Rest of World -...
The U.S. shouldn’t make its semiconductor policy all about China
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
a year ago
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
Tech + Economics +...
The worst part of tech layoffs? The corporate bullshit.
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO,...
11 months ago
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO, told employees in a letter published on a
corporate blog, that the company will also “scale back the number of
contracts we have within our alternate workforce over the...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on mobile
People tend to lump smartphones and tablets together as “mobile”. This can be misleading. Ask people...
over a year ago
People tend to lump smartphones and tablets together as “mobile”. This can be misleading. Ask people who run internet companies and they’ll…
Rest of World -...
The capybara influencer revolt
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement...
a year ago
A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement ensued.
Tech + Economics +...
What are the conservatives going to do - talk to each other?
The fundamental truth at the heart of right-wing communities: the
satisfaction derived from...
a year ago
The fundamental truth at the heart of right-wing communities: the
satisfaction derived from sharing their viewpoints and beliefs is
intrinsically linked to the presence of a progressive adversary who will
respond to them. It's not the platform that matters, nor the freedom...
Unpacked
Y Combinator W23 batch, AI value chain and startup trends
YCombinator (YC), the renowned Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator, recently announced their...
a year ago
YCombinator (YC), the renowned Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator, recently announced their Winter 2023 cohort and, unsurprisingly, ~31% of startups have a self-reported AI tag.
Rest of World -...
Chinese EV upstarts to battle Japanese heavyweights for Thailand’s pickup truck market
Toyota and Isuzu have long dominated Thailand’s pickup truck market. As they prepare to launch EV...
5 months ago
Toyota and Isuzu have long dominated Thailand’s pickup truck market. As they prepare to launch EV trucks, they face competition from Chinese firms.
David Perell
Annual Review 2021
I’ll start this Annual Review by reflecting on 2021. I’ll share highlights and reflect on the goals...
over a year ago
I’ll start this Annual Review by reflecting on 2021. I’ll share highlights and reflect on the goals I set at the beginning of the year. Later, I’ll outline how I plan to improve my life and set a new vision for 2022.
The post Annual Review 2021 appeared first on David Perell.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
It’s hard to believe today, but 10 years ago Wikipedia was widely considered a doomed experiment…
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and...
over a year ago
Today, Wikipedia is widely considered an invaluable resource. There are occasional errors and controversies, but for the most part it…
Aaron's Essays
The hot round fallacy
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on Feb 16.
Here's a fun...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on Feb 16.
Here's a fun little paradox in fundraising: Founders and the media love to talk about how quickly funding rounds happen these days—think about the big, rapid-fire raises...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product"
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product. And as you evolve that…
Rest of World -...
How China’s hottest social media app turned Düsseldorf into a foodie destination
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
a year ago
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
Noahpinion
Harris has the right idea on housing
It has to be managed as both a consumer good and as an asset class.
4 months ago
It has to be managed as both a consumer good and as an asset class.
AVC
Voice Input
Smartphones have had voice input for over a decade now and yet I don’t know that many people who use...
a year ago
Smartphones have had voice input for over a decade now and yet I don’t know that many people who use voice input regularly. I would guess that maybe 10 to 20% of smartphone users are using voice input regularly. That’s a guess based on absolutely no data other than observing...
Platformer
Reddit doubles down
Delaying its API changes would benefit everyone — but users have other options, too
a year ago
Delaying its API changes would benefit everyone — but users have other options, too
Dustin Curtis
How to host a static website with HTTPS on AWS, using S3 and CloudFront
Amazon’s AWS is an inexpensive and limitlessly scalable platform that can be ideal for hosting fast,...
over a year ago
Amazon’s AWS is an inexpensive and limitlessly scalable platform that can be ideal for hosting fast, secure, and reliable static websites. I host several sites using the method described below, and it costs me pennies per month. The only problem is that getting things set...
Unpacked
Regulating AI: The case for a mechanisms-based approach
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on,...
a year ago
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on, and avoids unintended consequences of brute force approaches
Rest of World -...
How Shein and TikTok Shop are trying to shake the ‘Made in China’ reputation
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
a year ago
Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.
Rest of World -...
Why Tesla isn’t worried about BYD
Two companies, two visions of our EV future.
11 months ago
Two companies, two visions of our EV future.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#24)
Economists had a good 2023, degrowthers promising growth, the troubles in the humanities, U.S....
11 months ago
Economists had a good 2023, degrowthers promising growth, the troubles in the humanities, U.S. redistribution, and defense production
Rest of World -...
Apple should tell Indians what it knows about politicians’ phones being hacked
The Silicon Valley giant’s muted public response after several Indian opposition leaders received a...
a year ago
The Silicon Valley giant’s muted public response after several Indian opposition leaders received a message that their devices may be compromised is doing more harm.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
New York City is poised for a tech revival
One thing that was puzzling about the “web 2.0 boom” from 2003-2008 was how irrelevant the East...
over a year ago
One thing that was puzzling about the “web 2.0 boom” from 2003-2008 was how irrelevant the East Coast, and particular New York City, was…
Platformer
The AI industry really should slow down a little
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
a year ago
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
Noahpinion
Refusing to teach kids math will not improve equity
We have public schools for a reason.
a year ago
We have public schools for a reason.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Big timing
“Big timing” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately which refers to people who are “higher ranking”...
over a year ago
“Big timing” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately which refers to people who are “higher ranking” acting disrespectfully toward people who…
AVC
The Newest Members of the USV Team
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our...
a year ago
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our tradition at USV. When someone starts at USV, we ask them to write a post on the USV blog introducing themselves. This helps founders who come to talk to us about their companies...
Tech + Economics +...
AI does not produce reliable information. As Donald Trump's lawyer has fucked around and found out.
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial...
11 months ago
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial intelligence program to generate bogus legal citations in his
motion for early termination of his supervised release.
Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
App store shenanigans
I’ve downloaded and tested a few hundred iPhone and iPad apps. One thing that I’ve noticed is that...
over a year ago
I’ve downloaded and tested a few hundred iPhone and iPad apps. One thing that I’ve noticed is that many of the top rated and ranked apps…
Steve Blank
How To Find Your Customer In the Dept of Defense – The Directory of DoD Program Executive Offices
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to?...
3 months ago
Finding a customer for your product in the Department of Defense is hard: Who should you talk to? How do you get their attention? How do you know if they have money to spend on your product? It almost always starts with a Program Executive Office. The Department of Defense (DoD)...
Aaron's Essays
The Hindsight Game
There are all kinds of strategies for evaluating startup ideas - investors talk about having a...
a year ago
There are all kinds of strategies for evaluating startup ideas - investors talk about having a “prepared mind,” others build market maps, I like to think about toys, and we could go on. What everyone wants to do is predict the future. That’s honestly impossible. But we can...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#25)
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry,...
11 months ago
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry, and the effect of corporate tax cuts
Noahpinion
Don't be a decel
Technological progress must be harnessed, not fought
a year ago
Technological progress must be harnessed, not fought
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why does it matter that Twitter is supplanting RSS?
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing....
over a year ago
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing. Andrew Weissman had a very reasonable…
Inverted Passion
Notes on how Supercell is run
Supercell, the company behind the massively popular Clash of Clans game, has one of the highest...
a year ago
Supercell, the company behind the massively popular Clash of Clans game, has one of the highest valuation per employee figures out there: they’re valued at $32mn per employee. That’s insane! How do they do it? 1/ What struck me is the sheer number of games they kill each year?...
Noahpinion
Thus passes Robert Lucas
Farewell to the most influential macroeconomist of his generation.
a year ago
Farewell to the most influential macroeconomist of his generation.
Noahpinion
How do you deal with real, actual Nazis?
They come back every few decades, spreading the same old lies.
3 months ago
They come back every few decades, spreading the same old lies.
