Public dossier section · @ben
sources
This is @ben's profile revision 1. The original date and editorial confidence below are attributed to its publisher, not independent verification.
Original credited author: Hraness
AI-drafted at Ben Guo's direct request and credited to Hraness; every claim links to its cataloged source.
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Published text
- sold to outvoice (six figures) — objectivejournalism.org (2023-06, reporting). sold to outvoice (six figures); collective economics reality-check
- network driving 40% free/12% paid subs — substack (2022, reporting). network driving 40% free/12% paid subs; lenny 78%/11% via recs
- recommendations launch — substack (2022-04-12, primary). recommendations launch
- 50% new subs / 25% paid via network — substack (2024, reporting). 50% new subs / 25% paid via network; >3m paid subs then
- $100m at $1 — reuters (2025-07-17, reporting). $100m at $1.1b; 5m paid subs (mar 2025)
- shipper on tbpn: $700k raised 2020 — tbpndigest.com (2025-05-22, reporting). shipper on tbpn: $700k raised 2020; incubations as separate llcs; writing stays core
- editorial independence covenant — tbpn.substack.com (2026-04-02, reporting). "editorial independence covenant"
- first openai media acquisition — techcrunch (2026-04-02, reporting). first openai media acquisition; >$30m 2026 track; ads wound down
- $840 of value in bundle claim — techbear.substack.com (2025, reference). "$840 of value" in bundle claim; newsletter-as-funnel
- ~30 businesses — business insider (2020-12, reporting). ~30 businesses; ceo-delegation model
- tiny public — bloomberg (2024-07-30, reporting). tiny public; ackman-backed; $300m+ firm
- wilkinsons holdco manifesto — awilkinson.medium.com (2017, primary). wilkinson's holdco manifesto; dribbble first deal
- portfolio of small bets — dvassallo.com (undated, primary). "portfolio of small bets"; small bets
- left $500k amazon job 2019 — indie hackers (2021, interview). left $500k amazon job 2019; $570k in two years
- a16z media/platform history — the verge (2023, reference). a16z media/platform history
- cora didnt stick for reviewer — rare critical note — the verge (2025, reference). cora "didn't stick" for reviewer — rare critical note
- 10m+ uniques peak months — forbes (2017-01-17, reporting). 10m+ uniques peak months
- 2013 — wikipedia (undated, reference). 2013; urban+finn; single-author
- sept 2003 — wikiwand.com (undated, reference). sept 2003; aol oct 2005 ~$25m
- agent-startup-as-journalism — wired (2025, interview). agent-startup-as-journalism
- 5 months post-relaunch: $700k+ revenue, ~40k readers — every (2021, reporting). 5 months post-relaunch: $700k+ revenue, ~40k readers
- schiffer joins as me (left jan 2025 per linkedin) — platformer (2022-09-26, reporting). schiffer joins as me (left jan 2025 per linkedin)
- founded in 2020 — every (undated, primary). "founded in 2020"; media+software+courses+consulting
- first post feb 26, 2011 — dan shipper (2012, primary). first post feb 26, 2011; 83 posts/yr
- more human work to do than ever — every (2026-05-21, reporting). "more human work to do than ever"
- 100 thinkers call their shot — every (2026-08-18, reporting). 100 thinkers call their shot
- features written in english, not code — every (2026-01-09, primary). features "written in english, not code"
- cost of intelligence toward zero verbatim — every (2022-11-10, primary). "cost of intelligence toward zero" verbatim
- firefly cofounders incl — ai.engineer (undated, reference). firefly cofounders incl. patrick leahy; apr 2020 merger framing
- $9,000 in ai tools bundle — every (2026-07-14, reporting). $9,000 in ai tools bundle
- makers→managers — every (2024-01-18, primary). makers→managers; model managers; course promo
- tanay jaipuria crypto column in bundle — every (2021, reporting). tanay jaipuria crypto column in bundle
- bundle ownership structure in dans words — a media operator (2020, interview). bundle ownership structure in dan's words
- continua ai seed apr 2023 — tracxn (undated, reporting). continua ai seed apr 2023
- katie parrott quote — blog.annabyang.com (2025, reporting). katie parrott quote
