Blend AI and Human Creativity for Optimal Results
You don’t need to go all AI or NO AI with your creatives… leaning too far either way means wasting budget on low-quality output or falling behind brands launching faster. The smarter approach sits in the middle. We use AI as a supplement in specific parts of our creative workflow where it fills gaps we couldn’t solve efficiently otherwise. Take a mattress brand as an example. You can't easily ship a mattress to a UGC creator. It's expensive, logistically painful, and the content you get back is usually mediocre anyway. You either run without that type of content, or you use AI to create a high-production photoshoot or a lifestyle video that would have cost 10s of 1000s of dollars to produce in a real studio. We're doing the latter, and it's working. It falls flat when brands use it as a shortcut on products where real content could be created easily and would perform better. People can tell if it’s AI-generated or not. Maybe not consciously, but the feed scroll is trained now. If you're running AI creative on a skincare brand that could easily get genuine UGC, you're sacrificing performance because the authenticity isn’t there. The best approach is to use AI to strengthen parts of the creative workflow that would have otherwise cost 1000s in production.

Boost Leads 10x in 4 Weeks with AI
How I'd 10x leads in 4 weeks using AI, if I were starting my business from scratch.

Design Your Time System, Not Just Discipline
If your week feels like a group chat you can’t mute, that’s not a discipline issue. That’s a design issue. You don’t need another productivity app. You need a system that tells your time where to go before everyone else does. The Ultimate...
Financial Visibility: Why Small SaaS Firms Struggle to Track Revenue
Many small SaaS companies can’t clearly answer: “How much money are we actually making?” In Ep. 234 of The SaaS CFO Podcast, Helen Hastings shares why financial visibility shouldn’t be this hard. Watch 👇 https://t.co/BnQYh8fzzR #SaaS #AI #Quanta https://t.co/ftZ3u32GPX

Unlock Hidden Loan Options Through Business Brokers
“Welcome to my special report on how to borrow from #businessbrokers... By the end of this report, you’ll learn how you can negotiate a loan from a lender that many others have never considered.” –Borrow from Biz Brokers (2017) https://t.co/l2EObkfURN...

Gold Poised Near $6k Amid Iran‑Israel Conflict
Gold closed Friday at $5,278. The all-time high is $5,595. That's $317 away. The US and Israel just launched strikes on Iran. Tehran is retaliating. Iran vows to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. This is the biggest safe haven trigger since 2020. Fib extension...

US Weapon Supply Hinges on Chinese Components Despite Oil Strikes
"Amateurs talk tactics; professionals study logistics." -USMC Gen. Robert Barrow Many rightfully noting US hitting Chinese oil supplies; few noting that US cannot restock weapons without Chinese components. Left headline: Wednesday of last week Right headline: WSJ today https://t.co/N0oRvB87DA
Habit Retention Beats Occasional Relapse to Competitors
I wonder which of these is better: having people make using your app a habit or having people relapse into using your app even after they try the competition...

Goldman Slide Signals Hidden Atlantic Credit Crisis
Goldman Sachs down 7.5% in a single day. From $985 to $860 in three months. Meanwhile, a UK mortgage lender just collapsed. Private credit contagion is spreading across the Atlantic. This isn’t a correction. It’s a credit event hiding in plain sight.

2023 Spread Surge Pushes Mortgages to 7.17%
The worst levels of the spreads in 2023 resulted in 7.17% mortgage rates today instead of 5.99%. https://t.co/PkASya1lri
Top 10 AI Agent Platforms Every Leader Must Know
10 AI-Agent Platforms Every Business Leader Needs to Know AI agents are transforming business — here are ten key platforms leaders should understand to stay ahead in the AI era. Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/e3pza-hC #AI #BusinessTech #FutureOfWork #BernardMarr
GenAI Pushes Tech Skills to Business, Demands Model Overhaul
"GenAI is shifting technical skills from IT teams into everyday business roles," enabling ops and CX leaders to pull insights without engineers. If skills are shifting, your operating model must shift too. #GenAI #AI #DigitalTransformation #CX https://t.co/8OLLAWNSNL
Renewables Insulate You From Oil Market Chaos
Two different worlds entirely. With the Strait of Hormuz shut down, oil producers closing production and oil tanker insurance companies ceasing coverage in the middle east: Person with no solar & no EV: Congrats, your gas expense may soon double, your...
ChatGPT Evolving Into a Personal Super‑assistant for Life Tasks
"From a reactive chatbot to personal super assistant." Yep, she's talking about Jarvis. :) And ChatGPT might get closer to that by the end of this year -> More from the interview with OpenAI's Fidji Simo What is the future of...
AI, Private Credit, and Gold Shape US Economy
Was great to be on a panel down @iconnections_io in Miami hosted by @GuyAdami w/ @VD718 & Meredith Whitney. We discussed the U.S. consumer & economy & the impact of A.I. on markets. We hit "Private Credit" & "Gold is...