Paul Graham: Essays
What You'll Wish You'd Known
over a year ago
AVC
The Daily Bolster
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for...
a year ago
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for startups and growth companies. This week Bolster launched a daily short (5min) podcast and email with actionable insights and advice from founders, operators, and investors. It is...
Paul Graham: Essays
The Top Idea in Your Mind
over a year ago
Blog posts of...
My Addressbook? Keep it. Telephone numbers are a disgrace to our generation.
There is all this talk going on about Path uploading address books and privacy here privacy there. I...
over a year ago
There is all this talk going on about Path uploading address books and privacy here privacy there. I understand the fact that Star...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“PCs are going to be like trucks”
Steve Jobs in 2010: When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were trucks because that’s what you...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 2010: When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were trucks because that’s what you needed on the farms. Cars became more…
Rest of World -...
An end of an era for Latin American tech
Foreign businesses are making strides in the region while local tech companies reshuffle.
a year ago
Foreign businesses are making strides in the region while local tech companies reshuffle.
Platformer
Why TikTok's future has never been so cloudy
ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans — and a spying...
a year ago
ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans — and a spying scandal
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How We Got To Now
I really enjoyed Steven Johnson's How We Got To Now. I read a lot of history and science books, but...
over a year ago
I really enjoyed Steven Johnson's How We Got To Now. I read a lot of history and science books, but this book stood out because 1) the…
Rest of World -...
Domestic work in Vietnam: The 5-star butler who naps on the steps
She cooks, cleans, and has a key. But she also naps in stairwells and eats in hallways.
a year ago
She cooks, cleans, and has a key. But she also naps in stairwells and eats in hallways.
Business Brainstorms
Hiring a geo-guesser, change merchants, one distribution channel is all it takes
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “request for service: roast my onboarding for SaaS...
Rest of World -...
Amid a surge in violence in Tijuana, ride-hailing apps and authorities implement new safety measures
Uber launched a panic button linked to state-run emergency centers to keep drivers and users safe —...
3 months ago
Uber launched a panic button linked to state-run emergency centers to keep drivers and users safe — but violence remains unabated.
Rest of World -...
Apple suppliers are scrambling to fill over 40,000 jobs in Vietnam
Foxconn and Luxshare slashed workers. But under pressure to expand away from China, they suddenly...
a year ago
Foxconn and Luxshare slashed workers. But under pressure to expand away from China, they suddenly need them back.
Paul Graham: Essays
Why to Move to a Startup Hub
over a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Watterson and Art Over Commerce
PLUS: Election Betting, Selling to Costco and AI in Hollywood.
a month ago
PLUS: Election Betting, Selling to Costco and AI in Hollywood.
Blog posts of...
Drafting your first investment round.
The topic of investing is omnipresent in our startup world. Sooner or later most startup founders...
over a year ago
The topic of investing is omnipresent in our startup world. Sooner or later most startup founders look for external funding. And i...
Roberto Vitillo's...
Don't trust default timeouts
Modern applications don't crash; they hang. One of the main reasons for it is the assumption that...
over a year ago
Modern applications don't crash; they hang. One of the main reasons for it is the assumption that the network is reliable. It isn't. When…
Essays - Benedict...
AI and problems of scale
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to...
7 months ago
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to automate at a massive scale. Sometimes a change in
scale is a change in principle.
Noahpinion
Hispanics as the new Irish
A historical analogy to help us understand the present moment.
11 months ago
A historical analogy to help us understand the present moment.
Stephen Diehl
Haskell for Web Developers
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
India shuts down the internet far more than any other country
The country had 771 blackouts between 2016 and 2023, and there have been 51 so far this year. We...
2 months ago
The country had 771 blackouts between 2016 and 2023, and there have been 51 so far this year. We mapped the affected areas.
David Perell
Surrendering to Your Nature
A mark of maturity is surrendering to the person you actually are instead of the one you wish you...
a year ago
A mark of maturity is surrendering to the person you actually are instead of the one you wish you were.
The post Surrendering to Your Nature appeared first on David Perell.
Platformer
Why note-taking apps don't make us smarter
They're designed for storage, not sparking insights. Can AI change that?
a year ago
They're designed for storage, not sparking insights. Can AI change that?
Aaron's Essays
Asymmetries in Fundraising
Too often, founders approach fundraising as if they are supplicants to the investors. They...
over a year ago
Too often, founders approach fundraising as if they are supplicants to the investors. They understand that fundraising features many asymmetries, but the founders mostly see the asymmetries that are tilted towards the investors. Here’s the thing - in today’s market, the...
SatPost by Trung...
The Reading Unlock
Entrepreneurs influenced by a single read include Joe Coulombe, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Morris Chang,...
a year ago
Entrepreneurs influenced by a single read include Joe Coulombe, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Morris Chang, Sarah Blakely, Chip Wilson and Phil Knight.
Rest of World -...
Alibaba.com’s U.S. expansion hinges on wooing mom-and-pop shops
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about...
3 months ago
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about the U.S. market.
Noahpinion
New Industrialist Roundup 2024
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
4 months ago
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Software Has Eaten The Media
As I wrote a year ago in The Rot Economy (and as I argued on the first episode of my podcast Better...
9 months ago
As I wrote a year ago in The Rot Economy (and as I argued on the first episode of my podcast Better Offline), I believe that both public and private markets have become decoupled from the concept of "good business," ruled instead by a hunger for the eternal
SatPost by Trung...
How Hermès Sells "Time"
The ~$250B French luxury giant creates the most sought after leather bags through craftsmanship,...
10 months ago
The ~$250B French luxury giant creates the most sought after leather bags through craftsmanship, heritage and long-term thinking.
Working Theorys
The Granny Hobby Protocol
And the hands-on, thumbs-off economy
8 months ago
And the hands-on, thumbs-off economy
Noahpinion
Progressives need to learn to take the W
Outrage is only one motivation for change, and it comes with a cost.
3 months ago
Outrage is only one motivation for change, and it comes with a cost.
Rest of World -...
The most popular payment app in the Philippines has a side bet: online gambling
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in...
2 months ago
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in the country, particularly among women.
Paul Graham: Essays
A Fundraising Survival Guide
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Why some franchises go downhill while others stay great
A little break from our typical economics fare.
6 months ago
A little break from our typical economics fare.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
There are two kinds of people in the world
You’ve either started a company or you haven’t. ”Started” doesn’t mean joining as an early...
over a year ago
You’ve either started a company or you haven’t. ”Started” doesn’t mean joining as an early employee, or investing or advising or helping…
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Innovation Fallacy
3 months ago
Tech + Economics +...
Internet access is a human right.
Fast, reliable and independent internet access is no longer a luxury or a
convenience. It has...
12 months ago
Fast, reliable and independent internet access is no longer a luxury or a
convenience. It has become a necessity and a function of modern society.
The digital divide, the gap between those with and without internet access,
has profound implications for an individual's...
Rest of World -...
Google’s Gemini problem will be even worse outside the U.S.
It’s hard to keep a stereotyping machine out of trouble.
9 months ago
It’s hard to keep a stereotyping machine out of trouble.
42!
Founders - Don't just build another job for yourself
I was having pre-Christmas lunch with Paul*, one of my best friends from middle school a couple of...
over a year ago
I was having pre-Christmas lunch with Paul*, one of my best friends from middle school a couple of weeks back. However, as soon as he sat down at our table and I asked him how he was, he surprisingly announced that he would be closing his business at the end of the year.
I was...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why the web economy will continue growing rapidly
Here’s the really good news for the web economy over the next decade. Consumers are spending more...
over a year ago
Here’s the really good news for the web economy over the next decade. Consumers are spending more and more time online, yet only about 1…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#27)
Chaos Climbers, gender wars, union wars, social media toxicity, a good spending bill, and urban...
