MBA1853 Extended Interview: John O’Nolan – Building a Wildly Successful Yet Balanced Business
Aug 16, 2021
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John O’Nolan, former Deputy Head of Design at WordPress, discusses his journey of creating Ghost, a content platform focused on impactful solutions rather than profit. He emphasizes the importance of balancing life and work, sharing experiences from running a remote startup while kite-surfing. The conversation delves into innovative business models, embracing failure, and the authenticity of decision-making. O'Nolan also explores the unique challenges of aphantasia, reflecting on how it shapes creativity and self-awareness in entrepreneurship.
John O'Nolan emphasizes the importance of creating a business model that prioritizes community and purpose over profit, fostering a healthy work-life balance.
Ghost was developed as a user-friendly platform for content creators, addressing market gaps left by more complex solutions like WordPress.
The decision to structure Ghost as a nonprofit organization allows for authentic decision-making, free from the pressures of external investments or acquisitions.
Deep dives
The Journey of Building Ghost
John O'Nolan shares the inception of Ghost, a platform he created as an alternative to WordPress after recognizing its limitations and complexity. His background as Deputy of Design at WordPress led him to identify a gap in the market for a user-friendly blogging platform focused solely on content creation. Rather than building a massive business, he aimed for a venture that could provide a modest living while adhering to his ideals of simplicity and functionality. This shift in perspective allowed him to pursue what he believed in without the pressure of scaling to a billion-dollar entity.
The Importance of Balance
Throughout the discussion, John emphasizes the significance of maintaining balance in life and business, realizing that success does not solely equate to financial wealth. He intentionally built a business that aligns with his lifestyle choices, allowing for travel and personal fulfillment outside of work. The key to this balance is his focus on enjoying the journey while remaining productive, shaping a work life that does not consume all his time and energies. This intentional approach to both work and leisure has contributed to his overall satisfaction and effectiveness as an entrepreneur.
Owning Your Business Model
John explains how Ghost transitioned from a simple blogging platform to offering tools for membership and subscription-based content, catering to a new generation of content creators. As advertising revenue became less reliable, the need for a sustainable business model led to the integration of paid subscriptions into Ghost. By doing so, they not only provided users with a way to monetize their content but also strengthened the relationship between creators and their audience. The open-source nature of Ghost allows users to maintain control over their content and business, which he believes is crucial in today's market.
The Structure of a Nonprofit
The decision to structure Ghost as a nonprofit organization was a fundamental choice that influenced many of its operational aspects and decisions. John highlights that this structure eliminates the pressure to seek acquisition or external investment, allowing for more authentic decision-making. By prioritizing principles of transparency and integrity, the company promotes trust among users who benefit from a model that prioritizes community and purpose over profit. This framework ensures that even if John were to step away, Ghost’s mission would remain intact, safeguarded from financial pressures of a for-profit model.
Reflections on Challenges and Joy
John shares that the journey of building Ghost has been fraught with uncertainty and challenges, which are a natural part of entrepreneurship. He reflects on how the most joyful moments stem from team retreats where strong relationships flourish, highlighting the immense value of working with people who are both talented and enjoyable to be around. The camaraderie formed during these shared experiences often outweighs the pressures of product launches or media recognition. Ultimately, the connections and shared values among his team members play a pivotal role in his entrepreneurial journey.
Most people build a business to make money. But what if someone simply tried to build a better solution for a certain audience?
What if someone’s idea of success is a better, healthier balance between life, work, and one’s impact on an industry?
What if profit wasn’t the priority?
John O’Nolan was Deputy Head of Design at WordPress. In terms of business, he “made it” by anyone’s definition of success. But he wanted to make something else — something that didn’t exist for the sole purpose of creating wealth.
So he created Ghost.
Ghost is the stripped-down content platform for people who just want to share what they’ve got and build an audience. John developed Ghost under a radical business model: forget trying to make millions. Just make what people need. Period.
Today, John sits down with Omar for a good long chat about business, life, and prioritizing a healthy balance of the two.
From running a successful remote startup while kite-surfing around the world, to de-prioritizing profit, to leveraging your own unique strengths, this wide-ranging talk is a must-hear for any entrepreneur.
Tune in to one of the most enlightening conversations you’ll ever hear between two independent business founders, and ask yourself what’s really possible. Click play at the top of the page!
