BLUELENA

End-to-end audience management enabled by world-class technology, proven best practices and deep industry expertise.

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Our Story

BlueLena was founded by a team of experienced newsmedia executives to create a sustainable future for independent local media through building and supporting subscription, membership and donation models for long-term success.

We recognize that many publishers are faced with the challenge of investing in the technology and resourcing expertise to successfully implement consumer revenue strategies that are critical to long-term viability. BlueLena removes those barriers.

Our shared resource management (SRM) model for audience growth is built upon best-in-class technology and end-to-end managed services that drives growth and accelerates business model transformation. We have the track record to prove it.

The SRM approach allows even the smallest publisher to benefit from the same technologies deployed at some of the largest global media brands, and we provide you the assurance of continuous support and resourcing that allows you to invest in, and focus on, high quality content creation. Just ask our clients.

We have quickly grown to support leading alternative media brands coast-to-coast across the United States, including in the New York City, Boston, Denver, Kansas City, Charlotte, Raleigh and Washington, DC markets. Come join them.

BlueLena is founder-funded and backed by investment from Old Town Media a New York-based firm that has supported The Colorado Sun, Block Club Chicago, Chalkbeat and Medium, among other successful media-related projects. Let's get to work.

Audience Conversion

BlueLena is a certified partner of Pico, which we deploy in several hours with no start-up costs to immediately begin converting anonymous site visitors to registered customers to support audience growth, monetization and optimization.

Audience Activation

The BlueLena customer experience automation (CXA) platform, powered by ActiveCampaign, enables deep integration with your content management system, e-commerce and social channels to create incredible experiences and drive audience activation.

Audience Optimization

Deeper audience insights, amassed from our fully-integrated technology stack, informs content, market-development and audience strategies by analyzing your most loyal and profitable existing customers and identifying high-value potential customers.

The BlueLena Solution

Standard Plan Pricing

*PLUS pricing includes 10% revenue share. Contact us for PRO plan pricing.

We Are Proud to Support

• American Prospect
• Arkansas Times
• Boulder Weekly
• Charleston City Paper
• Chronogram Media
• CS Business Journal
• Colorado Springs Indy
• Colorado Sun
• CT Public Television
• C-Ville Weekly
• DigBoston
• Documented
• INDY Week
• Isthmus
• Lookout Local
• North Forty News
• Queen City Nerve
• Resolve Solutions
• Sentinel Colorado
• Sir Walter Running
• Shawnee Mission Post
• Southeast Express
• The Devil Strip
• The Filament
• The Pitch
• The Reader
• The Record North Shore
• The River
• Triad City Beat

Our Leadership

James S. Gold and Daniel Williams, co-founders of BlueLena, bring over fifty years combined experience leading strategic transformation at global and national news brands, including the New York Times Company, Gannett, The Day Publishing, LA Daily News and the American City Business Journals.

In 2011, James and Daniel partnered with Tom Ratkovich (former President of ASTECH-Intermedia) to launch LEAP, which grew to support over 600 media brands with $800 million in reader revenue under management. In 2018, LEAP was acquired by BlueVenn, a global customer data software and marketing automation company.

At the New York Times Company, and then later at LEAP Media Solutions, James and Daniel pioneered the concept of Shared Resource Management involving the centralization of world-class technology and resourcing to support audience development, customer relationship management and creative services.

James has served in senior management positions with US media companies for over thirty years. He now owns the Sentinel in Denver, Colorado.

Prior to purchasing the Sentinel, James served as SVP/CMO at the New York Times Company where he led the development of audience strategy, new print and digital ventures and strategic partnerships.

James is past President of the International Newsmedia Marketing Association's North American Board of Directors. He has spoken about strategic transformation in media at conferences in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Southeast Asia.

He is a graduate of Columbia University, and has completed executive management programs at the American Press Institute and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. James resides in Castle Pines, Colorado.

Daniel is an experienced entrepreneur and senior media executive who has been an industry leader in audience-driven media management. He began his career with the McClatchy Company and has held management roles with the New York Times Company, The Day Publishing Company, USA Today and Gannett.

In 2011, he co-founded and led LEAP as its CEO for six years through its acquisition by BlueVenn, where he remained on for two years as its President, US division until December, 2019.

Daniel's work in developing LEAP's proprietary Targeted Growth Model, as well as implementing The Day's paid content membership model, has earned international recognition and been adopted as industry best practices. He is an active speaker, at INMA and the Local Media Association. Daniel has served on the INMA North American Board of Directors and is a member of the Local Media Association Chief Digital Officer's Club and the Wolfpack Investor Network.

He is a graduate of NC State University and resides in Cary, NC.