From Dorm to $40M: Daniella Pierson's Newsette Story

Turning a College Side Project into a $40M Media Brand

In 2015, while most roommates were sleeping in or studying for finals, 19-year-old Daniella Pierson was up at 6 a.m. crafting the first edition of The Newsette. She used a free Mailchimp account and a simple Wix landing page to send a daily digest on beauty, fashion, and business news to just 11 friends.

Balancing a full course load at Boston University, Daniella treated her newsletter like a part-time job, writing between classes, on weekend mornings, and after midnight. She built momentum not by buying ads but through an unpaid ambassador program: refer 10 people, earn a T-shirt and résumé bragging rights.

Rapid Early Growth

By year one, The Newsette had 14,000 subscribers thanks to friend-of-friend messages on Facebook and word of mouth. Daniella never called herself CEO at first, she told brands she was an intern, because she lacked confidence to own her role.

Building a Focused Brand

Rather than branching into podcasts or social channels, Daniella kept it simple: a daily newsletter and occasional Instagram reposts. The minimalist approach let a small team excel at curating content instead of spreading thin.

Monetization and Scaling Up

In the first three years, affiliate marketing and small brand partnerships covered costs. A breakthrough six-figure deal with Ulta Beauty validated the model and attracted other big names. By 2021, The Newsette hit $40 million in annual revenue and grew to 50 full-time employees, all without VC funding.

Lessons Learned

Daniella credits clear goals, consistent daily output, and smart partnerships for turning a side hustle into a full-time media business. She advises new founders to pick a niche, stay lean, and focus on building real relationships via email.

The Newsette Today

With over 500,000 subscribers, mainly women aged 18–35, The Newsette continues to grow. It remains free, link-driven, and email-first, proving that a focused product and authentic audience connection can drive millions in revenue.