He's building a media empire in Sweden around explainer journalism

12/09/20 • 29 min

Per Grankvist had the kind of media career most journalists only dream of. He was a high-profile columnist for a leading newspaper and a regular face on one of Sweden’s top broadcast networks. But over time he grew disillusioned with mainstream media and its tendency to dumb down coverage of complicated policy issues.

So Per quit his traditional media jobs and launched his own outlet. It started with just an Instagram account that explained thorny election issues, but from there it blossomed into an entire media outlet that spanned across social media, podcasts, and newsletters.

I recently interviewed Per about how he built the company, his approach to monetization, and whether he misses working for mainstream media publications.

I recently interviewed Per about how he built the company, his approach to monetization, and whether he misses working for mainstream media publications.

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How MEL Magazine reimagined the men's magazine for the 21st century

Peruse a newsstand full of men’s magazines and you’ll probably notice a few common themes. The cover either features a bikini model or a suit-clad male celebrity. Inside, you’ll find stories meant to appeal to what many in the mid-20th century would have considered the “ideal” man -- articles about scotch, cigars, and custom suits.

You won’t find many of those kinds of features in MEL Magazine, a digital-only publication that launched in 2015. Owned and operated by Dollar Shave Club, MEL aims its content at the under-40, educated, likely-urban male...a man less inclined to traditional gender roles who is much more in touch with his feelings and spends an inordinate amount of time on the internet.

I recently interviewed editor-in-chief Josh Schollmeyer about how he came to define this 21st century male, where his staff sources its article ideas, and how Dollar Shave Club will profit from its investment in the magazine.

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He created a finance-focused newsletter that has 1 million subscribers

Max Rofagha didn’t have a background in media prior to launching Finimize. He also didn’t have a background in finance for that matter. It was while conducting research on how to manage his own investments that he saw an opportunity for a daily newsletter aimed at helping millennials become more literate in finance.

Flash forward four years and Finimize now has over 1 million subscribers, a staff of financial analysts, and a worldwide community of young professionals who often meet up for in-person events.

I recently interviewed Max about his early audience development strategy, how his subscribers organize their own in-person events, and why he decided to launch a subscription-funded mobile app.