10 months ago
Chaos Climbers, gender wars, union wars, social media toxicity, a good spending bill, and urban agglomeration
SatPost by Trung...
Francis Ford Coppola: The Entrepreneur
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
3 months ago
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
Rest of World -...
Stifled at home, Tunisian tech finds success in the West
Acquisitions of InstaDeep and Expensya, which focused on international customers, are inspiring...
a year ago
Acquisitions of InstaDeep and Expensya, which focused on international customers, are inspiring Tunisian entrepreneurs to look outside the country.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Is it a tech bubble?
Every week a “we are in a tech bubble” article seems to come out in a major newspaper or blog....
over a year ago
Every week a “we are in a tech bubble” article seems to come out in a major newspaper or blog. People who argue we aren’t in a bubble are…
Business Brainstorms
Madden ratings for humans, power plus difficulty equals virality, and things that don't work
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Madden Ratings for Humans “startup idea: madden ratings for humans if...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Noahpinion
Stop saying "there is no decoupling". There is!
Decoupling will take time, and it won't look like the Iron Curtain, but it's happening.
a year ago
Decoupling will take time, and it won't look like the Iron Curtain, but it's happening.
Steve Blank
National Industrial Policy – Private Capital and The America’s Frontier Fund Steps Up
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and...
over a year ago
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and Science Act, one of the first pieces of national industrial policy – government planning and intervention in a specific industry — in the last 50 years, in this case for...
Rest of World -...
Shein’s hottest item in Latin America is its plastic bags
The reusable packaging often ends up outliving the garments it once transported.
a year ago
The reusable packaging often ends up outliving the garments it once transported.
Noahpinion
Five things to be optimistic about in America today
Enough doom and gloom, let's allow ourselves a moment of happiness.
8 months ago
Enough doom and gloom, let's allow ourselves a moment of happiness.
Rest of World -...
The CEO helping thousands of women in Latin America launch successful online businesses
Zach Oschin is the founder of Elenas, an app used by women to digitize their catalog sales.
10 months ago
Zach Oschin is the founder of Elenas, an app used by women to digitize their catalog sales.
XO Capital - Field...
How to 10x an acquisition
I'm going to break down how we more than 10x-ed ScreenshotAPI and why this acquisition worked when...
3 months ago
I'm going to break down how we more than 10x-ed ScreenshotAPI and why this acquisition worked when others didn't. Not everything here is generalizable, but I'll pull out what worked well from our first interactions with the seller to the deal closing a few
Noahpinion
Does the notion of a "Global South" still make any sense?
There are really four Global Souths.
a year ago
There are really four Global Souths.
Raw Thought (from...
Look at yourself objectively
over a year ago
Noahpinion
If this is a bad economy, please tell me what a good economy would look like
We should acknowledge that things are going well, even as we continue to look for problems to solve.
a year ago
We should acknowledge that things are going well, even as we continue to look for problems to solve.
Unpacked
NVIDIA Explained: Origins, GPUs and AI stock bump | EP8
NVIDIA has seen their valuation 5x over the last 5 years and is now worth more than $2 trillion. In...
8 months ago
NVIDIA has seen their valuation 5x over the last 5 years and is now worth more than $2 trillion. In the latest episode, we dive a few layers deep into the company. We start with the origin of the company and the launch of their first GPU in 1999 which unlocked several...
SatPost by Trung...
Nike’s Marketing Blindspot
What can we learn from Nike losing Lionel Messi and Stephen Curry?
a year ago
What can we learn from Nike losing Lionel Messi and Stephen Curry?
Rest of World -...
How we measured air quality for gig workers in South Asia
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could...
9 months ago
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could gather data on what they breathe.
SatPost by Trung...
Starbucks' Digital Dilemna
The Starbucks rewards app is an incredible business. However, mobile orders are getting out of...
7 months ago
The Starbucks rewards app is an incredible business. However, mobile orders are getting out of control and hurting the brand's "premium" vibe.
essay – snarfed.org
So long, Twitter API, and thanks for all the fish
Well, it’s come to this. Twitter is burning, a billionaire owes money, an API will soon get...
a year ago
Well, it’s come to this. Twitter is burning, a billionaire owes money, an API will soon get lobotomized, so Bridgy‘s Twitter support will die within the month is dead. Granary‘s and twitter-atom too. The Twitter API may now be effectively unmaintained, but they still managed to...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Six strategies for overcoming “chicken and egg” problems
Products with so-called networks effects get more valuable when more people use them. Famous...
over a year ago
Products with so-called networks effects get more valuable when more people use them. Famous examples are telephones and social networks…
XO Capital - Field...
Deal Structures
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying...
10 months ago
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying micro saas companies.
All Cash
Pretty straight forward. You do all cash. Usually it's 100% into escrow.com and release maybe 50% before asset transfer and 50% after asset
Steve Blank
Is a Venture Studio Right for You?
This post previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Three types of organizations –...
a year ago
This post previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Three types of organizations – Incubators, Accelerators and Venture Studios – have emerged to reduce the risk of early-stage startup failure by helping teams find product/market fit and raise initial capital. Venture...
SatPost by Trung...
The LEGO Star Wars Inception
LEGO and Star Wars created a $1B+ a year toy monster by combining two iconic brands that appeal to...
7 months ago
LEGO and Star Wars created a $1B+ a year toy monster by combining two iconic brands that appeal to both children and adults.
Noahpinion
A pivotal moment for Japan's national defense
A guest post by Jonathan Grady
7 months ago
A guest post by Jonathan Grady
Roberto Vitillo's...
The costs of microservices
An application typically starts its life as a monolith. Take a modern backend of a single-page...
over a year ago
An application typically starts its life as a monolith. Take a modern backend of a single-page Javascript application, for example - it…
Business Brainstorms
The Algorithm, rebuilding GA3, a new drink for the productivity-chasing professional managerial...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “Huge startup opportunity to just literally rebuild...
Nadia Asparouhova
Does meditation experience improve success with the jhanas?
Jhanas – a series of altered mental states that are accessed via concentration – are often described...
5 months ago
Jhanas – a series of altered mental states that are accessed via concentration – are often described as an “advanced meditation practice,” a phrase that suggests that one must be a skilled meditator to access them: just as only a skilled outdoorsman would embark upon an...
Rest of World -...
How livestream realtors helped make Xishuangbanna a boom town
Real estate agents turn to Douyin and Kuaishou to show properties virtually through livestreaming,...
9 months ago
Real estate agents turn to Douyin and Kuaishou to show properties virtually through livestreaming, drawing the attention of out-of-town buyers.
AVC
The Blackbird Platform
The first project launched this week on our portfolio company Blackbird‘s platform. It is a friends...
a year ago
The first project launched this week on our portfolio company Blackbird‘s platform. It is a friends and family program at a restaurant in Williamsburg Brooklyn called Gertie. Blackbird wrote about it today on their excellent Supersonic blog: Throughout, when you tap Gertie’s...
Internal Tech Emails
Microsoft execs on Apple's music store
We were smoked.
a year ago
Entrepreneur's Edge
OKRs will never be enough
Nuanced goal-setting frameworks to help manage the complexity in a growing company.
a year ago
Nuanced goal-setting frameworks to help manage the complexity in a growing company.
Data Boutique
Tracking Farfetch [Part 2]: Kering's Exit
A case study for web data
9 months ago
A case study for web data
Rest of World -...
Why African tech companies are ditching Google for a small Indian competitor
Zoho has positioned itself as a cheaper alternative to Google and Microsoft, attracting the...
8 months ago
Zoho has positioned itself as a cheaper alternative to Google and Microsoft, attracting the attention of African startup founders.
Rest of World -...
When EV startups shut down, will their cars still work?
As Chinese EV makers close, drivers of “smartphones on wheels” say software updates and maintenance...
