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Hey Reader, In the early days of growing Kit, we were trying to figure out how to grow. Webinars, a blog, a podcast—we had seven or eight different marketing initiatives all at once. It was chaotic. We were constantly starting new things, never sure what was working, always chasing the next idea. That kind of chaos can look like productivity. You're trying things, staying busy, moving fast. But it's also exhausting—especially for your team. And it splits your attention across so many things that nothing gets what it actually needs to work. Ideas are cheap. Derek Sivers has this concept: ideas are just a multiplier of execution. A brilliant idea with no execution is worth $0. An average idea executed well is worth millions. The problem isn't having ideas. The problem is letting every idea derail you the moment it shows up. Here's what I do differently now that's helped me and my team: The idea binI keep a section in Notion called "Nathan's idea bin". When I have an idea for marketing, a product feature, whatever, I write it up and put it there. That's it. I don't tell anyone about it. I don't start planning it. I don't add it to anyone's task list. The icon for the idea bin is actually a wastebasket. That's intentional. It's a reminder that ideas are disposable. Most of them don't deserve your attention. They feel urgent in the moment, but they might not be. Doing this allows the team to review the bin when they're planning their next sprint. Sometimes they'll find something interesting and pull it forward. Sometimes I'll notice I keep coming back to the same idea, and it's probably worth paying attention to. But a lot of times, ideas just sit there. And that's fine. If you don't have a teamYou can still do the same thing. Pick a place (Notion, Apple Notes, a Google Doc) and make it your idea bin. When you think of something, write it down and close the document. Don't act on it. Don't overthink it. Just capture it. Set a cadence to review your list. Monthly works. Quarterly works too. The timeline is less important than the discipline of not acting immediately. When you review your list, you'll notice something: most ideas don't feel urgent anymore. A few will have faded completely. But some (the ones you keep returning to—the ones that won't leave you alone) are different. If you keep coming back to an idea, it's probably worth paying attention to. Not every idea that keeps showing up is worth pursuing, but the ones worth pursuing almost always keep showing up. What this changesHaving a system like this puts distance between coming up with an idea and deciding to work on it. In the moment, every idea feels important. Your brain is wired to get excited about new things. But when you force yourself to wait, you create space to see which ideas actually matter. The idea bin isn't really where ideas go to die. It's where the wrong ones fade and the right ones stick around. If an idea can't survive a few weeks in the bin, it probably wasn't going to survive the work of actually building it. PODCASTHow To Uncover $100K In Hidden ProfitJessica Miller is on the show this week, and she’s breaking down four simple moves to unlock $100K in hidden profit inside your existing business. We get into how to find your “Hell Yes” offer, use bundles and add-ons to boost order value, and bring past clients back in the door. She shares real examples—like the coach who went from charging $80/hour to making $30K from one offer. PODCAST$140,000 from One Podcast AppearanceI was a guest on Dustin Riechmann's podcast recently, and we talked about how smaller, focused audiences can drive bigger results than chasing massive reach. Dustin shared his own experience: a single appearance on my podcast led to $140,000 in revenue over 90 days. We broke down how that happened and why building authority with the right people is more important than trying to reach everyone. We also discussed flywheels and how to scale without burning out. BOOKToxic GritMy friend Amanda Goetz was a CEO and single mom of three who thought balance was the answer to burnout. But she found out balance isn't actually the goal. In her new book, Toxic Grit, she shares what she learned about building systems that let you be ambitious without losing yourself. It's about being intentional with what matters right now. What you'll learn:
Have a great week! —Nathan |
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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