Nathan Barry built a $320 million dollar empire by following one simple framework.
The beauty of it is that it combines all of the best business tactics in replicable rules. Nathan’s strategy revolves around a two-part strategy. An equation that leads to one of the greatest entrepreneur growth story, of all time.
If there’s something you can't afford not to know is this.
Let’s unlock his secrets.
Creator Bio
Nathan Barry is a multi-talented entrepreneur.
He's a creator, author, speaker, designer, and founder of ConvertKit. He started with freelance web design, moved into selling iPhone apps, then grew his own audience and sold books on design. What he learned along the way is that email marketing was the most reliable way to earn a living as a creator.
In 2014 he started ConvertKit (soon to be Kit), an email marketing platform that powers more than 600K creator and now generates $3,4 million in MRR.
The question is, how did he do it?
When faced with something we don't know, we tend to use cognitive resources we already have, like mental shortcuts. When we see huge successes, we tend to think that the reason behind them should be on the same scale. So a great achievements must have a very complicated explanation.
But it’s not.
Part 1: You Can Set Your Own Pace
We all have a misconception about time, and understanding that you define your own pace is key. To get literally everything you want, you need to get the difference between fixed time and fixed work.
When he was 11yo Nathan lived up in the mountains and the most beautiful snow was coming down. He loved sledding, but that afternoon he had to work on algebra… yet the snow looked so good!
He couldn’t focus.
Like any other kid, he complained to his mom. She goes: “You just have a set amount of work to get done. It doesn't have to take an hour or five hours. All you have to do is finish your homework.”
Back in his room, he threw himself into his homework. “Okay, great, let's get it all done. I’ll get my school work done so I can go sledding”
Two hours later, he was out there sledding.
At that moment it dawned on him: it's not a fixed amount of time.
Fixed Work vs Fixed Time
If you're working at a fast-food, that's fixed time. The work is always going to be there. If you work faster, you cannot put your feet up.
But actually in 99% of normal jobs, it feels like fixed time, but it's actually fixed work.
If you can get things done as quickly as possible you can then use the rest time how you want. You’re still being paid and you can learn something new, improve your own skills and build your own stuff on the side.
Nathan used the same strategy in his daily job. He got his work done in three hours a day. And spent the rest of his time design and code iOS apps.
Over the course of a few years he sold $75,000 worth of iOS apps.
Nathan’s Mantra
You know the feeling. After the initial excitement, is where a lot of creators start to encounter a problem. The rest of the days just can’t match the expectations.
Life gets in the way. You can't maintain consistency and the business doesn't grow enough. Nathan solved this using a simple idea that have made him one of the most prolific creators ever.
He says that:
We have this idea that only experts can teach.
But people don't teach because they're experts.
We perceive them as experts because they teach.
One of the mantra he has followed throughout the years of his career is to teach everything you learn. This has been the foundation of his entire career. Nathan kept up with his learning and teaching by writing 1,000 words a day for 600 days in a row.
That's an incredible amount of content—600,000 words!
1,000 words a day has become three self-published books. One of the them was “Authority”, one of Nathan's bestsellers.
Thanks to this e-book, he made over $150K in less than a year.
Part 2: Creator Flywheel:
As creators, you might find yourself stuck in a loop. You sit down to get some work done, but you just can’t seem to get started.
What should you write about? What should you say?
You start checking social media and emails. Anything to distract you from writer’s block..
This is what it’s like to be without a flywheel.
As Nathan says: “A flywheel builds momentum. It’s a system where once you get things moving, they keep rolling with less effort. When your business is driven by content, a flywheel is crucial for combatting lack of motivation and inspiration.”
At first, a flywheel feels heavy and tough to get going. But once it starts spinning, it gains momentum and becomes easier to maintain.
The Three Laws of a Flywheel
For a flywheel to work its magic, it needs to follow three simple laws:
Activities flow smoothly from one into the next
Each rotation is easier than the previous rotation
Each rotation produces more than the previous rotation
Let’s break down these laws:
Law 1: Activities flow smooth from one into the next
It’s not just about piling tasks on top of each other. To create an effective flywheel, tasks need to connect seamlessly.
To transform a linear process into a flywheel you need to create a smooth, self-sustaining cycle. The trick is to loop it back so that each step just falls into the next, making the whole process feel seamless and automatic.
In a well-oiled flywheel, activities flow effortlessly from one to the next.
With each turn, the process not only becomes smoother but also easier to maintain.
Law 2: Each rotation is easier that the previous one
The idea is to create a system where, with every rotation, things get easier and easier.
For a flywheel to truly gain momentum, each rotation needs to get easier. And there are three key reasons why this happens:
As you refine your approach, the process becomes more efficient.
Over time, your grow your online presence. Making it easier to attract customers.
By automating tasks, you lighten your workload. So yo can focus on strategic growth.
With these, each rotation not only becomes more manageable but also more impactful.
Law 3: Each rotation produces more than the last
Let’s talk about law number three, which is each rotation produces more than the last.
Imagine if your newsletter could self-grow. New subscribers bringing in more subscribers. And each email you send brings in more revenue, almost paying for itself.
In our world this boost comes from several factors.
As your audience grows, you naturally extend your reach. Your influence within your niche expands, and you attract more followers. This influence drive up your revenue, which in turn fuels the flywheel further.
Moreover, as your revenue increases, you can reinvest more into your business.
This reinvestment improves your content, expands your marketing efforts. Creating a cycle where each rotation not only becomes easier but also more productive.
Nathan Barry's Cheat Sheet
In your daily job aim to get things done as quickly as possible. Then use the rest time to learn and build your creator business.
Start writing 1,000 words a day. It will change your life forever.
Teach everything you learn. Remember that we tend to view experts as such because they teach.
Create flywheels around your content creation. It might feel a bit challenging at first. But once it starts spinning, it’s easier to maintain.
I hope this sparks some inspiration. If you want to get good at creating content, you’ve got to be consistent. And I think the only way to be consistent is to create an array of systems that are so easy to use, you won’t be able to say no.
If you can do that, you’ll quickly start to see massive results.
I hope you’ll give this a try!
