Q2 2025 investor letter

If you’re reading this, you’re one of 48 investors in Thought Liters. Watching and clicking and liking, oh my. Just an emotional investment…for now. BUT: you deserve to know what sort of return you’re getting. So fear not, here I am.

In this quarterly investor letter, you’ll get an update on the show’s progress, analytics behind it, financials, and a go-forward plan.

Get excited. Here goes.

Here’s what happened in Q2:

• Released some episodes. 3 new full eps (Jim + Daniela + AJ); 6 clips. In all of H1 2025, I released a total of 7 eps and 17 clips.

  • The goal was 10 episodes out + 30 clips. For those keeping score at home, that’s a howler. Whiff-a-dee-doo-dah. Swing and a fuckin’ miss. Take a seat, better luck next time.

• Guests still really liked it. Despite the low output, the content creation experience is still universally, highly positive among guests. Turns out people like being complimented over a few adult sodas. Who’da thunk it.

• And, began planning some actual business. Because, let’s be honest, this show isn’t gonna be Hot Ones, or anything close, for years. In the meantime, I’d like to pave some other avenues to revenue. There is now a test project in the works to make that happen. Nothing I’m able to announce yet, but promising.

  • But I will say I follow other media like Breaking & Entering Media + Internet Empires for inspo.

Analytics (for nerds only):

• YouTube: 13k views (last 90 days); ~70 watch hours; 115 subs

  • Need 1k subs + 4k watch hours in a year to get $ here.

• LinkedIn: 20k impressions + 2.6% engagement rate (personal page); ~3k impressions + 4.1% engagement rate (Thought Liters page)

  • With the higher engagement rate on the TL page, this tells me I need to be testing more on that page.

• TikTok: 43k views; 3.07% engagement rate

  • 40k came from one clip from the Jim Gibbs episode. My assumption is that starting the clip with a question helped retain viewers.

• Instagram: 2k views (last 90 days); barely any engagement.

  • I have just not been able to crack this platform. Perhaps I should just stick to photos? Will continue to experiment.

Plan for H2 2025:

• Crank out Content: 10 new releases, and as many clips as I can fathom. I’m not sure how I’ll get there — and I’ll surely wade through a sea of flops and trash along the way. But it is the only way to grow.

• Make Actual Investment: Along with that, I’m going to have to pony up some cash. Editor first, most likely — I find I can edit client work rather efficiently, but get in my own head when it’s my baby. In the Q3 report I’ll have more notes on what I’m getting for that money.

  • I may also allocate funds to grow this newsletter directly. Unsure exactly how to do that.

• Monetization: As previously stated — I’m not gonna have an audience or show big enough to get paid on views. It’s gotta be on partners and special projects. I have one test in the hopper for that, and should have more to report in Q3.

Thank you for continuing to follow along here, for being an early investor, and for being the music I come back to face every so often. More to come.

Adam

PS you can subscribe to Internet Empires, linked above, below.