Hey Reader, It’s crazy to me that a college student and a billionaire own basically the same phone and laptop. For all the inequality in the world, access to technology in the developed world is a remarkably level playing field. No matter how much money you have, you can't buy a better phone than the latest iPhone. Even these insanely powerful AI tools are available at democratized prices of roughly $20/month. Think about what this means for you as a creator: The tools that were once...
11 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, I've been thinking a lot about LinkedIn lately. A few months ago when I started exploring it more seriously, I noticed something surprising. Many of the biggest creators on the platform were people I already knew or who were already following me. Some were even Kit customers. When I'd reach out to someone new, they'd often say, "I use Kit!" or, "I've been following your work for years." That's when it hit me: my network is 10x stronger than what I actually do with it. You may not...
18 days ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, As a former YouTube and Instagram employee, Jon Youshaei has some unique insights around growing on the platform. You may remember Jon from an episode of my podcast where he shared how to get 100,000 YouTube subscribers fast. I’ve invited Jon to take over my newsletter this week to share some frameworks you might find useful for making better videos. Hey, I’m Jon Youshaei and I spent 8 years working inside YouTube and Instagram. After interviewing MrBeast, Will Smith, Marques...
25 days ago • 3 min read
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...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Does your business model match the lifestyle you want? Most creators stumble into their business model rather than deliberately choosing one. They see what others are doing and think, "I'll do that too," without understanding if that approach aligns with their values and lifestyle goals. The truth is, there isn't one perfect business model—there's only the right one for you based on what you value and the constraints you're working within. But let's explore the main categories:...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Great essays are a missing part of the web. Thought leaders used to publish thoughtful written pieces more often, but I see fewer and fewer of them, and it makes me sad. Some of it has gone to YouTube in the form of video essays. Others are hidden away in private newsletter issues that aren’t shared publicly. But I want to make the case for why I think you—yes, you specifically—should write and publish more essays. Why you should write essays As you build your career, you end up...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, The other day someone called me a delusional optimist. I wasn’t sure if it was an insult or not—being called delusional usually is. But throw in optimist and I think the combination describes me well. It’s something I’ve come to recognize about myself over the years. I genuinely believe that almost anything is possible. You’ll have a hard time convincing me that something can’t be done. There’s a quote I love: “The reasonable man conforms to the world. The unreasonable man expects...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, Have you heard this before: “Entrepreneurship is a trauma response.” Someone referenced this Gabor Maté quote recently and it didn’t resonate with me—even though research shows that many successful entrepreneurs had a difficult childhood. Everyone around me smiled and nodded at the quote while I sat there confused. I always thought I got into entrepreneurship because I loved it. I love to make things, and building is part of who I am. But then the speaker, Jayson Gaignard,...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Do you find it hard to say no to new opportunities? Every day, you face a stream of requests, new ideas, and potential projects. If you’re not careful, you’ll say yes to all of them. But there’s a Warren Buffett quote I love: “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” In the early days of Kit, we tried to serve everyone. Our product roadmap was filled with features to make every type of...
2 months ago • 2 min read