After years covering destinations around the globe for publications such as Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, and National Geographic, Jesse Scott found himself circling back to the same realization: Broward County had stories worth celebrating every single day.
In late 2025, Scott and his wife and business partner, Lisa Martus, launched Browardist, a paywall-free digital platform spotlighting local food, events, businesses and community news. Alongside it came The Weekly 954, a Monday morning newsletter landing in inboxes at 9:54 a.m. with a curated rundown of things to do, places to eat, and things locals should know for the week ahead. What began as a passion project has quickly carved out a loyal audience across South Florida.
SFBW: Why did you decide Browardist needed to exist?
Jesse Scott: For years, I kept hearing the same thing from people across Broward’s business, hospitality and community circles: “We need another strong local news complement.” There are so many talented journalists and media outlets here already doing important work, but there was room for something streamlined, upbeat, and deeply community-focused. I wanted Browardist to feel approachable and useful. We cover restaurants, happenings, local intel, and businesses in a way that respects readers’ time while still delivering strong reporting and personality.
At the same time, I saw how exhausted people were becoming with doomscrolling and paywalls. We wanted to create something free, accessible, and rooted in celebrating Broward County without losing journalistic credibility. My wife Lisa and I built it ourselves from the ground up, and that independence matters to us.
SFBW: What makes Browardist and The Weekly 954 stand out in such a crowded media landscape?
JS: We intentionally keep things very curated and very human. We don’t care about algorithms. We don’t spend our days pumping out endless videos or trying to game social media trends. In fact, social media is probably one of the smallest parts of what we do and we want to keep it that way.
The newsletter itself has become a huge differentiator. Every Monday at 9:54 a.m., readers get “9 Things to Do,” “5 Places to Eat,” “4 Things to Know” and a dabble of “WTF — Worth Traveling For.” It’s quick to digest, visually clean, and designed for busy people who want to know what’s happening locally without sifting through clutter.
I also think people appreciate that Browardist genuinely loves Broward. That sounds simple, but it matters. We’re not parachuting into stories. We live here, we support local businesses, and we want readers to feel connected to the community around them.
SFBW: What early signs showed you the concept was resonating?
JS: Honestly, the response surprised us in the best way possible. Within the first few months, we saw readers subscribing to the newsletter organically and local entities reaching out saying they finally felt seen. That meant a lot.
We’ve also been fortunate to attract a carefully curated group of long-term sponsors through our Beacons of Browardist initiative, including the likes of Visit Lauderdale, Gulfstream Park, TD Bank, and more. That support has allowed us to keep the platform free while building sustainable growth. From the beginning, we wanted sponsors who genuinely aligned with the mission rather than overwhelming readers with Amazon ads for gym socks everywhere.
Another big validation came from seeing people engage directly with us. We receive story ideas, event tips, and community submissions constantly. That open-door relationship has become one of the most rewarding aspects of the project.
SFBW: What’s next for Browardist?
JS: We’re still very early in this journey, which is exciting. The goal is thoughtful growth. We want to continue expanding editorial coverage, building strategic collaborations, and creating new ways for locals to explore where they live.
At the end of the day, Browardist was built as a love letter to this community. I’ve traveled extensively and written about destinations all over the world, but Broward has always deserved a bigger spotlight than it often gets locally, regionally, and nationally. If Browardist can help residents discover a new restaurant, support a local business, attend an event they otherwise would have missed, or simply feel more connected to home, then we’re accomplishing exactly what we set out to do.
