I'm a designer who turned into a writer who turned into a startup CEO. My mission is to help creators earn a living. Subscribe for essays on building an audience and earning a living as a creator.
Set a daily “make something” goal
Hey Reader,
Have you made something today?
A creator is someone who makes—and that can be anything! You could:
- Film a video
- Record a podcast
- Start the seeds for your garden
- Follow a new recipe to bake a loaf of bread
Just make something. Set the bar low (but not too low) and “make something” every day.
Grab a sticky note and write, “Make something today.” Stick it to your monitor, your bathroom mirror, or somewhere you’ll see it. Your goal is simply to make anything.
Your action can be small, but do aim to challenge yourself. Instead of pouring a bowl of cereal, how about poaching the perfect egg? Or making a collage for your wall? Or drawing a self portrait in a new style following a YouTube tutorial?
Your “create” barometer can be simple: You’re creating when you push yourself to make something that surpasses your personal status quo.
I’ll keep this short:
Go make something and switch from consumer to creator today.
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CONVERTKIT FEATURE
Introducing blocks & inline content snippets
ConvertKit's content snippets are getting a facelift and a powerful upgrade. You can now create two different kinds of content snippets:
- Block Content Snippets: This will create a new block in your email content. The snippet editor also now has access to all content blocks, which means you can add layout blocks, social icons, and more to create content snippets that you reuse all the time.
- Inline Content Snippets: This will create content that will go inline with your email content and no longer add in a line break. If you have promotions or signatures you use all the time, this will come in handy!
In addition to these new snippets, we've also improved the content snippet editing experience overall.
Learn more about ConvertKit snippets »
PODCAST
Conversation with Daren Smith at CEX 2023
Among the several in-person interviews I recorded at CEX last month was this one with Daren Smith for his Craftsman Creative podcast.
At one point, I said:
Some do, but not enough.
YOUTUBE
The dark side of business
Rand Fishkin was pushed out of the company he created (SEO Moz).
The pressure of venture capital, and being on the hook to "grow as fast as possible or die trying," ended up taking a toll.
In this short video, Rand tells his story about raising money and doubling revenue for seven consecutive years and it still not being enough (ultimately resulting in him stepping down as CEO).
He's now focused on a much more "chill" business. One where he funded the company in a whole new way.
Have a great week!
—Nathan
Nathan Barry
I'm a designer who turned into a writer who turned into a startup CEO. My mission is to help creators earn a living. Subscribe for essays on building an audience and earning a living as a creator.