GREGORY E. BARTON
                             461 Burgess Drive # 11
                          Menlo Park, California 94025
                                 (650) 329-9489

                                  July 21, 1998

VIA TELECOPY ONLY (212-843-2791)

Mr. Jonathan L. Steinberg
Chief Executive Officer
Individual Investor Group, Inc.
1633 Broadway, 38th Floor
New York, New York  10019

Dear Jono,

     I am pleased  and excited to have the  opportunity  to work with you taking
Individual  Investor Group,  Inc.  ("INDI") to its next level of success.  As we
discussed,  this letter sets forth the primary  terms of the offer of employment
that has been extended to me by INDI, and I agree to accept employment with INDI
in accordance with these terms:

     Position: I will be appointed Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs,
          and General Counsel, of INDI.

     Salary: My starting  base salary will be $200,000 per annum,  which will be
          paid in accordance with INDI's normal payroll  policies in effect from
          time to time.

     Sign-on  Bonus:  I will be paid a  one-time  sign-on  bonus of $5,000 on my
          first day of work.

     StockOption:  I will  promptly  be  granted  an option  (the  "Option")  to
          purchase 150,000 shares of INDI common stock pursuant to one of INDI's
          Stock Option Plans for which a Form S-8 registration is in effect (the
          "Plan").  The per share exercise price of the Option shall be the fair
          market value of INDI common  stock on the date of grant as  determined
          in accordance  with the Plan.  The Option shall be an incentive  stock
          option to the maximum  extent  permitted  by law.  The Option shall be
          exercisable   as  to  37,500   shares  on  each  of  the  first   four
          anniversaries  of my employment start date (thus a total of four years
          is required before all shares subject to the Option may be exercised),
          and shall  expire 10 years  after  grant.  In the event of a change in
          control of INDI,  all shares  subject to the Option shall  immediately
          become exercisable.

     Severance: In the event that,  within the first year of employment,  either
          (a) I am terminated  without cause or (b) my job  responsibilities  or
          title  are  materially  diminished  and I  resign,  I shall  be paid a
          severance equal to six months'  salary,  in addition to any other sums
          or benefits to which I may be entitled.

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     Miscellaneous:  I will be covered by INDI's  employee group insurance plan,
          summaries  of which  will be  provided  to me. I will be  entitled  to
          participate  in INDI's  401(k) plan. I will receive four weeks of paid
          vacation  each year. I will commence work on a date to be agreed upon,
          which date shall be on or before September 15, 1998.

     This letter sets forth the entire  agreement of the parties with respect to
the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all other discussions, whether written
or oral.  The terms of this letter may not be  modified  or amended  except in a
writing signed by each of the parties hereto. A signature received via facsimile
shall be deemed an original for all purposes.

     If you agree with the above,  please  sign this letter and fax it to me (at
408-383-4944).  I look forward to receiving your signature, and working with you
closely creating INDI's exciting future!

                                                     Sincerely,


                                                     /s/ Gregory Barton
                                                     Gregory E. Barton

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

Individual Investor Group, Inc.


By:      /s/ Jonathan Steinberg
         Jonathan L. Steinberg
         Chief Executive Officer

Date:    7/21/98

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