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New editions of How They Became Known, plus occasional notes on technology, startups, media, and culture.
Featured
The State of Media 2026
In 2026, first-time founders don't want to get on TechCrunch. They want TBPN.
Founders Need Better PR
Most startups ask for coverage before they have a story. Here is how to build a hook journalists and customers can understand.
The Broken Promises of Substack
Substack promised independence, but has evolved into another platform playing the same game as everyone else. The crab always becomes a crab.
How Much Spotify Pays Artists
Spotify pays artists more than any other platform. Don't believe me?
IMAX is a Superbrand
Superbrands create and control key technology allowing them to break the common laws of branding and put themselves forward. Here's how IMAX put an intro in front of every movie.
Recent Posts
How Linear Turned Craft Into a B2B Growth Strategy
Linear’s founders hated the project-management software they used at Airbnb, Coinbase, and Uber. So they built a faster, more opinionated alternative, turned craft into a company philosophy, and made their product a status signal for ambitious software teams.
How beehiiv Sold the Morning Brew Playbook to Everyone
Tyler Denk helped build the machinery behind Morning Brew. Then he recruited two of its engineers, rebuilt the product as a SaaS, and made his own personality the heart of the company. The result is one of the creator economy’s fastest-growing companies. It is also a test of how far a founder’s personality can scale.
The Game of Consequences
Consequences, a political strategy game on how well-intentioned policies collide with reality.
On Moral Panics
Moral panics are a recurring feature that signals fear of novelty and shifts in power.
How to Solve AI's Messaging Problem
Generative AI has a messaging problem. Can it be solved?
Strata is a Minimal Native Outliner for MacOS
Outliners are the superior tool for thought and I wanted a native option for MacOS.
Marble Reader, Safari-like Reading Mode for Chrome
Added Twitter and YouTube support to my reading extension.
Product Hunt Is No Longer for Indie Makers
Product Hunt used to surface strange new products. Now it rewards launch machinery, big-company updates, and manufactured attention.
The State of Media 2026
In 2026, first-time founders don't want to get on TechCrunch. They want TBPN.
Shiori, A Novel Bookmarking App
A minimalist bookmarking app with useful AI, summaries, emails, and X bookmarks.
AI Won’t Kill SaaS But It Might Kill The Messy Middle
Nobody is replacing Slack with vibe coding but not all apps are that essential.
Founders Need Better PR
Most startups ask for coverage before they have a story. Here is how to build a hook journalists and customers can understand.
The AI Price Hike
Companies are bundling AI and raising software prices because they don't have a choice.
Retro Tech Became the New Luxury
People buy retro devices to feel control and do it so much they became luxury products.
How Big is TBPN?
Where I try to figure out how big TBPN actually is and why Big Tech CEOs come as guests.
Apple Watch is Better than Whoop and Oura
Apple Watch is a great health tracker. And you can just use it, especially if you already have one, instead of buying Whoop or Oura.
The Best Brands for Enthusiasts
Finding truly exceptional products is hard, so this challenge falls on us.
The Broken Promises of Substack
Substack promised independence, but has evolved into another platform playing the same game as everyone else. The crab always becomes a crab.
How Much Spotify Pays Artists
Spotify pays artists more than any other platform. Don't believe me?
The Limits of the Network State
I examine the practical limits of the Network State concept and its path to sovereignty as it clashes with the governments' monopolies.
I Can't Stop Using Dia Browser
Dia’s seamless AI integration and polished interface are redefining the browser for me.
Highlights from Apple in China
Patrick McGee’s book reveals how Apple’s unique manufacturing approach not only reshaped China’s tech industry but also left the company navigating a delicate geopolitical tightrope.
IMAX is a Superbrand
Superbrands create and control key technology allowing them to break the common laws of branding and put themselves forward. Here's how IMAX put an intro in front of every movie.
The Myths of Venture Capital
Venture capital didn’t kill Arc. It gave us the chance to see what Arc could be. That’s more than most products ever get.
Why I Don’t Like CarPlay
CarPlay is much better than what we had before, but I still prefer a great built-in multimedia. But only when they do this right (which is almost never).