A Smart Bear
What is the value of one hour of a startup founder's time?
Startup founders undervalue their time. Here's why you should act like it's $1000/hr, and how it...
19th Jul 2026
Startup founders undervalue their time. Here's why you should act like it's $1000/hr, and how it changes the decisions you make.
A Smart Bear
Lost confidence
RICE and other confidence-based frameworks are mostly noise. Here's how to make decisions without...
21st Jun 2026
RICE and other confidence-based frameworks are mostly noise. Here's how to make decisions without pretending to know the unknowable.
A Smart Bear
Worrying is self-fulfilling; what to do instead
Worrying makes things worse. Replace worry with preparation and strategic planning.
24th May 2026
Worrying makes things worse. Replace worry with preparation and strategic planning.
A Smart Bear
How to hire people who are better than you
If you don't hire people better than you, the organization gets bigger, not better. But how do you...
19th Apr 2026
If you don't hire people better than you, the organization gets bigger, not better. But how do you hire for something you don't understand?
A Smart Bear
Maybe not so much with the "optimization"
In the quest for optimization, A/B tests, metrics, and funnels, we're in danger of losing the fun...
22nd Mar 2026
In the quest for optimization, A/B tests, metrics, and funnels, we're in danger of losing the fun and value of creative work.
A Smart Bear
Strategic choices: When both options are good
Real strategy means choosing between two good options and accepting all the consequences--even the...
22nd Feb 2026
Real strategy means choosing between two good options and accepting all the consequences--even the painful ones you don't like.
A Smart Bear
Creating space
Do less, to create the space to be great.
4th Jan 2026
Do less, to create the space to be great.
A Smart Bear
Scaling by "delegation" isn't good enough
Delegation doesn't scale your business. What does: Creating a team that is better than the current...
7th Dec 2025
Delegation doesn't scale your business. What does: Creating a team that is better than the current team. Including you.
A Smart Bear
Mission, Vision, poTAYto, poTAHto
Mission, vision, purpose, BHAG. Are they useful north stars, or academic nonsense?
9th Nov 2025
Mission, vision, purpose, BHAG. Are they useful north stars, or academic nonsense?
A Smart Bear
Your target market isn't demographic
How to define your actual target market, which probably isn't traditional demographics and...
7th Sep 2025
How to define your actual target market, which probably isn't traditional demographics and firmographics.
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