- format: screen-shared chats + live experiments — apple podcasts (undated, interview). format: screen-shared chats + live experiments
- 109 posts… building and selling a startup from a dorm room, in public — dan shipper (2010, community). "109 posts… building and selling a startup from a dorm room, in public"
- my sister arielle… head of operations — linkedin (2026-08-17, primary). "my sister arielle… head of operations"
- sister dynamic — every (2026, primary). sister dynamic; openai spend +230%
- investing… more than eight years — askforfunding.com (undated, reporting). "investing… more than eight years"
- ex-substack biz-dev head — every (2025-11-17, primary). ex-substack biz-dev head
- 2025–26 essay/podcast/vibe-check stream — every (undated, reporting). 2025–26 essay/podcast/vibe-check stream
- first post aug 5, 2019 — every (undated, reporting). first post aug 5, 2019; talk therapy eps
- essay catalog + dates — every (undated, reporting). essay catalog + dates
- age 20, philosophy major, princeton nj, wheremyfriendsbe 40k — business insider (2012-05-21, reporting). age 20, philosophy major, princeton nj, wheremyfriendsbe 40k
- firefly $20k dorm room fund — business insider (2013-07-30, reporting). firefly $20k dorm room fund; 6,000 customers
- graduated may 18, flew to boston to close — business insider (2014-06-09, reporting). graduated may 18, flew to boston to close
- substack exit coverage — business insider (2021-01, reporting). substack exit coverage
- coding since i was 10 — dan shipper (2013, primary). "coding since i was 10"; 6-figure firefly
- $15→$20/mo bundle hack on substack — every (2020, primary). $15→$20/mo bundle hack on substack
- ~200 new subs, +28% in a week — every (2020, reporting). ~200 new subs, +28% in a week
- openclaw guide (w/ willie williams) — every (2026-03-26, reference). openclaw guide (w/ willie williams)
- teams that dont write code — every (2025-12-11, primary). "teams that don't write code"
- every is half agent now (gell+williams) — every (2026, interview). "every is half agent now" (gell+williams)
- $15/mo public — every (2025, reporting). $15/mo public
- cora incubation — every (2024-12-17, reporting). cora incubation
- people speak acquihire — creatorspotlight.com (2026, reporting). people speak acquihire; ~30k leverage subs in 6 months
- fadeke adegbuyis internet-culture newsletter — every (2021, reporting). fadeke adegbuyi's internet-culture newsletter
- product list + writing archive pointer — dan shipper (2026, primary). product list + writing archive pointer
- co-founder and ceo of every… writing online since 2010 — dan shipper (2026, primary). "co-founder and ceo of every… writing online since 2010"
- hardbound/gimlet/ga/product hunt bio — every (2019, primary). hardbound/gimlet/ga/product hunt bio
- polegs every presence (bio via https://www — every (undated, reporting). poleg's every presence (bio via https://www.drorpoleg.com/dror-poleg/)
- economic historian — drorpoleg.com (undated, primary). economic historian; rethinking real estate
- was a lead writer… napkin math (past tense) — every (undated, reporting). "was a lead writer… napkin math" (past tense)
- published his contract — every (2021, primary). published his contract; "fellow bundle writer fadeke"
- dan intro verbatim — every (2025-04-22, primary). dan intro verbatim; ~500k words; equity holder
- apr 2021–apr 2025 — linkedin (undated, primary). apr 2021–apr 2025; the leverage apr 2025–
- ~46 people listed — linkedin (undated, primary). ~46 people listed; exec list incl. brooker belcourt
- older team state (danny aziz gm spiral — everytang.com (undated, primary). older team state (danny aziz gm spiral; yash gm sparkle)
- note-taking pain quote — every (2022-02-12, primary). note-taking pain quote
- co-leads confirmed — finsmes (2025-05, reporting). co-leads confirmed
- $11k first 10 months — review.firstround.com (2015-01-28, interview). $11k first 10 months; "multiple millions"; punctuated equilibrium
- high-school app revenue, spent it all — dan shipper (2011, primary). high-school app revenue, spent it all
- first eir — every (2023, primary). first eir; clyde $50m/100 people; covergenius mar 2023
- clyde jan 2017–jan 2024 — linkedin (undated, primary). clyde jan 2017–jan 2024; cover genius acq.
