August 2025 investigations by Forbes and Business Insider questioned claims about Daniella Pierson’s company, The Newsette Media Group, including its valuation, subscriber figures and revenue. Their reporting describes discrepancies and allegations; it does not establish that Pierson committed fraud, faced criminal charges, or was found liable. The outlets also reported responses from Pierson and the company, including disputes over some figures.
Who is the “Forbes Girlboss,” and what is at issue?
Daniella Pierson is the founder of The Newsette Media Group, a media and marketing company. The phrase “Forbes Girlboss” refers to coverage of Pierson and her public profile as a founder; it is not a legal status or a finding about her conduct.
In August 2025, Forbes and Business Insider published investigations that questioned how Newsette’s business performance and audience were represented. Forbes said it interviewed more than a dozen people who worked closely with Pierson and reviewed documents, press releases and videos. Business Insider said its reporting drew on internal documents and dashboards, meeting recordings, and interviews with more than 10 company insiders.
What claims did the investigations question?
Newsette’s reported $200 million valuation
Forbes reported that investor Peter Rahal’s 1.25% investment implied a $200 million valuation for Newsette. Rahal told the outlet he had not reviewed the company’s financials before investing. Forbes also reported that Pierson used the valuation to promote her success as the company’s prospects later deteriorated. This is Forbes’ account of the investment and its context, not a judicial valuation or a finding of misconduct.
#1 Best Overall
Subscriber figures: active readers versus contacts
Business Insider reported that a 2025 Newsette advertising pitch deck claimed “1.3 million+ subscribers.” A company spokesperson told the outlet the daily newsletter went to about 500,000 active subscribers, while a broader contact list included people who no longer received it regularly. The spokesperson described that total contact list as 1.2 million.
Business Insider also reported that company documents it reviewed showed 411,000 subscribers on August 10, 2022, and no more than 570,000 in 2023. These measures should not be treated as interchangeable: an active daily recipient is different from an email address on a contact list, and neither figure alone verifies how the deck’s “subscribers” were counted.
Rank #2
Revenue figures from different sources
Forbes reported that former employees said Newsette revenue fell from $40 million in 2021 to less than $4 million in recent years. Pierson declined to comment on revenue after 2021. Business Insider reported that internal documents put the company’s 2024 revenue goal at $5 million; a spokesperson disputed that figure and declined to provide further information.
These are distinct claims, drawn from different sources and periods. The reporting does not establish that they are independently audited or directly comparable. Revenue, a revenue goal, agency billings, booked sales and net revenue can describe different things; the available accounts do not justify combining them into one verified financial series.
What did the reporting say about Newland and Wondermind?
Newland, the creative marketing agency
Forbes reported that Newland, an agency within Newsette, had Amazon and Mattel as significant clients. Former employees told the outlet Amazon stopped being a client in late 2022, and Forbes reported that Newland shut down at the end of 2023. Amazon declined to comment to Forbes; Mattel did not respond.
Pierson’s departure from Wondermind
Pierson co-founded the mental-health media company Wondermind with Selena Gomez and Mandy Teefey. Business Insider reported that Pierson left in 2023 but said the circumstances were not disclosed. Forbes reported that former staffers described her as pushed out in January 2023 after a clash. Pierson’s spokesperson would not characterize the departure that way, according to Forbes. The accounts therefore differ in what they establish about the circumstances.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did Pierson and the company respond?
Business Insider reported that Pierson called the criticism a “smear campaign” and described claims about her as “false statements and fabricated information.” She also defended the company’s 2021 revenue claim. In a statement quoted by Business Insider, she wrote: “They messed with the wrong person,” referring to what she called a smear campaign. She also wrote: “These false statements don’t just affect me. They affect the thousands of women who we fund, spotlight, or promote via my companies.” Those statements are Pierson’s response as reported by the outlet, not independent verification of the claims or their rebuttal.
Forbes also reported a company spokesperson’s response on figures, including the later revenue claims. Business Insider reported that a spokesperson disputed the stated 2024 revenue goal and gave the outlet the active-subscriber and total-contact figures described above.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Best Value
- The Jazz Theory Book
Was Daniella Pierson charged with fraud?
The August 2025 Forbes and Business Insider investigations cited here do not establish that Pierson was charged with fraud, that a court found fraud, or that a regulator or law-enforcement agency took action. The material available from those investigations does not establish whether any court, regulator or law-enforcement agency has acted since their publication. A claim that someone was accused in reporting is not the same as a criminal charge or a legal finding.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
