In a digital media ecosystem often shaped by venture capital and algorithm-driven content farms, Man of Many stands out as a rare success story—an independent Australian men’s lifestyle brand that scaled up without outside funding, without sacrificing its editorial voice, and without compromising on its values.
Co-founded in 2012 by Scott Purcell and Frank Arthur, Man of Many now reaches over 2 million monthly readers and generates over $4 million in annual revenue. From product curation side hustle to award-winning publisher, this is the story of how passion, patience, and a commitment to quality built one of the world’s leading platforms for modern men.
I believe they largely came back to us for the quality of our curation and choice of products as we were very much own own audience and target market.
Scott Purcell
From Flatmates to Founders
The story began in a Sydney apartment. Scott, then working in institutional banking, and Frank, an industrial designer, shared not only a living space but a fascination with men’s gear, gadgets, and cultural discoveries. Dissatisfied with the lack of online spaces reflecting their wide-ranging interests, they decided to build one themselves.
The concept was simple: one cool product a day, accompanied by a short write-up. With no background in SEO and little thought for monetization, the site was built on WordPress with a minimalist theme. But what they lacked in polish, they made up for in consistency and taste. Their curation resonated with readers—who, like them, were eager for a smarter, more stylish alternative to traditional men’s media.
By 2016, after years of running the blog as a part-time passion project, Scott and Frank took the leap. They quit their jobs, went all-in, and within a year tripled the site’s traffic.
The Full-Time Hustle: Growing a Modern Media Brand
Going full-time unlocked new creative possibilities. They began producing original photography and video content, expanded into lifestyle coverage, and started building an editorial team. Instead of just reviewing products, they told stories. They launched features like Monday Munchies, Rev Up, and the Sweet Spot series, while also building a distinctive voice across culture, fashion, and tech.
The payoff was rapid. By December 2016, the site attracted over 500,000 page views a month. They ramped up social media engagement through automation tools like IFTTT and DLVR.IT, built partnerships with brands, and invested in video production—long before it became standard practice in digital publishing.
They didn’t just catch up with the competition—they leapfrogged it.
Strategic Growth Without Outside Investment
What makes Man of Many’s journey unique is that it’s entirely bootstrapped. Rather than chase VC money, Scott and Frank reinvested early revenue, using credit cards and personal savings in the early years.
This independence became a defining trait—not just financially, but editorially. “No awkward board meetings, no compromises,” Scott told Mediaweek. “We’ve been able to stay true to our voice, our audience, and our long-term goals.”
Their lean team—now 18 people—uses tools like Trello, Insightly, Looker Studio, and TickTick to remain agile. Content is managed via WordPress, and their e-commerce operations run on Shopify. The result is a scalable, data-informed operation that rivals larger competitors in both quality and reach.
One of the best ways to use repetition and rhythm in web design is in the site’s navigation menu. A consistent, easy-to-follow pattern—in color, layout, etc. Gives users an intuitive roadmap to everything you want to share on your site.
Rhythm also factors into the layout of content. For example, you “might have” blog articles, press releases, and events each follow their own certain layout pattern.
Multi-Channel Monetization: SEO, Affiliate, Email & More
Rather than relying on a single traffic source, Man of Many built a diversified funnel:
Platform Partnerships: Distribution deals with Apple, Microsoft, and Pinterest help deliver content across iOS, Windows, and curated feeds. Their affiliate reach now spans global tech and fashion brands.
SEO: They invested heavily in high-quality, original content aligned with Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines. They studied best practices from SEO leaders like Lily Ray and Marie Haynes. They fixed technical site errors and optimized internal linking.
Email Marketing: With over 150,000 newsletter subscribers, the daily digest (sent at 10am) features a curated list of stories and product picks. Clever design, contrasting CTA buttons, and well-crafted subject lines helped drive open rates as high as 45%.
Social Media: In 2023, their social following surged 75%, driven by TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Their Australian Fashion Week vox pop went viral with 3.5 million views. TikTok alone drew 77 million video views and 94,000 followers.
Affiliate & E-Commerce: With over $1.7 million in affiliate revenue last year and a newly revamped online store, they’ve turned their editorial content into a seamless commercial engine.
Licensing Content in the AI Era
As AI continues to disrupt media, Man of Many has taken a forward-thinking approach. In 2025, they became one of the first publishers to license content through ProRata.AI, monetizing usage across emerging AI tools like Gist.ai.
Rather than resist automation, Scott believes in using AI to enhance operations—not replace them. “AI should assist, not author,” he noted in a recent interview. From summarizing articles to streamlining social posts, they’re exploring ethical use-cases while protecting creator value.
You’ve got to optimise titles, schema, and imagery so AI bots can repeat your brand messages verbatim. Then back that exposure with top-of-funnel content, video, display, podcasts. Think surround sound, not just point-and-shoot.
Scott Purcell
Their values aren’t just editorial. The team is committed to inclusivity, flexible work, and mental well-being. They launched paid parental leave, mental health days, and progressive HR policies. As of 2024, Man of Many became Australia’s first carbon-neutral digital publisher certified by Climate Active.
They also joined the Australian Press Council and participated in the Google News Initiative, further cementing their role as trusted voices in journalism. Man of Many has won Website of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards three times (2020, 2023, 2024), Best Native Advertising and Best Media Platform at the B&T Awards, and was recently awarded Mediaweek’s “Next of the Best – Publishing.” Scott Purcell was ranked #42 on Mediaweek’s Power 100.
These accolades aren’t just trophies—they reflect a decade of consistency, innovation, and audience-first publishing.
What’s Next?
The brand’s ambitions are only growing. Plans for 2025 and beyond include:
- Relaunching the e-commerce store with expanded products and better UX.
- Launching a membership platform offering exclusive content and perks.
- Expanding their video studio and podcast content.
- Exploring regional editions and international expansion.
All of it grounded in the same principles that guided them from day one: consistency, authenticity, and staying connected to their audience.
Design is not the end-all solution to all of the worlds problems — but with the right thinking and application, it can definitely be a good beginning to start tackling them.
Be patient. Don’t rush to monetize. Build something people trust. Stay curious, use your data, and make something you’d personally love. That’s where the magic happens.
Scott Purcell
