Oil Shocks Ripple Through Every Product, Exposing Economic Vulnerability
Why oil shocks still hit everything we buy. “We should be very concerned, the longer the conflict lasts, the more prices will rise and ripple through the economy.” From petrol to plastics, another fossil fuel crisis shows how exposed economies remain to oil markets. https://t.co/mxRdNsEksJ
Rest Strategically: Boost Productivity by Managing Energy
Sir Winston Churchill had a fascinating approach to productivity. Despite leading a nation during one of history’s most difficult times, he made intentional rest part of his daily routine. He worked in focused bursts, took naps in the afternoon, and protected...
Germany's
Good Morning from Germany, which investors increasingly see as one of the losers of the current oil shock. Germany’s share of global mkt cap has fallen <1.95%, lowest level since early 2025. There is growing concern that persistently high energy...
Trump's Actions Push Russia and China Closer Together
.@AlexGabuev in FT op-ed: “‘The one thing you never want to happen is you never want Russia and China uniting. I’m going to have to un-unite them’…Fourteen months into his second presidency, Trump’s actions are having precisely the opposite...
U.S. Better Equipped for Prolonged Oil Price Surge
Washington Post: Years spent preparing for a global energy crisis have left the country and its economy better positioned than most to endure a long-term hike in the cost of oil and gas. https://t.co/Z93avoq3HM
Meta May Cut over 20% of Staff
WHY is it always late on a Friday night? Do they think the headline will go unnoticed? @Meta planning layoffs that could affect 20% or more of the company @Reuters reports, citing 3 unidentified sources familiar w/matter. To put into...
China’s Gulf Moves Accelerate De‑dollarization, Curb US Sanctions
Did we just accelerate de-dollarization, strengthen China’s position as a future security guarantor/mediator in the Gulf and long-term weaken the power of US financial sanctions all in two weeks? https://t.co/A3fRsI7R5i https://t.co/H83a474m3Y
Prioritize Tech Goals, Choose Strategy Over Build‑Buy Debate
Business strategy, not build vs. buy, is key. Understand your tech goals, prioritize them, then define the strategy that best suits your organization. #BusinessStrategy #TechGoals https://t.co/MjpSSAddUs
VC IRR Decay 2017‑18 Exposes Overvalued Positions
VC IRR decay for 2017 and 2018 has been bad. And this was before the SaaSpocalypse. IRRs driven by big positions held at last round valuations. What would they look like at true fmv? https://t.co/sLIC9dcEyo
Own 100% and Profit More than VC Dilution
• Raise money • Hire 50 people in 60 days • Predict you'll triple revenue • Barely grow 40% OR • Bootstrap with 3 people • Own 100% of everything • Get to desired ARR on your terms • Never ask a board for permission You’ll make more money...
19‑Year‑Old Melanie
#WomensHistoryMonth. At just 19, Melanie Perkins began working on her graphics design software company which would later become Canva. (Success People In The World) https://t.co/r9ZlUCBNeN
Iran Shifts Oil Payments to Yuan, Undermining Dollar Dominance
Iran has stated it will allow tankers through the Strait of Hormuz - but only for shipments paid for in Chinese yuan rather than US dollars. The dollar is THE standard currency of the fossil fuel trade. Iran didn’t just announce...
When Time‑Saving Tools Actually Add More Work
This week I've found myself sitting with this worthwhile question: What happens when the tools that promise to save time actually create more work? The next issue of The Lantern explores that tension. If you’d like it delivered when it goes...
India Poised to Lead Amid New Global Oil Crisis
The global map is being redrawn, and India is right at the center of the new oil crisis. With our non-aligned status, we are in a rare position to take the lead. Dive into the full analysis of what happens...
Middle East Crisis Threatens Global Heavy‑Industry Supply Chains
"The Narrowing Straits: Why the Middle East Crisis is a Fault Line for Global Industry" - my own expert comentary on a recent interview with Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc, and the impact on key heavy industries and supply chains they...
AI Agents Will Dictate Future Software Procurement Decisions
A subtle dynamic today that will likely end up being quite fundamental in the future is that AI agents implicitly will end up procuring a significant portion of tech in the future for you and your company. For companies that have...
