On the first episode of the podcast, host Paul Gewuerz sits down with Michael Shapiro, founder and CEO of TAPinto, to talk about how his business model is successfully scaling local news coverage in the communities that they serve.

They talk about the challenges facing local news, including the decline of hard-copy newspapers and the rise of news deserts. TAPinto's model addresses these challenges by providing a collaborative network where publishers can share content and advertising, leveraging shared infrastructure and support to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

The discussion also covers the business side of running a TAPinto franchise, including the types of individuals who thrive as franchisees, as well as the importance of diversifying where your audience is coming from and strategies for building and maintaining audience engagement. Michael highlights the challenges posed by social media and emphasizes the value of direct audience engagement through newsletters and content marketing.

Links from the conversation:

tapinto.net

starttap.net

Connect with Michael:

[email protected]

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelmshapiro

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