CONFIDENTIAL
NEWSPLICITY
The Sovereign Stack for Independent Media
Configuration-driven publishing infrastructure
THE THESIS
One Login. One Customer. Total Control.
We unite WordPress (Content) and Shopify (Commerce) into a single sovereign stack.
Configuration orchestration + strategic ownership replaces the platform tax.
02 // THE PAIN
THE PLATFORM CEILING
Professional publishers are hitting a wall.
10-15% Platform Tax
Substack & Patreon extract more value as you grow, penalizing success.
The Roadmap Trap
Creators are trapped in innovation purgatory. Audience but no owned infrastructure.
Operational Drag
Publishers spend time fixing plugins instead of creating.
THE UNLOCK
THE SOVEREIGN STACK
Enterprise orchestration without enterprise cost.
Strategic Ownership
Your infrastructure. Your customer data. Your margins. Platforms extract value as you grow. We align with your success
Batteries Included
Pre-wired themes + plugins. Core infrastructure owned. Extended functionality curated from thriving ecosystem. Maker Fund sustains both. No more dependency hell.
WordPress+Shopify
Unified by Newsplicity
Content Engine + Commerce Engine = Complete Publishing OS
THE PROOF
VALIDATED AT SCALE
Founder operated this stack at 10M+ users.
$1M+ PROCESSED
Transaction Infrastructure
Snopes.com 2020-21
10M+ MONTHLY USERS
Production Scale
Breaking news + election cycles
Low TECHNICAL RISK
Architecture Complete
Productizing, not prototyping
THE ARCHITECTURE
THE COMMAND CENTER
THE UNIVERSAL BACKEND. We Orchestrate It.
THE BRAIN
NEWSPLICITY CONTROL PLANE (SaaS)
Business Rules • License Distribution • Orchestration
Define rules in dashboard
WORDPRESS
Executes rules locally.
Content rendering & routing.
Articles, Menus, Listings, Portfolios
SHOPIFY
Owns identity & commerce.
Secure transactional layer.
Merch, Donations, Reservations
STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS
DEFENSIVE MOAT, NOT DEPENDENCY
Direct relationships with mission-critical infrastructure maintainers
THE ADVANTAGE
- → Founder has direct relationships with targets
- → Not banking on M&A luck—active conversations with several maintainers
- → Multiple targets under preliminary term discussions
- → Integration = founder skillset (60-90 days avg, not outsourced)
ACQUISITION CRITERIA
- TECHNICAL: Clean codebase, proven in production
- STRATEGIC: Core infrastructure (blocks, auth, APIs)
- COMMERCIAL: <$100k ARR, $25k-$75k range
- RELATIONSHIP: Direct founder connection
STRATEGICALLY OWNED (3-5)
Core Infrastructure
└─ Maintained by Newsplicity
CURATED ECOSYSTEM (20-30)
Extended Functionality
├─ Supported via Maker Fund
└─ Community-maintained
ACQUISITION = ACCELERATION, NOT FOUNDATION
Core product works without acquisitions. Strategic ownership increases moat and reduces ecosystem risk.
POSITIONING
THE LANDSCAPE
Orchestration vs. Centralization
❌ High Cost
❌ Rented Data
THE BUSINESS MODEL
OPERATING MODEL
Control Plane Access + Brand Licenses.
| Tier | Who | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | You Operate | Explore the stack. Non-production. |
| Partner ($) | Agency Operates | Multi-tenant tools. Deploy for clients. |
| Brand ($$) | Single Org | Dedicated success. Priority support. |
| Enterprise ($$$) | Multi-brand Org | Custom governance. Dedicated CSM. |
+ Brand Licenses — Connector + Schema + Updates
+ Usage Allowances — Hosting & platform fees covered by brand
MAKER FUND — Min 5% of license revenue
Incentive system for ecosystem maintainers. Sustains the curated stack.
Optional Onboarding — Self-serve (included) or Assisted (from $15k)
MARKET OPPORTUNITY
From High Complexity (Media) → To High Volume (SMBs)
THE WEDGE
News & Newsletter Publishers
- Founder-Market Fit — Operated this stack at Snopes
- Highest Complexity — Breaking news + commerce + membership
- Extreme Penetration Target — The default sovereign OS
If we solve for election-night traffic, we solve for everyone.
THE EXPANSION
Any operation needing Content + Commerce + Identity
- Educational institutions
- Non-profits
- Professional communities
- Independent retailers
The architecture doesn’t care about vertical. We’re proving the model where failure isn’t an option.
TIMING
THE PERFECT STORM
End of the Rented Web
Creators realizing that building on Instagram/Medium is quicksand. Shifting back to Sovereign Domains.
Tech Maturity
Enterprise capabilities (Headless Commerce) accessible without enterprise engineering teams.
Consolidation
The “middle class” of media is professionalizing. Need infrastructure, not just tools.
Supply Chain Risk
WordPress governance uncertainty is pushing buyers toward integrated, supported operating systems.
ACQUISITION WINDOW OPEN
Solo maintainers of critical infrastructure seeking transitions. Mission-critical plugins available at founder-friendly valuations ($25k-$75k). Strategic acquisitions ensure core stability while supporting ecosystem growth.
GO-TO-MARKET
NETWORK ACTIVATION, NOT COLD OUTBOUND
Warm pipeline converting to lighthouse customers
PHASE 1 (0–9 MONTHS)
LIGHTHOUSE PARTNER ACTIVATION
- → Qualified publishers in active discussions
- → Agencies committed to partner tier
- → Qualified pipeline established
- → Target: 5-8 paying lighthouse customers
- → Refine config schema from production feedback
PHASE 2 (9–18 MONTHS)
SCALE THROUGH PARTNERS + STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS
- → 30-50 agency partners deploying 300+ sites
- → 2 strategic acquisitions integrated
- → Partner tier becomes repeatable motion
- → Case studies from lighthouse customers drive inbound
PHASE 3 (18+ MONTHS)
THE DEFAULT SOVEREIGN OS
- → “Powered by Newsplicity” = reliability signal
- → Ecosystem standard for professional publishers
- → Inbound becomes primary channel
VINNY S. GREEN
Founder & CEO
Media
Former COO, Snopes
Managed infra through elections & pandemic traffic spikes
Military
Enlisted Marine
Electronics technician
Recognition
Forbes 30 Under 30
Media, 2017
“I’m building what I wish we had then.”
$900K SAFE
Establishes 18 months of runway:
- Close 5-8 lighthouse customers
- Integrate 2 strategic acquisitions
- Validate Partner tier execution
End Transmission
NEWSPLICITY
For Publishers Who Don’t Get Second Chances