After nearly a decade of rapid expansion, the newsletter-based local publisher 6AM City is shrinking its human-led footprint in an effort to finally cross a milestone it has chased for years: profitability.
In 2025, the company reduced the number of its “core markets”—cities staffed by full-time editors and salespeople—from roughly 30 to 19, according to chief operating officer and cofounder Ryan Heafy.
The retreat also coincided with two rounds of layoffs, which eliminated around 35 jobs—roughly a third of its total headcount, which now stands at around 60. The pullback, along with a broader corporate restructuring, is aimed at lowering costs and stabilizing the business as 6AM marks its 10-year anniversary in February.
