BEST OF: Ramp it up or shut it down: How ConvertKit’s Founder and CEO made his most important business decision episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 16, 2025 · 27 MIN

BEST OF: Ramp it up or shut it down: How ConvertKit’s Founder and CEO made his most important business decision

from How I Work · host Amantha Imber

BEST OF How does an entrepreneur go from being told to shut down their business to building a software company worth over $200 million and serving over 50,000 creators? In this episode of How I Work, Nathan Barry, founder and CEO of ConvertKit, shares his incredible journey and the counterintuitive strategies that propelled his success. In this episode, we discuss: Nathan’s annual life review ritual: We delve into how he not only assesses business opportunities but also tracks his adventures, home life updates, fitness endeavours, and personal goals. The turning point: Just 18 months into launching ConvertKit, a friend advised him to shut it down. Discover the pivotal questions Nathan asked himself and the framework he used to make that crucial decision. Nathan shares his transformative experience of writing 1000 words a day for 600 consecutive days and how this habit has evolved over time. What on earth are flywheels? We unravel this concept and discuss how Nathan applied it to the sales process at ConvertKit. The importance of team building and its ripple effects on business success. Tune in to discover more about Nathan’s incredible journey, or catch his documentary (which he reluctantly filmed!) on YouTube. Don’t forget to visit his website: nathanbarry.com, where you can sign up for his weekly newsletter or tune in to his podcast, “Billion Dollar Creator.”  My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at [email protected]  Credits:Host: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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BEST OF: Ramp it up or shut it down: How ConvertKit’s Founder and CEO made his most important business decision

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This episode was published on July 16, 2025.

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BEST OF How does an entrepreneur go from being told to shut down their business to building a software company worth over $200 million and serving over 50,000 creators? In this episode of How I Work, Nathan Barry, founder and CEO of ConvertKit,...

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