3 months ago
As Chinese EV makers close, drivers of “smartphones on wheels” say software updates and maintenance are in jeopardy.
Rest of World -...
The end of anonymity on Chinese social media
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
a year ago
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
Platformer
Microsoft just laid off one of its responsible AI teams
As the company accelerates its push into AI products, the ethics and society team is gone
a year ago
As the company accelerates its push into AI products, the ethics and society team is gone
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years"
A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years but the time is finally...
over a year ago
A lot of the best tech startups are ideas that have been around for years but the time is finally right. * Some people get jaded. "We tried…
Rest of World -...
Running a food-delivery service in Nigeria is hard; Chowdeck makes it look easy
Bolt, Glovo, and Jumia struggle with long delivery times, but this Y Combinator-backed startup has...
a year ago
Bolt, Glovo, and Jumia struggle with long delivery times, but this Y Combinator-backed startup has impressive tech and rider incentives on its side.
Aaron's Essays
Why VCs sometimes push companies to burn
Originally posted on the YC blog,...
over a year ago
Originally posted on the YC blog, here: https://blog.ycombinator.com/why-vcs-sometimes-push-companies-to-burn-too-fast/
In Investors and their incentives, I tried to give a broad breakdown of the incentives that drive the major types of startup investors. I want to dig deeper...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#29)
AI might help the middle class, Americans can afford food, narratives about science, Europe's...
9 months ago
AI might help the middle class, Americans can afford food, narratives about science, Europe's defense industry, and Native American YIMBYism
Paul Graham: Essays
What Startups Are Really Like
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Repost: Interview with James Medlock
The future winner of Balaji's million-dollar bet talks about taxes, cash benefits, and other fun...
a year ago
The future winner of Balaji's million-dollar bet talks about taxes, cash benefits, and other fun stuff
Rest of World -...
A buy-now-pay-later company is behind the explosion of EVs in Kenya
In just two years, M-Kopa has become the biggest financier for EVs in East Africa’s largest market.
4 months ago
In just two years, M-Kopa has become the biggest financier for EVs in East Africa’s largest market.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
eBay vs Amazon: decentralized vs centralized e-commerce
Note: The company I cofounded, Hunch, was acquired by eBay in November 2011. I am now an eBay...
over a year ago
Note: The company I cofounded, Hunch, was acquired by eBay in November 2011. I am now an eBay employee. But all the opinions expressed below…
David Perell
The Paradoxes of Modern Life
The Paradox of Reading: The books you read will profoundly change you even though you’ll forget the...
over a year ago
The Paradox of Reading: The books you read will profoundly change you even though you’ll forget the vast majority of what you read. The Paradox of Writing: Great writing looks effortless. But because the ideas are so clear, casual readers don’t appreciate how much time it took to...
Nadia Asparouhova
The New American University
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president,...
over a year ago
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president, earlier this year, and I so enjoyed his thoughts on knowledge production that I immediately wondered how his philosophy would translate to ASU as an organization. Turns out,...
Essays - Benedict...
A decade of the Tim Cook machine
In all the enthusiasms, arguments and panics around tech, Apple is the $2tn
elephant in the...
over a year ago
In all the enthusiasms, arguments and panics around tech, Apple is the $2tn
elephant in the corner, mostly silent and serenely indifferent to the news
cycle. It just ships - and it ships market-leading products, with
metronomic precision, at massive scale, on a decade-long...
Noahpinion
Repost: Someone has to run the fabs
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
a year ago
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
Working Theorys
30 and Retirable
P.S. It’s not just about being retirable, but being more retirable than your neighbor.
4 months ago
P.S. It’s not just about being retirable, but being more retirable than your neighbor.
Platformer
The TikTok bans are accelerating
With a key vote scheduled for tonight, the company's options are growing limited
a year ago
With a key vote scheduled for tonight, the company's options are growing limited
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#11)
"Bullshit jobs", racial depolarization, the YIMBY-union alliance, China's last boosters, Biden's...
a year ago
"Bullshit jobs", racial depolarization, the YIMBY-union alliance, China's last boosters, Biden's foreign policy, low-carbon steel, and Javier Milei
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The time to eat the hors d’oeuvres is when they’re being passed
The efficient market hypothesis is a widely taught financial theory that states, roughly, that under...
over a year ago
The efficient market hypothesis is a widely taught financial theory that states, roughly, that under certain generally-held conditions…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on incumbents
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that...
over a year ago
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that are loosely competitive to your startup…
Rest of World -...
Sierra Leone’s first lady hopes going viral on TikTok will secure Saturday’s elections
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife,...
a year ago
Amid economic turmoil, President Julius Maada Bio is seeking re-election in Sierra Leone. His wife, Fatima, is dancing to a crowd of over 200,000 on TikTok to drum up votes.
Unpacked
OpenAI's web crawler and FTC missteps
OpenAI launches a default opt-in crawler, continuing to scrape the Internet, while the FTC focuses...
a year ago
OpenAI launches a default opt-in crawler, continuing to scrape the Internet, while the FTC focuses on an obscure consumer deception investigation into OpenAI.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The Internet Economy
We are living in an era of bundling. The big five consumer tech companies — Google, Apple, Facebook,...
over a year ago
We are living in an era of bundling. The big five consumer tech companies — Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft — have moved far…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Matt Stoller Explains Monopolies
The latest episode of my podcast Better Online is a conversation with Matt Stoller — America’s...
3 months ago
The latest episode of my podcast Better Online is a conversation with Matt Stoller — America’s leading voice on monopoly and antitrust matters, and a thoughtful and prolific writer. You can find Matt on Twitter here, and his newsletter here.
It was a timely conversation. At the
Inverted Passion
Don’t sell your soul to the algorithm
The danger of pleasing the algorithm to go viral is that gradually you end up selling yourself to...
a year ago
The danger of pleasing the algorithm to go viral is that gradually you end up selling yourself to big tech companies. This is how it works: This loop has two sinister effects: All this to make the richest companies and their shareholders even richer. This is why we must refuse to...
Platformer
How banning one Palestinian slogan roiled Etsy
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees...
a year ago
The company secretly banned the phrase “from the river to the sea” on sellers’ wares. Some employees aren’t happy
Rest of World -...
Desperate taxi drivers in Argentina are finally joining Uber
Amid the country’s economic turmoil, thousands of cabbies turn to the Uber Taxi function to make...
a year ago
Amid the country’s economic turmoil, thousands of cabbies turn to the Uber Taxi function to make ends meet.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The Internet is for snacking
Web products have followed a steady evolutionary path from the compound to the atomic. Today’s...
over a year ago
Web products have followed a steady evolutionary path from the compound to the atomic. Today’s popular social sites are spin outs of…
SatPost by Trung...
Psychology of Apple Packaging
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
11 months ago
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
42!
Basecamp's house of cards...
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure...
over a year ago
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure (unknown)
I don’t know where I first heard the above quote, but the events of the last week have really shown how true this saying is.
I will start by saying that I have been an...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
SEO is no longer a viable marketing strategy for startups
Many of the today’s most successful informational sites such as Yelp, Wikipedia and TripAdvisor...
over a year ago
Many of the today’s most successful informational sites such as Yelp, Wikipedia and TripAdvisor relied heavily on SEO for their initial…
Tom Blomfield
Getting Shit Done
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as...
over a year ago
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as they scaled up their companies. Unanimously, hiring and retaining people who “get shit done” seemed to be their biggest problem. I’ve been thinking about this for the last few...
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Be an Expert in a Changing World
over a year ago
David Perell
Learning to Actually Listen
I’ve been listening the wrong way my entire life — with just my ears. True listening is a...
a year ago
I’ve been listening the wrong way my entire life — with just my ears. True listening is a totalizing, full-body experience.
The post Learning to Actually Listen appeared first on David Perell.
