Founding Journey
Investor Due Diligence Report
substackBusiness
Get advice to help build, grow, and raise capital for your startup, written by an a16z-backed founder.
236K
6K paid
~0%
Subscriber count is a platform estimate
-0.0%
net churn
Pricing
$50/mo
$195/yr annual option
$143K
6K paid subs
$143K/mo – $143K/mo(±0%)
0.2
1.1
0.00%
(comments + likes) / subscribers
Weekly
1.1 posts/week
68/100
Consistent (~6.5d avg)
| Newsletter | Subscribers | Weekly Growth | Price | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a16z speedrun | 177K | +2.1% | Free | substack |
| First 1000 | 90K | N/A | Free | substack |
| Clouded Judgement | 87K | N/A | Free | substack |
| Secret Strategist | 77K | +0.7% | Free | substack |
| Month | Subscribers | Est. Revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 236K | $142,852.28 | — |
| Apr 2026 | 236K | $142,852.28 | ~0% |
Platform Dependency
Hosted on substack subdomain
Publishing Consistency
Variable publishing frequency
Key Person
Single-author publication — key-person dependency
Audience Concentration
Hit-driven — top post engagement 3x+ above average
Subscriber threshold
236K subscribers — above the 2K category median for first paid tier
Has paid tier
Active paid subscription offering
Peer monetization
100% of 33 similar-size peers in Business have paid tiers
Pricing position
$50/mo vs $7/mo category median (1528 newsletters)
| Date | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | $50 | $195 |
Disclaimer: This report is generated automatically based on publicly available data and proprietary estimation models. Estimated subscriber counts are derived from engagement patterns and should be verified through direct disclosure. Revenue estimates are based on known pricing and estimated paid subscriber counts. This report is for informational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for investment decisions.
Score based on available components only.
| Component | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement Rate | 25/100 | 30% |
| Paid Subscriber Ratio | 78/100 | 25% |
| Publishing Consistency | 44/100 | 10% |
| 76K |
| N/A |
| $97/mo |
| substack |
Revenue Model
Active paid subscription tier