To remain sustainable, the local media outlet combines direct ad sales, branded content, merchandise (coupon passports), and a Patreon membership. This multi-pronged approach provides stability and avoids over-reliance on a single, often volatile, revenue stream like programmatic advertising.

A consumer-focused app, such as a safety platform for travelers, can create a high-margin B2B offering by selling "safety certifications" to businesses like hotels. This creates a new, highly scalable income source beyond individual user subscriptions.

While platform businesses (marketplaces) can achieve massive valuations, they are incredibly difficult and expensive to build due to the chicken-and-egg problem. For most founders, a traditional B2B SaaS model is a far safer and more direct path to success.

Front Office Sports intentionally diversified from 90% reliance on newsletters to a healthier model where newsletters, social media, and events each contribute significantly (roughly 30%, 30%, and 20%). This balanced, multi-pillar revenue strategy makes the business more resilient, scalable, and valuable.

To achieve rapid, bootstrapped growth, don't choose between a service or a product. Start with a hybrid: a product with a service aspect. This allows you to generate immediate cash flow and validate the market with the service, while using that revenue to build the more scalable product asset.

Relying on one signature offer or income stream is a high-risk strategy. A more sustainable approach is building a portfolio business with multiple, smaller streams—like a course, a membership, and affiliate income. This ecosystem creates stability, allowing the business to weather storms and reducing pressure on any single component.

Business model innovation is a third, often-overlooked pillar of success alongside product and go-to-market. A novel business model can unlock better unit economics, align incentives with customers, and dictate the entire product and operational strategy.

Looking 10 years out, Versant's CEO projects a revenue mix of one-third subscriptions (including declining pay-TV), one-third advertising, and one-third 'other' streams like events and transactional businesses. This specific, diversified model highlights a clear move away from traditional media revenue dependency.

From its inception, Pray.com prioritized building a massive customer data platform. This data foundation informs every aspect of the business, from developing new software features to creating targeted content, such as podcasts for specific demographics like moms and grandmas.