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.
If you only had 10 hours a week…
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Hey Reader, There are 50 things you do in a given week, but what are the 5 that actually matter? Most creators I know are drowning in their own to-do lists. They're posting on seven different platforms, running three different courses, testing five marketing channels, and wondering why nothing seems to gain real traction. The harsh reality is that 80% of what we do doesn't move the needle. We're busy being busy, but we're not building the business we actually want. The antidote to this chaos isn't better time management or productivity hacks. It's ruthless focus on what actually drives results. When you focus deeply on the few things that matter, you eliminate waste, gain clarity, and create leverage. The key is understanding the core drivers in your business and distilling everything down to what genuinely moves you forward. Dan Martell has a framework that helps set the stage, which I'll share next. Then I want to give you an exercise you can do in 10 minutes to get absolute clarity on where your time should go. One Channel, One Message, One OfferDan Martell shared a framework in 2017 called the Scaling Credo, and it still works well today. It's five simple constraints that can dramatically impact your business and a straightforward method for finding your focus and creating something that can actually scale. Here's how it works:
Rather juggle a dozen social platforms, you refine your presence to the one place where your ideal customers actually hang out. You use a singular message and offer just one main product you can perfect. I've seen creators double or triple their results within months by implementing this approach, simply because they're no longer diluting their efforts. The 10 hours exerciseHere's where theory meets reality. I want you to imagine that due to some constraint—whether that's a new baby, a health issue, or a demanding day job—you suddenly only have 10 hours per week to work on your creator business. What would you keep? What would you cut? Spend 10 minutes right now answering these two questions: Question 1: How would you spend your 10 hours per week? Be specific. Would you spend 4 hours creating content, 3 hours on marketing, 2 hours on customer service, and 1 hour on strategy? Or would you allocate it completely differently? This forces you to identify what actually drives revenue and growth in your business. Question 2: What things would you need to stop doing (or outsource)? This is where it gets uncomfortable. List everything you'd have to eliminate. The weekly newsletter that gets decent engagement but doesn't convert. The Instagram account that feels like a time sink. The course you've been meaning to update for six months. The networking events that feel productive but don't lead to actual business. Most creators are shocked by how much they'd cut. Those core activities that would survive the 10-hour test? Those are your highest-leverage activities. Take 10 minutes today to work through these questions. You might discover that the business you want to build is simpler than you think. If you found this helpful, this week's podcast episode features Dan Martell himself, where we dive even deeper into building a business that works without you. Check out the episode on YouTube 👇🏼 PODCAST$100M CEO Explains How to Build a Personal Brand in 2025"That was the most value added podcast I've ever done." Dan Martell is a bestselling author with 3 successful software exits, and a $100M holding company… But what's really remarkable is he's driving 110M views per month on social—and he tells me his goal is to get to a billion. In this episode, he breaks down the exact systems fueling that growth and we go over his full blueprint which includes:
Watch or listen to episode »
EVENTWebinar: How to Build a Personal BrandMy good friend Nick Huber and I are hosting a live workshop on building a personal brand on July 16th from 3:00-4:00 PM EST. We'll be covering the practical side of personal branding—what actually works to grow a following and turn it into business results. Both Nick and I have built substantial personal brands that directly benefit our businesses. I've grown my audience while scaling Kit to $45M+ in annual revenue, and Nick has built a substantial following that drives deal flow for his $150–200M real estate portfolio (among other things). Here's what we'll cover:
We'll also do live Q&A where you can ask us your specific questions about building a personal brand. Everyone who registers gets access to the recording afterward. You won't want to miss this. 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.
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