How I built a profitable text guide in Denver in under 90 days.
Get the Local Media Profit Playbook and learn how to launch a profitable text guide in your city.
Ditch the 20% open rates and all the frustration that comes with email. Launch a local event guide via SMS and reach every subscriber — plus earn more from local advertisers. The City Curated Start-Up Kit gives you a step-by-step blueprint & templates to launch a media brand in your city.
Buy now - $399
✌️ 2 Minute Read
Hi 👋, I'm Brian, and I've been an entrepreneur most of my life.
In early 2024, I was bought out of a brand I'd spent nearly four years building. Afterward, I wanted a project that would bring in some $$$ but wasn't too stressful or time-consuming—so, naturally, I started a local newsletter.
Here's a quick story about my journey and how pivoting from email completely transformed what everyone truly wants from growing a local newsletter. This is why I changed Denver Curated’s business model, and why it couldn’t have gone better.
Launching a local newsletter seems like a no-brainer: 95% margins, super low barrier to entry—perfect for anyone looking to earn extra cash. I spent six months growing mine before I admitted that it felt like fighting a losing battle.
After months of selling $150 ad placements (and feeling pretty underwhelmed by it), reality hit me hard. My subscriber count was growing quickly—I had nearly 9,000—but advertisers only cared about clicks and mine were lacking. Data revealed that even new subscribers only intermittently saw my newsletter a few times before it was lost to the spam or promotions folder. Deliverability and subscriber attention were all trending 📉👎
It was clear the model was broken. To succeed financially, clicks were the only metric that truly mattered. Clicks drive reservations, ticket sales, and everything advertisers value. I knew I had to follow the clicks.
So, that's exactly what I did.
In September 2024, I relaunched Denver Curated as a weekly event guide delivered via text. Every Tuesday at 7 PM local time, subscribers receive a text featuring our top 3-4 events, spotlighted restaurants or bars, and a link to our full event guide. The full web based event guide showcases 10-12 local events, new restaurant openings, happy hour deals, and select sponsors.
Yes, I faced plenty of challenges: figuring out how to maximize limited real estate, optimizing design for revenue, and streamlining user experience. It took me 6 months to refine everything, which is precisely why you're reading this now.
Today, I earn significantly more money with half the subscribers and way less effort. You can still send your newsletter—no problem—but if you’re reading this and don’t jump at adding SMS into your strategy, you're leaving major opportunities on the table.
Buy the kit, don't buy it—but whatever you decide, start figuring out how to integrate SMS into your newsletter ASAP.
Here's why you should seriously consider it 👇
Email often tops out at 20–35% opens, but the rise of AI spam will make this WAY worse. Text messages hit nearly 100%. If you’re sending local news or event updates, that near‑instant reach means everyone sees your content—no spam filters, no cluttered inbox, a direct connection with your audience. When I switched to SMS it was the first time I felt I actually owned my (owned) audience.
There's nothing more direct than SMS and that's why it's the most effective at driving clicks and actual results. 73 reservations for a Holiday pop-up bar, 200 app sign ups for a local start-up, 36 $125 tickets sold for a special winery dinner. The proof is in the pudding.
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When we switched to an SMS first model I thought it would be way harder to get subscribers. No one loves getting promo texts right? Wrong. It turns out sending people info they want in a direct way is exactly what they're looking for.
Get the KitEveryone and their mother is building a local newsletter. It's getting saturated very quickly. How many people are going to sign up for another in your city? The City Curated model is completely fresh, and you can snag the first mover advantage by implementing it in your city.
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The weekly guide is sent out every Tuesday night at 7pm. Each subscriber gets a text with our top 3-4 events ($$$), our featured restaurant or bars of the week, a sponsor message (sometimes) and a link to our full event guide, which is a web page that showcases 10-12 local events, new restaurant openings, happy hour deals, and sponsors.
Get the KitGet the exact strategy and playbook that I used to grow Denver Curated from zero to 4,663 subscribers in less than 50 days. Follow the exact step-by-step guide to grow your SMS guide to over 4,500 subscribers in less than 2 months.
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Absolutely. Readers crave real, community-focused updates from a voice they know—something no algorithm can replicate. Sponsors also pay for genuine human engagement, not automated fluff. By going SMS-first and hyper-local, you’re creating a platform powered by authentic connections — making it naturally resistant to AI-driven competition.
The City Curated Start-Up Kit gives you everything I’ve created to run Denver Curated successfully—my custom website template (which unlocks the whole model), my complete growth blueprint, my proven sales process, and all the essential tools and frameworks. It’s like stepping into my shoes, minus the many months of trial and error.
Get the City Curated Start-Up KitLearn exactly who’s eager to pay for placements in your SMS-powered newsletter—and why it's easier and more profitable than you think.
Buy now - $399Wellness spas, dermatoligists, gyms, and boutiques rely heavily on consistent traffic and repeat customers. This is who will turn into your consistent sponsors that drive 50% of your revenue.
Local venues want reliable promotion. Your SMS updates drive traffic directly to events, concerts, and deals—making you their go-to marketing channel.
Event organizers are they're strongest when they're selling out each event. Your SMS platform offers direct visibility, driving attendance and ticket sales effortlessly.
Local restaurants and bars consistently need new customers. Your SMS newsletter gives them immediate exposure, filling tables and boosting revenue.