David Perell
The Paradox of Abundance
Information abundance, like all markets of abundance, is bad for the average person but great for a...
over a year ago
Information abundance, like all markets of abundance, is bad for the average person but great for a small number of people. Abundance is a paradox. Environments of abundance are bad for the median consumer but extremely good for a small number of conscious ones. Average consumers...
Data Boutique
Web Data Is A Commodity And Needs A Marketplace To Grow
The Advantages Of Central Markets
a year ago
The Advantages Of Central Markets
SatPost by Trung...
9 Creative Lessons From Virgil Abloh
Insights from the late designer who went from studying architecture, working with Kanye, founding...
2 months ago
Insights from the late designer who went from studying architecture, working with Kanye, founding Off-White and leading menswear at Louis Vuitton.
Rest of World -...
The regional flavors of labor-on-demand
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
8 months ago
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
Working Theorys
The Brunch Test | Theory No. 16
A framework for building products that balance familiarity with freshness.
a year ago
A framework for building products that balance familiarity with freshness.
Working Theorys
Explain It Like I'm One of You
Basketball podcasts, new media, and no more ELI5
8 months ago
Basketball podcasts, new media, and no more ELI5
Data Boutique
Network Effects: When Value Comes from Others Joining in
... and Data Boutique Partnership Program launch
a year ago
... and Data Boutique Partnership Program launch
Data Boutique
Economics of Web Data: ROI
Customer's Value Standpoint
a year ago
Customer's Value Standpoint
Essays - Benedict...
A month of the Vision Pro
The Vision Pro is amazing, but like the rest of VR and AR, Apple seems
years away from the mass...
9 months ago
The Vision Pro is amazing, but like the rest of VR and AR, Apple seems
years away from the mass market. And if it gets there, how much will it
matter?
Platformer
How two insurgents are taking on Twitter
Artifact's Kevin Systrom on the disruptive power of good comments. PLUS: Substack's naïveté around...
a year ago
Artifact's Kevin Systrom on the disruptive power of good comments. PLUS: Substack's naïveté around Notes
Nothing Human
Materialist Conceptions of God
yet another attempt at bridging religion and rationality
10 months ago
yet another attempt at bridging religion and rationality
Rest of World -...
How Prime Video failed so spectacularly in Africa
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a...
9 months ago
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a lack of local content, and mediocre publicity.
Noahpinion
EVs are just going to win
Because they're a superior technology, and superior technologies win.
2 months ago
Because they're a superior technology, and superior technologies win.
SatPost by Trung...
The $650m+ Spirit Halloween business
Spirit Halloween has over 1,450 pop-up shops and makes all its money in only 2 months (September,...
a year ago
Spirit Halloween has over 1,450 pop-up shops and makes all its money in only 2 months (September, October)
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 3
Books as athleisure, Twitter/X goes Substack, and oh yeah, Apple's Vision Pro
10 months ago
Books as athleisure, Twitter/X goes Substack, and oh yeah, Apple's Vision Pro
Noahpinion
Interview: Heather Boushey, economist and member of the Council of Economic Advisers
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
a year ago
In which we talk all about Bidenomics.
Rest of World -...
Why Mexico’s delivery workers are ditching food for packages
As the popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms grows, some gig workers are finding it more...
5 months ago
As the popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms grows, some gig workers are finding it more appealing to deliver packages than food orders.
Working Theorys
Word Association Fame
The new attention playbooks will be full of old plays.
9 months ago
The new attention playbooks will be full of old plays.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The inevitable showdown between Twitter and Twitter apps
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve...
over a year ago
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve similar functions for the user. Famous…
Rest of World -...
Demand for Starlink in Zimbabwe is overwhelming capacity
Traditional internet in Zimbabwe is slow, unreliable, and expensive. Elon Musk’s satellite service...
a week ago
Traditional internet in Zimbabwe is slow, unreliable, and expensive. Elon Musk’s satellite service sold out within weeks of launching in the country.
Working Theorys
New Social App
Who am I? And other urgent existential questions.
8 months ago
Who am I? And other urgent existential questions.
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs and Palm
This is not satisfactory to Apple.
a week ago
This is not satisfactory to Apple.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#28)
Cultural stagnation, pedestrian deaths, evidence on decoupling, the benefits of education, and why...
10 months ago
Cultural stagnation, pedestrian deaths, evidence on decoupling, the benefits of education, and why philosophers read the classics
Rest of World -...
19 books to read in 2023
Rest of World's staff favorites, from around the globe to add to your must-read pile.
a year ago
Rest of World's staff favorites, from around the globe to add to your must-read pile.
SatPost by Trung...
Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash and AI Art
Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images and videos.
a year ago
Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images and videos.
Rest of World -...
The Mexican senator building a plan for artificial intelligence
Alejandra Lagunes leads Mexico’s National Artificial Intelligence Alliance.
a year ago
Alejandra Lagunes leads Mexico’s National Artificial Intelligence Alliance.
Stephen Diehl
From Adjunctions to Monads
over a year ago
Noahpinion
A few economists are starting to think seriously about industrial policy
But not enough researchers are paying attention, and we only know a little so far.
a year ago
But not enough researchers are paying attention, and we only know a little so far.
Tom Blomfield
Startup Series Part 1: Interviewing Engineers
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and...
over a year ago
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and philosophies. This is a positive thing for the ecosystem - just as new software tools mean it’s simpler and cheaper to start a company, these methodologies allow first-time entrepreneurs...
Aaron's Essays
Avoiding Errors in Demo Day Fundraising
I’ll be addressing the topic below along with Alfred Lin from Sequoia and Ilya Sukhar from Matrix on...
a year ago
I’ll be addressing the topic below along with Alfred Lin from Sequoia and Ilya Sukhar from Matrix on 3/24: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qgghYDq4QxCiW9REOOrbmw
It would be challenging to name all the fundraising mistakes that founders make during the many demo days...
Tech + Economics +...
The curse of the Sisyphean read-later list
Let's talk about our digital 'save for later' pile. You know what I'm
talking about - that growing...
a year ago
Let's talk about our digital 'save for later' pile. You know what I'm
talking about - that growing list of articles, videos, and podcasts we
swear we'll get to eventually. It's like we're building our own little
museum of cool stuff we'll explore 'one day.'
When are you...
XO Capital - Field...
We 10x-ed screenshotapi.net and sold it
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter...
3 months ago
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter sweet. Screenshot was our first ever acquisition. We 10x-ed it, and it is really the reason XO exists today. If this first acquisition hadn't gone well, I think I would
Unpacked
IRS Direct Tax Filing: the end of Intuit's lobbying
Thirty-eight years since the launch of e-filing, the IRS will pilot its own tax filing system ending...
a year ago
Thirty-eight years since the launch of e-filing, the IRS will pilot its own tax filing system ending two decades of Intuit's regulatory capture of the tax software market
Noahpinion
China at the peak
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
a year ago
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Online privacy: what’s at stake
It is widely believed that a flourishing democracy requires an independent, diverse, and financially...
over a year ago
It is widely believed that a flourishing democracy requires an independent, diverse, and financially solvent press. With print newspapers…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Every time an engineer joins Google, a startup dies
VC returns over the last decade have been poor. The cause is widely agreed to be an excess of...
over a year ago
VC returns over the last decade have been poor. The cause is widely agreed to be an excess of venture capital dollars to worthy startups…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Question from a reader
I’ve gotten some emails recently from readers of this blog with questions about early stage...
over a year ago
I’ve gotten some emails recently from readers of this blog with questions about early stage startups. I’m sorry if I haven’t responded to…
Rest of World -...
Vietnam’s “TikTok monk” gives wisdom on life and love to millions of followers
Gen Z slang and social media trends help Giac Minh Luat connect with Vietnam’s lonely generation.
2 months ago
Gen Z slang and social media trends help Giac Minh Luat connect with Vietnam’s lonely generation.
