Trending...
- Spokane: 'Bike the Bridge' Ahead of Maple Street Reopening
- Spokane: SPD Seeking Assistance in Locating Vehicle of Interest
- Tacoma: Applicants Sought for the Human Services Commission
The podcast and Substack for early-stage founders heads into the 2026 mid-year mark with a contrarian thesis: in an AI-saturated market, the answer is fewer, sharper stories, not another content sprint.
SAN FRANCISCO - Washingtoner -- At more than 100 episodes and over 100,000 followers across Substack, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and more, Liftoff with Keith Newman enters the second half of 2026 with a sharp message for founders: stop publishing more, start publishing better. Host Keith Newman, a former journalist turned Silicon Valley dealmaker, GTM advisor, and angel investor who has interviewed Mark Cuban, Ron Conway, Ann Winblad, Steve Blank, and ZoomInfo CEO Henry Schuck, says the reflex to "double down on content" is the wrong H2 play.
"It's called AI slop for a reason. More doesn't mean better. You want quality. You want to be able to tell great stories," Newman said. "Get the story right, get the target index, then we'll figure out the best way to deliver. Format is secondary."
His mid-year reset framework runs against the standard Q4 sprint. Founders should use June, Newman argues, to interrogate what is already converting, name the real objection their buyer keeps raising (price, tariffs, or ROI proof), find the white space competitors are missing, and reweight visibility budgets toward live, human-led formats like events and podcasts.
More on Washingtoner
INSIDE LIFTOFF: HOTTEST TOPIC FIRST, SNACKABLES BUILT IN
The differentiator is editorial style, not category. Newman opens on the hottest topic, layers in backstory afterward, and edits with "snackables" in mind, short, quotable moments listeners share. "We've got an intelligent audience, I want to tickle those synapses where someone says, 'that's interesting, I didn't think of that, let's try that,'" Keith confirms.
100+ episodes in, mixing marquee names like Mark Cuban, Ron Conway, ZoomInfo CEO Henry Schuck with under-the-radar operators, including a recent conversation with founder Steven Pivnik on disciplined growth and designing an exit early. The core listener is a first-time founder or entrepreneur; the wider audience is the startup ecosystem itself, angels, VCs, and services firms across HR, legal, finance, and real estate, globally.
More on Washingtoner
LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD
YouTube: youtube.com/@LiftoffWithKeith
Substack: keithnewman.substack.com
Press kit and media assets available on request.
ABOUT LIFTOFF WITH KEITH NEWMAN
A twice-weekly podcast and Substack for early-stage founders and the startup ecosystem around them. Hosted by former journalist, Silicon Valley dealmaker, and GTM advisor Keith Newman, the show features candid interviews on growth, positioning, and the realities of building a company. Newman is also Managing Partner at The GTM Firm, providing growth strategies and implementation partnerships. For more, visit thegtmfirm.com.
"It's called AI slop for a reason. More doesn't mean better. You want quality. You want to be able to tell great stories," Newman said. "Get the story right, get the target index, then we'll figure out the best way to deliver. Format is secondary."
His mid-year reset framework runs against the standard Q4 sprint. Founders should use June, Newman argues, to interrogate what is already converting, name the real objection their buyer keeps raising (price, tariffs, or ROI proof), find the white space competitors are missing, and reweight visibility budgets toward live, human-led formats like events and podcasts.
More on Washingtoner
- Contracting Resources Group Recognized by The Daily Record as a 2026 In the Lead: Best Women-Owned Businesses Honoree
- Woodforest Acceptance Solutions and AlpacaBOSS Launch Partnership
- Spokane: SPD is Investigating a Shooting that Occurred Early Monday
- Tacoma Residents Report Improved Satisfaction in 68 of 80 City Service Areas in 2026 Community Survey
- New "Lakeside Picnic Ride" Package in Japan's Lake Chuzenji region of Nikko: July 1- November 30, 2026
INSIDE LIFTOFF: HOTTEST TOPIC FIRST, SNACKABLES BUILT IN
The differentiator is editorial style, not category. Newman opens on the hottest topic, layers in backstory afterward, and edits with "snackables" in mind, short, quotable moments listeners share. "We've got an intelligent audience, I want to tickle those synapses where someone says, 'that's interesting, I didn't think of that, let's try that,'" Keith confirms.
100+ episodes in, mixing marquee names like Mark Cuban, Ron Conway, ZoomInfo CEO Henry Schuck with under-the-radar operators, including a recent conversation with founder Steven Pivnik on disciplined growth and designing an exit early. The core listener is a first-time founder or entrepreneur; the wider audience is the startup ecosystem itself, angels, VCs, and services firms across HR, legal, finance, and real estate, globally.
More on Washingtoner
- 80 Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Science Organizations Funded by Tacoma Creates for 2026-2027
- Deputy Mayor Joe Bushnell Presents Tacoma Minimum Wage Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report to Economic Development Committee
- Spokane: America's 250th Celebrated in Riverfront Park with Incredible Lineup
- Spokane: City Details Fourth of July Activities, Closures
- Former MP Shri GV Harsha Kumar Meets AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge
LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD
YouTube: youtube.com/@LiftoffWithKeith
Substack: keithnewman.substack.com
Press kit and media assets available on request.
ABOUT LIFTOFF WITH KEITH NEWMAN
A twice-weekly podcast and Substack for early-stage founders and the startup ecosystem around them. Hosted by former journalist, Silicon Valley dealmaker, and GTM advisor Keith Newman, the show features candid interviews on growth, positioning, and the realities of building a company. Newman is also Managing Partner at The GTM Firm, providing growth strategies and implementation partnerships. For more, visit thegtmfirm.com.
Source: Liftoff With Keith Newman
0 Comments
Latest on Washingtoner
- Henri-Lloyd Launches Sail Free to Break Down Barriers to Sailing
- Genuine Hospitality, LLC Selected to Operate Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville JTB/Deerwood Park
- Destination Niagara Launches Game Changing Digital Magazine Redefining How Visitors Experience Niagara Falls
- San Diego's newest marketing firm is boring on purpose — it's working
- Arizona Christian Homeschools Launches Statewide Directory
- Sexually Abused in a Psychiatric Hospital or Psychiatrist's or Psychologist's Office? CCHR Urges Survivors to Reach Out to It
- Senco Home Services Expands Residential Construction Services
- Ricci's Painting & Contracting Expands Home Transformation Services
- Sylvester Anthony III Introduces His Artist Journey with Debut Single "Cherish"
- Tacoma: Applicants Sought for the Human Services Commission
- Boston Industrial Solutions Introduces High-Performance Primer for Bonding Liquid Silicone to Epoxy
- Healthcare Leaders Publish New Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Guide, Led by Doctors of Behavioral Health
- Verbica Challenges Panetta to a Televised Debate on the Issues
- Salt Lake City Families Turn to Private Autopsy Services for Faster Answers After Unexpected Loss
- SPD Seeking Assistance Regarding Motorcycle Collision in North Spokane
- K2 Integrity's U.S. and EMEA Teams Again Recognized in Chambers and Partners 2026 Guides
- Connecta Satellite Solutions Ready to Support Emergency Communications Following the Venezuela Earthquake
- NUSACC Supports Iraq Higher Education Roadshow to the United States
- Rare 1933 Harold Weston painting will be auctioned to benefit the Keene Valley Library
- $20 Million Revenue Target, Accelerating Growth, 7% Of Outstanding Shares Retired, Clear Path Toward Profitability: VSee Health, Inc N A S D A Q: VSEE
