Napkin Math

Business breakdowns, by the numbers.

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Napkin Math

In Defense of the Unoptimized Life

Give yourself the space to be inspired

3 Jan 12, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

The Case Against Sam Altman

The board is bad at their job, but they may not be crazy

2 Nov 21, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

The Cost of Greatness

What will be the blood sacrifice on your altar of ambition?

2 Jun 1, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

Falling Out of Love With Michael Lewis

The complicated demands of business writing

17 Oct 11, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

Why MasterClass Isn’t Really About Mastery

And other lessons from a 9-figure edtech startup

Jul 1, 2020 by Adam Keesling

Napkin Math

We Don’t Know Enough About the Pornhub Acquisition

One of the world’s most important websites was sold and nobody cares

2 Apr 6, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

Product-Led Growth’s Failure

How a Scrappy Utah Software Company Ignored Every Silicon Valley Heuristic and Won Anyway

3 Jun 3, 2021 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

You Probably Shouldn’t Work at a Startup

It’s overrated—both financially and emotionally

4 May 20, 2021 by Evan Armstrong

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Devote Yourself to the Cause of Your Life

Your to-do list can wait

1 Aug 3, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

How Costco Convinces Brands to Cannibalize Themselves

An unlikely marriage where both sides win

3 Jul 15, 2020 by Adam Keesling

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Substack Rhymes With Medium

Substack can't decide if it's a CMS or a media brand. Neither could Medium. Their indecision will likely lead to similar outcomes.

Sep 26, 2020 by Adam Keesling

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What Happened to the Creator Economy?

The burden of missed expectations

2 Jun 29, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

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Oh No, I Kinda Want to Work for Elon

An examination of the man-child who would be king

12 Sep 21, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

Crypto’s Failed Promise

The problem with crypto-as-a-nation-state

1 May 12, 2022 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

Revenue: It’s Simple, Until It Isn’t

Finally, a clear explanation of bookings, billings and revenue

5 Feb 5, 2021 by Evan Armstrong

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Live Fuller, Not Bigger

You must escape the shallow joy of more

10 Oct 26, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

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AI Looks Like a Bubble

Investors need to take a cold shower

1 Feb 2, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

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Steve Jobs’ Legacy for Builders

A book that lit a fire in my soul

2 Apr 13, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

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The One-person Billion-dollar Company

Can AI agents make you a billionaire?

6 Feb 8, 2024 by Evan Armstrong

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Dying Whales and Dying Billionaires

A note about power

May 25, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

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How I Use ChatGPT (As a Reasonable Person)

My AI awakening

8 Nov 30, 2023 by Evan Armstrong

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Claude 3 Is The Most Human AI Yet

But that doesn’t mean it's going to beat ChatGPT

5 Mar 5, 2024 by Evan Armstrong

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Snapchat’s Probably Screwed

Apple's ATT Fallout Continues

Jul 28, 2022 by Evan Armstrong

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The Addiction Economy

Addicted, Overwhelmed, Oversubscribed: How Technology Hooked the World

May 26, 2022 by Evan Armstrong

Napkin Math

How to Win Arguments and Manipulate Managers

Make your spreadsheets shape strategy

7 Nov 2, 2023 by Evan Armstrong