SatPost by Trung...
Blumhouse: The Hollywood Horror Hit Machine
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
a year ago
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
Tech + Economics +...
How we turned into assholes
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a...
a year ago
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a cross-generational digital nation of assholes?
We dreamed of a global, decentralized network spreading information,
enabling communication, and connecting humanity. But somewhere...
Nothing Human
Metrics, Cowardice, and Mistrust
why we need better ideologies than "data driven decision making"
a year ago
why we need better ideologies than "data driven decision making"
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why you shouldn’t keep your startup idea secret
A frequent question entrepreneurs have when they are just starting their company is: how secretive...
over a year ago
A frequent question entrepreneurs have when they are just starting their company is: how secretive should I be about my idea? My answer…
Articles - Alex...
The age of average
In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander
Melamid hired a market...
a year ago
In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander
Melamid hired a market research firm to survey the public on what they
wanted in a work of art. Across 11 countries they then set about painting a
piece that reflected the results. Each piece was...
Platformer
Nine wild details from the new Elon Musk biography
Walter Isaacson brings new tales of Jack Dorsey, that Sergey Brin selfie, and more
a year ago
Walter Isaacson brings new tales of Jack Dorsey, that Sergey Brin selfie, and more
Internal Tech Emails
"I don't want to create a paper trail"
I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don't want to create a paper trail over which we can...
a year ago
I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don't want to create a paper trail over which we can be sued later? Not sure about this.. thanks Eric
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” Thomas Edison 💡Human QA At least based on my experience...
6 months ago
“There’s a way to do it better. Find it.” Thomas Edison 💡Human QA At least based on my experience this seems like a service a ton of companies desperately need. Automated checks are awesome, but they can never spot all the weird edge cases that a human can.
Rest of World -...
Writers and publishers in Singapore reject a government plan to train AI on their work
Singapore's literary community is pushing back against an official effort to train LLMs using their...
7 months ago
Singapore's literary community is pushing back against an official effort to train LLMs using their published works, part of a growing global resistance.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How Aristotle Created the Computer
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world....
over a year ago
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world. Originally published by The Atlantic…
Platformer
Six questions about Google Bard
The company's new large language model has arrived. Now what?
a year ago
The company's new large language model has arrived. Now what?
Blog posts of...
🇮🇳 India in 2024
In February I made my first business trip to India. Three weeks deep in the Indian tech ecosystem....
8 months ago
In February I made my first business trip to India. Three weeks deep in the Indian tech ecosystem. My summary is simple: I feel like the world needs an update how we view India
tomcritchlow.com
Writing, Riffs & Relationships
summary
And - specifically for anyone doing "content marketing" to drive sales - like indie...
a year ago
summary
And - specifically for anyone doing "content marketing" to drive sales - like indie consultants, business owners and founders - the riff is a great way to create connections and conversations around your work. In short it's a tasteful and more fun way of doing outreach...
Rest of World -...
Forget a U.S. ban — TikTok is thriving in its second-biggest market
TikTok Shop, the controversial app’s ambitious next phase, has caught fire in Indonesia. “This is...
a year ago
TikTok Shop, the controversial app’s ambitious next phase, has caught fire in Indonesia. “This is truly the year of TikTok,” says one seller.
Working Theorys
The Creator Search Fund
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
10 months ago
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
Entrepreneur's Edge
Understanding the Importance of Operating Leverage in the Age of Efficiency
Amazon grew it's revenue per employee from $50K to $1M over its first fifteen years.
a year ago
Amazon grew it's revenue per employee from $50K to $1M over its first fifteen years.
Aaron's Essays
VCs are Scared When They Should be Greedy
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on July 6, 2022.
I've...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay for The Information, where it was published on July 6, 2022.
I've read a lot of the advice that venture capitalists have given founders on the current state of the markets. Most of that advice focuses on how founders need to adjust to survive the...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Inside versus outside financings: the nightclub effect
At some point in the life of a venture-backed startup there typically arises a choice between doing...
over a year ago
At some point in the life of a venture-backed startup there typically arises a choice between doing an inside round, where the existing…
Steve Blank
Why Large Organizations Struggle With Disruption, and What to Do About It
Seemingly overnight, disruption has allowed challengers to threaten the dominance of companies and...
4 months ago
Seemingly overnight, disruption has allowed challengers to threaten the dominance of companies and government agencies as many of their existing systems have now been leapfrogged. How an organization reacts to this type of disruption determines whether they adapt or die. I’ve...
Rest of World -...
How RRR’s success brought a wave of Telugu-language movies to Netflix
Netflix in the U.S. now has more content in Telugu than in German, Russian, or any dialect of...
8 months ago
Netflix in the U.S. now has more content in Telugu than in German, Russian, or any dialect of Chinese.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
A massive misallocation of online advertising dollars
In an earlier blog post, I talked about how sites that generate purchasing intent (mainly “content”...
over a year ago
In an earlier blog post, I talked about how sites that generate purchasing intent (mainly “content” sites) are being under-allocated…
Noahpinion
Why is China producing so many export goods, anyway?
Six theories.
7 months ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Selling to enterprises
For some reason when you are selling information technology, big companies are referred to as...
over a year ago
For some reason when you are selling information technology, big companies are referred to as “enterprises.” I’m guessing the word was…
Data Boutique
Expensive Data and Cannibalism
Or.. Why some data products are priced so high
a year ago
Or.. Why some data products are priced so high
Rest of World -...
Parents turn to AI tablets after China’s tutor crackdown
Tech companies iFlytek, Baidu, and BKK are cashing in on parents who fear their child will fall...
10 months ago
Tech companies iFlytek, Baidu, and BKK are cashing in on parents who fear their child will fall behind their peers.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Thales the Milesian
Like a lot of things we think are obvious today, financial options were first invented by a...
over a year ago
Like a lot of things we think are obvious today, financial options were first invented by a philosopher: There is the anecdote of Thales the…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#46)
Morning in America; Trump's bad vibes; Japan's chip industry; Biden and abundance; native-born...
4 months ago
Morning in America; Trump's bad vibes; Japan's chip industry; Biden and abundance; native-born employment; redistribution; transit costs
Working Theorys
Writer-Builders
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
7 months ago
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
Rest of World -...
Pakistani YouTubers are exposing the dangers of illegal migration to Europe
Political instability, economic crisis, natural disasters, and the promise of a better life abroad...
a year ago
Political instability, economic crisis, natural disasters, and the promise of a better life abroad compel Pakistanis to risk everything.
Folklore.org:...
He's Only in Field Service
The SCC gets designed into the Mac
a year ago
The SCC gets designed into the Mac
Roberto's blog
Conquer dev environments with Nix
I regularly use different devices with different OSs, such as a MacBook, a Windows desktop with WSL,...
6 months ago
I regularly use different devices with different OSs, such as a MacBook, a Windows desktop with WSL, a couple of Raspberry PIs, and so on. I have a bunch of tools I like to have at my fingertips when I log into a machine, like fd and Neovim. Setting up and maintaining the same...
haseeb qureshi
Flash Loans: Why Flash Attacks will be the New Normal
Flash loans have been the center of attention lately. Recently two hackers used flash loans to...
over a year ago
Flash loans have been the center of attention lately. Recently two hackers used flash loans to attack the margin trading protocol bZx, first in a $350K attack and later in a $600K copycat attack.
These attacks were, in a word, magnificent. In each attack, a penniless attacker...
Rest of World -...
Elon Musk said he’d eliminate bots from X. Instead, election influence campaigns are running wild
In a year of global elections, X is making it easy to meddle.
4 months ago
In a year of global elections, X is making it easy to meddle.
Noahpinion
What if Xi Jinping isn't that competent? (repost)
Plus a new update showing how right I was.
a year ago
Plus a new update showing how right I was.
