Meet Kyle Boureston
This internet entrepreneur launched his first site as a way to promote a now-defunct trivia app he created
When did you start publishing, and what inspired you to create your site?
It all started back in 2014…I was inspired to create my first site, Mantelligence, as a way to promote a now-defunct trivia-game app that I had created (also named Mantelligence). But after the app died a slow, fiery death, I was inspired to continue publishing because of the website‘s explosive growth. It was awesome! Almost overnight, I went from a guy working two jobs and eating Top Ramen to a guy who had carved out a little corner of the internet for himself and his family.
And today…what keeps me inspired is being able to help the 1-million-plus readers who come to our sites every month become better, more intelligent versions of themselves.
What do you love most about being an independent publisher?
The freedom. Yes, I mean freedom in the sense of being able to work when/where I want…but I also mean it in the sense of being able to work on whatever I want. Out of this, I get to wear a lot of hats and develop a lot of new skills. One day I‘m an editor, the next, I‘m a growth hacker, and the next, I‘m a (bad) developer.
How does advertising impact your business?
We‘ve tried many different methods of monetization in the past, but the return of those methods has greatly ebbed and flowed. Advertising has been the polar opposite. It has been strong and consistent year over year. It has really been our “rock.” This allows me to focus on growing the business…and not worry whether we‘ll be able to keep the lights on.
What else should we know about your site?
That it is not our only one! We had so much engagement with Mantelligence that we created a small portfolio of websites catering to a wide range of interests. From Galtelligence (women‘s lifestyle) to Gamertelligence (games and fun) to The Golden (home and garden), we‘ve tried to create something for everyone. We‘ve even gone international with Manteligencia (Mantelligence en Español).
Oh, and while the trivia-game app might be dead (for now), we recently published some really fun trivia posts and quizzes. It makes me very happy that we‘ve gone full circle and are back where we started! Here is my favorite one so far.
