The Local Newsletter Founder Who Proved Everyone Wrong About "Small Markets"

Most publishers would look at the Catskills region of New York and say "too small to build a real business." Michael Kauffman proved them wrong.

In this episode of Audience Bridge Insights, I sit down with Michael Kauffman, founder of Catskill Crew, a local newsletter that's rewriting the playbook on community publishing.

Here's what makes his approach different:

42,000 subscribers in a "small" market~$0.30 average subscriber acquisition costSends once per week (not daily)Monetizes without becoming an ad billboardBuilt a real business that could be bought and sold

But the numbers aren't the story. It's HOW he thinks about newsletters that changes everything.

What we cover:

Why local newsletters have a built-in growth advantageHow Michael made ~$8K in one week with a simple "bulletin" sectionWhy he only sends once per week (and why it works better than daily)Why events, products, and IRL experiences beat more email sendsHow he's using snail mail as a premium subscription (yes, actual mail)Why newsletters are becoming legitimate businesses you can buy and sellThe one mindset shift that separates winning publishers from dying media

Key quote: 

"If you prioritize advertisers over subscribers, you're already losing."

Who this episode is for:

Local newsletter operators (or anyone thinking about starting one)Publishers feeling pressure to send more oftenAnyone looking to monetize without wrecking engagementFounders building sustainable, community-driven businesses

Guest: Michael Kauffman, Founder of Catskill Crew

 🔗 Catskill Crew Newsletter

 🔗 The Newsletter Club

 🔗 Michael Kaufmann on X

Host: Chris Miquel, Founder of Audience Bridge

🔗 Learn more: AudienceBridge.io 

📧 Subscribe to Audience Bridge Insights: https://www.audiencebridge.io/subscribe