Inverted Passion
Notes on how Facebook ads work
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources...
a year ago
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources Facebook Doesn’t Make as Much Money as It Could—On Purpose How to Save Millions With Marketability Testing Facebook Bid Strategies
The post Notes on how Facebook ads work appeared...
Rest of World -...
The viral AI portrait app sweeping across China
Miaoya, which means "fabulous duck" in Chinese, charges users $1.40 to generate AI portraits that...
a year ago
Miaoya, which means "fabulous duck" in Chinese, charges users $1.40 to generate AI portraits that many say are shockingly accurate.
Paul Graham: Essays
What Doesn't Seem Like Work?
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
The augmented-reality app helping Muslims pray toward Mecca
Miqat uses 360-degree views and mapping software to help users determine the exact right direction...
2 months ago
Miqat uses 360-degree views and mapping software to help users determine the exact right direction for their prayers.
Rest of World -...
“Gig reviewers” are endorsing fake products for quick cash in Brazil
For a few dollars, paid reviewers will record a video vouching for anything. Scammers love them.
a year ago
For a few dollars, paid reviewers will record a video vouching for anything. Scammers love them.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's no way to tell where the border is between measurement and manipulation"
Jaron Lanier discussing whether machine learning systems like Netflix recommendations, Facebook's...
over a year ago
Jaron Lanier discussing whether machine learning systems like Netflix recommendations, Facebook's newsfeed, Google search etc are…
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Be an Angel Investor
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Once you take money, the clock starts ticking
One of the interesting things about having been investing in startups for a number of years is that...
over a year ago
One of the interesting things about having been investing in startups for a number of years is that at any moment you get an inside peek at…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
As [Edwin] Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his [polarized headlight] system was fatally…
As Edwin Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his polarized headlight system was fatally...
over a year ago
As Edwin Land ultimately recognized, the adoption of his polarized headlight system was fatally hampered by the fact that there was no…
Platformer
Can Snap snap back?
At its annual summit, the company gets bullish on AI — but feels haunted by the ghost of its past...
a year ago
At its annual summit, the company gets bullish on AI — but feels haunted by the ghost of its past ambitions
Aaron's Essays
Generative AI Might Just Save Venture Capital
Originally published in The Information on November 2.
For the past nine months, nearly every...
over a year ago
Originally published in The Information on November 2.
For the past nine months, nearly every investor with a Twitter account, blog or board seat has been beating a unified and constant refrain: The go-go days are done. Founders were being pushed to build 36 months of runway,...
Rest of World -...
Download this: The world’s favorite apps
Test your knowledge of the world’s most popular social media sites, dating apps, gaming platforms,...
4 months ago
Test your knowledge of the world’s most popular social media sites, dating apps, gaming platforms, and more.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Scalability patterns of distributed systems
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! It explores the different...
over a year ago
I have released a new chapter of Understanding Distributed Systems ! It explores the different patterns at your disposal when designing…
Aaron's Essays
When to Shut Down Your Company
I originally wrote this essay four years ago and published it over at YC's blog at the time. A...
over a year ago
I originally wrote this essay four years ago and published it over at YC's blog at the time. A number of recent conversations I've had with founders made me realize that the framework below remains useful. As the market continues through its downswing, more founders will face...
Rest of World -...
South Indian temples are embracing digital donations with QR codes
Hindu temples are now accepting cashless payments for offerings, VIP tickets for festivals, and...
2 months ago
Hindu temples are now accepting cashless payments for offerings, VIP tickets for festivals, and special prayer ceremonies.
Working Theorys
Status Limbo | Theory No. 27
To get status, you have to give up status.
11 months ago
To get status, you have to give up status.
Rest of World -...
Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim dating app, is struggling in India
India is home to 172 million Muslims, and the world’s second-largest market for dating apps. But...
a year ago
India is home to 172 million Muslims, and the world’s second-largest market for dating apps. But Indian women say Muzz is a bad match.
Rest of World -...
The company that thinks it can succeed where Lime failed
Russia’s Whoosh launched in Brazil last year, and plans to expand across the country by 2026.
4 months ago
Russia’s Whoosh launched in Brazil last year, and plans to expand across the country by 2026.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden...
10 months ago
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden nugget I took away from it is that stress is 100% a framing issue. You only feel stressed when you think you can't handle it. Absolutely nothing wrong with a full calendar, juggling...
Stephen Diehl
A Haskell Implementation Reading List
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Europe is not ready to be a "third superpower"
For that, it would need to act as a unified entity, defend itself against Russia, and embrace new...
a year ago
For that, it would need to act as a unified entity, defend itself against Russia, and embrace new technology.
Roberto Vitillo's...
Spark best practices
Spark execution model Spark's simplicity makes it all too easy to ignore its execution model, and...
over a year ago
Spark execution model Spark's simplicity makes it all too easy to ignore its execution model, and still manage to write jobs that eventually…
42!
How we manage our product roadmap
The screenshot here is our company Trello board, where we manage our product roadmap. We are...
over a year ago
The screenshot here is our company Trello board, where we manage our product roadmap. We are extremely lucky in that our thousands of happy customers give us a steady stream of suggestions for new features and improvements, which we used to just throw on this board.
However,...
Working Theorys
Cool Self
There are a lot of theories about the meaning of life. About what we go through life searching for....
5 months ago
There are a lot of theories about the meaning of life. About what we go through life searching for. What we’re lucky if we find. Some of these theories give us answers, but many prompt us to ask more questions. Recently I’ve landed on my own theory, one rooted in a kind of common...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Entrepreneur's Edge
Organizational Design: Balancing Technology and Operations
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
a year ago
Understanding the Three Essential Roles for Scale
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s OnlyFans stars are becoming coaches for a new generation of performers
Lessons include tips to attract customers with provocative poses and seductive words, and how to...
6 months ago
Lessons include tips to attract customers with provocative poses and seductive words, and how to withdraw money from the platform.
Essays - Benedict...
Netflix, Shein and MrBeast
What does Netflix have in common with Shein, and why is MrBeast more
interesting than Disney Plus?
a year ago
What does Netflix have in common with Shein, and why is MrBeast more
interesting than Disney Plus?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Trusting platforms
In response to my post yesterday about how an internet of people has enabled a new wave of web-based...
over a year ago
In response to my post yesterday about how an internet of people has enabled a new wave of web-based marketplaces, Nick Mango commented…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Outsource things you don’t care about
A fundamental principle of business is that you do things in house that you think can give you a...
over a year ago
A fundamental principle of business is that you do things in house that you think can give you a competitive advantage and outsource things…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Proprietary services vs open protocols
over a year ago
Steve Blank
Cram Down – A Test of Character for VCs and Founders
This article previously appeared in TechCrunch. Cram downs are back – and I’m keeping a list. At the...
over a year ago
This article previously appeared in TechCrunch. Cram downs are back – and I’m keeping a list. At the turn of the century after the dotcom crash, startup valuations plummeted, burn rates were unsustainable, and startups were quickly running out of cash. Most existing investors...
Rest of World -...
The obscure social media app beloved by China’s tech scene
Jike might be the most important social network in Chinese tech.
a year ago
Jike might be the most important social network in Chinese tech.
Noahpinion
Putin is a rest stop on the road of post-Soviet collapse
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
a year ago
The narrative of Russian revitalization is more hype than reality.
Tech + Economics +...
Portfolio careers are the future of work.
The traditional idea of sticking to one career path for life, once seen as the golden standard of...
a year ago
The traditional idea of sticking to one career path for life, once seen as the golden standard of work success, is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Now, we're moving towards the paradigm of the "portfolio career."
Think of a portfolio career like a patchwork quilt of jobs....
