Asha Sharma Returns as Xbox CEO, Second Microsoft Stint
Fun fact: Asha Sharma's appointment as CEO of Xbox is her second time working on Microsoft's gaming brand A Microsoft rep confirmed to me that she did some Xbox work back during her initial 2011-2013 Microsoft stint but didn't specify what she worked on https://t.co/FpsVOwAi1i
Blackstone's Medallia Loan Downgrade Erases $5B Equity
Surprised no journalists have read $BXSL's 10-K filed this am, but I'll front run them with the story: Blackstone marked the Medallia loan at 78 in Q4, down from 82 in Q3. It's safe to say the PE sponsor's (and co-investors') $5...
US IT Budget Wasted on Maintenance, Not Innovation
The US spends $100B annually on IT, and nearly 80% of that goes to maintenance instead of building new things. @cognition is ushering in an era of software abundance to the public sector 🇺🇸
CFO Guide: Guardrails for Secondary Tender Offers
How much money is too much money for employees to take out in a secondary? What are the appropriate guard rails to run a tender offer as a CFO? And is the rise of SPVs helping or hurting the reputation...
Middle Managers Bridge Strategy and Execution Through Clear Communication
#TimTalk - Middle managers are the bridge between senior strategy and frontline execution, how can the manager maintain communication? with Gary Cookson https://t.co/aeHGNcfHqc via @DLAIgnite #SocialSelling #DigitalSelling #Sales #SalesLeader #Leadership #Culture #Success #Management #HumanResources #HR
Germany Urges China to Let RMB Appreciate, Reversing Stance
Germany joining the chorus call for China to allow the RMB to rise -- a big change from 15 years ago, when Germany didn't think China's currency management was its problem https://t.co/1J5Z0lrxma
Fiscal Policy Dragged Q4 Growth, Boosts Q1
Hutchins Fiscal Impact Measure: Local, state & federal fiscal policy shaved 1 pct pt from GDP growth in Q4. We expect it will be *add* 2.6 pts in Q1 as effects of shutdown are reversed, will be roughly neutral...
Spot Market Overtakes Contracts, Signaling Freight Recession End
The spot market is finally crossing over and passing the contract market. Why does this matter? Because it provides the best data we've seen yet that the Great Freight Recession is ending. Is this a blip or a permanent shift? Is @rxoinc...
AI Sparked No Major Corporate Shifts in 2025
As someone who has spent a lot of time with large companies talking about AI, I can say fairly confidently that no big organizational changes happened as a result of AI in 2025 I don’t think that tells us...
OpenAI's $100B Raise Defies Profit Logic
OpenAI is closing a ~$100B funding round despite being unprofitable. On paper, it makes no sense... But here’s what everyone’s missing:
Jensen Huang Discusses VAST Data at SLC Conference
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang on VAST Data today at VAST FWD in SLC - https://t.co/5VYAhyx8RC
EM Currencies Surge, Yet Turkish Lira Slides Amid High Carry
Most EM currencies are managing to rally strongly against the Dollar so far in 2026. Turkish Lira is falling and the worst performer. This despite annual carry of over 30%. The fact that Lira is still falling is a sign...
From Doorbot to Ring: $1B Dream in 2018
“Back when I sold Ring in 2018, $1 Billion was a lot of money” @JamieSiminoff and @hametwatt at the Upfront Summit - Hamet came up with the name Ring (instead of Doorbot) and Jamie wanted a four letter domain like...
Rial Depreciates as US Threats Loom Over Iran
FYI: as we wait to see if the Trump Administration will move forward with direct attacks on Iran, this is US Dollar - Iranian Rial exchange rate. The reversion to a float since the beginning of the year does not...
Smart Metrics Need Guardrails to Prevent AI Gaming
Smart metrics don’t just measure performance, they shape behavior. If we’re deploying #AI across the enterprise, we need guardrails against metric gaming from day one. Governance isn’t a brake on innovation, it’s what makes transformation durable. Especially as agentic systems enter ops. https://t.co/r792RxQbTa...
Bostic Warns Fed Independence Faces Real, Uncertain Threat
Outgoing Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic signals greater concern about the institution's independence than the more anodyne statements typically offered by his colleagues when the subject comes up He says there's an ongoing threat and the outcome is genuinely uncertain https://t.co/ntwkE73UgE
Samsung's Narrow-Pixel Display Adds App‑Level Privacy
this is cool as hell. new Samsung display tech uses narrow pixels to give privacy screen to certain apps and even smaller elements like notifications, making it so people around you can't see private info https://t.co/IpQYd5od6I
Dollar Slides vs EM, Brazil's Real Hits Two-Year High
The Dollar is tumbling. Not against the G10, where it's basically stable, but against EM, where it's making new lows almost every day. One of the main beneficiaries of all this is the Brazilian Real, which is the strongest versus...
