Michelle Bell did not stumble into this idea by accident. Before founding Cosmic Universe, she worked in journalism and SEO, watching in real time what people searched for, what they clicked, and what they kept coming back to. One pattern stood out. Astrology was not a side interest or a joke category. The demand was huge, the audience was engaged, and the market was much bigger than most people realised.
That insight became Cosmic, a personality and connection platform built around astrology, compatibility, and live experiences. What sounds niche on paper has turned into something much more interesting in practice: a business sitting at the intersection of identity, loneliness, self-discovery, and how people now try to connect.
In this episode, we get into why Michelle left journalism to build something of her own, what she saw in the data that others missed, and what it takes to build in a category many people still dismiss too quickly.
What we cover
1️⃣ The search signals that pointed to a real market
Michelle explains how search demand revealed an audience with real intent long before astrology looked like an obvious business opportunity.
2️⃣ Building in a category people dismiss
Scepticism can put founders off too early. Michelle talks about seeing past that and focusing on whether the pull is real.
3️⃣ What users were really looking for underneath the product
The bigger opportunity was not just content. It was connection, compatibility, self-discovery, and the emotional needs users kept signalling.
4️⃣ The pressure that comes with building alone
This part gets into solo founder pressure, decision fatigue, and how to keep going when the weight sits with you.
5️⃣ Motherhood, growth, and changing as the business changes
The episode also looks at user behaviour, leadership, and what it means to keep building while your life keeps moving too.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Michelle Bell
01:36 Journalism trained her for founder pressure
04:24 She spotted a real astrology market
08:15 A different answer to dating app fatigue
10:45 Turning the app into live events
13:02 People want connection but avoid the risk
15:38 The pressure of being a solo founder
18:39 Measuring meaningful connection
20:57 Social media still drives growth
23:21 What sceptics miss about astrology
26:34 Why founders are wired differently
29:12 When personality helps or hurts leadership
30:43 Building a business through motherhood
32:13 Building in a space people dismiss
34:21 Community matters more than audience
37:18 What power users do differently
39:33 Motherhood, work, and constant adjustment
43:12 New York, London, and raising children
44:31 Why walking clears her head
46:00 Growth means changing your mind
47:55 The reality behind building a business
Get more founder interviews and practical business lessons in the Millennial Masters newsletter at MillennialMasters.net
Send this to someone sitting on an idea people doubt 📤
