“It was laughably simplistic”: How The 19th* learned from early mistakes and revised its growth plan.

Since launching last year during a global pandemic, The 19th* has raised nearly $12 million, landed coveted interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, and attracted more than 10,400 paying members.

But co-founder and publisher Amanda Zamora says the high-flying independent news startup has also made a few mistakes along the way, especially when it comes to to planning for and managing growth.

“We came up with a three-year plan and I think it was laughably simplistic,” she says. “[I wish] we would have recognized how much the operational side of things needed some tending.”

In this episode of News Guest, our host (and Outlier Media executive director) Candice Fortman talks with Amanda about the idea behind The 19th* and the challenge of launching it during a pandemic, as well as what she’d do differently if she could start again.

Listen to the full episode below, or find it and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you do your streaming.

News Guest is a monthly podcast featuring practical advice from LION members and other entrepreneurs who are changing the news business. You can subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you do your streaming.