Senior leaders understand the importance of staying on top of the industry’s latest trends and innovations. Accessing in-depth insights and translating that knowledge into strategic decisions is vital to maintaining a competitive edge.
It sounds great on paper but, admittedly, is not as easy to implement.
The average CEO has very little time to spend on staying current, given the constant demands of running a business and the need to pivot quickly in response to market and consumer trends. If this sounds like you, CEO newsletters could be a game-changer for your life and business!
But why a CEO newsletter, you ask?
Newsletters for CEOs are designed to provide short and actionable insights (minus the fluff) into all the key aspects of being a senior leader. In the process, you’ll add to your knowledge and skills.
Brian Tracy, in his bestselling book, “The Psychology of Selling,” says just a “small increment of skill or ability, just three to four percent, can give you the winning edge. It can put you in the top 20% and then the top 10%.”
In this article, we’re sharing our recommendations for the best CEO newsletters worth subscribing to.
Best CEO Newsletters for Entrepreneurs
💡 A quick tip before we start – Review the newsletters for the type of content and frequency. A newsletter should add genuine value by providing actionable takeaways or inspiring creativity and innovation. At the same time, the frequency should work for you, whether weekly, daily, or monthly. Audit your subscriptions regularly so you’re only subscribed to newsletters that you will read and benefit from.
1. FounderIV
The brainchild of enterprising founder, investor, and human performance specialist Sean Kelly, the FounderIV newsletter is your IV drip to creating a successful yet meaningful life for busy CEOs. Every week on Tuesday, expect three exclusive, actionable pointers to boost performance, enhance your productivity, and build wealth. You’ll get one IV therapy each week 🙂
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: It’s like having a fireside chat with someone who’s been there and knows the challenges inside out. For example, in one of Kelly’s recent newsletters, he discusses why he started a venture fund and shares some solid advice for starting your own VC fund.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: you’re looking for daily check-ins. The FounderIV is ideal for CEOs who prefer a single piece of content that they can intensely focus on during the week. Less can sometimes be more.
📅 When to expect it: Weekly
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up!
2. The Assist
The Assist newsletter delivers power-packed editions four times a week geared towards female business leaders. Being a female in a leadership role comes with its own set of unique challenges, which this newsletter caters to. Expect diverse and compelling content you can learn from, get inspired by, or put into action immediately.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: We like how concise, insightful, and actionable The Assist’s newsletter is. You’ll find the content valuable and relevant, regardless of whether you want professional development or personal excellence.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: If you’re not female. You may find it challenging to identify with the content.
📅 When to expect it: Four times a week.
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
Also read -> Top Business Newsletters for Professional Development and Career Growth
3. The Hustle
Looking for a newsletter focused on business, tech, and the intersection? Look no further than The Hustle newsletter. You’ll get a curated daily roundup of the latest startups, new technology, intriguing stories, and updates from the business world. The Sunday edition goes even deeper with podcasts, case studies, and trends you can’t miss.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: This e-newsletter is full of bite-sized high-value titbits that you can consume quickly – perfect for time-starved CEOs, entrepreneurs, and aspiring industry leaders.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: if you’re fastidious about “Inbox Zero,” and a daily newsletter feels like too much.
📅 When to expect it: Daily
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
4. CEO Today
The CEO Today newsletter covers business, leadership, and lifestyle topics. When you sign up for the digital subscription, in addition to the newsletter, you’ll get the monthly e-edition of CEO Today Magazine.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: Think Vogue, but for aspirational business content.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: you prefer a higher frequency of content delivery.
📅 When to expect it: Monthly
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
5. Founder OS Newsletter
FounderOS is a curated community with content and systems designed to help you grow your business to $5 million and beyond. The newsletter targets an often-ignored aspect of growing businesses as a founder – building a personal brand. You’ll get three growth tips every Saturday that you can use immediately to grow your online presence.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: A very niched-down newsletter focused on one topic, it’s a game changer for CEOS ready to spend time and effort building a personal brand.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: While you’ll find a lot of useful resources, free and paid, on the FounderOS site, you won’t find this newsletter beneficial if you’re looking for a broad spectrum of topics.
📅 When to expect it: Weekly
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
6. The Mattermark Daily
The Mattermark Daily is ideal for a specialist audience of VCs, startups, operators, and related enterprises. The content includes evergreen favorites, such as ‘how to hire or fire,’ and content of a more topical nature, such as ‘diversity in the boardroom.’ Mattermark, incidentally, specializes in data points, list building, and lead enrichment.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: Expect rich VC/operator insights designed to improve the way you do business.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: you prefer a less frequent but more comprehensive newsletter offering.
📅 When to expect it: Daily
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
7. Fortune CEO Daily
If you want to put a face to the name, it’s Alan Murray, CEO of Fortune Media, the global business magazine headquartered in New York. The Fortune CEO Daily delivers Murray’s unique, experience-driven insights and perspectives from other CEOs and industry frontrunners. You’ll also get water-cooler stories daily with the news roundup.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: It covers general business updates, tech, finance, HR, leadership, etc. You get the picture. There’s something in it for everyone.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: you’re looking for something more holistic in terms of lifestyle and travel variety. That said, Fortune CEO Daily admirably holds its own with the scope of topics.
