Napkin Math

Profit and power in technology.

Dec 4, 2024

The Religion of Ramp

How the fintech became one of the fastest-growing startups—ever

Jun 5, 2023

The Bugman Cometh

My sick, unexplainable desire to buy a face computer

Mar 1, 2023

Should I Quit and Start a Franchise?

I’m wondering if I can deep-fry my way out of the apocalypse

Nov 9, 2022

Pinterest Has a Chance

The first full-stack shopping platform

Dec 13, 2023

Want to Build? Technical Excellence Won’t Be Enough.

This new era of startups requires a founder baptized in the humanities

Feb 15, 2023

Bada Bing: Why Microsoft Wants Google to Dance

Surely nothing bad will happen with an AI hooked up to the internet

Oct 13, 2022

Who Wins the AI Value Chain?

It's A Brave New World

Aug 3, 2022

The Meh-taverse

A Book Review

Sep 21, 2022

The AI Writer

How tech is changing what it means to be an author

Jun 9, 2022

Software is Eating the Individual

The Embedded Human

Sep 25, 2020

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.

Nov 21, 2022

6 New Theories About AI

Software with superpowers

May 10, 2023

Why Are Republicans Better at Making Money on the Internet?

What consumer tech and media got wrong

Jul 14, 2020

How Costco Convinces Brands to Cannibalize Themselves

An unlikely marriage where both sides win

Aug 16, 2023

The Internet Is Still Early

Neither hellscape nor utopia—the internet makes society anew

Jul 14, 2022

Has Venture Lost Its Soul?

A Book Review of The Power Law

Mar 27, 2024

What Are AI Agents—And Who Profits From Them?

The newest wave of AI research is changing everything

Mar 29, 2022

Twitter’s Probably Screwed

The Rugged Landscape of Digital Advertising

May 4, 2022

The Empire Stripes Back

A $100B Bet on Two Brothers

Dec 7, 2022

The Primary Trends I’m Investing In Next Year

China, boring AI, vertical SaaS, and Apple's power

Jun 15, 2022

Selective Optimism

People who promise high returns forever are liars

Sep 18, 2024

Live Fuller, Not Bigger

You must escape the shallow joy of more

Apr 27, 2022

Cash—Kingmaker or Killer?

A examination of when cash can anoint a market winner

Oct 5, 2022

The Face That AI Built

My explorations in image generation