Hey, Reader —
A lot of content you breeze past. Some stops your scroll.
But every so often, a visual comes along that doesn’t just explain an idea, it locks it in your brain.
Kyle Adams’ Warm Growth matrix is one of those rare visuals.
In a single 2x2 chart, it captures his philosophy of “Warm Growth,” a mindset that favors resonance over reach, and connection over clout, when building an audience. It doesn’t just tell you what Kyle believes, it shows you.
This is what makes it a signature framework: a clear, memorable visual that turns a proprietary idea into something easy to grasp and hard to forget.
“Warm Growth is about building trust and real human connection,” Kyle explains, rather than chasing growth at any cost or gaming the algorithm.
The result is a visual that feels simple yet profound, one that helps you understand his idea, feel its truth, and instantly see where you stand inside it.
Identify the tension
The strength of Kyle’s Warm Growth matrix is that it does what great 2×2 frameworks do. It identifies a tension and offers fresh insight into how two contrasting elements interact.
On the horizontal axis, Kyle maps Reach, or the extent of your message’s travel, and a measure of visibility and audience size.
On the vertical axis, he maps Resonance, or the depth of connection your message fosters. Both axes range from low to high.
Within these axes are four quadrants that reveal the “placement” of his ideas.
Kyle’s matrix uses intuitive definitions of broad categories and action-oriented, insightful terms. (Note his carefully crafted phrases to identify each quadrant’s distinct qualities.)
- Invisible Noise (low reach, low resonance)
Content that lacks impact and connection. It’s published but forgotten.
- Viral Chaser (high reach, low resonance)
Flashy but fleeting content that gains views (but no loyalty) before disappearing.
- Beloved but Unseen (high resonance, low reach)
Meaningful work that connects deeply but remains buried or overlooked.
- Warm Growth (high resonance, high reach)
The ideal balance of lasting resonance and wide, growing reach. This growth remains personal, sustainable, and human-centered.
Kyle’s framework doesn’t just simplify an idea, it illustrates the nuances behind it. The design and meaning work together to help viewers understand the idea and feel its impact.
Create your own signature framework
If you’ve been circling around a big idea — something that defines how you think — a 2x2 matrix might be the clearest way to express it.
Here’s where to start:
- What are the two forces at play?
What’s the core tension that defines your idea?
- How do they interact?
What happens when one increases, and the other doesn’t?
- What lives in the top-right quadrant?
That’s the ideal state you want to promote.
A signature framework is more than just a model. It’s a mirror for how you see the world. It can also be one of the most valuable tools you can create to make your ideas visible, shareable, and memorable.
Dive deeper into Kyle’s thinking (and his newsletter) at Creator Glue.
A time machine in flat-pack form
Ever wish you could time-travel through Scandinavian design? The IKEA Museum has digitized every catalogue from 1951–2021. That’s seven decades of color palettes, typography, and design trends that defined how we live.
From Ingvar Kamprad’s handwritten copy in the 1950s to the bold photography of the 1970s and the clean calm of the 2000s, each issue captures the spirit of its time. Have fun time-traveling through the digital collection!
Snapshots mislead, motion reveals
Seth Godin points to a 150-year animation of global temperatures, and how it makes the climate crisis impossible to ignore.
A static chart might dull the urgency. In motion, the trend becomes clear and undeniable. Insight comes from watching the story unfold.
When would animation support your message better than a snapshot?
We’re not the exception, we’re the economy!
Solo businesses now make up 6.8% of U.S. economic activity, contributing $1.7 trillion annually (yes, that's a T!). We’re all part of this. As software gets smarter and marketing gets more personalized, solopreneurs are driving a massive shift toward autonomy, creativity, and flexibility.
This isn’t a trend, it’s a transformation — and we’re leading it. Here's the CNBC article, along with the Census Bureau data.
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Until next week: Stay small. Play big.
Terri
P.S. When you’re ready for more, here are a few resources from the Solo Business School:
Want to send a question or comment? Please do — I read (and respond to) my email.
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Authority By Design is a registered trademark, and Content Velocity and Working Solo are trademarks, of Make International LLC. Issue #086.