Founder & Partner @ Kanvas | Foster Innovation, Develop Business Strategy, Drive Growth

Katie Nowak

It’s been 3 years without my dad.
Here’s what I'm reflecting on today -

My dad taught me to build a career that I loved.

He did that by taking me to his medical presentations and dinners around the world when I was young.

I remember I joined him at a private investigator meeting in Munich, Germany, and his colleagues were torn over whether or not Dr. Nowak’s 12-year-old daughter needed to sign an NDA to attend. 😂 

In that same meeting, he introduced himself as being from “Day-toi,” instead of Detroit, as everyone else was from various European cities. Lots of laughter ensued, and the whole room suddenly felt warmer, kinder. It was his magic.

Every time I travel internationally for work or step on stage (virtually or in-person), I think of my dad. 

Every time I make a pun or a joke in a meeting (approx 23408 times a day) and see my team light up, I think of my dad.

I wish I could share with him how watching his love of his work, and thus his love of people, all over the world fundamentally shaped who I am today….

…someone who loves what she does.

I often reflect on how I could someday pay this forward to my future family, someday.

How could I involve them in international travel? Have them attend my presentations or panels? Ask them to join me while I write invoices in my office? (That was hilarious - “what do you think, Kate, let’s add an hour, I read fast!!”) … and how might I make each shared moment more fun than the last?

Today, I’m reflecting that I hope to be even half of the role model that he was for me.

I hope this inspires a reflection for you, too - he would love that.

Miss you, dad.

—
I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Innovation Leader, New Venture Designer, Speaker @ Kanvas || Investor @ Altra Venture Partners

If you don’t have a moat for your business, you’re in trouble. 🤯 
A moat is exactly what it sounds like - 

the water around a castle.

If your moat is shallow, intruders can simply walk through it (with some inexpensive rain boots).

If your moat is deep and wide, intruders will have a harder time (requiring expensive speed boats, scuba gear, maybe a small airplane - you get the drift).

In business, moats are imperative.

Here are the two biggest moats to have on your radar:

✨ Technology moats.

A successful tech moat means your cost to deliver drops as you scale, and your switching costs keep rising with every new feature.

The best tech moats are often built via rare talent, intellectual property, budgets, and, historically, time.

Because software is easier to spin-up than ever,

We’re seeing tech moats shift to robotics, complex hardware, and deep infrastructure - things that are still slower, harder and more capital-intensive to replicate.

The harder your tech is to replicate, the deeper your moat!

✨ Distribution moats.

Not a tech person? 

Never fear - distribution moats are one of my favorite angles!

A successful distribution moat means the cost to acquire customers goes down over time, while your stickiness and engagement go up.

“Unique” paid marketing doesn’t go the mile anymore, as most have access to the same ad platforms, targeting tools, and growth hacks. 

Real distribution moats look more like:
+ Being embedded in someone else’s workflow (so ripping you out is painful)
+ Owning a community that actually shows up for you, not just follows you
+ Ecosystem partnerships - my favorite are ones where your “competitors” quietly become your best channels

-

As someone who deeply enjoys all movies/books with magic, this castle analogy makes my heart warm.

I hope that it helps you memorialize how you think about moats in your business.

So, tell us - which of these moats are you most excited about - either in your company, or in the industry as a whole?

Bonus points if you share a moat you've noticed in the wild!

See you in the comments. 😎 

PS - this photo is of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. It is as beautiful as it is hard to pronounce!! It does not have a water-based moat, but certainly has elevation on its side - proving that the best moats often don't look alike.

—
I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

The Nation Fund for Independent Journalism

Created a scalable high school journalism fellowship and oversee operation. 
➔ This innovative paid fellowship has 100% student retention, focuses on college persistence and career readiness and includes a custom 22-month curriculum, dedicated teacher and mentor, inspiring guest speakers, and a partnership with Title I NYC public schools.

Strategic Advisor

Transformed The Nation, LLC. by creating, from conception to operation, The Nation Fund for Independent Journalism, a new business venture and separate non-profit entity dedicated to ensuring the future of independent journalism by finding and training future generations of journalists.  
➔ Launched a start-up non-profit organization (The Fund) into a downturn economy and uncertain future. Created a secure base of support through targeted messaging and secured a 300%+ increase in grassroots donors in 2022. 
➔ Expanded program offerings and increased the organization’s footprint through monetization of The Nation Classroom by making it available to university libraries and increasing the recruitment funnel for future journalists by reimagining the Student Journalism Conference to include high school students.
➔ Defined goals for business units and the board; created strategy to expand name recognition and donor base.

