What I got wrong implementing flywheels at Kit


Hey Reader,

If you’re like a lot of creators I know, you feel like you have to put in a lot of effort just to get by.

Things are going okay in your business right now, but growth is slow, and you can’t help but feel like you should be getting better results for how hard you work.

You create, you promote, you sell, and you feel like you’re doing all of the “right things”, but you’re not seeing the return you want, and it definitely doesn’t feel easy. It’s certainly nothing like the dream you had when you set out to work for yourself.

So what’s missing?

I believe Creator Flywheels are the key to creating positive feedback loops and forward momentum in your business.

When you have your systems set up the right way, everything runs smoothly and without hiccups. You’re not interrupted constantly. Things don’t stop working when you take time off.

You grow faster over time.

You work less hard over time.

You make more money over time.

This is why I’m so passionate about the topic.

With a little bit of strategic thought, many of your linear processes could be arranged in a cyclical fashion where you create positive feedback loops. Each one gets easier with time and produces more and more results.

It’s a relatively simple concept, but the execution is where it gets tricky. And I got a lot wrong when I went to implement flywheels at Kit.

I taught the methodology, we broke people out into groups, and we hosted workshops…

But when the team went to implement the flywheels, everything stalled out.

What went wrong?

We underestimated how hard it is to get to a working flywheel. There’s more to it than simply arranging steps in a loop.

Setting up a successful flywheel requires working at different zoom levels; up close to get the details right and then zoomed out to make sure everything works together.

There’s no book you can read that has all of the answers, and there’s no way around needing to iterate and solicit feedback.

It wasn’t enough to explain the concepts, send people along their way, and hope for the best.

I’ve found support and coaching to be necessary pieces to the puzzle. There’s a motivation factor, too. Because it takes time to dial in a working flywheel. There is a risk of getting frustrated, giving up, and stopping just shy of getting things working.

I also realized another crucial piece I’d left out—and this was a big part of why we failed to successfully implement flywheels at Kit:

Measurement.

How can you tell what’s working (or more importantly, not working) unless you’re logging your results?

I had written out the lesson on measurement and forgotten to record it. So no one on the team was acutally doing it.

Measuring the output of your flywheel over time helps you see effort vs results, but it also allows you to ask peers for feedback when things aren’t working. That outside perspective is often invaluable.

I’ve had people ask me: “Nathan, why are you doing this whole Creator Flywheels thing? Don’t you have a software company to run?”

Yes, I do, but while Kit gives you the tools you need to run your business, the most successful creators I’ve seen use flywheels to get 10X the results. If we’re going to help creators grow their business beyond a hobby, they need to understand flywheels.

Since iteration, feedback, and coaching are key, I decided it made the most sense to put together a community around Creator Flywheels where people can get the support they need to actually implement flywheels in their business and see results.

I’ll be delivering multiple coaching sessions per month myself inside the community as well as bringing in guest experts.

You’ll be able to get personalized feedback on your flywheels from me, my team, and the community.

We started by launching a pilot program last year and have since been refining the material and defining what we want this community to look like. This month, we’re recording the official version of the course in Kit Studios.

While you can’t sign up just yet, if you’re interested in getting more information about the Creator Flywheels coaching program when we launch, click here to be notified.


video preview

PODCAST

How Your Creator Business Can Change the World

You hear so much about “success”, but what does it really look like to make a bigger impact?

I had an inspiring chat with Brett Hagler, the visionary CEO of New Story, a nonprofit addressing the global housing crisis.

In this episode, we get into:

  • Finding true happiness in your work by connecting to a bigger mission
  • Methods for creating real change without relying on limited philanthropic funding
  • Brett’s game-changing ideas for turning charitable efforts into thriving, sustainable business models

Watch or listen to episode »

PODCAST

Behind the Scenes of a Major Rebrand & Lessons Learned After a Hard Fail

I recently went on Pat Flynn’s podcast, Smart Passive Income, to talk about the future of Kit.

We discussed the pros and cons of having a narrow focus vs building an ecosystem and allowing other people to expand your platform.

Tune in to hear more about:

  • Why we decided to rebrand from ConvertKit to Kit
  • Challenges faced and lessons learned while navigating rebranding
  • The complexities of building an all-in-one platform for creators
  • My vision for Kit in 5 years

Listen to episode »


X POST

When employees start making cash instead of burning it

In this clip, Chris Savage, Founder and CEO of Wistia, talks what happened when they started a profit-sharing program for employees to replace stock options.

Incentives drive culture.
Immediately after buying out their investors, Wistia saw a massive shift in ownership among employees when their incentives flipped to making cash instead of burning it.

Watch clip »

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.

Read more from Nathan Barry

Hi Reader, Last week, I had Mark Manson on the podcast. While he’s most known for being the bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, he’s also built a substantial YouTube channel with millions of subscribers. During our podcast together, I asked him about longevity. Specifically, what does it take to make it in the creator economy for 10 or more years? What is the difference between those who endure and those who fizzle out? Here is my summary of his answers: 1. Don’t lose...

Hey Reader, Today is a big day. ConvertKit is now Kit: the email-first operating system for creators who mean business. And this is just the beginning… Becoming Kit isn’t just a name change or a new logo—it’s the start of a new era for our company and product. Learn more at kit.com » PODCAST How to Launch a $5,000 Course That Actually Sells What does it take to transform your knowledge into a profitable online course? In this week’s episode, I coach Sean Sweeney, a real estate expert who’s...

Aaron Francis

Hey Reader, If you read this newsletter, you’re someone who thinks a bit differently than the average person. There are many people who are chasing the next dollar and looking for new ways to make money on the internet. They follow a formula, and it’s obvious. Their work lacks substance, and something is missing. I mentioned Aaron Francis last week as an example of someone who has built a strong personal brand. But Aaron has also taken a different path in terms of putting real character and...