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.
What if I bought your business
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Hey Reader, Imagine someone bought your business tomorrow. What's the first thing they would change? Maybe they'd raise prices. Or fire that team member who's been dragging things down. Would they automate the task you've been doing manually for years? Hire for the role you keep saying you'll fill eventually? When I ask creators this question, they usually know the answer immediately. They don't even need to think about it. The answer is already sitting there, waiting. You probably know what needs to change. You're just not doing it. There's always a reason. The price increase feels risky. Firing someone is uncomfortable. Automation seems complicated. Hiring costs money you're not sure you should spend yet. But an outside buyer wouldn't hesitate. They'd see the business clearly with no emotional attachment, no history, no excuses. They'd look at the obvious move and make it. Sometimes you need that outside consultant mindset. Because it's easier to see what needs to happen in someone else's business rather than in your own. What are you holding onto that you should be letting go? I'm not saying every gut instinct about change is right. But if you've been thinking about the same move for months and haven't made it, that's probably your answer. A new owner would act on it in week one. You're waiting for the perfect moment or more certainty. But they'd just start. Speed is the biggest asset you have in business. It accelerates learning. It gets you to market faster. It gives you more shots on goal—that’s more chances for something to work. The longer you wait on the obvious move, the longer you're running someone else's version of your business. The version where the hard decision hasn't been made yet. You don't need someone to buy your business to make the change. You just need to think like they would. PODCASTHow We’re Growing An Agency To $1M (Use These Systems)In this episode, I coach Lily Jones, founder of Educator Forever, on how to scale her business past $1M and build a team that doesn’t rely on her to close every deal. Lily’s flywheel trains teachers in her methodology, then hires the best ones for client work. When she lands a bigger project, she already knows who can deliver. We break down her revenue split between courses and agency work, map out the shift from selling to companies to selling to schools, and cover why stepping back from sales could unlock her next level. We cover:
ARTICLELittle Rules About Big ThingsMorgan Housel shared a collection of short insights on money, risk, and decision-making. You could think for a long time about any one of these. His quippy writing style makes each observation feel both obvious and surprising at the same time. 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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