Every’s Master Plan

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You may have noticed that things have accelerated at Every recently. We’re exploring the frontier of what a creator-run business can be and can look like. It’s something new: a business that has writing and creative work at its core, and builds software and other kinds of products as an outgrowth of that. It doesn’t look like a traditional venture-backed startup, nor does it look like a typical small media business. It’s ambitious, and fun, and off the beaten path of business. 

It’s also working. 

We’ve been putting out writing that I'm insanely proud of. We’ve also released two new software products: Spiral, which just passed 3,000 users this week, and Sparkle, which is in closed beta. We’re growing revenue rapidly—our monthly recurring revenue is up almost 8 percent over the last 45 days, and our overall cash flow is up significantly as well.

Personally, I feel like I’m doing the best writing of my life. I get to wake up every day, play with AI, think about the future, and craft what I find into words. I’ve been writing on the internet for more than 10 years, but I feel like I just reached an unexpectedly high level: Last week I was in Rome hosting a panel on AI and creativity at the Aspen Institute Italia, two months ago I went to Seattle to interview Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, and next week I’m flying to Brazil to keynote the largest AI conference in Latin America. I’ve never buzzed with so many ideas before.

There are many reasons for this success that have nothing to do with me. The biggest reason, obviously, is you: our readers. Nothing we do could happen without your support and attention.

Another reason is AI. The creative output—writing, code, design—that we can generate as a small organization is stunning. It feels like we’re sprinting in the sun when previously, we’d been running under water.

A third reason is the people who have chosen to work at Every. Our editor in chief Kate, our entrepreneur in residence Brandon, our lead writer Evan, our creative lead Lucas, our engineers Avishek and Andrey—and a whole host of others—are the key factors. It is the ultimate privilege to get to work with so many talented, kind, and hard-working people every day. 

But to the extent that companies reflect their founders—and that creative work reflects the state of mind of the creator—some of the acceleration has to do with me: I’m different, and that’s made Every different, and my writing different as well. 

I want to reflect a bit on why—and how—because I think we’re defining a new path for what a business can look like in 2024 in the age of AI. And hopefully, sharing our story will help you find and follow your own path, too. 

Headwinds

Every has been around for four years, and it’s been through lots of ups and downs. But about a year ago things started to get difficult in a way that felt uniquely hard to me.

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Become a paid subscriber to Every to learn about:

• Every's evolution into a creator-run business with writing at its core
• The impact of AI on accelerating creative output and business growth
• Overcoming challenges by embracing authenticity and personal growth
• Expanding beyond writing with podcasts and software products
• Building a sustainable model that marries content creation with business value