In this special, table-turning episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson steps out of the host’s chair as Paul Stansik—Operating Partner at ParkerGale and author of the Hello Operator newsletter—takes over the interview. What began as a planned discussion on annual planning best practices quickly evolves into a candid deep dive on Mostly Media, CJ’s growing niche B2B media business, and the thinking behind his own operating plan for the year ahead. Fresh off exiting his CFO role in January 2025, CJ walks through the origin story of Mostly Metrics, how it scaled into a broader media platform, and what it’s like being “the boss of me” for the first time. Paul presses on the real questions—growth opportunities, monetization, and strategic tradeoffs—making this episode a transparent look at how a modern, metrics-driven media business is built and run.

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LINKS:

Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulstansik/

Hello Operator: https://hellooperator.substack.com/

CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/

Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com

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Grindr’s $0 CAC Secret from the CFO Who Launched Disney+ | Vanna Krantz

https://youtu.be/ijFIMmtpLNw

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:00 Preview and Intro

00:02:10 Sponsors — RightRev | Tipalti | Aleph

00:06:23 Episode Setup and Context

00:07:22 Why This Episode Exists

00:08:44 The Origin Story

00:10:03 First Signs of Traction

00:10:26 Memes, Early Growth, and “Big Ballers”

00:12:01 Defining the Brand Feel

00:13:28 Leaving a Job to Write

00:15:07 Writing His Way to CFO

00:16:26 Sponsors — Fidelity Private Shares | Sage Intacct | Mercury

00:19:01 Growth Tactics That Worked

00:21:31 First Monetization Moment

00:22:13 Balancing CFO Life and Media

00:24:06 Going All-In on the Business

00:25:02 A CFO Lens on Media

00:28:09 Asset Businesses vs Cash Flow

00:31:35 How the Business Makes Money

00:32:42 Revenue Compounding Over Time

00:33:29 Scaling to $3M

00:34:08 Partnerships and Buying Cycles

00:36:19 Building the Core Team

00:39:09 Adding Recruiting to the Mix

00:41:01 Strategy for the Next Phase

00:42:03 Boredom, Discipline, and Craft

00:43:08 Defining the Core Audience

00:46:09 Staying in the Game

00:47:22 Advice for Creators

00:49:15 Brand, Fun, and Value

00:52:08 Following the Momentum

00:53:14 Finding Your Unique Edge

00:55:19 Enjoying the Build

00:56:25 Closing and Outro

#RunTheNumbersPodcast #creatoreconomy #mediabusiness #cfoperspective #buildinpublic

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com

From CFO to Founder: Inside the Making of Mostly Media | Paul Stansik Interviews CJ

Run the Numbers