- first ep aug 14, 2020 w/ adam davidson — hackernoon.com (2020, primary). first ep aug 14, 2020 w/ adam davidson
- writer collective — every (2021-01-25, primary). writer collective; bedrock pre-seed; left substack
- automates 80 percent of repetitive writing — every (2024, reporting). "automates 80 percent of repetitive writing"; began as dan's april claude realization
- eic+gm — every (2023-10-30, primary). eic+gm; ex-stripe press/medium; semafor coverage
- kates ai & i episode — linkedin (2026-03-19, primary). kate's ai & i episode
Original source occurrences
- sold to outvoice (six figures) · objectivejournalism.org · 2023-06 (month) · original ID: src-i-studyhall-sale
sold to outvoice (six figures); collective economics reality-check
- network driving 40% free/12% paid subs · substack · 2022 (year) · original ID: src-i-substack-growth
network driving 40% free/12% paid subs; lenny 78%/11% via recs
- recommendations launch · substack · 2022-04-12 (day) · original ID: src-i-substack-recs
recommendations launch
- 50% new subs / 25% paid via network · substack · 2024 (year) · original ID: src-i-substack-recs-upgrade
50% new subs / 25% paid via network; >3m paid subs then
- $100m at $1 · reuters · 2025-07-17 (day) · original ID: src-i-substack-series-c
$100m at $1.1b; 5m paid subs (mar 2025)
- shipper on tbpn: $700k raised 2020 · tbpndigest.com · 2025-05-22 (day) · original ID: src-i-tbpn-digest
shipper on tbpn: $700k raised 2020; incubations as separate llcs; writing stays core
- editorial independence covenant · tbpn.substack.com · 2026-04-02 (day) · original ID: src-i-tbpn-self
"editorial independence covenant"
- first openai media acquisition · techcrunch · 2026-04-02 (day) · original ID: src-i-tc-openai-tbpn
first openai media acquisition; >$30m 2026 track; ads wound down
- $840 of value in bundle claim · techbear.substack.com · 2025 (year) · original ID: src-i-techbear
"$840 of value" in bundle claim; newsletter-as-funnel
- ~30 businesses · business insider · 2020-12 (month) · original ID: src-i-tiny-bi
~30 businesses; ceo-delegation model
- tiny public · bloomberg · 2024-07-30 (day) · original ID: src-i-tiny-bloomberg
tiny public; ackman-backed; $300m+ firm
- wilkinsons holdco manifesto · awilkinson.medium.com · 2017 (year) · original ID: src-i-tiny-medium
wilkinson's holdco manifesto; dribbble first deal
- portfolio of small bets · dvassallo.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-i-vassallo
"portfolio of small bets"; small bets
- left $500k amazon job 2019 · indie hackers · 2021 (year) · original ID: src-i-vassallo-ih
left $500k amazon job 2019; $570k in two years
- a16z media/platform history · the verge · 2023 (year) · original ID: src-i-verge-a16z
a16z media/platform history
- cora didnt stick for reviewer — rare critical note · the verge · 2025 (year) · original ID: src-i-verge-installer
cora "didn't stick" for reviewer — rare critical note
- 10m+ uniques peak months · forbes · 2017-01-17 (day) · original ID: src-i-wbw-forbes
10m+ uniques peak months
- 2013 · wikipedia · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-i-wbw-wiki
2013; urban+finn; single-author
- sept 2003 · wikiwand.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-i-weblogs
sept 2003; aol oct 2005 ~$25m
- agent-startup-as-journalism · wired · 2025 (year) · original ID: src-i-wired-ratliff
agent-startup-as-journalism
- 5 months post-relaunch: $700k+ revenue, ~40k readers · every · 2021 (year) · original ID: src-i-write-with-every
5 months post-relaunch: $700k+ revenue, ~40k readers
- schiffer joins as me (left jan 2025 per linkedin) · platformer · 2022-09-26 (day) · original ID: src-i-zoe
schiffer joins as me (left jan 2025 per linkedin)
- founded in 2020 · every · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-about
"founded in 2020"; media+software+courses+consulting
- first post feb 26, 2011 · dan shipper · 2012 (year) · original ID: src-p-accidentally-blogged
