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.
ABZ framework: Stop overthinking and start moving
|
Hey Reader, Most creators I know are stuck because they're trying to figure out steps 2 through 47 before they take step 1. This hit me during a conversation I had with James Clear recently when he mentioned the ABZ Framework from Shaan Puri. It's so simple it almost feels too obvious, but that's exactly why it works. "You don't need to know your full ABCs—just your ABZ: A is where you are today (most people don’t have this). Then you need B: the next step to move you forward. Lastly, you have Z: your end goal. That's all you need to know."
–Shaan Puri in an interview on Audience Building, Money, and Mindset You don't need to know all of the steps between B and Z. All you need is ABZ:
Where people get paralyzed is in worrying about what they're going to do after B. But once you do B, the next step becomes obvious. Why Z mattersKeep in mind that without a clear destination, you risk just following logical next steps that could take you anywhere. Z acts as your North Star. It helps you choose which B step actually moves you toward your goal instead of just moving you sideways. The difference between “I want to grow my audience” and “I want 5k newsletter subscribers by December” changes everything about what your next steps should be. ABZ examplesMy goal is to grow to 100,000 followers on LinkedIn by the end of the year (Follow me on LinkedIn). But if that feels too ambitious for where you’re at, adjust the number to whatever feels right for you (maybe 10,000). Regardless of the number, there’s a lot that goes into it. That might include ramping up to daily posting, planning your content, figuring out writing, designing, video editing and more. But your B step could simply be to make a list of your best past content that you can repurpose. That's it. Once you have that list, the next step (maybe batching several LinkedIn posts) becomes clear.
Here's what actually happens when you stop trying to map out the entire journey and just focus on A to B: every step you take gives you new information about what the next step should be. Most creators never start because they're trying to solve problems they don't even have yet. They get stuck planning instead of moving. Why this matters: The ABZ framework helps you avoid analysis paralysis entirely. Instead of getting overwhelmed by everything you think you need to figure out, focus on the one next step that will move you forward. Figure out your B step and just start. PODCASTMeet The Founder Behind Ambitious Kitchen’s Online EmpireMonique Volz, founder of Ambitious Kitchen, joins me on the podcast to share how she turned a thriving food blog into a 7-figure business. 165,000 email subscribers. Millions of readers. All from a side hustle. We dive into the evolution of her brand, her best-performing growth channels, the funnel that sells her digital product on autopilot, and what the future of food content looks like with AI and SEO shifts. Watch or listen to episode » EVENTThe Creator Business SummitKit is hosting a summit that brings together creators who've built businesses that have lasted through multiple industry changes. The focus isn't on chasing the latest tactics, but on the core principles that work regardless of platform updates or economic shifts. You'll learn how to build revenue streams that stay stable when algorithms don't, and how to create smart systems that deliver consistent growth. My talk covers the secret flywheels for 10x audience growth—the exact systems I use to grow without burning out. Most creators stay stuck creating content constantly, but there's a better way. QUESTIONWhat's your favorite little use of AI lately?I've been thinking about how AI has quietly woven itself into our daily routines in small but meaningful ways. I'm curious: what little AI moments that have made you smile or what tools have genuinely improved your day recently? Hit reply and let me know. 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.
Hey Reader, Running multiple businesses with different audiences is like running a marathon with ankle weights. 12 years ago, I wrote an essay about building an audience where I talked about learning this lesson the hard way. I've been thinking about that piece lately. The core idea still rings true over a decade later—maybe even more so today. Multiple audiences create invisible friction. Back then, I was running OneVoice (a product for kids with special needs, such as non-verbal autism, or...
Hey Reader, I got a question from a podcast listener recently, and it's one I’ve heard a few times: "Nathan, why are you selling courses if you have a successful business? Why start and manage a personal brand? I'm always curious why massively successful business owners dive into content creation vs pour more time into their main thing… as running a brand takes multiple hours per week." It's a good question. When you're leading a company that's growing well, conventional wisdom says to double...
Hey Reader, How much ability do you have to influence the decisions of the people around you? Something I've been thinking about lately is status in organizations. If you think of your company, who are the people in it that are the most well-known? Who are the ones with the greatest influence? The people others pay attention to. Sure, those with the most seniority or tenure may immediately come to mind, but I bet you can think of others who are respected despite not being high ranking...