Industrial Policy: Faith Over Coherent Strategy in Unknown Territory
"The Incoherence of Modest Industrial Policy" https://t.co/FC72XUqs6v "If policymakers admit they are operating in unknown territory, then the idea that they can steer society in a coherent direction becomes less a policy strategy and more an article of faith." https://t.co/pTa6RJfJnQ
Iran Conflict Will Expose Oil Market Fragility
IRAN WAR will test the vulnerability of oil markets - I got to write some thoughts in the Financial Times: https://t.co/L7TKTXxT7U

71% Blame Trump Tariffs for Higher Prices, War Distracts
Americans have SOURED on Pres. Trump. According to the latest Economist poll, 71% of Americans say that Trump’s tariffs increased the price they paid for goods and services. TO DISTRACT AMERICANS, TRUMP HAS JUST STARTED A WAR. https://t.co/WAh0999SVq
Sequoia Fast‑tracked $75M Series B After Deep Customer Vetting
A look inside @getserval's Series B, the #1 company on @harmonic_ai's Hot 25 list last quarter
Bootstrapped SaaS Thrives on Trust, Not Code
Gah such a great take. I don’t invest in large SaaS plays, but on the micro end, especially for bootstrapped founders, it’s still a fantastic place to build.
Standard Cloud Tools Miss Your Unique Competitive Edge
Off-the-shelf cloud software contains average practices, not your best. Your unique IP and secret sauce require careful consideration. Leaders must understand the implications of cloud migration decisions. #CloudMigration #BusinessStrategy #TechTips https://t.co/JiMSvU0L6E
Procrastination Builds Cognitive Debt, Causing Brain Fog
Every time you postpone the shit you need to do, you're building up cognitive debt with yourself. And then you wonder why your brain is always foggy when you have to sit down and do the work. Health isn't just broccoli and...

Thailand's Deflation Linked to Sub‑Golden Money Supply Growth
Thailand's January CPI is -0.6%/yr. That's the 10th consecutive month in DEFLATION. In the past 3 years, its Money Supply has grown BELOW Hanke's Golden Growth Rate of 5.4-7.4%/yr, a rate consistent with hitting a 1-3%/yr inflation target. INFLATION STORY = MONEY...
Hapag-Lloyd Halts Bab El-Mandeb Sailings Over Security Risks
Hapag-Lloyd - Due to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East region, we have decided – in close coordination with our security partners – to pause future Trans-Suez sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for the time being. https://t.co/igGhhMHR23

KKR Founders' First Capital and Early Investor Snapshot
A great one-page overview detailing the KKR founders’ initial capital contributions and the investors they raised from to finance their first leveraged buyouts. https://t.co/JQxW7mzQhZ

Hyperscaler Capex Slowing, Semis Set to Underperform
Market is forward looking. Hyperscaler capex rate of change decelerates from here. This plus extreme overcrowding is why semis will underperform going forward. https://t.co/uOhD8pfFUa
Small Wins Spark Momentum When You Feel Stuck
A mentor once told me this: When you feel stuck, shrink the goal. One finished task. One closed loop. One workout. One hard conversation. One thing that moves you forward. Momentum is just a byproduct of movement.
Six Essential Questions to Avoid “No Decision”
6 non-negotiables for me to uncover in every sales cycle. Without it, you're likely to lose often to 'no decision.' And no - this is not MEDDIC. It's the concept of 'why change' and why an investment is required. 1. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲-𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 How...
Followers Grow Fast, Revenue Grows Slow—Fix Pipeline First
The hidden cost of building attention that doesn’t convert It’s easier to add 50K followers than to fix inconsistent pipeline. That’s why so many B2B SaaS founders double down on visibility. Growth looks like traction. It feels like momentum. It...
Industry Complacency Fuels Ongoing Hollywood Consolidation
Want to know why consolidation keeps happening? People within industries just don’t see problems with it. A lot of the major Hollywood players are fine with the Paramount merger. https://t.co/lWXZRyUNqb

AI Overuse Erodes Skills, Dorsey Cuts Block Workforce
Recruiting Brainfood - Issue 490 https://t.co/zEshmedDB2 Skills Atrophy through AI overuse, Jack Dorsey firing 40% of Block, and how 'humans-in-the-loop' is a kop out... https://t.co/Lmt6dMFvC1
Purpose Sells: Warby Parker's Give‑back Beats Product‑only Brands
Warby Parker donated over 20 million pairs of glasses through their 'Buy a Pair, Give a Pair' program. A mission baked into every sale. Meanwhile you're just selling a product with no story or purpose behind it. That's the gap.

