When do I sleep?


Hey Reader,

When someone read my 2024 review, and saw the ridiculously long list of things I'd accomplished throughout the year, they commented, "When do you sleep?"

The truth is, while many of those things were my ideas and I played an active role in bringing them to life, for most of them, I actually didn't do any of the work.

100% of my ability to execute on the level that I do comes down to the team that I have. Haley on my team says I have higher output than normal humans. But a big part of that is having a team behind me who can help with bringing my ideas to life.

I have high expectations, and I think that came from being homeschooled and watching my parents. Both of them were avid learners—something I also adopted for myself. Throughout my life, I've always thought, "How can I do this as fast as possible?" That mindset has been ingrained in me from an early age.

However, what I've learned is that the fastest way to do things is often to not do them alone. Building a team is essential, but it's not enough. You also have to effectively delegate. The key insight I've discovered is this:

Delegate everything except for what only you can do.

In my case, what only I can do centers around two main areas:

  1. My voice: the unique message and perspective I bring
  2. My vision: where I want the company to go based on where I think the industry is headed

Take the Kit App Store as an example. We have eight amazing engineers solely focused on building an app store that will scale, plus more than 25 developers in the ecosystem building apps on top of it. While I have ideas for improving it, I don't personally do any work beyond contributing those ideas.

Or Kit Studios: I had a dream for this since 2018, but for years it remained just that: a dream. The transformation happened when Haley collaborated in partnership with Dream Studios to turn that vision into reality.

What I need to do is:

  1. Cast a very clear vision
  2. Figure out how to fund it
  3. Recruit people who will dedicate their time to bringing that vision to life

This approach isn't just about freeing up your time (though that's a nice bonus). It's about focusing your energy only on activities where you add the most value.

The critical element here is who you bring onto your team. We only hire "A players" at Kit—these are people who are great at what they do and who raise the bar for everyone around them.

These team members don't just execute tasks; they improve upon ideas. They see possibilities you might miss. They challenge your thinking. And they attract other top performers who want to work with the best.

Having these kinds of people on your team allows you to think bigger. You can focus more on where things are headed—"skating to where the puck is going"—rather than getting caught up in day-to-day operations that others could handle.

Delegation gets better over time, and it creates space for more strategic thinking. It makes your business stronger. It allows multiple initiatives to progress at once, and it gives other talented people room to grow and contribute in meaningful ways.

Back to that comment on my 2024 review about sleep: I actually get around 7 hours per night. The accomplishments I made last year weren't from working around the clock. They came from building teams that expanded what I could do alone. By focusing on doing what only I can do (my unique voice and vision) and finding great people to handle everything else, we've been able to bring ideas to life at a scale that wouldn't be possible otherwise.

What's something in your business that you're currently doing yourself that could be handled by someone else? I'd love to hear what you're thinking of delegating next.

Just hit reply and let me know.


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PODCAST

How This Musician Makes $500K/year Working 2 Hours A Week

As promised in a previous newsletter issue (Quantity leads to quality), I'm excited to share this episode with Lars Tiger on how he makes $500,000 a year—almost entirely profit—while working just two hours a week from his home in the south of France.

Lars is a classically trained jazz pianist who lost his passion after a long music career when it became increasingly difficult to generate a stable income.

But then, he figured out the secret to getting unstuck as an artist and solving perfectionism once and for all. This one mindset shift led him to producing an astonishing 25,000 tracks.

If you’re an artist, a creator, someone who struggles with perfectionism, or… you just want to get inspired with ideas for generating passive income, this episode is a must-listen.

Watch or listen to episode »

EVENT

Get your ticket to Craft + Commerce today

Don't mis the chance to join us in Boise, Idaho this year for Craft + Commerce: a conference for serious creators like you—where top online creators gather to grow their businesses and build meaningful connections and enjoy:

  • Keynote talks
  • Intimate workshops
  • Direct access to Kit experts
  • Extended Kit Studios access
  • Parties + meetups

Only 43 tickets left until we sell out.

Register now »

BOOK

When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy

Thinking about starting a business? My friend Sam Vander Wielen shares the strategic playbook that helped her go from lawyer to 7-figure entrepreneur. With practical steps and honest advice, she helps you build a business that feels solid, sustainable, and truly yours.

You’ll learn:

  • BS-free strategies that took time but led to her building a 7-figure business
  • How to start the right kind of business that sells the right kind of product
  • How to generate money even when you’re not working
  • Real ways to audit your current online business so it drives more sales

It’s a realistic take on what it actually takes to grow your online business—delivered with that always-looking-out-for-you big sister energy aspiring creators need.

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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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