Wanted: Journalists Turned Creators

Journalists are natural-born creators. We can research, write, edit, and meet insane deadlines—all while consuming enough caffeine to fuel a rocket launch. But how do you take those newsroom skills and build something that’s entirely your own?

Enter Lindsey Stanberry, former Work & Money Director at Refinery29, creator of The Purse newsletter, and proof that journalists can thrive in the creator economy.

The Big Idea: Why Journalists Are Made for This: If you’ve ever told yourself, “I’m not cut out to be an entrepreneur,” think again. Journalists are already multitasking machines, navigating a chaotic industry, and connecting with audiences daily. Transitioning to the creator economy is less about starting from scratch and more about repackaging your skills.

Take Lindsey’s journey: After nearly six years at Refinery29 building the wildly popular Money Diaries, Lindsey moved on to CNBC before starting her own newsletter, The Purse. Focused on women’s personal finance, her newsletter has grown from a personal blog to a scalable publication with 12,000 subscribers and counting.

Her secret? Combining editorial savvy with entrepreneurial strategy - two things most journalists already have in spades.

Why She Left Traditional News: Lindsey saw firsthand how successful her work was at Refinery29, but also experienced the limits of a traditional newsroom. Moving into the independent creator space gave her the freedom to pursue her vision without red tape.

Her Niche: The Purse tackles personal finance for women, focusing on relatable advice and real-life stories. Lindsey has mastered the art of creating content franchises, like “Home Economics,” which dives deep into anonymous women’s financial lives, and “Division of Labor,” a timestamped log of couples’ daily routines.

Her Revenue Model: She keeps it simple.

• Paid subscriptions: $8/month or $80/year

• Events and partnerships: Lindsey has launched an ambassador program and started hosting events to deepen community engagement.

What She’s Learned:

1. Know what keeps the lights on. Lindsey stresses the importance of understanding the business side of content creation. “Bills have to be paid. Your salary has to be paid. Journalists should be entrepreneurial and go after bigger ideas.”

2. Consistency is key. Developing repeatable, engaging content franchises is a great way to maintain reader interest without burning out.

3. Collaboration matters. After struggling with the isolation of solo entrepreneurship, Lindsey brought on a business partner, Erica Velazquez Alpern, who now handles growth strategy and events.

Want the full scoop on Lindsey’s creator journey? Check out her interview on The Creator Spotlight Podcast here (I really love this podcast).

Quick Wins: Tips for Aspiring Creators

1. Start small: Test one newsletter or podcast idea before committing to a full brand.

2. Build your audience first: Engage with potential readers on social media or platforms like LinkedIn. I creep on Reddit posts and LinkedIn.

3. Don’t wait for perfection: Get your first draft out there—done is better than perfect.

No Barrier of Entry

Lindsey uses Substack. I use Beehiiv. Both are free to start. Substack will take 10% of paid subscribers and Beehiiv is free up to 2500 subscribers and then you get on a paid plan. They don’t take a cut. All that to say, if you have an idea, zero barrier of entry.

Are you thinking about starting your own newsletter, podcast or some other entrepreneurial venture? Or maybe you already have one and need a little push to grow? Share your story with us, and we might feature you in the next Broken News!