Ever notice how Morning Brew makes millions just... summarizing business news? Like, they literally take the same stories you could find anywhere and wrap them in jokes about coffee addiction. And somehow that turned into a $75 million exit.
Here's the thing though—while everyone's trying to compete with Morning Brew, this Reddit user figured out something way smarter. Instead of fighting for business news, what if you became the Morning Brew for dog training? Or crypto day trading? Or literally any niche that's stuck reading boring industry publications from 2003?
Now they're running three automated niche newsletters, pulling in $2,800/month while AI handles 90% of the work. And honestly? It's kind of genius.
Let me break it down.
THE SETUP
Look, Morning Brew didn't invent summarizing news. They just made it not suck. Same headlines, same earnings reports, but delivered like your funny friend texting you the highlights instead of some corporate robot.
The opportunity here isn't trying to out-Morning Brew Morning Brew. It's stealing their playbook for every other niche that desperately needs it.
Think about it: SaaS founders are still getting their news from TechCrunch articles that read like press releases. Real estate agents are scrolling Facebook groups hoping someone drops actual market insights. Dog trainers? They're stuck with industry magazines that look like they were designed in Microsoft Word.
The math is beautiful: Morning Brew hit $20+ million in annual revenue from newsletters. But there are literally thousands of niches with zero decent newsletters. You just need to pick one and become their version of Morning Brew.
Which, turns out, is way easier now that AI can do the heavy lifting.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This is basically building AI-powered newsletter services for super specific communities. You become the trusted news source for people who've been ignored by everyone else.
Here's what you're actually building:
Automated content curation that scans 20+ sources in your niche
AI writing that mimics that engaging Morning Brew style
Newsletter platform that handles the boring subscriber stuff
Brand positioning as THE go-to source for [whatever niche you pick]
Why this works now: AI content curation got scary good this year. Tools can literally scan hundreds of sources, spot trending topics, and write newsletter content that doesn't sound like a robot. What used to take someone 20 hours a week now takes maybe 2.
Who this is perfect for: Anyone already deep in a specific community. The crypto trader who knows which projects actually matter. The dog trainer who can spot which new techniques are legit. The local real estate agent who understands their market inside out.
THE EVIDENCE
Okay, I'm naturally skeptical of "automated newsletter" claims because most are just glorified content farms. But I dug into this and the numbers actually check out.
Example #1: Peter Diamandis (yeah, the XPRIZE guy) partnered with Daily.ai for his tech newsletter. According to their case study, his newsletter grew 277% while maintaining 50%+ open rates. Like, that's not normal—most newsletters are lucky to hit 25% opens.
Example #2: Eric Lam documented building "Exploding Ideas" by sharing business opportunities on Reddit. His Buffer case study shows he went from zero to profitable newsletter business in four months. His secret sauce? Reddit growth + simple monetization through consulting and sponsorships. Nothing fancy.
Example #3: Paul Rose wrote about starting a newsletter from scratch on Medium. His week 1 numbers: 98 subscribers using one freebie (a Notion template). By month 2, he was projecting $10K monthly revenue with just 500 paying subscribers at $10 each.
Reality check: Most newsletter creators never crack 1,000 subscribers, and even fewer make real money. The ones who succeed pick ultra-specific niches where people already spend money and treat it like an actual business, not some "passive income" fantasy.
(This is exactly the kind of validation framework I cover in The Easy AI Playbook—more on that below.)
The verdict? AI newsletter curation is legit, but success depends entirely on niche selection and execution. Pick boring niches with engaged audiences who are desperate for better information.
THE BUILD
Alright, your weekend setup arsenal:
Newsletter Platform: Beehiiv Launch plan ($39/month)
Honestly the best newsletter builder right now
Built-in monetization tools that actually work
AI writing assistance included
Analytics that don't make your eyes glaze over
Content Curation: Daily.ai (starts ~$300/month)
Scans 100+ sources automatically
AI writes in your specific brand voice
Includes human oversight (important)
Those 50%+ open rates aren't an accident
Budget Option: Scoop.it ($18/month) + Feedly (free)
More manual but way cheaper
Still AI-assisted for the writing part
Good starter setup if you're testing the waters
Other Stuff: ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) for voice, RSS feeds, industry blogs, Reddit monitoring, Twitter lists
Total investment: $100-600/month depending on how automated you want to go
Your weekend sprint (honestly doable):
Saturday Morning (3 hours):
Pick your niche (communities you already get)
Set up Beehiiv account, basic branding
Build your content source list (20+ RSS feeds, key Twitter accounts)
Design newsletter template
Saturday Afternoon (2 hours):
Write welcome sequence (5 emails max)
Create lead magnet (industry report, resource list, whatever)
Set up basic automations
Sunday (4 hours):
Curate and write first issue
Test everything actually works
Launch to your network
Plan next week's content
Pro tip from someone who's done this: Don't start with multiple niches. Pick one, nail the voice, get to 500 subscribers, THEN think about expanding. The temptation is to go broad, but specific niches pay premium for focused expertise.
THE MONEY TALK
Here's what realistic revenue actually looks like (no BS):
Month 1-3: 100-500 subscribers, $0-200/month (focus on growth, not money)
Month 4-6: 500-1,500 subscribers, $200-800/month (add sponsorships)
Month 7-12: 1,500-5,000 subscribers, $800-3,000/month (multiple revenue streams)
Revenue streams that actually work:
- Newsletter sponsorships ($100-500 per 1,000 subscribers)
- Affiliate commissions on tools your audience uses
- Premium subscription tier ($10-25/month)
- Consulting/services for your niche
Hidden costs nobody talks about:
- Quality content sources sometimes need paid subscriptions ($50-200/month)
- Design tools if you want it to look professional ($20-50/month)
- Your time building relationships (newsletters are relationship businesses, not set-and-forget)
The numbers only work if you pick niches where people actually spend money. Dog training? Yes. Poetry appreciation? Probably not gonna pay the bills.
THE INTEL
Here's what's actually happening in the newsletter automation space right now:
Beehiiv just hit 8,000+ newsletters on their platform (up 200% this year). The AI Side Hustle subreddit has 40+ posts about newsletter automation in the last month alone. And Daily.ai is quietly onboarding 50+ new clients monthly—mostly people in boring niches who are tired of crappy industry publications.
The pattern? Everyone's realizing the same thing: AI can handle the grunt work, but you still need to understand your audience. The newsletters winning right now aren't the most automated—they're the ones serving communities that have been completely ignored.
Plot twist: the most successful AI newsletter I found? A guy covering commercial HVAC trends. Makes $4,200/month because literally nobody else is doing it well.
YOUR MISSION (should you choose to accept it)
Your weekend action plan:
□ Research 3 potential niches (communities you understand deeply)
□ Validate there's actual demand (check existing newsletters, Facebook groups, Reddit activity)
□ Choose niche and register domain
□ Set up Beehiiv account
□ Create content source list
□ Write and send Issue #1
□ Start building email list through your existing network
Remember: You're not trying to become the next Morning Brew overnight. You're becoming the trusted news source for a specific community that's been completely ignored by everyone else.
The best part? Most niches have literally zero competition for quality newsletters. You just need to show up consistently and not suck at it.
Catch you in the lab,
-San
Want more tested AI business ideas? Forward this to a friend who's tired of their 9-5.
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