Making a living as a creator shouldn’t be some elusive thing. And what’s the best way to learn how creators are making it work? To go behind-the-scenes. These bi-weekly interview issues are like having coffee with your favorite creators. If we haven’t met before, I’m Amanda Smith. I write about solopreneurship and the creator economy.
Good morning. I caught up with the fabulous Meredith Klein to discuss her top 25 best-selling Substack. With industry cred, 20+ years of media contacts and that Jersey girl authenticity, she shared how she’s building at the intersection of PR, journalism, publisher, and creator.
This PR freelancer and Substack journalist replaced her lucrative Pinterest salary in under a year.
Let’s dive in.
What’s new in the creator world?
Cannes went all creator this year
And what this means.
Google Search Console adds social
For better visibility over metrics.
X launches live studio for creators
Including a $1M fund for livestreamers.
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Meredith Klein
Meredith Klein is a media expert who cut her teeth in agency land. She built up her black book of contacts while at big agencies before moving brand side to spearhead comms at Walmart and Pinterest. When Klein left Pinterest in 2024, she started dabbling in consulting after 20 years in the field. While she had worked across all facets of comms, media was her thing.
“I was doing a combination of consulting and media relations for major brands and agencies, when I started seeing the rise of Substack,” Klein said. Klein queried it with a reporter relationship she had, who had left CNN to start her Substack. She started sharing those insights on LinkedIn and her spidey senses went off to start her own Substack called Meredith in the Media.
Klein made a post that she was launching a Substack on media news and exclusive interviews with journalists on what’s driving their coverage. That got over 100,000 views and 450 likes. Then, she had to figure out how to write a Substack.
Content cadence & readership
Meredith and the Media has over 5,000 subscribers and 70,000 monthly views across content. Klein produces three pieces of content per week – a mix of an exclusive interview with a leading journalist on what’s driving coverage, small spotlights, media news, media moves, and sponsored stories (which have to be tied to the media in some way).
While she calls herself a Substack journalist or creator journalist, she ensures the publication has a real journalism touch by hiring a former AdWeek editor to be her Editor in Chief. Her open rates consistently sit at 51% and her readership falls in four cohorts:
PR leaders at brands such as Walmart, Target, Citi, Mastercard, Hilton, Zillow, Airbnb, Pinterest, Spotify, Microsoft etc.
Agencies big and small
Media folks she’s interviewed from outlets like the New York Times, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Fast Company etc.
Founders, CEOs and influencers
Klein said she’s receiving scoops and breaking news, with her coverage focusing on all the news questions that PR people are curious about.
“My goal is to be helpful, informative and rebuild this communications industry which is struggling between remote work, the changing dynamic of media, and the age of the creator economy. People need some guidance.”
The economics
Klein has 300 paid subscribers at $9/month, sponsored content at around $2,000 per story, and attracts speaking opportunities via the Substack.
“T-Mobile flew me out to Seattle in January. I did a reporter panel with Alex Heath from Sources and Rich Demuro from Rich on Tech. I’ve done a ton of company off-sites, town halls, all hands, webinars, and stage appearances.” Klein always wears the obligatory brown hat, as they’re hiring Meredith in the Media.
Klein said Substack and media are so hot right now that brands are salivating to bring in folks from Substack, Beehiv, Patreon, and Ghost.
Leveraging LinkedIn
Klein only publishes on Substack and LinkedIn.
She recommends building up LinkedIn by connecting and engaging with a target audience/readers. Build the community that you’re going to be engaged with, first and foremost. “You have two hands: One to ask for help, one to offer help. Be ambidextrous.” And next, write compelling content that brings something new and additive.
When Klein was the U.S. Head of Consumer Product at Pinterest, she had 1,500 followers and “no one cared.” People want to follow a personality and be part of a community.
As for Substack, Klein is constantly experimenting with content types. For example, LinkedIn lives, happy hours, and live from the newsroom. “We’re always going to have legacy media but we’re seeing traditional reporters do more newsletters, podcasts and on the street mini mic stuff, while creators are gravitating towards being more traditional in the sense of shows and live from the field.
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Speak soon,
Amanda
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