The Robin Hallsten Experience

In this episode, Tyler Denk sits down with Wouter Teunissen to talk about the incredible founder journey he has had starting beehiiv. After graduating college with $120K in student debt, Tyler Denk faced a tough choice: follow the safe path or take a leap of faith. Broke and living in his parents’ basement , he said yes to a freelance opportunity from a childhood friend—building early tech for the newsletter Morning Brew. With just 49 cents in his bank account, he bluffed his way into the role, pulling all-nighters to teach himself what he didn't know and barely holding it together. But he didn’t quit. He built fast, listened hard, and proved himself through execution, not credentials. When Morning Brew offered him a full-time role, Tyler turned down a signed Deloitte offer, a girlfriend, and a lease in D.C. for a shot at something riskier—but more meaningful. He chose asymmetric upside over certainty. That mindset—betting on himself, learning through doing, and minimizing regret—became his foundation as an e