From Zero to $1B in 3.5 Years: Lux‑Backed Success
From ZERO to $1B in 3.5 years. We wrote their first check at Lux… Here’s how they did it.
High Broker Fees Signal a Business Acquisition Attempt
If a broker charges rates in line with Realtors, say 5 or 6% then they likely are trying to ‘buy business.’- How to Sell my own Business https://t.co/l2EObkfURN https://t.co/Jq7DIDeNGv
Strait Closure Ripple Effects Threaten Sulphur, Copper, Global Markets
Further to what we said about the impact that the closing of the Strait of Hormuz has on the sulphur market… and therefore African copper production… Craig Tindale maps out that this is only one small piece of a giant...
Learning Co‑Investing Secrets by Watching Benchmark’s Five Partners
In 1999-2000 Craig McCaw asked me to spend a lot of time working in the Benchmark offices on Sand Hill Road to find areas where co-investment was possible. I never learned so much, as Yogi Berra famously said, "just by...
TNT Secures Exclusive U.S. FIBA Rights Amid Merger Uncertainty
This is exactly the type of deal I discuss in today's newsletter ... will a Paramount/WBD merged company do these smaller sports rights deals anymore? The calculus will definitely change for TNT ... https://t.co/DvKzUkqcDr
Matt Anderson Poised for Smooth NASA Deputy Confirmation
NASA may soon get a deputy administrator. Matt Anderson is before a Senate committee today. Barring surprises his confirmation in the coming weeks should be non-controversial.
Credit‑Card Trials Double Revenue Efficiency vs Freemium
If 1,000 people land on your website… How much revenue do you actually generate? Kyle Poyar , ChartMogul and ProductLed analyzed 200 SaaS & AI companies for our 2026 Funnel Report. Here’s what happens with 1,000 visitors: Freemium 1,000 visitors...
Hire as Fast as You Train, or Fail
Most startups fail at hiring, not product. They scale headcount faster than they scale training. Lean teams stay small, ship MVPs, track metrics, and fix root issues with Five Whys before adding people. Amazon runs teams small enough to feed with two pizzas...
Self‑advocacy at Work Turns Promotions Into Popularity Contests
If the only way to get promoted at your company is to "advocate for yourself," congrats, you just built a popularity contest. 💅🏻
War in Iran and Inflation Push Mortgage Rates Near 6%
Today’s podcast discusses a theory of mine on why #mortgagerates are near 6%, with hotter inflation data and the war with Iran driving up oil prices. @housingwire @sarahteresa6 #economics #realestate #housing #chartdaddy
Russia Shifts Gas to China, Threatens Europe Supply
September 2, 2025: Russia and China sign major new gas pipeline deal March 4, 2026: Putin says Russia may halt gas supplies to Europe https://t.co/kEjAnIqyrP
Hollywood Execs Prioritize Cost Cuts over Creative Talent
After Hollywood turned on David Zaslav for being too much of a bean counter/financier, I’m sure The Town will appreciate David Ellison’s answer to being asked how many layoffs are coming w/ merging w/ WBD: “We absolutely need to rationalize the...
Vote for DR80+ Club T‑Shirt Design
We're bringing back the @Ahrefs DR80+ Club. 👑 ...and we need your vote for the best t-shirt design. *Why does DR80+ matter?* DR (Domain Rating) is Ahrefs' metric for a website's link popularity. Essentially, how many high-quality sites are linking to it. This metric...
Pitch UX as Risk Reduction, Not Just Experience
I was talking with a designer at a large heritage organization recently. He's the only UX person on the team, and he's been struggling with something I see all the time: getting product owners and business analysts to see the...
Adopt the Resisted Shift to Boost Close Rates
If you feel like you’re working harder than ever but your close rate isn’t reflecting it, this one’s for you. There’s a simple shift that can completely change your sales results — and most salespeople resist it. https://t.co/5Fwvx5SvKs
Iran War Sends Global Ripples Through Container Shipping
The impact of the Iran war on container shipping is reaching well beyond the Persian Gulf, creating ripple effects upstream at ports around the world. 1/ 🧵
Fed Rate‑cut Odds Dip as ECB Hike Odds Surge
Everyone is talking about ECB rate hike odds by Dec spiking to 60% from 20% BUT Fed Fund futures show less chance of 25bp cut in June than a week ago (before the Iran strikes) When do you think the Federal Reserve...
