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.
Making something worth talking about
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Hey Reader, I keep picking up this book just to feel the cover. Paul Millerd sent me the new hardcover edition of The Pathless Path. When you run your hands over the cloth cover, you can feel the illustration pressed into the fabric. It's tactile in a way most books aren't anymore. I read it last weekend in front of the fire at our cabin. The book has been out for three years. Paul originally published it in January 2022, and it sold over 60,000 copies. But he recently spent 18 months creating this premium hardcover edition. He turned down offers from major publishers to do this. Including a six-figure deal. He walked away from all of it because he wanted to make something that felt like a work of art. I love when people do something for the craft of it. Just because they want to make something they're genuinely proud of. Paul believes books should be delightful. The entire book is illustrated with single-color artwork. Every chapter has pull quotes, reflections woven in, and stories throughout. It's the kind of book you're proud to leave on your coffee table for people to pick it up and flip through. The illustrations break things up nicely so it’s fun to look at as well as read. Everything feels deliberate. The book is about leaving what Paul calls the Default Path. That’s where you study hard, get good grades, get a good job, and climb the ladder. He contrasts it with the Pathless Path, which is building a life around work you actually want to keep doing. It's for people who've done everything right and still wonder if there's something else. Paul left work at McKinsey to figure this out for himself. And this hardcover is him living what he writes about—investing in something he cares about instead of going with the default option. Making something premium like this might not be for every project. But it's worth pointing out it’s the reason why I'm telling you about a book that came out three years ago. Paul made something people want to talk about. Something that creates its own story just by existing. I think that’s pretty cool. Learn more about the hardcover book here where you’ll be inspired by his thoughtful packaging. He also shares the behind the scenes process and story of designing the hardcover edition, which is a really interesting read. My takeaway, and what I’d encourage you to leave with: What would it look like if you made something people couldn't stop sharing? PODCAST34 Minutes of Top Creator Advice For 2026To kick off 2026, I wanted to pull together the best advice from last year’s episodes into one place. These are the moments that resonated the most on everything from scaling your business and building a thriving community to mastering content creation and leveraging social media. You’ll hear from Dan Martell on buying back your time, Chris Donnelly on turning LinkedIn into revenue, and Jefferson Fisher on creating hooks that stop the scroll. Jay Clouse, Nicole Burke, and Pat Flynn also share what’s working right now across systems, platforms, and creator businesses. This is a highly value packed episode. Get your notes ready and start the year strong. Watch or listen to episode » EVENTWhy I'm Speaking at Lead Generation LiveRunning Kit has given me a front-row seat to what’s working in the most successful creator businesses. What I’ve seen is the creators who stand out build flywheels where each activity feeds into the next and every rotation gets easier while producing more results. On January 15th, I’m joining Chris Donnelly for a free 4-hour event called Lead Generation Live. The lineup includes Daniel Priestley, Eric Partaker, and Sara Davies MBE. I’ll be breaking down the four flywheels you need to build a million-dollar newsletter.
If your email list isn't translating into revenue or growth has flatlined, you’ll definitely want to join this free event. VIDEOA Short Film About Boring DesignThe Cultural Tutor made a short film about why modern lamp posts, benches, and buildings feel so generic compared to older ones. It explores how the everyday objects around us shape how we feel and why the things we make today lack the charm and detail they used to have. For a piece on boring design, it sure is a beautiful short film. Happy New Year and 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, It's December 30, so people are probably asking what resolutions or goals you have for 2026. And maybe you’ve started to answer. You say that you want to launch a full course by March. Or start posting daily on social media (text, images, videos—everything). Or maybe you say you want to start writing 1,000 words a day like I did. What a lot of people do is they start January strong because they’re feeling motivated and committed. You make it a full month with your new habit and...
Hey Reader, How many side projects are you sitting on right now? I'm guessing at least one. Maybe it's a course outline you keep refining, or a newsletter you've rewritten five times. Or is it a product you want to launch but you feel like isn't good enough?I've been there, and here's what I've learned about it: Perfectionism is fear disguised as overthinking. You probably pride yourself on doing a good job and caring about quality. But there’s a point at which it’s just procrastination....
Hey Reader, Five years ago, I did a 44-mile backpacking trip in the Sawtooth Mountains. The trail climbed steep ridges, crossed rivers, and wound through endless valleys. It was incredible. In the middle of the trip, you could hike 20 miles in any direction and not get to a road. For three full days, we didn’t see a single other person. I remember stopping high up on one ridge and turning around. Looking back, I could see the peak we'd summited days earlier, the river we'd forded, and the...