Kajabi Manifesto: The Next Era
A Moment Fifteen Years in the Making
October 14, 2025, marks exactly fifteen years since Kajabi first launched into the world.
It all started with a toy I built for my kids… three little boys who loved to be outside. I made an arch out of sprinkler pipes, hooked it up to the garden hose, and it would mist water down as they rode their bikes and scooters through it. We called it the “Crazy Spray.” The neighborhood kids would come over, and before long, parents started asking where they could buy one.
At the time, I was a software developer by trade… writing code all day, but craving something that got my hands dirty and maybe something that could make me a little extra money. I thought maybe I’d start a little side business building and selling these toys. But it didn’t take long to realize how hard physical products are... parts, packaging, shipping giant pieces of PVC pipe. I decided it would be much more fun to just teach other parents how to make them instead.
So I filmed a few videos showing each step, wrote up some instructions and a Home Depot shopping list, and thought, “Okay, now how do I sell this online?” That’s when I realized there wasn’t an easy way to do it. I didn’t want to hire a developer or piece together a bunch of tools... I just wanted a simple way to share what I knew and get it into the hands of people who wanted it.
And that’s where Kajabi was born.
The idea was simple: everyone knows something... from their life experience, career, or passion. And that knowledge… when packaged and shared… can change lives. I saw it firsthand with a backyard toy. And fifteen years later, I’ve watched it happen again and again across hundreds of thousands of creators around the world.
This anniversary isn’t nostalgia... it’s redefining. The same spirit that sparked Kajabi in that little backyard project is alive… now wiser, hungrier, and more focused than ever.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to return with founder energy, and Kajabi’s next era begins now.
My Return and Why It Matters
Just over four years ago, I stepped down as CEO to focus on my wife Kim’s battle with cancer... At the time, nothing else mattered more to me than being there for her and our boys, and the stakes at Kajabi were just too high to attempt to juggle all of it. It was the best decision at the time, and after walking through some hard seasons, by God’s grace, Kim’s thriving today, and our boys are out of the house pursuing college and careers.
During those years, I stayed close to Kajabi, serving as Executive Chairman, cheering the team on, and watching from a little more distance than I was accustomed. Kajabi kept growing. The business stayed strong. By all outside measures, things were “moving forward.”
But deep down, I knew moving forward isn’t why Kajabi exists. It doesn’t change industries. It doesn’t spark movements. It doesn’t light people up inside.
Before I go any further, please know: my return isn’t about fixing something broken. Our team has led Kajabi with steadiness and integrity through challenging, complex years, and I’m deeply grateful for that.
When one day there’s a book written about the creator economy, I don’t want to see Kajabi as a passing mention or a forgotten early pioneer. I want it to be OUR story… the one that defined what this entire industry became.
That’s why I’m back. Because there’s still so much left to build, and I simply can’t look back one day wishing I’d done more.
Why We’re Returning… Together
For those who don’t know, Jonathan “JCron” Cronstedt has been a part of Kajabi’s story for a long time. He joined early, back in 2011, and quickly became one of the most impactful leaders we’ve ever had… the kind of person who could take the vision in my head and articulate it even better than I could. He just got it. From marketing and communications to understanding our Heroes on a deeply human level, JCron helped give Kajabi its voice.
When I made the decision to step down in 2021, he decided to do the same. That tells you a lot about his character.
JCron and I have always worked incredibly well together. We think differently, but we move together. Even after stepping out of the day-to-day, we both stayed close to the company as board members… still talking constantly about Kajabi, what was working, what wasn’t, and how much potential was still waiting to be unlocked. Kajabi has always meant too much to both of us to ever truly step away.
Over time, those conversations turned into conviction. The more we talked, the clearer it became that Kajabi still had another level in it… and after establishing a category, it was time to do it again.
So we made the decision together.
I asked JCron to join me as Co-CEO… not to divide leadership or complicate it, but to multiply what’s possible. We share the same vision, the same urgency, and the same belief in what Kajabi can still become. Our strengths are different, but they overlap in all the ways that matter… each of us bringing a unique lens to the same mission, and sharpening the other along the way. That partnership has always been built on trust, clarity, and complementary strengths… and that’s exactly what this moment calls for.
We’re here to reignite Kajabi’s ability to innovate, to take bold swings, and to win again. Kajabi isn’t being rebuilt... it’s being reborn.