Iranian Rial Plummets, Ranks Third Worst Globally
On this week's Hanke's #CurrencyWatchlist, the Iranian rial ranks as the WORLD'S 3RD WORST CURRENCY. The rial has depreciated by 43% against the USD over the past year. RIAL = IN REAL BIG TROUBLE. https://t.co/FmVN6Cuf8I
AI Restores Power to Veteran Engineering Leaders
AI saved the non-technical engineering leader. For years, losing hands-on skills felt like decline. Now? Architecture experience plus AI equals leverage. Typing speed doesn’t win anymore. Judgment does. And the people with 20 years of it just became dangerous again.
Weak Ties Expand Network, Accelerate Learning, Shape Future
Identity Capital for 20-Sometings #3 = Relationship Capital Meet with people beyond your family and friends. Weak ties can expand your networking reach, enable rapid learning as you explore potential futures, and change your life.
Guard Your Cap Table: Success Attracts Detractors
Founders, know that even if you build a world class product and achieve an outcome most can only dream of, there will still be people that try to tear you down. Be very careful with who you allow onto your...
Fed Vice Chair Urges Big Banks Return to Mortgages
Big banks retreated from mortgages after the 2008 housing crash—now this Fed governor wants them back After a decade+ of "migration" toward nonbanks, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michelle Bowman says it's time to reconsider policy My latest for ResiClub: https://t.co/6IY86V9OTy
Scale Hreflang Mapping with Embeddings via Screaming Frog
🌍 How to use embeddings to map hreflang tags at scale - A clever use of @screamingfrog's Open AI API integration to implement hreflang by @pelogia - Check it out: https://t.co/mFnuuMojaD https://t.co/h9OLRjWQIR
Master One Skill Deeply, Don't Skim Through Ads
I have hour-long Facebook ads tutorials online for free. They have 90% of the information you need to start running ads tomorrow. And yet less than 1% of people finish them. I’ll see new founders commit to learning Facebook ads, then 2...
Excessive Household Debt Dampens Consumer Spending, BIS Finds
Interesting research paper from the BIS and Bank of Korea on the interplay between excessive household debt and consumer spending https://t.co/inCiWR5V6F
Depressed Oil‑Gold Ratio Signals Multi‑Year Energy Outperformance
Oil peaked in 2008 at $140 and has fallen sideways since to ~$65 today. In hard-money gold terms, 1 ounce buys 100 barrels of oil. Oil has been deflating for decades. The only time it was cheaper was 2020 when...
AI Delivers Value when Embedded, Governed Like Core Systems
RT AI value doesn't live in slideware or labs. It shows up when agents are embedded in day-to-day work, governed like core systems, and held to the same standards as any critical operation. #AgenticAI #EnterpriseAI @Star_CIO https://t.co/VtuS5rQ0ZG
AI‑Powered Prediction Game ‘Hunch?’ Launches on iPhone
Prediction markets are hot. Here's a new one, made with AI, that is more fun, less gambling. Get it on iPhone at https://t.co/YYZS6efkU5 It's called "Hunch?" on iPhone and here founder Daniel Buchner talks to me about what makes it different...
More Pandemic Construction, Fewer Bidding Wars; Less Building, More.
🏗️The places that built the most housing during the pandemic have the fewest bidding wars, and the places that neglected to build have the most. 🏘️ See percent of homes selling above list price by county. https://t.co/giPGgmFuBr
Outrage Alone Won’t Mobilize; Give Audiences a Cause
“you can’t rely just on fueling outrage to activate your audience...they need something specific to get behind.” one of my favorite quotes from my interview with @perfectunion’s director of audience engagement.
South Sudan Lacks Reliable Money Data, Undermining Accountability
South Sudan’s government hasn’t produced RELIABLE MONEY SUPPLY DATA since October 2024. SOUTH SUDAN = NO RELIABLE DATA = NO ACCOUNTABILITY. https://t.co/UAqAIjbHdP
AEO Claims May Just Reflect Strong SEO Practices
Reading a few AI search case studies right now, and struggling with correlation vs. causation... Everything they list as an "AEO tactic" is actually something that's also just good for SEO. Fresh content Using Schema Front-loading important content Using ordered lists Adding FAQs to solution pages Is...
