Episode 119: Can Substack Build a Better Ad Business? Dan Robbins, Head of Brand Sponsorships at Substack joins Open Market

What happens when a platform built around paid subscriptions brings brands into the mix?

Dan Robbins returns to Open Market to explain how he’s helping build Substack’s brand business. Dan joins Joe and Eric to unpack sponsored post unlocks, brand-funded subscription upgrades, and curated mastheads, along with the challenge of measuring partnerships built for depth.

They discuss creator control, the risk of commoditizing premium media, and why the best sponsorships should help ambitious work happen.

Plus: Joe takes the conversation in a direction involving geese that nobody could have prepared for.