Why Kajabi Exists
Our Unchanging Why
Kajabi was created for one simple reason: to help people share what they know and change lives because of it.
Early on, I started calling our customers “Kajabi Heroes.” It wasn’t a marketing term… it was the most accurate word I could think of. Because they really are the heroes of this story... not us. They’re the ones doing the work, taking the risks, and putting their hearts on the line to teach, serve, and create.
It’s incredible to hear about the Heroes who’ve gone on to build multi-million-dollar empires using Kajabi… those stories inspire everyone. But what moves me just as much are the quiet, powerful ones. Like the mom with five kids who’d struggled financially for years and used Kajabi to make enough to finally buy a dining room table big enough for her whole family to sit around and eat together. Or the man in a wheelchair who, at one of our live events, asked his caretakers to help him stand just so he could give me a hug… because Kajabi had changed his life.
Those are the moments that remind me why this company exists.
Kajabi isn’t about software… it’s about transformation. It’s about helping real people take what they know, turn it into something valuable, and watch it ripple out to change their lives and the lives of others.
Every decision we make… every feature we build, every campaign we run, every policy we set… has to start and end with our Heroes in mind. Their success is our success.
That’s who we are. That’s why Kajabi exists.
What’s Changed
The world looks a lot different than it did when we started. Back then, content took effort. You had to actually know something, create something, and put yourself out there.
Now, with the rise of AI, the internet is flooded with what can only be described as slop… endless, soulless noise that sounds confident but says nothing. There’s more content than ever before... and somehow less meaning in all of it.
Anyone can click a button and churn out an article, a script, a course, or a post. But what’s missing is the human part… the credibility, the lived experience, the trust. The stuff you can’t fake with a prompt.
That’s the opportunity. Because in this new world where anyone can create, people are desperate for something real. They want to learn from humans who have actually been there... who have done the work, earned the scars, and come out the other side with wisdom to share.
The next decade won’t belong to those who create the most content… it will belong to those who create the most trust.
That’s where Kajabi comes in.
We’re not here to compete with the noise… we’re here to rise above it. Kajabi will be the home for real human experts... the place where credibility still matters, where stories still mean something, and where AI becomes an accelerant, not a replacement.
Kajabi is becoming the operating system for human expertise… a place where technology amplifies people, not the other way around.
Our Core Belief
AI isn’t the enemy... it’s an accelerant.
When used the right way, it doesn’t replace human intelligence… it amplifies it. It helps people create faster, think bigger, and reach farther. It can remove friction, automate the boring stuff, and free up more space for what actually matters: human creativity, empathy, and insight.
But make no mistake... AI can also cheapen things when it’s used without thought. It can drown out the real voices, blur originality, and make everything sound the same. The world doesn’t need more generated words… it needs more genuine wisdom.
And that’s the role we’re here to play. Kajabi exists to make sure the humans with wisdom, experience, and heart are the ones who win in this new world. We believe technology should serve the creator, not the other way around.
So we’ll embrace AI… but we’ll do it differently. We’ll use it to elevate the human element, not erase it. Because in the end, what changes lives isn’t the algorithm... it’s the authenticity behind it.
The Opportunity Before Us
The Expert Economy Is Evolving
It’s time to look forward… to the opportunity sitting right in front of us.
For years, people have called what we do the “creator economy.” And sure, that label caught on... it sounds modern, exciting, even a little glamorous.
But the truth is, Kajabi has always been bigger than that. The creator economy is part of what we do… but it’s only one circle inside a much larger one: the Expert Economy.
Most of the people who’ve built life-changing businesses on Kajabi wouldn’t call themselves “creators.” They’re not chasing clicks or trying to be influencers. They’re experts… people who have actually done something and now want to share it. Lawyers. Physical therapists. Parenting coaches. Musicians. Pastors. Sleep consultants. Real people with real experience and something worth teaching.
Creators belong here too… and we’ll keep serving them… but this next era of Kajabi expands the definition. Because whether you call yourself a creator, a coach, or a clinician, if you’re helping others through what you know… you’re part of what we’re building next.
What’s happening now is that AI is democratizing creation. Anyone can generate content in seconds. And while that’s powerful, it’s also making the world noisier than ever. Everyone’s talking... but very few are saying anything worth hearing.
Authenticity can’t be automated.
Real expertise… the kind that’s earned through years of practice, trials, and lived experience… is becoming scarce. And scarcity drives value.