US LNG Demand Soars, Venture Global Expands Plant
MORE US LNG EXPORTS 🇺🇸 🚢 Venture Global will move forward with an $8.6 billion expansion of its third LNG plant in Louisiana Global demand for US LNG is surging as the war in the Middle East cuts off shipments from...
From Stanford Pizza Nights to Palantir’s Birth
Amazing. In 2006 I went to Stanford with stacks of pizza to the Unix cluster at Sweet Hall with xerox fliers It said: Come join the next Google We were a 12 person startup The name of the startup? Palantir
Contentious Fed Decision Will Heighten Market Concerns About Iran
Video of what I'm watching for next week: A Contentious Fed Decision Will Add to Market's Iran Concerns https://t.co/Ikll4zvVyq
Oil Shocks Lift Risk Premiums, Weaken Markets, Curb Inflation
Risk premium rising across equities and credit while intraday correlation between oil and equities around -80%. Oil shocks push the tide out and expose underlying weak links. The peak in oil in June 2022 explained the first low in markets...
Canada's Public Workforce Surges, Private Growth Stalls
Public sector employment in Canada grew 27% over the past decade. The private sector grew 13%. Today, roughly one in five Canadian workers is in the public sector. Self-employment continues to decline. Here is the uncomfortable math: Step 1: Businesses create goods and...
Iran Stands Firm; China Faces Bigger Oil Risks
The threat to destroy Kharg Island won't convince Iran to back down. But it might convince China to convince Iran to back down. Oil prices may harm the US, but an actual oil shortage or global recession will hurt China.
Gold’s Safe‑Haven Appeal Fading: Overlooked Factor Emerging
Is the gold rush over? The safe haven appeal seems to be fizzling out in gold and silver, the reason is probably something most are overlooking.
Japanese Builders Accelerate U.S. Homebuilder Acquisitions
WOW. ANOTHER ONE. Japanese builders are rapidly acquiring U.S. homebuilders—striking their third deal in a month This week, Japan-based Hajime Construction agreed to buy Utah-based Wright Homes My latest for ResiClub: https://t.co/FgJwjNewbx
Strait of Hormuz Blockade Endangers Fertilizers, Aluminium, Plastics, Helium
It's not just oil and gas. What other crucial commodities are under threat from the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz? Fertilisers, aluminium, plastics, helium and more. https://t.co/H1tRNgqzv6
Culture Issues Are Really Unnamed Psychological Problems
Unpopular opinion: your culture problem is not a culture problem. It is a psychology problem nobody has been trained to name. Unspoken power dynamics. Misaligned incentives. Leaders whose self-concept cannot tolerate feedback. Culture is just psychology at scale. Treat it that way.
Setbacks Are Lessons: Nvidia CEO Champions Grit
Nvidia CEO on how setbacks must be viewed as opportunities to learn and grow (A masterclass on the importance of grit, persistence, long-term thinking and doing) https://t.co/MokMDrhW97
China Ties Strengthen, Boosting Korean Tourism Despite Geopolitics
The geopolitical impact might be negative, but I reckon this brings South Korea even closer to the PRC, probably bullish Chinese tourism to Korea
Fed Leadership Split Complicates Inflation and Labor Outlook
My take on the difficultly navigating the splintering within Fed leadership amidst tension of inflation and the labor market.
Buffett & Munger Reveal True Cost of Equity
Most investors misunderstand the cost of equity. Below is the most explicit Buffett has ever been on his cost of equity... BUT the real insights come from Charlie Munger's push back and Buffett's Punch Card Idea ⬇️Link⬇️
Government's 71% Fee Threat Sparks Outrage
Leaving aside the bad precedent (govt threatening to shut down a co unless it gets paid), the fee itself is kinda insane. The entire enterprise value was only around $14 billion. So this would be a 71% “banker’s” fee.
Israel Admits Targeting Civilian Sites in Lebanon, 773 Dead
ISRAEL CONTINUES BOMBING LEBANON. Today, for the first time, the Israelis admitted targeting civilian infrastructure. Since March 2nd, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports that at least 773 Lebanese have been killed by Israeli airstrikes. https://t.co/RtUAb9jgfW
Supreme Court Declares Trump Tariffs Illegal, Refunds Delayed
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s reciprocal tariffs were ILLEGAL. Now, the US government is slow walking the refunds Americans are due. Once the government illegally taxes you, it’s hard to get a legal refund. https://t.co/crKDhGMBIe
Work Beats Imposter Syndrome, Earn Your Confidence
It’s Friday the 13th… Some people are worried about bad luck. Others are worried they don’t belong in the room. Here’s what you have wrong about imposter syndrome. You might feel like you don’t belong in the room. Like you’re not qualified, not ready,...
