Nathan Barry, founder of Kit (formerly ConvertKit) (AMA in comments)
In 2015, Kit was on the brink of failure.
Nathan Barry, its founder, had poured everything into building an email marketing tool for bloggers. But after two years of relentless effort, only had about $2,000/month in revenue.
Most people would’ve quit.
Most people 𝘥𝘰 quit.
But Nathan made one decision that took his revenue from $2,000/month to $50,000/month:
He narrowed his focus.
Instead of trying to serve everyone in the blogging world, he narrowed his focus on one specific underserved group: 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀.
Creators (writers, podcasters, YouTubers, and digital entrepreneurs) weren’t just looking for generic email tools.
They needed a platform designed to help them build audiences, nurture relationships, and monetize their work.
Nathan recognized this gap and pivoted Kit into an email marketing tool tailored for creators.
𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁, 𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀:
1. Simplified automation
While other platforms offered overly complex automation, Kit made it intuitive and creator-friendly, so users could focus on their content.
2. Landing pages & forms
Built-in tools helped creators grow their audiences without the need for additional software.
3. Monetization features
Options like paid newsletters and direct product sales empowered creators to turn their audiences into income streams.
Nathan doubled down on serving them.
Building features, refining messaging, and solving problems that mattered to creators.
And that’s when things started to click.
By focusing exclusively on creators, Kit’s growth exploded.
Within a year, monthly revenue jumped from $2,000 to $50,000.
Today, the team has grown to over 90 people, and Kit powers over 600,000+ creators while earning 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 $𝟰𝟮 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲.
𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗞𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆
1. Focus
When you try to serve everyone, you end up resonating with no one. Kit’s success stemmed from honing in on a specific audience and solving their unique problems.
2. Listen to your audience
Nathan’s decision to pivot wasn’t made in a vacuum. He actively listened to creators’ struggles and built solutions tailored to their needs.
3. Don’t fear the pivot
Many founders cling to failing ideas out of pride or fear of change. Nathan took a leap of faith by solving a singular problem for a specific group of people.
4. Messaging matters
It’s not just about what you build, but how you position it. Kit’s creator-centric messaging made its audience feel seen, understood, and valued.
If you like his work, consider subscribing to his own newsletter https://lnkd.in/gwEKB3Ni
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