first post feb 26, 2011; 83 posts/yr
- more human work to do than ever · every · 2026-05-21 (day) · original ID: src-p-after-automation
"more human work to do than ever"
- 100 thinkers call their shot · every · 2026-08-18 (day) · original ID: src-p-after-automation-project
100 thinkers call their shot
- features written in english, not code · every · 2026-01-09 (day) · original ID: src-p-agent-native
features "written in english, not code"
- cost of intelligence toward zero verbatim · every · 2022-11-10 (day) · original ID: src-p-ai-individual
"cost of intelligence toward zero" verbatim
- firefly cofounders incl · ai.engineer · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-aiengineer
firefly cofounders incl. patrick leahy; apr 2020 merger framing
- $9,000 in ai tools bundle · every · 2026-07-14 (day) · original ID: src-p-allaccess
$9,000 in ai tools bundle
- makers→managers · every · 2024-01-18 (day) · original ID: src-p-allocation
makers→managers; model managers; course promo
- tanay jaipuria crypto column in bundle · every · 2021 (year) · original ID: src-p-almanack
tanay jaipuria crypto column in bundle
- bundle ownership structure in dans words · a media operator · 2020 (year) · original ID: src-p-amediaoperator
bundle ownership structure in dan's words
- continua ai seed apr 2023 · tracxn · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-angel-tracxn
continua ai seed apr 2023
- katie parrott quote · blog.annabyang.com · 2025 (year) · original ID: src-p-annabyang
katie parrott quote
- format: screen-shared chats + live experiments · apple podcasts · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-applepod
format: screen-shared chats + live experiments
- 109 posts… building and selling a startup from a dorm room, in public · dan shipper · 2010 (year) · original ID: src-p-archive
"109 posts… building and selling a startup from a dorm room, in public"
- my sister arielle… head of operations · linkedin · 2026-08-17 (day) · original ID: src-p-arielle-linkedin
"my sister arielle… head of operations"
- sister dynamic · every · 2026 (year) · original ID: src-p-arielle-piece
sister dynamic; openai spend +230%
- investing… more than eight years · askforfunding.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-askforfunding
"investing… more than eight years"
- ex-substack biz-dev head · every · 2025-11-17 (day) · original ID: src-p-austin
ex-substack biz-dev head
- 2025–26 essay/podcast/vibe-check stream · every · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-author-newest
2025–26 essay/podcast/vibe-check stream
- first post aug 5, 2019 · every · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-author-oldest
first post aug 5, 2019; talk therapy eps
- essay catalog + dates · every · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-author-popular
essay catalog + dates
- age 20, philosophy major, princeton nj, wheremyfriendsbe 40k · business insider · 2012-05-21 (day) · original ID: src-p-bi-2012
age 20, philosophy major, princeton nj, wheremyfriendsbe 40k
- firefly $20k dorm room fund · business insider · 2013-07-30 (day) · original ID: src-p-bi-2013
firefly $20k dorm room fund; 6,000 customers
- graduated may 18, flew to boston to close · business insider · 2014-06-09 (day) · original ID: src-p-bi-2014
graduated may 18, flew to boston to close
- substack exit coverage · business insider · 2021-01 (month) · original ID: src-p-bi-substack-leave
substack exit coverage
- coding since i was 10 · dan shipper · 2013 (year) · original ID: src-p-bootstrap-6figure
"coding since i was 10"; 6-figure firefly
- $15→$20/mo bundle hack on substack · every · 2020 (year) · original ID: src-p-bundle-announce
$15→$20/mo bundle hack on substack
- ~200 new subs, +28% in a week · every · 2020 (year) · original ID: src-p-bundle-magic-week
~200 new subs, +28% in a week
- openclaw guide (w/ willie williams) · every · 2026-03-26 (day) · original ID: src-p-clawschool