AI Shifts Skills, Not Jobs, Prompting Atlassian Cuts
AI is not replacing people. But it is changing the type of skills needed by companies. Atlassian to Cut About 10% of Workforce, Cites Need to Adapt to AI https://t.co/lxguZDO5I5 #CIO #AI #CHRO
Partial Recap During Growth Boosts Valuation and Upside
Because founders are famously optimistic about the future of their business, selling their company during a growth phase may feel like giving away too much upside. A couple things to think about in this case: 1. A liquidity event is...
Prime‑age Participation Rates Hit Record Highs Despite Aging Workforce
The *number* outside the labor force will organically rise as the population ages. It says *zero* about labor market health. A better measure is the participation *rate* of prime-age individuals, which excludes those likeliest to be retired or students. It's near...
Mentor a Junior Engineer to Build Leadership Skills
RT Not ready to manage people? Start by mentoring one junior engineer in 2026. Teaching security, reliability, and stakeholder skills is a low-risk way to practice leadership and grow your own influence. #DevOps #AI @Star_CIO https://t.co/4zYT9dEmxc
New Fed Chair Likely to Push Rates Higher Soon
Hikes? Get the 🍿 ready when the usually hawkish new Fed Chairman turns hawkish later this year.
Automate Rigorous A/B Tests, Eliminate Guesswork
I built a skill for Claude Code that designs A/B tests with proper statistical rigor so you stop guessing and start measuring. You tell it what you want to test and it builds the whole experiment for you — hypothesis, control...
Remote Global Teams Simplify Scaling Fast‑Growth Companies
The world is flat. Running a fast growing company with a fully remote, global team is easier than ever before. https://t.co/uBNIQekA6e
Recession Bets Surge to Four‑month High on Prediction Markets
Love them or hate them, prediction markets still have some pointed utility. Betting on a #recession this year has hit a four-month high https://t.co/8ycrvzy65o
Design for $10K Days, Not Just $10K Months
A pattern I've noticed: Most founders chase $10K months but very few design for $10K days. The latter comes from systems that sell without emotional or energetic effort.
AI Fuels New Growth Opportunities for Tech Leaders
CIOs, CTOs, product leaders: your next big opportunity may come because of AI, not despite it. I connect AI, layoffs, VC trends, and hiring strategies in my article. #AI #CIO https://t.co/mIefOcbMM8
Q4 GDP Halved, Inflation Rises: Stagflation Hits Markets
The number Wall Street was dreading arrived today. Q4 GDP was revised down to 0.7% — literally half the initial reading — while core PCE inflation climbed to 3.1%, its highest since early 2024. The S&P 500 responded by hitting...
War on Iran Spikes Fertilizer Prices, Fuels Farmer Backlash
MORE COLLATERAL DAMAGE FROM THE US-ISRAELI WAR ON IRAN: Fertilizer shipments from the Persian Gulf are stuck. Fertilizer prices have jumped about 30%. US FARMERS ARE STARTING TO TURN AGAINST TRUMP. https://t.co/IwXKoWCUj0
Bank of Canada Cuts Rates, yet Yields Rise
tonight at your cocktail 🍸 party when someone says that interest rates are coming down and the central bank has you covered, tell them the @bankofcanada has dropped rates 7 times since Sep/24 and 5 & 10 yields are higher...
Prioritize Immediate Impact Over Shiny New Features
Just because something is useful doesn’t mean it’s useful right now. One of the most important parts of my job as both a fractional CMO and the CEO of BRDGE Insights is keeping the team focused on what actually moves the...
Treasury Tapped Parallel Dollar Market, Used $2.5B, Made Profit
👀 💵Remember the fuss about Bessent conducting an ESF-funded fx swap exchange to support the Argentinian peso back in October 2025? We now have the details of those transactions via the quarterly reporting Congress requires for Treasury’s Exchange Stabilization Fund operations. They...
As Companies Grow, Pay Shifts From Execution to Strategy
0 to $10M you get paid to execute $10M to $50M you get paid to fix $50M+ you get paid to think