For a mission-driven organization like The Atlantic, owned by a philanthropist, the financial goal is sustainability, not profit extraction. The strategy is to achieve profitability and then immediately reinvest the surplus back into the mission by hiring more journalists and expanding influence.
Instead of telling an underperforming employee they can be better, ask what they believe their biggest possible accomplishment could be. This coaching approach helps individuals discover and own their potential, rather than having it dictated to them, leading to greater breakthroughs.
The Atlantic CEO took the job despite massive financial losses because the core product—the journalism—was exceptional. He believed a broken business model is far easier to fix than a mediocre product, making the high-risk turnaround feasible from the start.
When dealing with tech giants like Google or OpenAI, publishers should not rely on goodwill. They are self-interested capitalists who prioritize their own profits. The only reliable strategy is to build mutually beneficial economic ecosystems or create direct relationships with your audience.
Instead of focusing on grand projects that yielded little return, The Atlantic's subscription growth was driven by a culture of data science and iterative testing. They ran over 230 A/B tests in a single year on their paywall, proving that small, continuous improvements can create massive results.
After running the same marathon time for a decade, Nicholas Thompson realized his limit wasn't physical but a mental block tied to his performance before a cancer diagnosis. Breaking through performance ceilings often requires addressing deep psychological barriers, not just more effort.
The Atlantic CEO's daily video series evolved from a personal project into an effective B2B marketing channel. Chief Marketing Officers—key advertising decision-makers—watch his content, which builds rapport and credibility before his team ever enters a sales meeting.
The Atlantic's CEO Nicholas Thompson chose his role not because he was the best at it, but because his skill in building journalism business models was stronger relative to his peers. This focus on comparative advantage, rather than absolute best skill, guided his successful pivot from journalism to business leadership.
A sophisticated paywall's goal isn't just to block content; it's to intelligently guess a user's likelihood to subscribe. If they won't subscribe, let them read to build brand. If they will, present the paywall. This guess is based on referral source, story type, and other user data to optimize both reach and revenue.