters:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;00:00 Introduction to New Media Podcast&lt;br/&gt;02:19 Inside the New Media Summit&lt;br/&gt;04:08 How Event Businesses Actually Make Money&lt;br/&gt;06:32 Sponsorships &amp;amp; Revenue Streams Explained&lt;br/&gt;08:23 Why Audience Engagement Matters More Than Ever&lt;br/&gt;10:47 The Truth About Growing a Podcast&lt;br/&gt;13:15 Why Most Content Fails (And What Works Instead)&lt;br/&gt;16:01 Where New Media Is Heading&lt;br/&gt;27:25 How Storytelling Shapes Media Success&lt;br/&gt;28:10 Lessons From Past Media Trends&lt;br/&gt;31:44 Gated Content: Smart Strategy or Bad UX?&lt;br/&gt;39:07 Email Growth Hacks &amp;amp; Automation Strategies&lt;br/&gt;44:59 Sponsorships Are Changing—Here’s How&lt;br/&gt;52:42 Is Email Marketing Still Worth It?&lt;br/&gt;55:31 Why Organic Subscribers Are 10x More Valuable&lt;br/&gt;57:40 The Real Business Models Behind Newsletters&lt;br/&gt;58:29 Are Newsletters Dead or Evolving?&lt;br/&gt;01:02:45 Why Conferences Are a Massive Opportunity&lt;br/&gt;01:04:11 IRL &amp;gt; URL: The Power of In-Person Networking&lt;br/&gt;01:06:54 Why Big Events Are Declining&lt;br/&gt;01:12:11 Building Community Through Local Events&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out &lt;a href='https://www.growthcurrency.net/'&gt;Dylan&amp;apos;s newsletter here&lt;/a&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: &lt;a href='https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry'&gt;Click here to get a discount through my referral link. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Welcome to the first episode of the New Media Podcast with Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch. In this episode, we break down the business of media—from newsletters and YouTube to events and monetization strategies. We also dive into lessons from New Media Summit, building profitable media companies, and what’s actually working right now. If you’re building in the creator economy, this is the behind-the-scenes conversation you don’t usually hear. 🍿 Watch on YouTube here. Chapters: 00:00 Introductio...

New Media in 2026: What Actually Works 

In this episode, I share an important update about the future of the podcast as we relaunch with a new name and direction. While the show started focused on newsletters and email marketing, the new version will expand into helping you build an independent media, education, or creator business. We&apos;ll be covering audience growth, newsletters, monetization, and the strategies behind modern media companies. <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@growletter'>Subscribe to the video version of the podcast and our YouTube channel here. </a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I share an important update about the future of the podcast as we relaunch with a new name and direction. While the show started focused on newsletters and email marketing, the new version will expand into helping you build an independent media, education, or creator business. We&amp;apos;ll be covering audience growth, newsletters, monetization, and the strategies behind modern media companies. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@growletter'&gt;Subscribe to the video version of the podcast and our YouTube channel here. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, I share an important update about the future of the podcast as we relaunch with a new name and direction. While the show started focused on newsletters and email marketing, the new version will expand into helping you build an independent media, education, or creator business. We'll be covering audience growth, newsletters, monetization, and the strategies behind modern media companies.  Subscribe to the video version of the podcast and our YouTube channel here.  

UPDATE: We’re relaunching this podcast with a new name

New Media is a podcast for founders and creators building independent media businesses. We explore how to grow and monetize audiences without depending on algorithms, advertising, and platforms you don't control. Each episode shares practical insights on building profitable media and education businesses.&nbsp; A GrowLetter podcast, hosted by Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch.&nbsp;

New Media

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