Newsletter #2
This week, we cover how the biggest consumer startups got their first 1000 users, a relatively unheard of NZ dairy company, VC investing, stoicism & Michael Jordan among other things.
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Hi there! Welcome to edition #2 of my newsletter.
How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1,000 users
Ever wondered how billion dollar companies which are now household names grew their user base from scratch? This article breaks that down using examples of products/services most of us use on a daily basis (eg. Uber, Facebook, Instagram, AirBnB etc.)
a2 Milk: The Story of the 2,200% Monster Next Door
An excellent write up on a2 Milk by Matt Joas (on Twitter @MattJoass). Read about this little known company based in New Zealand, which generated $1.5 billion in revenue over the past 5 years while spending only $9 million in capex. And it’s not even a tech company.
The business analysis aside, I really enjoyed reading about Matt’s “Monster Hunting” framework.
Five Fundamentals: what we look for when assessing new investments
Joe Knowles, a Principal at Smedvig Capital, a London based VC firm, highlights their firm’s investment assessment framework (Market, Position, Team, Economics, Traction). I’d recommend anyone interested in understanding how VCs think, read this article.
A Stoic’s Key to Peace of Mind: Seneca on the Antidote to Anxiety
There are more things … likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.
This article is more relevant today than ever given the circumstances we are living in. Feelings of fear, anger, stress are commonplace. Stoicism is a way out.
How to Reduce the Sources of Forecasting Error
“We find prediction really hard, but we find explanation fairly easy.”
Michael Mauboussin and Dan Callahan introduce us to the BIN model (Bias, Information, Noise) and what that means for everyone.
David Perell knows a thing or two about building an audience and an online business. This article highlights how he recommends one go about it.
10 Ideas That Changed My Life by Jack Butcher (@visualizevalue on Twitter)
Michael Jordan: A history of flight
Wright Thompson is to sports-writing what Jordan is to basketball in many’s eyes - the 🐐.
In this incredibly detailed piece, Wright introduces us to Jordan’s early years, his childhood, his family and just how much they shaped him to be who he was.
James and Deloris Jordan created the America they wanted in how they taught their children to move through the world.
Follow it up by watching The Last Dance, chronicling Jordan’s final season with the Bulls (97-98).
A Helpful Guide to Reading Better by Farnam Street
Most of us are clueless how to go about the whole process of reading. How do you read something and internalize it? How do you take notes? Shane answers these questions and a lot more.
How did the GTA (Grand Theft Auto) franchisee, come into existence?
A decision that changed gaming history In 1995, DMA Design developed a video game called Race 'n' Chase. The concept was simple - You play as a cop, chase law-breakers and catch the bad guys. (1/5)They have since gone on to sell a mind boggling 235 million units of this game. Read that again. Units, not dollars.
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Till next time.
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”