Episode 497: Nick Thompson: How Running 100 Miles Taught Him to Run a $13 Billion Media Empire

How does a CEO who runs 100-mile races turn around a struggling media company? In this episode on the Habits and Hustle podcast, Nick Thompson, CEO of the Atlantic, joins me to share how the mental strategies that get you through mile 40 of a mountain race are the same ones that grow a publication from 800,000 to 1.35 million subscribers.

We dive into why daily practice beats talent in both running and business, and the dark side of elite running culture that creates eating disorders. We also discuss the Signal chat scandal that drove tens of thousands of new subscriptions.

Nick Thompson is the CEO of the Atlantic, which has grown profitable under his leadership after years of losses. He's also the American record holder in the 50K for runners 45+ and author of The Running Ground, a memoir exploring how running shapes life, business, and relationships.

What We Discuss: 

03:14 - Why Nick started running at age 5 with his father during a family crisis

08:46 - How running is a microcosm for life and teaches grit through hard things

14:24 - The Alexander Technique: How a guitar wrist injury prevented 25 years of running injuries

28:16 - Why consistent daily practice is the most important lesson from running

50:04 - How Nick got faster in his 40s by training smarter with specific workouts

55:40 - How the Atlantic grew from 800K to 1.35M subscribers through paywall optimization

1:01:10 - The Signal chat scandal: How Jeff Goldberg was accidentally added to the White House group chat

1:12:10 - Trump's "fixed heartbeats" theory and whether ultra running shortens your lifespan

1:17:25 - The dark side of running: Why elite coaches tell athletes to look like "a skeleton with a condom on"

1:19:19 - How running culture creates eating disorders and destroys young athletes' bodies

…and more!

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Find more from Jen: 

Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/

Instagram: @therealjencohen  

Books: https://www.jennifercohen.com/books

Speaking: https://www.jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagement

Find more from Nick Thompson: 

Instagram:@nxthompson

Website: https://www.nickthompson.com/