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.