Domo's 0.8x ARR Price Masks Zero Growth, Broken Economics
Domo trades at 0.8x ARR and just announced they are formally looking to sell. While they have a "cheap" multiple, revenue growth is 0% and they are barely FCF breakeven. I.e. the unit economics are broken. But might make sense to the...
Iran's Inflation Soars to 82%, World’s Second Highest
#IranWatch🇮🇷: Today I measure Iran’s inflation at a SKY-HIGH 82.0%/yr. That's the world's SECOND HIGHEST INFLATION RATE. I remain the only reliable source of inflationary measures in Iran. https://t.co/rjjYgxSo4g
Verify Emails Instantly to Protect Sender Reputation
Sending cold emails to addresses that don't exist kills your deliverability. Seen people tank their sender reputation overnight because 15-20% of their list was dead addresses. Built a free tool that verifies any email in seconds. Checks the format, domain, and...
Populism's Anti‑competition Myth Fuels Immigration Misunderstanding
There is a core idea underlying a lot of populism: nobody should have to compete anymore. The problem is, reducing competition is a zero (or even negative) sum game. This misunderstanding drives a lot of confusion about high skilled immigration. https://t.co/sYvbZRJAXJ
Sharing Your Deal Story Inspires New Acquirers
Important message for folks acquiring $2-15M EBITDA businesses, especially those who are willing to share their story and lessons down to the detail. Thanks to you, others are willing to take the leap. Just received a DM from a listener of the...
Netflix Shares Surge After Warner Bid Sparks Wall Street Bet
Wall Street making a bet against Netflix purchase of Warner >>>>Netflix Stock Has Best Day In Over A Year After Paramount's New Warner Bros. Bid $NLFXhttps://www.investors.com/news/netflix-paramount-skydance-warner-bros-bid-offer/
Measure Marketing by Deal Impact, Not Dashboard Vanity
How honest are we about how we measure our marketing? We say we want clear and guiding KPIs. But then teams build KPIs that protect the report, not the business. It’s s easy to measure what makes us look productive....
Samsung Aims to Bring AI to All, Privacy Assured
Kicking off Galaxy Unpacked with CEO TM Roh talking about @SamsungMobile drive to make AI reach everybody with the confidence that privacy is assured https://t.co/wluLL9EVjO
Instant Answers Shift Leadership Bottleneck to Judgment
We’re entering a world where answers are cheap. That doesn’t make leadership easier. It makes it harder. When answers arrive instantly, the bottleneck shifts upstream… to judgment. Judgment is a leadership skill. More insight, less noise → decision.substack.com #DecisionIntelligence #AILeadership...
AI Bridges Contact Center Data to Automated Service Tickets
Your Contact Center is generating a goldmine of unstructured data, but if it isn't hitting your Service Management platform, your Product and IT teams are flying blind. AI is the bridge that turns a customer complaint into an automated internal...
Europe's Anti‑Russia Stance Fails: Oil Still Bought
Are the RUSSOPHOBES in Europe still buying Russian oil? The answer is YES. SANCTIONS = NEVER WORK. https://t.co/EGIEz4CjE2
Filter Feedback: Follow Vision, Ignore the Noise
Customer feedback can sometimes lead you astray. ⚠️ Not all feedback is created equal. Focus on the insights that align with your vision and strategy, and be wary of trying to please everyone.
Send the Contract Immediately to Lock in the Deal
The fastest way to kill a deal: Wait a week to send the contract. You close a deal verbally. The client says yes. You’re excited. Then you wait a week to send the contract. By then, they “need to think about it.” The deal is...
Reddit's Coupon Surge Still Lacks Valid, Fresh Codes
Another area where Reddit is surging: COUPONS -> Reddit: A Major Surge in Coupon Search Visibility in 2025 From the post: For the 59 query brands covered by both Reddit and CouponBirds: *Reddit provides valid coupon codes for 25% (15 brands). *CouponBirds provides valid...
From Creator to Editor: New
You're job is no longer to create, it's to edit. And I am releasing a tool for Cannonball GTM subscribers to help you do just that...
Trump Claims Right to Ignore Law, Destroy Nations
Former British diplomat Alastair Crooke on Trump’s world view: “[Trump] says ‘I will not be constrained by law or by convention or by any of the international institutions’… ‘I have the right to destroy countries.’ ” https://t.co/Bs2ZRsJMLL
Current Stance:
My positioning & stance update on Gold , Dollar , US indexes & Bitcoin 🧵