Aleen Kuperman is co-founder and CEO at Betches Media. The company has grown from a blog created in a dorm room at Cornell in 2011 to a sprawling media network including nine podcasts, New York Times-bestselling books and millions of Instagram followers. In this episode of the “Ad Block” podcast, Kuperman talks about growing up as the child of Russian immigrants who escaped the Soviet Union in 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall fell. In particular, it was a struggle to explicate what “Betches” was to her parents, who had always had high expectations for her future. “I had to explain to my parents, ‘I’m not going to medical school next year,’” she says. “I was terrified to have that conversation. They were like, ‘What’s a blog? How are you making money? What are you talking about?’” As with many new media startups, the business model evolved quickly, and as soon as she had gotten her parents on board, things would change. “They had just figured out Facebook, now they have to go learn Instagram,” Kuperman says. Tangible successes helped, like the book deal the team landed while still in college. “To my parents, that’s legit. A book, they understand.” Kuperman grew up hearing the stories of the family’s journey out of Russia, living in Vienna and Italy off the personal possessions they could sell before eventually being allowed into the U.S. and settling on Long Island. “Only now, I think back to all the things they instilled,” like her strong work ethic, she says. “It... Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'
[ Advertising Age | 2019-10-18 09:01:00 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#instagram followers
#soviet union
#high expectations
#medical school
#making money
#long island
#book deal
The Guardian's flagship summit convenes in March 2014, bringing together media and technology companies from across the world to discuss the creative and commercial future of mediaChanging Media Summit 2014Disruption to disruptor: taking control of your digital strategyDay one - 18th March... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#ben huh
The world of traditional media suffered so many earthquakes in 2013—Time Inc. getting set to spin off from Time Warner, The Washington Post selling for a song, New York magazine announcing the end of its weekly status—that one could be forgiven for thinking the sky will fall on the industry in... Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2014-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#pricing options
#huffington post
#business insider
#paying subscribers
#flip side
Many digital publishers have placed it at the heart of their business strategy - but there are concerns over transparencyIn 1917, the American Federal Trade Commission settled a case with the Muensen Speciality Co., over an ad for its vacuum cleaner, which it presented as a favourable newspaper... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Morrissey is writing a novel, following the success of his memoir released last year.... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Hearst Corp. had record revenue and profits in 2013, when it marked the fourth year in a row of growth on both fronts since the 2008 recession, Steven Swartz said in a New Year’s letter to employees recapping the year he took over as chief executive. Swartz, formerly the head of Hearst’s... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2014-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#financial services
#digital revolution
#digital studio
#digital sites
Digital media is thriving. Online advertising is growing faster than any other medium. The Web is hot. Except for the fact that the Web has had all sorts of growing pains. And major business challenges. And it changes constantly, sometimes quite radically. It's certainly never boring, and... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2013-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#big deal
#focal point
#katie couric
#vox media
As Chaplain of The Colbert Report and a bestselling author, Rev. James Martin S.J. is one few religious figures to star on the mass media. Here, the bestselling author discusses his career and beliefs. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#colbert report
#bestselling author
#james martin
#mass media
From big data to responsive design to the next iOS, technology has become inextricably linked to publishing. No one has a perfect model for it yet though. In many cases, content has raced ahead of monetization. In other instances, it's reversed. Neither side is stopping to wait for the other to... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#big data
#responsive design
#inextricably linked
Tax officials have been asked to investigate Vice Media, the multi-platform publishing group, over its apparent attempt to recruit an administrator on an unpaid work experience basis.A report on Graduate Fog, the website that offers careers advice to graduates, points to the headline on the job... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#unpaid internships
#joint initiative
#hm revenue
Ex-ITV marketing director promoted from position as Guardian publisher's chief commercial officerDavid Pemsel, chief commercial officer of Guardian publisher Guardian News & Media, has been promoted to deputy chief executive.Pemsel, the former ITV marketing director, will take over... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#key role
#michael bloom
#previously worked
#global strategy
Good Enterprises, whose holdings include the cookbook publisher Good Books, filed voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy December 10 and is preparing to liquidate the company. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#good enterprises
Fans of Rupert Murdoch's musings on Twitter can now share his thoughts with their friends this festive season. No, the Times isn't publishing a Christmas supplement compiling its owner's thoughts – New York artist Michelle Vaughan has produced letterpress cards featuring a selection of his... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#choice words
#phone hacking
#status quo
It's tough to make everyone happy. Can Facebook reconcile its high-minded design ideals with the interests of users and publishers? Continue reading at AllThingsD
[ AllThingsD | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#facebook users
The newspaper owners behind Ipso are ignoring the public, so we need to think about building a robust, independent regulatorWhen I was seven years old I launched my own newspaper. For several days I laid bare hypocrisy and corruption in our small Yorkshire village. Publication lapsed when the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#small group
#jonathan heawood
The Literary Review has awarded its 21st annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award to Manil Suri for a scene in The City of Devi featuring a, err, stellar climax. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#book prize
#authors don
#literary review
#fiction award
The 126-year-old publishing company's new head of digital talks about what kind of content works, balancing legacy with progress, and how to find the "unicorns" to lead your brand where it needs to go.The publishing industry in the digital age is a lawless frontier of fluctuating business... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#publishing industry
#digital age
The University of Kent has apologised for a statement on its website that seemingly belittled... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Taylor & Francis Group has released a short motion graphics film entitled What is Open Access Publishing?, which offers an explanation of the concept in under two minutes. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
He was the scourge of Mitt Romney in the 2012 US election, now Obama's 'backroom Brit' is heading Labour's digital response team for its 2015 campaignIn his new book about the 2012 US presidential election campaign, the Time journalist Mark Halperin singles out the role played by a young Briton... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#higher quality
#daily mail
Apple lost its antitrust ebook trial this summer. Now it has to pay a court-appointed attorney more than $1,100 an hour to keep tabs on itself. Continue reading at AllThingsD
[ AllThingsD | 2013-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#apple doesn
#apple lost