S5. Ep. 326 From the Forum with Nina Badzin, Founder of Dear Nina Conversations About Friendship
Join us for the FREE Dear FoundHer… Forum Open House + Networking (virtual) Event on January 28th. RSVP HERE we won’t host another Open House until later this spring.
Building a business around friendship sounds personal because it is, and Nina Badzin shares what it takes to do it with clarity and staying power. As the founder of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, she talks about turning years of writing and real reader questions into a podcast and newsletter that function as the business itself, not side projects. Nina also opens up about the relief and clarity she found when she stopped trying to sound like an expert and simply showed up as a writer.
Nina also gets practical about sustainability, from how sponsorships support the podcast to how paid Substack subscriptions support the newsletter. She shares why waiting to monetize often slows momentum and how the right platform can create visibility without constant promotion. The conversation also touches on the role of community, including how the Dear FoundHer Forum helped her test ideas, host live events, and find support beyond her personal friendships.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introducing Dear FoundHer From the Forum and Nina Badzin
01:17 Turning Friendship Advice Into a Sustainable Business
07:55 Starting a Podcast During COVID
10:15 How Dear Nina Makes Money Through Sponsorships and Subscriptions
13:58 Why Substack Works for Newsletter Growth and Discovery
20:53 Why Community Matters More Than Friends in Business
23:55 Real Business Results From the Dear FoundHer Forum
27:11 Three Practical Lessons for New Business Owners
Connect with Nina Badzin:
Tune in to Nina’s Podcast: Dear Nina Conversations About Friendship