📅 When to expect it: Daily
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
8. Growth Unhinged
The best part about the Growth Unhinged newsletter is that you can get a preview of the content before signing up. If you’re looking for more “juice” outside of generic advice and insights, you’ll find a lot to chew on in this newsletter. The newsletter specializes in growth strategies, specifically playbooks, case studies, and the lesser-known tactical ploys of successful startups in real-time.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: There’s tons of value regarding CEO updates, especially if you want to dig deep. Topics range from how to write a Saas home page to the insider guide to HotJar’s PLG strategy,’ means you’re never at a loss for a new idea or a different way of looking at things.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: subjects like product-led growth, pricing, go-to-market strategies, and the like are not your specific areas of interest.
📅 When to expect it: Weekly
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
Also read -> The Best Entrepreneurship Newsletters for Business Growth
9. The Saturday Solopreneur
Justin Welsh’s weekly newsletter has a specific audience: the solopreneur running an online digital business. Welsh focuses on quite the spread; he covers personal growth and branding, business planning, social media growth, monetizing knowledge, productivity, and time management. At the same time, it’s just one practical and tactical business tip every week, so you’re not overwhelmed or inundated with information.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: The Saturday Solopreneur is your one-stop weekly CEO newsletter for CEO insights, tips, and advice to launch, grow, and monetize your online/ecommerce business.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: if you’re running a physical business or are looking for business insights more suited for CEOs who manage teams. It’s best for independent business owners.
📅 When to expect it: Every Saturday
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
10. 21 Hats
The intriguingly titled 21Hats (built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs) does a Morning Report-style daily newsletter that curates/summarizes all the latest news and highlights of the day for business owners.
While the basic newsletter subscription is free, you can donate $14 monthly to post comments and for upkeep. Alternatively, you can even take up paid or gift options with more features, such as access to the community and a monthly CEO forum. The pricing can vary depending on your needs.
❤️ Why we love this CEO newsletter: 21Hats was designed to create a community-driven forum. So, over and above the newsletter experience, you can leverage the podcasts, the monthly mastermind session on Zoom, and in-person events.
❌ You might not like this newsletter if: you want more substantial content, although 21Hats does provide online and offline networking opportunities that more than make up for it.
📅 When to expect it: Daily
✅ Where to subscribe: Click here to sign up.
People Also Ask These Questions About CEO Newsletters
Q: What criteria should be used to evaluate the quality of a CEO newsletter?
- A: When deciding whether a CEO newsletter will enrich your life, consider three key criteria: relevance, practicality, and credibility. It should cover topics pertinent to you as a founder, such as fundraising strategies, budget-friendly marketing, identifying valuable partnerships, streamlining early hiring processes, and fostering a collaborative culture. The best newsletters offer actionable insights you can apply directly, providing step-by-step guidance on implementing strategies for success. Lastly, evaluate the achievements of the content creators. Are they successful entrepreneurs with a solid track record of founding and running prosperous businesses? This holistic approach ensures the newsletter will be a valuable resource in your leadership journey.
Q: Do these newsletters provide insights into global market trends?
- A: That depends on the specific newsletter. Generally, the practical tips, strategies, and insights provided in these newsletters will be of benefit regardless of your geographical location.
Q: How can CEOs measure the success and impact of their newsletters?
- A: Add feedback forms to your newsletters to understand reader sentiment. Ask readers to share what they liked, what they didn’t, and what they want to see more of. Reader-driven content is the best form for newsletters because it caters to what your audience wants to read. Aside from this key aspect, you can also measure the impact of your newsletter through more apparent signs – the click-through rates of your emails (typically available in your email marketing software), the number of shares initiated by subscribers, the number of appreciative comments, and also the increase in subscriptions as a result of organic sharing.
Q: Do these newsletters offer exclusive content, or is it readily available elsewhere?
- A: The newsletter recommendations in this list provide exclusive insights, stories, and actionable strategies. Bear in mind that a lot of content is freely available online. But the idea behind subscribing to a newsletter is to get curated content for your specific area of interest delivered at a frequency that works for you. So newsletters save you the time and effort of scouring the internet for genuinely helpful content and separating the wheat from the chaff.
Q: Are there newsletters specifically designed for CEOs of startups versus established companies?
- A: The newsletters we’ve recommended in this list benefit both startups and established businesses.
Q: What are the best practices for integrating personal stories or experiences into CEO newsletters?
- A: Our top tips for engaging storytelling in your content include keeping narratives brief and straightforward. Short stories or quick anecdotes tied to insights or actionable takeaways are incredibly effective. Each story should connect to a learning moment, ensuring your readers gain new knowledge. Authenticity is key; share genuine experiences and let your personality shine to build a relatable personal brand. Additionally, consider hiring an editor. An editor serves as an objective reviewer, ensuring your content resonates with the intended audience and maintains boundaries for the best reader experience.