Korea and Taiwan Set for Massive Chip Surpluses
If there isn't a new energy shock (a big if), the surpluses of the chip exporting powers (Korea and Taiwan) are going to be absolutely stunning this year. 1/2 https://t.co/N2A7u4k1ai
Identify the Top Trade for a Middle East Conflict
What is the #1 trade you want to be holding when a Middle East war breaks out over the weekend? ⬇️

Middle East Tensions Could Ripple Through Global Markets Next Week
Middle East Tensions Update & Possible impact on global financial markets going into the next week : https://youtu.be/XZvRoREIMoY?si=LIlBTBlEX3F68ljk
Resilience in Crisis: Publishing Newsletter Amid Chaos
First. Thank you. Every single message yesterday meant so much to me. We are safe, exhausted, and so grateful. We have a shelter in our apartment which makes us luckier than most. And watching videos of people dancing and singing...
War-Driven Correction: Is India's Market Already Priced In?
Friday's closing correction was also on the basis of war. So, what do you think? How much will fall tomorrow? Or has the war's impact already been discounted in the Indian stock market?

Embracing My Micromanagement Flaws While Building Uniform Team Culture
Yesterday was a horrible #buildinpublic day I got rinsed by 100s of engineers for being a micromanager I was defensive and overwhelmed, and trying to explain my own preferences for how Senja should be run I know I am not perfect and am...
Dubai's Woes Ripple Into India’s $45 Bn Remittances
Problems in Dubai are not just for people staying there - it spills over to India - we get $45 bn of remittances from the Middle East each year.
Consistent Shipping Beats Quitting, Long Hours, and VC
You DON'T need to: • Quit your job • Work 80 hours/week • Raise VC funding You DO need to: • Ship consistently • Talk to users • Build in public 6 months of focused side-project work can change everything. You'll be ahead of most builders.

Iran Leadership Change Fuels Heightened US‑Iran Tensions
1/ Update on middle east tensions & their market impact : - Iran's Supreme leader is dead , new leadership will take charge soon (likely today) - IRGC announced to hit America & Israel today in the most intense way - Trump responded...
Toxic Culture Costs Firms Billions; Fix It Now
Toxic culture kills small businesses. Stress, gossip, and hostility cut output by 20% and drive turnover that cost U.S. firms $223B in five years. Leaders who ignore bad behavior fuel burnout, distrust, and exits. You set the tone through direct feedback, clear roles,...
China's Treasury Sales Hit Lowest Since 2008
⚠️China is indeed DUMPING US Treasuries: China’s holdings of US government bonds dropped -$75.5 BILLION in 2025, to $683.5 billion, the lowest since September 2008, the Financial Crisis. Since the 2013 peak, holdings have fallen -$633.2 BILLION.👇 https://globalmarketsinvestor.beehiiv.com/p/china-sold-a-significant-amount-of-us-treasuries-in-2025
Monday Marks Final Day of Tender Offer
Re-upping this. Monday is the last day of the current tender offer. Maybe I'll put out an English version, but it's in my Cui Bono piece on Smartkarma last week.

Build Resilience: Prioritize Buffers Over Perfect Plans
Our system isn’t broken. It’s just being tested by real life. Steve Jobs once said deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do. In this week’s episode of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast, we unpack what...
China's 2025 Economy: Hot Sectors Stuck Amid Cooling
“The Chinese economy in 2025…is like a giant machine where large parts are beginning to cool down, while a considerable part remains at high temperature. But the temperature of this part is difficult to conduct to the cooling parts.” @ChinaFile https://t.co/oC1Pwzm8je
China Home Prices Plunge, Property Slump Hits Growth
China new home prices fell at fastest pace in 3+ yrs (Feb). Macro: property slump drags growth. Key factors: weak demand, limited policy relief. Risks: wealth erosion, consumption hit. Trade: short Chinese property developers/RE ETFs 🔻 — Viktor Kopylov, PhD,...
IRGC Closes Strait of Hormuz, Threatening 20% Oil Flow
🚨 IRAN WAR UPDATE — MARCH 1, 2026 🚨 Khamenei is confirmed dead by Iranian state media. But the bigger story: the IRGC has formally closed the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping firms are instructing vessels to shelter in place. About 20%...

CEOs Must Align, Not Operate: The Key to Scale
The CEO’s job isn’t to run the company. It’s to align it. Operations can be delegated. Alignment cannot. A CEO stuck in execution becomes an operator. A CEO who aligns vision, strategy, people, and incentives builds scale. Execution is the engine. Alignment is the steering wheel. Drive...
Iran War Urges China to Fast‑track Renewables, Shun Coal
Thinking ahead... does this push China to further speed up the adoption of renewables + batteries and make it even more reluctant to wind down coal. The Iran war is an object lesson in a) American power (which shale has...