The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

How I Identify Clients From Hell

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 159 implied HN points • 19 Aug 24
đź’Ľ Business Client Management Freelancing Pricing Strategy Service Industry Marketing
  1. Choosing clients based on shared values and respect makes work more enjoyable. It's important to list what matters most to you in a client relationship.
  2. Your portfolio should showcase work that you are proud of and leads to future opportunities. Focus on clients who will help enhance your portfolio, rather than just any client.
  3. Pricing should reflect the value of your work and your beliefs. Be firm on your rates, but consider flexibility if a client aligns with your values and can enhance your portfolio.

When investing $200 million in a media company is actually worth it

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Media Streaming Investing Advertising Subscriptions Podcasts Creators
  1. Big checks into creator-led companies can make sense when the creator has massive reach and builds real non-media businesses like products and merch.
  2. Merging or bundling streaming services can create a viable challenger to Netflix, since some services (like Disney+) haven’t produced enough regular, broad-appeal originals to keep viewers coming back.
  3. Media companies are shifting toward sponsorships, events, newsletter ad strategies, and creator partnerships—leaning on branded experiences and owned products rather than trying to match big tech ad scale.

Top Links 940 China's export surge. Baby Lenin, involution & Accenture the mega consultancy.

Chartbook • 557 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Consulting Economics Trade Corporate culture Labor
  1. Chinese exports have increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, but imports have stalled. This change shows a big split in how China is trading with the world now.
  2. The coal industry in China is shrinking, which is a positive step for global climate goals. Many jobs in coal mining have been cut already.
  3. Accenture, a major consultancy, has seen big changes since the pandemic, growing to about 800,000 employees. However, its value has dropped as the demand for consulting services slows down.

Everything Looks Like A Nail

Where's Your Ed At • 25075 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
đź’Ľ Business Technology Venture Capital Inequality Social Responsibility Economics
  1. Marc Andreessen wants to portray himself as a victim despite his immense success and wealth.
  2. Andreessen promotes a vision of continuous technological advancement, but his actions and investments often prioritize maintaining the status quo.
  3. Andreessen's manifesto is filled with contradictions and hypocrisy, advocating libertarian economic thinking while benefiting from government intervention.

Where New Engineering Managers Fail

Diary of an Engineering Manager • 179 implied HN points • 15 Aug 24
đź’Ľ Business Management Leadership Human Resources Career development Workplace culture
  1. New engineering managers often struggle with accepting their new role. It's important to embrace this change or else it confuses the team and weakens your leadership.
  2. Many new managers make the mistake of telling their team too much instead of listening. Encouraging team members to share their ideas leads to better solutions and shows that you value their input.
  3. It's common to hold on to tasks instead of delegating them. Letting your team handle their own work not only helps them learn but also frees you up to focus on management responsibilities.
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How To Start A Business With No Money

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 339 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
đź’Ľ Business Entrepreneurship Freelancing Personal Finance Marketing Networking
  1. Finding your unique skills and what people need can guide you to success. Ask yourself what you enjoy and what others are looking for.
  2. Starting with offering free services is a smart way to build trust and gain clients. It helps you showcase your skills and connect with potential customers.
  3. Visualizing your goals and where you want to be in the future can keep you motivated. Focus on what you can achieve step by step, rather than stressing about big leaps.

Top Links 960 The smartphone shock. The Chinese Christmas factory. CFR v. TFR. A fever-dream of Risk.

Chartbook • 371 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Tech Platforms Manufacturing Supply Chains Global Trade Demographics Geopolitics
  1. The smartphone revolution massively boosted platform businesses, letting apps and marketplaces capture value and reshape whole industries.
  2. China’s factories surge for the holiday season, highlighting global supply chains’ dependence on Chinese manufacturing and the seasonal strains that creates.
  3. Debates like CFR versus TFR and feverish risk narratives show that the choice of metrics and the way risks are framed strongly affect public understanding and policy responses.

There’s Now a New Way to Grow Your Substack

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 2877 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups Marketing Networking Collaboration Social media
  1. There's a new 'Spreadsheet Directory of Publications' to help writers find collaboration partners. It makes networking easy and fun.
  2. Many creators are looking for ways to work together to grow their subscriber base. Networking can lead to more followers and success.
  3. Creators can also use the new Creator Network by ConvertKit to find others with similar audiences. This can help them reach and engage more subscribers.

Legacy publishers embrace the Creator Economy

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 249 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Media Publishing Creator Economy Advertising Subscriptions Monetization
  1. Big publishers are building creator networks and paying individual creators to make content on their channels, acknowledging that individual personalities now hold more audience power than brands alone.
  2. Creators are choosing platforms based on audience ownership and monetization control, with some moving platforms over fears of lock‑in even though email lists are generally portable.
  3. Newsletter and creator monetization is shifting: sponsorship tracking is becoming important as ad formats fragment, market forces like GLP‑1 drugs are changing affiliate and brand-deal dynamics, and some partisan outlets are losing traffic as audiences splinter.

