Not Boring
by Packy McCormick
Business strategy, but genuinely fun to read.
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Packy McCormick's long-form, optimistic takes on companies and technology — proof that depth and personality can coexist.
Overview
Niche, audience, and how it makes money.
Packy McCormick built Not Boring on a simple promise in the name: business writing that isn't a chore. Sprawling, optimistic essays on companies and emerging tech turned a personal Substack into a media brand and a launchpad for a venture fund.
The niche
Founders, operators, and investors who enjoy big-picture, narrative strategy pieces. The audience skews toward tech and startups — and, critically, toward people who deploy capital.
How it monetizes
- Sponsorships. Free essays reach a large, influential list; sponsor slots are sold at a premium because of who reads it.
- Paid subscriptions. A paid tier adds extra pieces and community access for the most engaged readers.
- The real flywheel. The newsletter's reach and credibility seeded Not Boring Capital, a venture fund — the audience became proprietary deal flow. The media business feeds the money business.
The risk
Long-form, high-effort essays don't scale linearly, and the value is tightly coupled to one writer's voice and taste.
Steal this: a newsletter can be the top of a much bigger funnel. Sometimes the list is the asset, not the ad revenue.
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