That’s Kajabi’s opportunity. To build the platform that helps real experts stand out, get discovered, and lead in a world drowning in generic content. To make sure the people with wisdom… not just words… are the ones who win. The ones who are truly bringing value to the world.
Human Intelligence at Scale
Kajabi’s next era is about one big idea: scaling human intelligence.
Not replacing it. Not automating it out of existence. But building the tools, systems, and connections that help real people share what they know faster, easier, and farther than ever before.
We’re building a future where real expertise rises above AI noise, where trust becomes the new currency, and where our Heroes can build faster and go farther than ever before.
Everything we’re doing from here forward is built around three pillars… each one designed to help real experts get discovered, supported, and scaled in an AI-driven world.
The Three Pillars:
- Discovery & Trust – elevating real expertise above AI noise and making trust the new currency.
- AI-Augmented Execution – helping our Heroes build faster and go farther with smart, integrated tools.
- Networked Growth – creating connections that compound reach, learning, and momentum across the Kajabi ecosystem.
What matters most here is the core idea: every product we build, every system we design, exists to help real human experts thrive in an AI-driven world.
What We Stand For
The Hero Above All
Kajabi has always been driven by customer success first, with the product following that lead.
Every line of code we write, every feature we ship, every decision we make should connect back to one thing: helping our Heroes build real, sustainable businesses that change their lives. Their success is the only scoreboard that matters.
From the beginning, the goal wasn’t to build the flashiest platform or win design awards… it was to help our Heroes win. When they succeed, we succeed. It’s that simple.
We don’t chase vanity metrics or build for applause. We build for real people… creators, teachers, and entrepreneurs using Kajabi to create freedom for themselves and impact for others.
The financial health of Kajabi has always been, and will always be, the result of our Heroes’ real-world success. Every subscription payment, every milestone, every success story… it all traces back to someone out there making a living, changing a life, or creating something that matters using Kajabi.
That’s what fuels this company. Not buzzwords. Not optics, but real people finding real success because of what we build.
Every Touchpoint Tells the Story
Whether it’s support, billing, or a success call, every moment with a Hero builds or breaks trust. That’s why Customer Experience sits at the center of our strategy, not the edge of it.
Telling the Truth Loudly
Great marketing doesn’t create hype... it reveals truth. Kajabi’s story has always been about real people building real freedom, and our job is to tell that story louder, clearer, and more often.
We should be proud of what we build, and unafraid to shout it from the rooftops. Every improvement, every new feature, every win that helps our Heroes succeed deserves to be seen and celebrated. We can’t assume they’ll find it… we have to show them.
That’s why we’ll communicate more, not less. Momentum matters. Every announcement, every launch, every Hero story reminds the world... and ourselves... what’s possible on Kajabi.
We Don’t Play Business
Kajabi was built by people who were scrappy, creative, and driven to make things happen. That spirit still runs through everything we do. We move fast, stay focused on what matters, and measure success by what helps our Heroes win… not by how busy we look doing it. Because at Kajabi, progress beats polish, and action is what changes lives.
The Rallying Cry
Fifteen years in... and Kajabi is just getting started.
We defined this category. We proved that one idea, shared with the world, can change lives. We turned expertise into entrepreneurship and gave people the tools to build freedom for themselves and their families.
Now, it’s time to redefine it... for a new era.
An era where AI is everywhere, and trust is rare. Where anyone can publish anything, but only the real ones stand out. Kajabi will be the place where human intelligence, authenticity, and purpose rise above the noise.
We were here at the beginning of this movement... and we’ll lead it into what’s next. This is our moment to make Kajabi’s magic faster, braver, and more united than ever before.
And we want to do it with you…
We’ve both been part of Kajabi’s story since the early days... when this company was fueled by grit, creativity, and a deep belief in what was possible (not to mention a few embarrassing marketing videos lost to the sands of time). That belief never faded, and in fact, it’s what’s bringing us back. It’s the conviction that Kajabi’s best chapter isn’t behind us... it’s ahead of us.
Our mission is simple: to make Kajabi legendary.
AI can replicate the what.
Only humans deliver the who and the why.
Kajabi will make sure the world knows the difference.
Kajabi was born in a backyard. It became a movement. And now, with the world watching, it’s the home for human intelligence.
Because the world doesn’t need more automation… it needs more authenticity.
Let’s lead that return. Together.
— Kenny & JCron