Unlock AI Search Visibility with My New Video
If you found my latest blog post about AEO/GEO vs SEO interesting, you should check out the companion YouTube video I just published. I cover everything in detail and provide some additional context. My video covers all of the information...
Customers Can't Define Your Next Big Feature
Hot take that's actually not that hot: Your customers can’t tell you what to build. I know. You've been collecting feature requests. You've got a Notion doc or a Monday board full of them. You send surveys. You read every...
AI Builds Entire Startup Solo in One Night
Holy shit... I built an entire startup last night in one session. No team. No developers. No investors. Just me, a dinner idea, and Spine AI. Here's the full breakdown: 👇 The idea hit at dinner: What if you typed "show me all customers who...
China's Lithium Lead Persists, but Supply Share Shrinks
China’s lithium supply dominance is hardly being “locked in.” Over the next decade their #1 position over demand will remain but their control over supply will diminish as assets in North America and non Chinese owned assets in South America...
Diesel Costs Rise $0.40/gal, Adding $0.06 per Mile
Diesel prices keep surging +$.40/gallon since start of the conflict That is roughly $.06/mile https://t.co/U2lHk2MBhe
5 Hidden Habits Blocking Mid‑Level Designers’ Promotion
I've mentored over 500 designers at this point. Here are the top 5 common patterns that quietly stall growth from mid → senior level design positions. Some may surprise you.
New Google AI Mode Features Boost SEO and Customization
It’s New 3/5: Google AI Mode recipe cards and links covered by @gregfinn, @mordyoberstein on AI Overview drop downs, @TheMarketingAnu on build to order attributes and I wrap with JavaScript SEO accessibility https://t.co/Ab4n3Z0rKc
Four Indicators Hint Upside Surprise on US Jobs
EVERYONE'S BEARISH ON NFP - THEY MIGHT BE WRONG ⚠️4 leading indicators say the US jobs number could surprise to upside Meanwhile $NQ $ES are bleeding and $CL is surging. Here's my breakdown of it all👇 https://t.co/tPjJsIC76Y
Goldman Banker Hides Employer; Barclays Banker Doesn’t.
The Goldman banker was smart enough not to let them print that he works there. The Barclays banker though... https://t.co/XQUyhDbCNS
BlackRock Wipes Private Credit Loans to Zero in Three Months
Well well well... BlackRock marked a private credit loan at 100 cents on the dollar in Q3. By Q4, it was a big fat ZERO. Not 80. Not 50. ZERO. In 3 months. This is the second time $TCPC has done this recently....
Iterate Goals and Systems: Adapt While Executing
Vacillate between goals and systems. Start with a directional goal. What systems could do that? But you learn while you execute, so the goal might change, as might the system. Etc..
MRAs Key to Trade Expansion, Diversification, Resilience
#tradeXpresso: how important are #MRAs for trade expansion, export diversification and supply chain resilience? If you missed it, catch up with the latest insights from an excellent panel of experts at the @wto #TBT thematic session 👇 https://t.co/NMNgTHfYkC
AI Boosts Productivity, Surpassing Pre‑Pandemic Forecasts
Are we finally seeing AI in the productivity data? A big upward revision to earlier data and strong Q4 bring us 2.2% above CBO's pre-pandemic forecast. Annual rates: 1 year: 2.8% 2 years: 2.5% 6 years: 2.2%
Unfocused AI Experiments Waste Time, Trust, and Money
RT Chaotic AI experiments feel exciting, but they're quietly burning time, trust, and budget. Without focus, governance, and integration into real workflows, "innovation" becomes noise, not value. #AI #CIO #DigitalTransformation @Star_CIO https://t.co/VtuS5rQ0ZG
Current Cycle Productivity Hits Long‑Term 2.2% Benchmark
"The 2.2-percent annualized rate of nonfarm business productivity growth in the current business cycle thus far is higher than the 1.5-percent rate of the previous business cycle, from the fourth quarter of 2007 through the fourth quarter of 2019, and...
US Stocks Maintain Record 15-Year Outperformance Stretch
Over the past 14 months, International stocks have outperformed US stocks by 27%, the widest margin since 1993-94. But zoom out. On a rolling 5-year basis, US stocks have outperformed for 15 years running. This is by far the longest stretch of US...
Today's Purchases Teach Float and Discipline
Why today is always the day for my biggest business purchases. Float and Discipline lesson inside. https://t.co/r6DUEVnTtI #SmallBusiness & Deal Making #SMB https://t.co/s6Y0EC0IKN
Merger Threats Undermine TNT Sports Strategy and Leadership
This week’s CNBC Sport newsletter is out: *Why TNT Sports’ strategy no longer makes sense if WBD & Paramount come together *Jeff Shell’s future up in the air *There will be no David Ellison/David Zaslav “men in blazers” photo on the...
