234 The Power of Hustle to Create the Extraordinary with Lisa Messenger

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Lewis Howes interviews Lisa Messenger about building The Collective from scratch into a global print-digital media brand. She explains how naivety, relentless hustle, pre-selling, partnerships, and purpose-driven storytelling helped her grow a magazine distributed in 37+ countries while staying focused on empowering people and creating abundance through business.

Main Topics: Origin of The Collective (Priority: 5/5): Messenger shares how a personal search for happiness and self-development led her from publishing books to launching a magazine as a platform for inspirational, practical stories. Hustle, naivety, and entrepreneurship (Priority: 5/5): She argues that not knowing the industry was an advantage early on, because she could act boldly, fail fast, and figure things out without being constrained by conventional thinking. Magazine growth and celebrity strategy (Priority: 4/5): She explains how she used celebrity covers to gain newsstand traction and attract publicists, then leveraged that visibility into bigger opportunities and global credibility. Revenue model and pre-selling (Priority: 5/5): Messenger details a multi-stream business approach built around pre-sales, sponsorships, events, partnerships, online content, and book sales instead of relying only on ads. Print vs. digital distribution (Priority: 4/5): The conversation compares the economics of print and digital, with print still important for brand authority while online traffic and advertising are becoming increasingly significant. Purpose, money, and mindfulness (Priority: 5/5): Her new book and overall philosophy emphasize that money and doing good are not mutually exclusive; financial freedom should support purpose, choice, and service to others. Community and authenticity (Priority: 4/5): Messenger stresses that the magazine’s audience helps amplify the brand because the content feels real, vulnerable, and accessible rather than polished or elitist.

Key Arguments: Naivety can be an asset in entrepreneurship because it prevents you from being paralyzed by what others say is impossible. Pre-selling before building reduces risk and proves demand before major time and money are spent. A strong purpose and clear 'why' matter more than a perfect business plan or fixed outcome. Building a brand requires multiple revenue streams; most income is often not in the obvious core product. Physical print still has strategic value because it cuts through digital noise and creates tangible credibility. Celebrities on the cover were a tactical choice to gain placement and attention, not the end goal of the magazine. Money and ethical impact can coexist; financial success can increase freedom, choice, and the ability to serve others. Community is a form of currency: readers and supporters can drive growth through advocacy and sharing.

Data Points: Episode number: 234 - Lewis Howes introduces the conversation as episode 234. Countries distributed: 37+ countries - The Collective Magazine is described as having global distribution in more than 37 countries. Books published by Messenger Group: 400+ books - Messenger says her group has published more than 400 books for companies and individuals. Books authored/co-authored: 12+ books - Her bio notes she has written or co-authored over a dozen books. Print circulation: 140,000 copies - Messenger says The Collective currently prints 140,000 copies. Team size: 23 full-time staff - She notes the magazine has 23 full-time staff. Freelance contributors: Close to 80 freelancers - She says they use close to 80 freelance writers worldwide. Magazine issues per issue launch: 50 to 93 stories - Each issue contains between 50 and 93 different stories. Magazine production cost: $350,000 AUD per issue/month - She says the print magazine costs about $350,000 Australian dollars to produce each issue. Digital operating cost: About $12,000 a month - She contrasts print costs with much lower digital spend, including salaries and overhead. Ad page price: $8,000 per page - She states the magazine sells a page for $8,000, though discounts sometimes apply. First bank deal: $200,000 total / $50,000 per issue for 4 issues - Her first major funding deal came from a major Australian bank. Pre-launch book sales: 1,600 copies on day one - She says Money and Mindfulness sold 1,600 copies online on day one of the pre-launch. Launch timing: March 2013 - She says the magazine launched in March 2013. Format change: Bi-monthly to monthly - The magazine was initially bi-monthly in its first year, then became monthly. Issue count example: Issue 8 / issue 16 or 17 - She references later issues featuring Martha Stewart and a New York Times revisit. Revenue streams: About 18 - She mentions the business has around 18 different revenue streams.

Pivotal Quotes: "Naivety can be a really helpful thing sometimes because, yeah, I didn't know what everyone else was saying couldn't be done." — Lisa Messenger: Explaining why she was able to launch the magazine without prior industry experience. "Anything is possible." — Lisa Messenger: One of her three final truths about life and business. "If someone gave me $100 million today, I would not sell it for any money in the world." — Lisa Messenger: Describing how deeply she identifies with her purpose and the mission behind The Collective.

Implications: Listeners are encouraged to build from purpose, pre-sell ideas, and embrace experimentation. For media and entrepreneurs, the episode shows that trust, community, and multi-stream monetization can matter more than conventional expertise.