Executive Director / Chief Executive Officer

The Nation

Strategic consultant for the Editorial Director and Publisher of The Nation, to help the company maintain and build on momentum and expand reach ensure the future of this independent outlet.
➔ Develop strategy and negotiate renewal of collective bargaining agreement. 
➔ Consult with the Publisher on revenue and expense control strategy.

Strategic Consultant

Developed and implemented strategy to expand reach and impact of a 159-year-old brand while expanding potential for growth. 
➔ Verticals are key to supporting the financial needs of independent publishers.  Developed and drove strategy to engage community and generate revenue. Expanded group travel program from three destinations to 15 - including a Civil Rights Tour of the South, the subject of a powerful documentary short. Expanded newsletter topics and database, and increased digital and audio offerings.  
➔ In an industry with contracting revenue potential, reversed that trend by growing paid subscriptions, fostering new heights in direct-sold advertising, and overseeing unprecedented fundraising success – all resulting in a 30% improvement to the bottom line.
➔ Management liaison with guild, creating successful outcomes for the company and engendering team loyalty.
➔ Winner of the prestigious Folio’s “Top 100” award, in recognition of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.

President

Shain + Oringer

Pre-seed start-up. Recruited as Employee #1 following the two co-founders. Grew 8x over the subsequent five-year period.
➔ Determined staffing and resource needs and developed a new business strategy to bring in new clients. 
➔ Created strong organization culture with zero regrettable attrition by developing talent to fill roles from within and expanding opportunities for staff.

Managing Director

TV Guide Magazine, LLC

Promoted multiple times based on the successful work in audience development, brand image, and web presence expansion for the $100M business. 
➔ Additional Roles Held: Marketing Director (Renewals and Bills & Audience Development), Circulation Director  
➔ Managed teams through multiple transitions, retaining all staff amid multiple rounds of layoffs.

VP, Consumer Marketing | Circulation Director | Marketing Director, Audience Development 

Forbes Magazine

Directed customer retention programs for 4 magazines and 6 financial newsletters. Grew renewal rates by 7% YoY.

Subscription Director, Retention / Operations

Playboy

Received multiple promotions, including being trusted to develop a new role (first Subscription Promotion Director at the company). Developed and directed a subscription marketing promotion that generated $45M in annual revenue. Earned PEI Award for outstanding contribution to company.

Subscription Promotion Director

I believe in the power and promise of journalism to connect communities and give people the information they need to better their lives.

I am visionary and strategic because I’ve done the work to earn these skills.

Reading and writing taught me how to seek information and make connections others might miss. I developed critical thinking skills and when I landed my first job in marketing, I discovered numbers tell a story — the story of a company’s lifeline — so I learned how to read them. I honed my skills and expanded my understanding of market forces.

As president of The Nation, I steered a national media company. I learned leadership can (and should) take many forms and change and an entrepreneurial mindset  — with care for culture and people — is possible anywhere. I changed the corporate structure, spinning educational programs into a new/separate entity. The Nation Fund for Independent Journalism took financial pressure off the magazine and gave more light and air to the goal of ensuring the future of independent press. 
 
Change opens doors and with the new non-profit, I created and launched an innovative fellowship: The Fellowship for the Future of Journalism. This  paid, two-year fellowship is designed to scale and widen and deepen the educational funnel, paving the path to a career in journalism for students from historically underserved communities.

I deliver outstanding productivity and exceed goals across any size budget. I have a knack for understanding what stakeholders, within a company and larger community, need and developing new revenue streams.

I put my values into action.
 
I’ve seen, firsthand, the power of local journalism. For the past three years, I’ve served on the board for my local paper, the Harpswell Anchor. I’m honored to work alongside a dedicated team to deliver independent journalism and I’m thrilled and humbled by the community’s reaction.
 
My monthly column, Never Not Amazed, is a connection point. I wrote about Halloween and a neighbor told me about the time she dressed her son as a tea bag. I wrote about aging, a reader suggest a book. And when the newspaper invites supporters to a party to celebrate local news, the community shows up.
 
I know connection is possible in communities across the country and with my experience, I can make a difference.
 
Another door is opening. I can’t wait to tell you about it.

Stay tuned!

Strategic Planning | Financial Stewardship | Product & Audience Development | Direct Marketing | Customer Acquisition & Retention | Journalism | Training & Development | Turnarounds

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Erin O'Mara

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Likes

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