State-Backed Hackers Ready for Undetectable OT Attacks
State-affiliated hackers set up for critical OT attacks that operators may not detect | CSO Online https://t.co/bvLvNOk8Fn
Dollar Surge Reflects Short‑term Risk Aversion, Not Lasting Strength
The Dollar (blue) has risen sharply above rate differentials (black). That's the best indication this week's Dollar spike is about short-term risk aversion and repatriation flows. Totally short-term and doesn't invalidate Dollar weakness later this year... https://t.co/2nXDj5db75 https://t.co/EXSOCllmRB
AI Search Engines Facing Rising Low‑Quality Spam Content
Do Google's AI search competitors have a (growing) spam problem? By the metrics I have available, they're increasingly citing low-quality domains. Using Ahrefs Brand Radar, I analyzed the top 1,000 sites mentioned on each platform over the past three months. ChatGPT, Copilot, and...
Delayed Coverage of $20 Million Loan Write‑down Emerges
Not sure why the write-down of a $20 million loan that was disclosed nearly two months ago is news but here we are https://t.co/lfuuXrqdYg
Iran Conflict Won’t Boost Dollar as Rate Gap Narrows
Markets are pricing war with Iran as a hawkish shock for the Fed (lhs). But the US rate differential versus its G10 peers is moving against the Dollar (rhs), because central banks outside the US will also be less dovish....
Rising Oil Prices Force Fed to Pause, Trim 2026 Cuts
Surging crude prices (bottom chart) make "pause" the Fed's default position. 2026 rate cuts down to 39 bps (top chart) https://t.co/Wi5u5aYQXn
Debunking SEO Generative Retrieval Misinformation: Facts Explained
Great post from @dawnieando. And the visuals are killer :) -> Debunking and Demystifying Generative Information Retrieval: Misinformation in The SEO Space Covers 'chunking', information gain, llms.txt, and more. Dawn provides a great breakdown of the misinformation going on today while...
Iran Conflict May Accelerate Solar and Battery Adoption
Past fossil-fuel price spikes left import-dependent countries with two options: pay up or cut fuel use. Now there is an alternative in solar and batteries. I looked at recent examples in Europe, Pakistan and Cuba to glean what might happen...
Engineer Your Life: Automate, Simplify, and Iterate Daily
I don’t know who needs this, but: Automate what drains you. Template what repeats. Name things clearly. Cut tools in half. Upgrade quietly. Audit friction monthly. Create decisions rules. Build once, benefit daily. Life’s short. Engineer it.
Pasqal‑Bleichroeder Deal Targets $2B Valuation by 2026
Pasqal / Bleichroeder Acquisition II deal overview Quantum computing company $2.0 billion enterprise value Closing H2 2026 PR: https://t.co/Y8kjd8LJdO IR deck: https://t.co/27uxUkWA9t Disclosure: Long $BBCQ shares + warrants in $ARB.to https://t.co/EfgkoWpFiI
IRobot’s Supply Chain Turns Into Last Resort
Now playing on @artofsupply > How iRobot’s Supply Chain Became Its Last Resort https://t.co/p5hFTiS2fr https://t.co/nVLSFLgEOt
Dollar Surge Is Temporary Asset Repatriation, Not Reserve Decline
This week's rise in USD confounded those who said the US is losing reserve currency status. That's NOT what it's about. Americans repatriate assets when bad shocks hit, like in 2008, 2020 or 2025. A very short-term thing. The Dollar...
Half of Teens Earn Online; Schools Should Teach Solo Business
teens should all be building a solo business with an assembly of new tools and agents as part of the core high school curriculum these days - can’t think of a more important and practical building block for new world...
China Hikes Military Budget, Seeks Tech Self‑reliance
In a Riskier Era, China Bets on Technology to Resist U.S. Pressure China announced a 7 percent increase in military spending and a five-year plan to try to reduce its military and industry’s reliance on Western technology. https://t.co/c3cRysLtmX via @NYTimes
Google AI Mode Boosts Recipe Links, Tracking Remains Tough
Finally seeing this live today and I really like it. Much better for recipe publishers... But good luck trying to track that in GSC. Standard rules apply for impressions in AI Mode... I'll see if I can find some data...