Building the Modern Media Empire Scooping the Auto Industry with The Car Dealership Guy's Yossi Levi

Yossi Levi, founder and CEO of Car Dealership Guy, joins Erik Torenberg to share the evolution from running a Twitter account to establishing a growing media empire with significant influence in the automotive industry. They also discuss the blueprint behind generating 120 million impressions per month, defining their insights advantage, the importance of listening to the audience, and strategies for monetization that doesn't demand compromising the authenticity and quality of content.

Listen on Spotify, Apple, and Subscribe on YouTube

Key Takeaways:

• Building a vertical media company requires focusing on a specific industry and understanding the needs of the audience.

• Authentic and objective insights can differentiate a media company in a crowded market.

• Expanding from content to news can provide additional value to the property by scooping established media sources, but also adds complexity hiring journalists and establishing standards and consistent voice.

• Listening to the audience and delivering valuable content is crucial for success.

• Exploring other opportunities such as events and data products can further expand the business.

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LINKS:
Car Dealership Guy: https://www.dealershipguy.com/
Subscribe to the Media Empires Newsletter: https://media-empires.beehiiv.com/

X/ TWITTER:
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@ yossixciii (Yossi)

TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(01:00) Building an automotive media powerhouse
(02:33) Future of vertical media company
(06:54) Navigating the complex landscape of media, trust, and monetization
(09:34) Building a news arm
(13:32) Evolution of newsletters and content strategy
(16:00) Sponsor: Beehiiv and Turpentine
(17:50) Collaborating with creators
(21:24) Exploring data products and market opportunities
(23:22) Event planning for brand alignment
(24:38) Applying the playbook to other industries
(28:13) Audience composition
(30:17) Future of Media: Expert-led and social-first
(32:42) Customer feedback and content development
(39:09) Wrap

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected].