Logo
About
Read archive
Search
Get started
Login

For Starters x You?

Every Friday, 8,100+ small business owners crack open For Starters with their morning coffee. They’re founders, makers and creatives looking for ideas, products and tools worth their time and money. If your brand belongs in that inbox, we should chat.

Let’s talk →

Here’s who’s reading…

Our global subscribers run ecommerce stores, physical businesses, creative studios, shops, indie agencies and more – and they spend real money on the tools that make their work better.

Jan 2025

FOUNDED

8,100+

ACTIVE SUBSCRIBERS

48%

AVG. OPEN RATE

14%

CLICK-THROUGH RATE

~5× industry average

How we can work together

Every partnership is clearly labelled and written to feel like part of the issue, not pasted on top of it. We handpick every brand we work with. Our audience trusts us to recommend things we’d actually use, and we take that seriously. Here are the three main ways we can partner together:

Headliner

A full editorial treatment. In the top third of the issue, written in the For Starters voice, with proper space to tell the story. Best for brands with something to say beyond a one-liner.

Shoutout

A short, sharp mention in the Resources section, with a link. Less storytelling, more click-through, and ideal when you’ve got a launch, sale or landing page that already does the convincing.

Wildcard

A custom partnership, or a mix of things. Co-creations, collabs, giveaways, ideas that don’t fit neatly into any box here – send them our way and we’ll have a good think.

Apply to partner →

What our subscribers say…

Danny is the best small business storyteller on the planet.

Justin Kalifowitz

Justin Kalifowitz

Downtown Music Holdings

Danny is the KING of small business content.

Bonnie Chung

Bonnie Chung

Entrepreneur & Author

This is always packed with so much great stuff I usually have to read it 3x to make sure I've soaked everything in.

Reilly Brennan

Reilly Brennan

Trucks VC

An insta-subscribe for me.

Dan Frommer

Dan Frommer

The New Consumer

One of my faves. If you’re in the process of starting something, thinking about it, or 5 years in like me, check out For Starters. Inspiring stories, great resources, and incredible writing. It really is a must read for anyone starting something. I brag about this newsletter to so many people and it’s not even mine!

Meg Hovious

Meg Hovious

here*

It’s a wonderful day when a new For Starters drops.

Thibault Lemaître

Thibault Lemaître

ITONICS

Genuinely have to give your newsletter some credit for arriving at just the right time to give me some motivation to stop saying ‘someday’ and just do it!

Cole Kennedy

Cole Kennedy

Saunter

For Starters is SO wonderful. One of my favorite newsletters by a long shot. Please let me pay for it.

Luke Beard

Luke Beard

Photographer & Entrepreneur

For Starters is a game-changer for businesses like mine. If you’re not subscribed yet, what are you even doing? Get in the club, it’s free and actually worth your time!

Moyin Odeniran

Moyin Odeniran

Mr Desserts

This is my favorite newsletter.

Naomi Accardi

Naomi Accardi

NONSENSE PROJECTS

While helpful for small biz owners, For Starters is great for the small biz curious. Even if you’re not looking to start a business, it’s worthwhile simply for the fact that you’ll find some cool shit in it!

Eli London

Eli London

The Breads

For Starters is in my ‘Top One’ of inspirational and feel-good newsletters. It's your weekly reminder that the world can be different and better. A genuine highlight of my Friday morning and a brilliant read.

Seb White

Seb White

Founder & Editor

For Starters is one of those newsletters that makes entrepreneurship feel a little lighter, more human, and genuinely exciting – full of thoughtful insights, creative businesses and motivating stories.

Auste Skrupskyte Cullbrand

Auste Skrupskyte Cullbrand

Studio Playground

The tone is pitch-perfect and the entire newsletter is well-researched and gives a lot to offer to those who may need just a little bit of motivation to build a career on their terms.

Brett F. Braley-Palko

Brett F. Braley-Palko

Novelist & Marketing Director

For Starters is like an infusion of creativity, inspiration & positive energy for anyone who runs their own business or is inspired by others doing exciting things. It's now firmly part of my Friday routine. Fridays are for For Starters.

Mark Warman

Mark Warman

Barnfield Customs

For Starters is one of my new favorite newsletters. If you’ve ever dreamt of starting a small business, reading these stories will give you a ton of inspiration and motivation.

Sam Lauron

Sam Lauron

Rough Draft

For Starters is my favorite weekly read.

Lena Tavitian

Lena Tavitian

Project Yeraz

You've put together such a great mix of realistic reference points and creative inspiration for someone starting something. I'm a big fan.

Dan Duncan

Dan Duncan

Bread Friends

Gotta say how much I've enjoyed For Starters. Getting a roundup of all the great folks out there just making shit happen has been the energy kick I needed. Thank you!

Caitlin Mayance

Caitlin Mayance

nouvôt

It's become part of my Friday morning ritual to sit with my cup of coffee and read the latest edition.

Aaina Sharma

Aaina Sharma

Feels Like July

For Starters is brilliant.

Will Hudson

Will Hudson

It's Nice That / The HudsonBec Group

Great read. So refreshing to read honest, inspirational stories from small businesses.

Freddie Fitz-Gibbon

Freddie Fitz-Gibbon

Rally

If you’re not already subscribed to Daniel Giacopelli’s For Starters, you’re missing out. Few people have their finger more firmly on the pulse of cool shit. Plus, he always manages to slip in some good news stories (and we definitely need more of those right now).

Ryan Crown

Ryan Crown

Crown Creative

This newsletter always brings joy to my soul each week.

Simon Harper

Simon Harper

All About Email

For Starters comes in 3am-ish my time and I still click as soon as I see it. Daniel Giacopelli writes about small, interesting businesses built by interesting people. Like a bookstore that organizes titles by emotions, ceramics inspired by pets, and the perfect bean and cheese burrito.

Katrina Dalao

Katrina Dalao

Grow to Market

I really appreciate the effort and craft you put into For Starters. It’s a delight to read every week. Excellent work.

Hugh Garry

Hugh Garry

Storythings

In a world overflowing with newsletters, when you come across a good one – especially about business! – you stop and pay attention. Daniel combines exceptional curation, insightful founder interviews, and striking design. It's my favorite Friday morning read. Always thoughtful, always valuable, best in the game.

Viya Nsumbu

Viya Nsumbu

POLELE

Startup culture makes my eyes glaze over – too many tech bros trying to out-early adopt one another – but not when it’s Daniel Giacopelli doing the talking. Instead of glorifying digital tools no one actually wants, he covers founders who start small businesses out of passion: the artisan butchers, the Scandinavian bakers, the scented candle makers. It makes me want to abandon everything and open a bookshop/wine bar – and I think that’s the point?

Elli Stühler

Elli Stühler

Writer

Written by Danny Giacopelli (formerly of Monocle and Courier magazines), For Starters all about small, independent businesses that are doing something brilliantly. New niches, thoughtful branding, people doing familiar things in unfamiliar ways. But doing it independently, on their own terms.

Tom Prior

Tom Prior

Mildly Independent

I love reading about tenacious creatives building exciting, quirky small businesses in For Starters. In a world of gloom and doom, Daniel Giacopelli’s newsletter (ex-Monocle, ex-Courier) is the weekly beam of positivity our inbox deserves.

Michele Tropeano

Michele Tropeano

Just Noticing

It’s one newsletter I read from front to back every week! It’s grounded in practical advice, yet leans aspirational for all of us who need it. Thanks for doing what you do.

Pin Han Lim

Pin Han Lim

PULSE/PULSE

Thoughtful and helpful, tightly curated yet expansive, a resource and a community. An excellent read, dropped into your inbox every Friday morning.

Noah Davis

Noah Davis

Three Point Four Media

I've been deeply enjoying your email since I signed up a couple months ago – it’s starting to become part of my Friday ritual.

Kate Neary

Kate Neary

Catapult

Daniel Giacopelli has been the voice for small and indie businesses choosing a different path.

Arpit Kaushik

Arpit Kaushik

Dilli House

One of my favorite newsletters that I read, start to finish.

Sumeet Shah

Sumeet Shah

VHS Ventures

If I'm being real, his newsletter is one of the few I actually read end to end these days. Highly recommend it for founders and folks disrupting in the biz space.

Callia Hargrove

Callia Hargrove

Backstory

Thoughtful, well-written and a nice break from generic business advice. If you are starting or thinking about running your dream small business, this is stuffed with goodness.

Lucy Werner

Lucy Werner

Hype Yourself

One of my absolute fave newsletters. Long live For Starters!

Isabel Sachs

Isabel Sachs

I Like Networking

Just had to tell you how much I'm enjoying For Starters. What an absolutely jam-packed resource. You can tell just how much time and effort you put into it, and that's no small feat.

Lola Hoad

Lola Hoad

Good Call Studio

I’ve been a regular reader of For Starters for a while now, and I just wanted to say how much I enjoy it – it’s consistently one of the few newsletters I actually look forward to opening each Friday. Thanks again for putting together such a thoughtful and consistently engaging newsletter.

Rosanna Irwin

Rosanna Irwin

Samsu

Nobody is doing it like For Starters. One of the best and most inspiring letters in the game!

Abena Anim-Somuah

Abena Anim-Somuah

Daly

If you don't subscribe to For Starters, you should – it's small business stories and news you can use!

Lex Roman

Lex Roman

Revenue Rulebreaker

Thank you for the incredible content. For Starters is truly a highlight of the week.

Andy Kaul

Andy Kaul

Buddy Buddy

For Starters For Ever.

Francis Zierer

Francis Zierer

Creative Spotlight

I've been an avid reader of For Starters since you launched. I love when it drops in my inbox. The stories are always so inspiring. Love reading about the weird and wonderful niche things real people are doing in the world, a much needed antidote to the state of... well, everything.

Marina Vear

Marina Vear

MBV Communications

An increasingly indispensable Friday delivery.

Ben Dietz

Ben Dietz

[SIC]

My new favorite thing to read every week!!!

Ariel Altman

Ariel Altman

Figa Foods

I am obsessed with your emails.

Elinor Noble

Elinor Noble

Two Thirty Two

You've created one of my favourite newsletters. There’s a piece of gold in each one.

Andrew Eberlin

Andrew Eberlin

Brighter Side

I actually subscribed from two different email addresses to make sure I don’t lose it in the daily email avalanche.

Michael MacLeod

Michael MacLeod

The London Minute


For Starters is the essential weekly briefing for the next generation of small business owners.


© 2026 For Starters.
Report abusePrivacy policyTerms of use
beehiivPowered by beehiiv