openclaw guide (w/ willie williams)
- teams that dont write code · every · 2025-12-11 (day) · original ID: src-p-compound
"teams that don't write code"
- every is half agent now (gell+williams) · every · 2026 (year) · original ID: src-p-contextwindow
"every is half agent now" (gell+williams)
- $15/mo public · every · 2025 (year) · original ID: src-p-cora-beta
$15/mo public
- cora incubation · every · 2024-12-17 (day) · original ID: src-p-cora-intro
cora incubation
- people speak acquihire · creatorspotlight.com · 2026 (year) · original ID: src-p-creatorspotlight
people speak acquihire; ~30k leverage subs in 6 months
- fadeke adegbuyis internet-culture newsletter · every · 2021 (year) · original ID: src-p-cybernaut
fadeke adegbuyi's internet-culture newsletter
- product list + writing archive pointer · dan shipper · 2026 (year) · original ID: src-p-danshipper-about
product list + writing archive pointer
- co-founder and ceo of every… writing online since 2010 · dan shipper · 2026 (year) · original ID: src-p-danshipper-home
"co-founder and ceo of every… writing online since 2010"
- hardbound/gimlet/ga/product hunt bio · every · 2019 (year) · original ID: src-p-divinations-intro
hardbound/gimlet/ga/product hunt bio
- polegs every presence (bio via https://www · every · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-dror
poleg's every presence (bio via https://www.drorpoleg.com/dror-poleg/)
- economic historian · drorpoleg.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-dror-bio
economic historian; rethinking real estate
- was a lead writer… napkin math (past tense) · every · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-evan-author
"was a lead writer… napkin math" (past tense)
- published his contract · every · 2021 (year) · original ID: src-p-evan-contract
published his contract; "fellow bundle writer fadeke"
- dan intro verbatim · every · 2025-04-22 (day) · original ID: src-p-evan-leverage
dan intro verbatim; ~500k words; equity holder
- apr 2021–apr 2025 · linkedin · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-evan-linkedin
apr 2021–apr 2025; the leverage apr 2025–
- ~46 people listed · linkedin · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-every-linkedin
~46 people listed; exec list incl. brooker belcourt
- older team state (danny aziz gm spiral · everytang.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-everytang-team
older team state (danny aziz gm spiral; yash gm sparkle)
- note-taking pain quote · every · 2022-02-12 (day) · original ID: src-p-fall-roam
note-taking pain quote
- co-leads confirmed · finsmes · 2025-05 (month) · original ID: src-p-finsmes
co-leads confirmed
- $11k first 10 months · review.firstround.com · 2015-01-28 (day) · original ID: src-p-firstround
$11k first 10 months; "multiple millions"; punctuated equilibrium
- high-school app revenue, spent it all · dan shipper · 2011 (year) · original ID: src-p-frugality
high-school app revenue, spent it all
- first eir · every · 2023 (year) · original ID: src-p-gell-joins
first eir; clyde $50m/100 people; covergenius mar 2023
- clyde jan 2017–jan 2024 · linkedin · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-p-gell-linkedin
clyde jan 2017–jan 2024; cover genius acq.
- first ep aug 14, 2020 w/ adam davidson · hackernoon.com · 2020 (year) · original ID: src-p-hackernoon-moc
first ep aug 14, 2020 w/ adam davidson
- writer collective · every · 2021-01-25 (day) · original ID: src-p-introducing-every
writer collective; bedrock pre-seed; left substack
- automates 80 percent of repetitive writing · every · 2024 (year) · original ID: src-p-introducing-spiral
"automates 80 percent of repetitive writing"; began as dan's april claude realization
- eic+gm · every · 2023-10-30 (day) · original ID: src-p-kate-lee
eic+gm; ex-stripe press/medium; semafor coverage
- kates ai & i episode · linkedin · 2026-03-19 (day) · original ID: src-p-kate-linkedin
kate's ai & i episode