Divinations

Get smarter about business strategy.

Nov 11, 2020

Three Shorts: Fast’s 1b valuation, McPlant’s power move, and Apple’s disruptive M1 chip

Hello! Welcome to Three Shorts, a recurring series where I unpack the strategy behind the news in as few bullet points as possible.Enjoy!Fas

Apr 25, 2020

[audio] Inside the Clubhouse

This is the audio edition of Inside the Clubhouse, narrated by me!

Sep 28, 2020

Intangible Returns

How strict prioritization processes cause malaise, and why you should take gut instinct more seriously in your planning process.

Apr 17, 2020

Bundle Magic [audio & spreadsheet]

Happy Friday! Above is a recording of me narrating this week’s essay explaining bundle economics, “Bundle Magic.” I tried something a littl

Apr 16, 2020

What can we learn from Facebook Portal?

Three Shorts: Facebook Portal — back from the dead!; an advertising arbitrage opportunity; a funny story about the power of incentives

Jan 4, 2021

“Why Content is King” Follow-ups

Your questions and critiques, answered!

May 1, 2020

“Shop” from Shopify: right problem, wrong solution

Opening a marketplace creates complicated new tradeoffs

Sep 3, 2020

Strategy Smells

Hints that your strategy isn't working

Sep 2, 2020

Announcement!

Plus, how to be a person on the Internet, with Visakan Veerasamy

Dec 8, 2020

Why AT&T is betting the farm on HBO Max

Also in Three Shorts: Amazon buying Wondery, and Calm's $2b valuation

Feb 5, 2020

How Clay Christensen’s failure helped me process my own

A eulogy for a larger-than-life thinker

Mar 19, 2020

Does Sonos have a moat? [audio]

This is a subscriber-only audio edition of the most recent Divinations essay: “Does Sonos have a moat?” It’s narrated and edited by me, Nath

Jan 29, 2020

The Five Forces—video edition!

Trying something new - what do you think?

Mar 4, 2020

Dominance Friction [audio]

Hey subscribers! Here is the audio version of the Jesse Beyroutey interview on Dominance Friction. If you haven’t already, I strongly encour

Nov 24, 2020

Three Shorts: Snap, Apple, Vox

On Snap's take on TikTok, Apple's developer fee reduction, and Vox's talent attrition.

Dec 14, 2019

Strategy Drunk

A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing;Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring:There shallow Draughts intoxicate the Brain,And drinking

Mar 23, 2020

Divinations Podcast #003 — Discussing Sonos’s moat (or lack thereof)

Whether or not you’ve already had the chance to read Does Sonos have a moat?, I think you’ll love this week’s conversation with Adam Keeslin

Mar 20, 2020

Does Sonos have a moat?

Sonos filled homes with silky smooth sound, but it’s questionable if their strategic decisions made them anything more than commodity hardware.

Jul 22, 2020

Means of Creation #3: Lenny Rachitsky

On newsletters, platforms, marketplaces, and more

Aug 1, 2020

Means of Creation #5: Nathan Barry

On newsletters, courses, and creator marketing

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