The $100M platform built from Google Sheets pain.

A lesson in founder obsession and product-story fit.

Author

Stephen Stanberry
June 12th, 2025

I’ve tested a dozen platforms to run this newsletter, friend.
But only one actually made me want to write.

But first. New here?
Every Thursday, I break down the story of a real founder and their brand—so you can learn how and why their story works (and how to apply it to yours).

It’s called beehiiv.
And it was built by a guy who lived every painful part of publishing at scale.

Not as a founder.
As a creator just like you.

From chaos to clarity

In 2017, Tyler Denk joined Morning Brew as employee #2.
He wrote the newsletter. Formatted it. Sent it daily.

But the backend?
It was held together with duct tape and Google Sheets.

No tool did it all.
So they hacked things together every single day.

That frustration stuck with him.

The pivot

In 2021, Tyler left.
No press release. No big splash.

Just a quiet conviction to build what he wished they had.

Not for vanity.
But for flow for the creators doing it all themselves.

The product

At first glance, beehiiv looks simple.
But it’s quietly powerful.

→ Native referrals
→ Clean segmentation
→ Instant onboarding
→ Growth tools built into the system

Every update feels like:
“We fixed the thing that used to slow you down.”

The brand

No SaaS bro vibes.
No bloated dashboards.

beehiiv feels like a creative partner, not just a platform.

It’s designed with taste.
And built with empathy.

Why this stuck with me

Because I use it.

And when I onboard a new segment,
or send out this exact email…
I feel the difference.

Ease. Clarity. Momentum.

It doesn’t just “work.”
It works with me.

That’s what good tools should do.
That’s what good storytelling should do too.

→ Understand the real pain.
→ Build with care.
→ Remove friction from the flow.

And if you’re building a business,
crafting a brand,
or sharing your story online…

That’s the approach I want to help you take.

→ Story that’s rooted in truth
→ Strategy that removes friction
→ Content that makes people feel seen

Tomorrow I'll show you how this plays out in my own brand tomorrow.

See you then!
Stephen

Start learning AI in 2025

Keeping up with AI is hard – we get it!

That’s why over 1M professionals read Superhuman AI to stay ahead.

  • Get daily AI news, tools, and tutorials

  • Learn new AI skills you can use at work in 3 mins a day

  • Become 10X more productive

Reply

or to participate.