Local organizations like social clubs, adult sports leagues, book clubs, and anything other community you can think of all need simple, effective ways to attract new members. Your SMS updates instantly connect them, boosting membership.
Startups crave cost-effective visibility. Your SMS guide helps them connect instantly with local customers, driving signups and growth.
Local government agencies have budgets dedicated to community engagement. Your newsletter is the perfect channel for promoting events and community initiatives directly to residents.
The City Curated Start-Up Kit gives you everything you need to quickly launch a thriving SMS-powered local media brand in your city.
Get the City Curated Start-Up KitFrom homepage to event guide, our proven pre-built website template saves you time and unlocks the power of the City Curated business model in just minutes.
Use our ready-made SMS scripts and AI content prompts to create your content easily and keep subscribers engaged with great content.
Follow a step‑by‑step roadmap to grow your City Curated business into a media powerhouse in your city.
Stay organized and craft engaging updates faster with built‑in editorial calendars, prompts, and workflow tips—designed to grow as you do.
Easily apply field‑tested tactics to grow your subscriber list, amplify engagement, and drive turnout in your community.
Pitch ad spots and local sponsorships more effectively with ready‑to‑use decks, pricing tips, and ROI insights that impress advertisers.
These six components form the backbone of your local SMS media brand—crafted from real-world successes to spare you wasted time and guesswork.
Get the site I custom built and us every day to scale Denver Curated. I spent 60+ hours building it — so you don’t have to.
Unlocks the SMS first model with a pre-built weekly event guide optimized for mobile.
Quickly swap photos, tweak colors, and make it your own—no coding required.
Ad slots are built right in, so you can monetize traffic as soon as you go live.
Highlight your city’s top events in a sleek layout that hooks readers at first glance.
Ditch the 20% open rates, spam folders, and constant frustration of email. Instead, launch a local event guide via SMS—where near-100% of subscribers actually read what you send. You’ll learn how to curate can’t-miss updates, secure sponsor deals, and stand out in your community—all with a simpler, more profitable approach.
Buy now - $399
All the Tools You Need to Instantly Launch a High-Engagement, SMS-First Local Media Brand in Your City
Get the City Curated Start-Up KitFrom homepage to event guide, our proven pre-built website template saves you time and unlocks the power of the City Curated business model in just minutes.
Use our ready-made SMS scripts and AI content prompts to create your content easily and keep subscribers engaged with great content.
Follow a step‑by‑step roadmap to grow your City Curated business into a media powerhouse in your city.
Stay organized and craft engaging updates faster with built‑in editorial calendars, prompts, and workflow tips—designed to grow as you do.
Easily apply field‑tested tactics to grow your subscriber list, amplify engagement, and drive turnout in your community.
Pitch ad spots and local sponsorships more effectively with ready‑to‑use decks, pricing tips, and ROI insights that impress advertisers.
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Not at all! The kit is designed to help both complete beginners and seasoned newsletter operators get up and running. Our step-by-step playbook, templates, and tech guides make it easy to launch—even if you’re starting from zero subscribers.
We’ve simplified every step. You’ll get a ready-made website template, an easy SMS platform setup guide, and clear instructions for each tool. If you can send an email or post on social media, you can implement this system—no coding or advanced tech skills required.
Results vary, but many new local publishers have secured their first sponsor within a month of starting. We include a sponsorship outreach script, pricing guidelines, and a media kit template to help you pitch professionally right away.
Great—competition means there’s real interest in local news. Our kit focuses on SMS, which boasts ~98% open rates, so you’ll stand out by delivering timely, direct messages. Even if local email newsletters exist, few publishers harness text in the same way—this can be your unique advantage.
Great—competition means there’s real interest in local news. Our kit focuses on SMS, which boasts ~98% open rates, so you’ll stand out by delivering timely, direct messages. Even if local email newsletters exist, few publishers harness text in the same way—this can be your unique advantage.
Absolutely. SMS’s near-100% read rate means even a few hundred engaged subscribers can deliver high returns for sponsors. Local businesses value real reach—whether you serve 50,000 residents or 5,000, this approach can be incredibly effective if you focus on quality, targeted content.
Not at all. We provide copywriting prompts, templates, and a style guide, so you never have to start from scratch. Plus, our system teaches you the basics of local marketing and audience engagement step by step.
We cover best practices and share guidelines to keep your subscriber lists compliant and spam-free. You’ll learn how to collect explicit opt-ins, provide easy unsubscribes, and follow industry-standard privacy protocols.
Yes. Your purchase includes access to any future updates of the kit’s core modules and templates. We also offer optional community access where you can ask questions, share progress, and get support from other local publishers on the same journey.
We stand behind our product 100%. If you’ve genuinely tried the materials and still feel it’s not right for you, we offer a refund within a specified period (details on our purchase page). Our goal is to make sure you’re set up for success—risk-free.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Ready to build a local media brand that fosters genuine community connections? Unlock a complete SMS-first blueprint for launching a profitable local media brand. You’ll get ready-to-use templates and proven revenue strategies—all designed to help you launch with confidence and start earning sooner.
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For entrepreneurs ready to build a local media brand and start earning $5k–$10k/month, without any guesswork.
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Get the Local Media Profit Playbook and learn how to launch a profitable text guide in your city.
