Ryan Heafy and Ryan Johnston, co-founders of 6AM City, share their journey from a back-of-a-napkin idea to scaling an eight-figure local media company operating in 31 cities—while transforming how newsletters are built, monetized, and scaled using AI and community-driven content.
In this episode of the Founderville.vc podcast, hosts Shay Houser and Scott Millwood sit down with Ryan Heafy and Ryan Johnston, co-founders of 6AM City, to unpack the fascinating story behind one of the fastest-growing newsletter-based media companies in the U.S.
They take us back to the early days, meeting through Leadership Greenville and bonding over a shared passion for local community development. Fueled by bourbon and bold ideas, they envisioned a new kind of media: one that focused on positive, community-focused content delivered daily via email. Their model rejected divisive, negative news and embraced a brand-safe, advertiser-friendly format that allowed both readers and businesses to thrive.
What started as a Greenville-based experiment grew into a powerful content engine serving 31 cities, delivering eight-figures in revenue. They’ve since expanded into “newsletters as a service,” working with major brands and professional sports organizations to help them package, deliver, and monetize content—often using their full-stack newsletter production model.
We dive into how AI is accelerating their operational efficiency and enabling the company to scale content creation, development workflows, and client engagements faster and cheaper. Their smart adoption of automation and AI has become a key competitive advantage.
We end with valuable advice on raising capital, including their strategy of tranche-based funding, protecting equity, and focusing on traction to build investor confidence. And they reflect on the importance of equal equity in co-founder dynamics and the strength it adds to decision-making and company culture.