While most teenagers are navigating homework and extracurriculars, two New York City high school students have built a media company that reaches tens of thousands of finance and technology professionals across multiple platforms. Jasper Gould and Emile Chilingirian, the co-founders of Passing the Torch Media, have created what they claim is the largest Gen Z hosted podcast in the country, alongside a newsletter boasting 35,000 readers and an Instagram account with 35,000 followers.
The media venture represents an unusual intersection of youth perspective and Wall Street sophistication. Passing the Torch Media operates across three primary channels: a newsletter focused on finance and technology content, an Instagram presence under the handle @jasperandemilefinance, and a podcast that has gained traction among young professionals seeking financial insights from their generational peers.
What distinguishes the enterprise from typical student projects is its reach and the founders’ parallel commitment to financial literacy education. Both Gould and Chilingirian also run BYCIG, a global charity dedicated to transforming how finance is taught to underserved youth. This dual focus on media and education has positioned the teenage entrepreneurs at the nexus of content creation and social impact.
The motivation behind launching the media company stemmed from a perceived gap in the marketplace. “The point of passing the torch was really to create a media environment that was honest. We wanted to bring rigor to our audience but through a unique lens of Gen Z ‘boots on the ground’,” Gould explained, articulating the company’s founding philosophy.
That commitment to rigor manifests in the newsletter’s approach to content. Passing the Torch Media emphasizes deep factual analysis and opinion pieces that aim to meet professional standards while maintaining the distinctive voice of its young creators. The strategy appears designed to bridge the gap between traditional financial journalism and the communication preferences of younger audiences who increasingly consume news through digital channels and social media platforms.
Emile Chilingirian
The founders’ connections extend beyond their peer group. Through their work with BYCIG and their media platform, Gould and Chilingirian have established relationships with high-level leaders across Wall Street, giving them access to perspectives and insights that inform their content creation. These connections provide a foundation for the authoritative voice the Gen Z media platform seeks to project to its audience of finance professionals and young professionals.
The company’s multi-platform strategy reflects an understanding of how different demographics consume information. The newsletter serves readers who prefer in-depth written analysis, while the Instagram account offers visual content and shorter-form insights. The podcast format allows for longer conversations and more nuanced discussions of financial topics, catering to professionals who consume audio content during commutes or workouts.
Operating a media company while attending high school presents obvious logistical challenges, yet the founders have managed to maintain consistent output across their platforms. The ability to balance academic responsibilities with content creation, audience engagement, and the operational demands of running both a media company and a charitable organization suggests a level of time management and commitment that exceeds typical teenage pursuits.
The success of the venture raises questions about the future of financial media and the role of generational perspective in content creation. As younger audiences seek voices that reflect their experiences and communication styles, traditional media outlets face competition from digitally native creators who understand platform dynamics and audience preferences from personal experience rather than market research.
Jasper Gould
The claim of hosting the largest Gen Z podcast in the country positions the student-run media company as a significant player in the podcasting landscape, where thousands of shows compete for listener attention. The podcast’s growth, combined with the newsletter’s 35,000-reader base, indicates that the founders have tapped into genuine demand for their particular blend of youthful perspective and financial analysis.
The entertainment industry classification of Passing the Torch Media reflects the evolving nature of media companies, where content creation, audience engagement, and community building converge. The founders’ approach demonstrates how media entrepreneurship has become more accessible to younger creators willing to invest time and effort into building authentic audiences across multiple platforms.
As Gould and Chilingirian continue their high school education while growing their media presence, their venture serves as a case study in how digital platforms have democratized content creation and distribution, allowing individuals with knowledge and perspective to build audiences previously accessible only through traditional media gatekeepers.
