You research and publish books and audio from one town. Readers buy a membership, or organizations buy a retainer memo.
This is independent research. You pick a beat and ship findings: books and audio from one town. Readers pay for a membership, or organizations pay for a memo retainer. Cite sources and state your limits on the page. A normal week is interviews or archives, a published note, and a bibliography you keep honest. Do not give licensed financial, legal, or medical advice unless you hold the license. A beat plus trust can fund a life; a random newsletter usually cannot.
Substack or a static site is $0. First paid subscriber or contract is typically 1–6 months of publishing (On Substack / SCORE).
Each required material has a matching shop listing — photo, price, and a way to add it to the cart.
Laptop
Used laptop
A reliable used laptop for writing, editing, and running a one-person shop. Ships checked and wiped, with a charger — not a gaming tower and not a Chromebook that cannot run your tools.
Archive access or library card
Archive and library research pass
A checklist for getting a library card or archive reader pass, plus request-slip templates. Guide, not admission to a specific archive.
Notes system
Notes app seat
A notes-app workspace with a capture inbox and a weekly review template. Instant setup. This is software, not a paper notebook.
Recording permission workflow
Recording permission workflow. Talent-release and location-permission forms plus a shoot-day checklist. Digital documents, not a lawyer.
Public examples matched to this path by what they actually publish — not endorsements, and not a claim they run this exact shop. Handles change. Verify before you write to anyone.
Justin Welsh
Left a CRO role, then built a one-person content and course business from LinkedIn.
Platforms on this card: Instagram, LinkedIn, X.
Priya Nair left salaried work and now coaches this craft. Book a slot for a tailored plan, a starter kit list, and follow-up support.
Geographic Arbitrage Planner
Research and publish city comparisons, visas as research not counsel
Geographic Arbitrage Planner
Research and publish city comparisons, visas as research not counsel
You research and publish city comparisons, visas as research not counsel. Readers buy a membership, or organizations buy a retainer memo.
Minimum initial capital Minimum initial capital None
Court-Watch Newsletter
Research and publish local justice reporting
Court-Watch Newsletter
Research and publish local justice reporting
You research and publish local justice reporting. Readers buy a membership, or organizations buy a retainer memo.
Minimum initial capital Minimum initial capital None
Climate-Risk Translator
Research and publish plain language for boards — with sources
Climate-Risk Translator
Research and publish plain language for boards — with sources
You research and publish plain language for boards — with sources. Readers buy a membership, or organizations buy a retainer memo.
Minimum initial capital Minimum initial capital None