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The idea maze
The pop culture view of startups is that they’re all about coming up with a great product idea....
over a year ago
The pop culture view of startups is that they’re all about coming up with a great product idea. After the eureka moment, the outcome is…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Three levels of enthusiasm for technology
Most businesses today believe that technology can dramatically improve the way they operate. But...
over a year ago
Most businesses today believe that technology can dramatically improve the way they operate. But they embrace technology with varying levels…
AVC
What Does “Native” Mean
When a new technology comes to market, we often look for “native” applications of that technology....
a year ago
When a new technology comes to market, we often look for “native” applications of that technology. What is a “native” AI application? What is a “native” Web3 application? I have not seen a better articulation of “native” than my partner Albert’s post from 2009 on native mobile...
Rest of World -...
Amazon and Walmart didn’t defeat India’s mom-and-pop stores. But rapid delivery might
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana...
a month ago
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana stores out of business by 2030.
Working Theorys
Writers Block
What I learned from Version 1.0, plus Version 2.0 soon :)
6 months ago
What I learned from Version 1.0, plus Version 2.0 soon :)
David Perell
Why You’re Christian
Becoming an educated citizen starts with understanding the lineage of your beliefs. For example,...
over a year ago
Becoming an educated citizen starts with understanding the lineage of your beliefs. For example, look at this iconic line from one of America’s founding documents:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.”
The post Why You’re Christian appeared...
Rest of World -...
Rebel or sellout? How Nigeria’s startup darling became tech minister
Bosun Tijani was a rock star in the Nigerian startup scene, but his transition to government has...
11 months ago
Bosun Tijani was a rock star in the Nigerian startup scene, but his transition to government has been controversial.
Platformer
Extremely Hardcore: Our New York magazine cover story
Twitter’s staff spent years trying to protect the platform against impulsive ranting billionaires —...
a year ago
Twitter’s staff spent years trying to protect the platform against impulsive ranting billionaires — then one made himself the CEO
Noahpinion
Grading the economic schools of thought
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
a year ago
Who got the 2020s inflation right?
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Using AI to build the “definitive” Spanish writing tool
Abraham López is the CEO of Correcto, an AI-powered grammar tool.
6 months ago
Abraham López is the CEO of Correcto, an AI-powered grammar tool.
Roberto Vitillo's...
How to review a data analysis
Writing good code is hard, writing a good analysis is harder. Peer-review is an essential tool to...
over a year ago
Writing good code is hard, writing a good analysis is harder. Peer-review is an essential tool to fight repetitive errors, omissions and…
Rest of World -...
Traditional multinationals are making their mark on Latin American tech
The region’s conservative corporations are finding different ways to get into technology.
a year ago
The region’s conservative corporations are finding different ways to get into technology.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Offline first, mobile enabled
One of the major trends in tech startups what Fred Wilson calls “Mobile first, web second.”...
over a year ago
One of the major trends in tech startups what Fred Wilson calls “Mobile first, web second.” Instagram is a great example of mobile first…
Noahpinion
Bad and good arguments for industrial policy
Has China invented a better way to run an advanced economy?
5 months ago
Has China invented a better way to run an advanced economy?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The rise of enterprise marketing
Building an enterprise software company used to be largely about sales, because enterprise software...
over a year ago
Building an enterprise software company used to be largely about sales, because enterprise software was sourced and purchased by high-level…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#26)
The U.S. economy, U.S. energy, Millennial wealth, medical administrators, and standardized tests
11 months ago
The U.S. economy, U.S. energy, Millennial wealth, medical administrators, and standardized tests
Working Theorys
caring about newness
we don't create with the intent to recycle
9 months ago
we don't create with the intent to recycle
Rest of World -...
Fake news verification tools fail the test during elections in India
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify...
7 months ago
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify misinformation. There were long delays and inconsistencies in responses even for content that can easily be identified as AI-generated and fake.
Platformer
Inside Discord’s reform movement for banned users
Most platforms ban their trolls forever. Discord wants to rehabilitate them
a year ago
Most platforms ban their trolls forever. Discord wants to rehabilitate them
AVC
How This Ends (Part Three)
The venture capital sector has been in a sustained downturn for almost eighteen months. How does...
a year ago
The venture capital sector has been in a sustained downturn for almost eighteen months. How does this downturn end? Well, it may have already ended, but let’s see about that. We will know for sure in a few quarters. The NASDAQ peaked at roughly 16,000 in November 2021. By June...
Noahpinion
Why has U.S. manufacturing productivity stagnated for over a decade?
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
5 months ago
A few hypotheses about a very disturbing trend.
Aaron's Essays
Fooled by experts
Experts are generally right until they're wrong. Unfortunately, it's very easy to get fooled into...
over a year ago
Experts are generally right until they're wrong. Unfortunately, it's very easy to get fooled into thinking that experts are always right. This is because they are...experts. They are authoritative and knowledgeable. This is especially true when it comes to trying new things in...
Noahpinion
An Age of Austerity is probably on the way
It's not the 2010s anymore.
a year ago
It's not the 2010s anymore.
Unpacked
Apple Watch pulls blood oxygen feature, and how big a deal is the GPT Store really?
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to...
11 months ago
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to pull the blood oxygen feature after losing a patent battle against Massimo. We then pivot to understanding the GPT Store and our analyses / hot takes on how big a deal this really...
David Perell
Should You Write Every Day?
When I started working out, I hated it. I wanted to gain muscle but dreaded working out. Eventually,...
over a year ago
When I started working out, I hated it. I wanted to gain muscle but dreaded working out. Eventually, a friend got fed up with my laziness and told me what I needed to hear: “If you want to build the habit, go to the gym every single day without fail.” So that’s what I did.
The...
Rest of World -...
Brazil is the first stop in the Latin American electric motorcycle market
Vammo, an electric mobility company for delivery workers, chose to launch in the country because 85%...
a year ago
Vammo, an electric mobility company for delivery workers, chose to launch in the country because 85% of its electric grid runs on renewable energy.
Tech + Economics +...
Another 3 men raise another few million
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading...
a year ago
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading investors from
around the world including King River Capital, Peak XV Partners,
Insight Partners and Galileo Ventures supporting Relevance’s mission to
enable any...
AVC
Coming Back Up For Air
The last time I posted was May 23rd, three weeks ago. There was a time when I wrote every day. When...
a year ago
The last time I posted was May 23rd, three weeks ago. There was a time when I wrote every day. When I had not yet posted on any day, I felt like something was missing, like I had not yet had my cup of coffee. Clearly, I have moved on from that need to write […]
Working Theorys
What I Talk About When I Talk About Reading
Optimize your life for good conversations.
7 months ago
Optimize your life for good conversations.
tomcritchlow.com
What would a map of your career look like?
I’ve been on a maps kick recently writing about blog maps and roadmaps! Let’s talk about career...
a year ago
I’ve been on a maps kick recently writing about blog maps and roadmaps! Let’s talk about career maps…
Noahpinion
A three-state solution is the only viable future for Israel and the Palestinians
Ethnic cleansing is off the table, and non-contiguous states just don't work.
a year ago
Ethnic cleansing is off the table, and non-contiguous states just don't work.
Internal Tech Emails
Microsoft exec: "my recent discussions with Steve [Jobs]"
some stuff has been tense, as I have really been pushing them on a few issues, and I am forcing...
a year ago
some stuff has been tense, as I have really been pushing them on a few issues, and I am forcing Apple to do a lot of stuff they'd rather not do (using Office as leverage)
Blog posts of...
Peter Thiel’s Startup Class Notes as PDF
@bgmasters created an awesome series of blog posts covering his notes of Peter Thiel’s startup class...
over a year ago
@bgmasters created an awesome series of blog posts covering his notes of Peter Thiel’s startup class CS183. Personally i try to re...
Platformer
The regulators come for OpenAI
From data privacy to defamation, officials have questions
a year ago
From data privacy to defamation, officials have questions
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