5 Things To Know About "Prediction Markets" & Polymarket — The Official Sportsbook of Substack

JoeWrote • 74 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Gambling Regulation Media Ethics Monetization Consumer Protection
  1. Prediction markets like Polymarket are essentially sportsbooks using a regulatory loophole, branding bets as "event derivatives" to avoid stricter gambling rules and oversight.
  2. These platforms can set their own rules, let insiders exploit pre-determined or already-known outcomes, and funnel users toward addictive sports betting, creating unfair and risky conditions for bettors.
  3. Market prices don’t reliably reflect true probabilities because professional oddsmakers, house incentives, and manipulation shape the lines, so these sites don’t actually deliver the impartial informational benefits they claim.

One-on-one coaching moment for paid subscribers

Ageling on Agile • 39 implied HN points • 09 Oct 24
đź’Ľ Business Coaching Management Leadership Agile Product
  1. One-on-one coaching sessions are available for paid subscribers. These sessions allow for personal engagement on topics like Agile, Product Management, and Leadership.
  2. Each subscriber can have six half-hour coaching moments a year. These moments can help clarify work-related issues and provide guidance.
  3. Feedback from subscribers shows that the coaching is valuable. Many find the insights helpful for understanding their challenges and finding solutions.

Why Silicon Valley Can't Afford Its Own Revolution

The Algorithmic Bridge • 700 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
đź’Ľ Business Finance Tech Sector Investment Market Trends Corporate strategy
  1. Silicon Valley's big tech companies are spending most of their cash flow on AI hardware, which is a huge risk. If their investments don't pay off, they could face big financial problems.
  2. These companies are increasingly borrowing money for their projects, making them more vulnerable. If they can’t generate expected returns quickly, they might struggle to repay these debts.
  3. The reliance on borrowed money creates a fragile situation for the tech industry. If the market shifts or AI doesn’t become as profitable as hoped, it could lead to widespread financial instability.

Enough

benn.substack • 2020 implied HN points • 08 Aug 25
đź’Ľ Business Finance Venture Capital Economics Wealth Inequality Tech industry
  1. We often compare our wealth to others, which can make us feel unsatisfied. Even if a machine gives us everything, we'll still wonder if it's enough compared to what others have.
  2. In today's tech world, massive amounts of money are being raised and spent, and it's hard to keep track of it all. This creates a sense of normalcy around these huge financial changes.
  3. While many in tech claim to focus on building great things for humanity, money often becomes a main focus, with people quietly calculating their worth and comparing themselves to others.

TBM 396: So You Want To Define “The Problem”?

The Beautiful Mess • 489 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Product Strategy User Research Service Design Organizational Design Customer Experience
  1. Don't hunt for a single, perfect problem statement. Use multiple layers to see the customer's story, other actors' views, and the wider system shaping behavior.
  2. Listen to how customers describe the issue and collect perspectives from everyone involved, while treating history and past attempts as useful data.
  3. Turn the integrated understanding into small, testable interventions your product can realistically influence, and be clear about what capabilities or constraints will expand or limit your impact.

Founders Fund: The Disciples

The Generalist • 3102 implied HN points • 19 Jun 25
đź’Ľ Business Venture Capital Investment strategy Entrepreneurship Financial Analysis
  1. Peter Thiel is great at spotting talent and built a strong team at Founders Fund, which helped them succeed in the venture capital world.
  2. Two important figures in Thiel's journey were Napoleon Ta, who made significant investments, and Lauren Gross, who helped manage the firm and scale its operations.
  3. Thiel's approach to nurturing talent is unique; he often supports and encourages people from his network to grow and succeed in their careers, sometimes launching their own ventures.

The most exciting media companies have non-media business models

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 199 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Media Publishing Monetization Advertising Events Subscriptions Creator Economy Journalism
  1. The most successful modern media companies build non-media businesses — like ecommerce, SaaS, or product lines — so audience attention turns into direct revenue. Those commerce arms often outperform ads and subscriptions.
  2. Live events and conferences are a lucrative revenue channel because they generate fast, high-margin income and attract influential audiences. But events carry high overhead, are limited by venue capacity, and are hard to scale indefinitely.
  3. Creators and publishers need diversified monetization — sponsorships, paid newsletters, AI tools, branded content, and partnerships — plus a focused, often affluent audience and active sales effort to make those models pay. Relying on a single revenue stream or on platform-driven distribution leaves businesses exposed.

Is this the end of SaaS?🤔, Venture debt investments swell in Europe💰, Navigating Corporate Venture Capital💡

The VC Corner • 439 implied HN points • 07 Jul 24
đź’Ľ Business Venture Capital Investments Startups Corporate Finance
  1. There are concerns about the future of Software as a Service (SaaS) and whether it might be declining. It's important to think about how technology changes can impact business models.
  2. Venture debt investments are increasing in Europe, showing that companies are looking for alternative ways to raise money. This means more options are available for businesses instead of just traditional equity financing.
  3. Understanding corporate venture capital is crucial for startups. It helps to know how big companies invest in smaller businesses to drive innovation and growth.

Why I've Joined Pattern Ventures as the Firm's Newest GP!

patternventures • 119 implied HN points • 17 Sep 24
đź’Ľ Business Venture Capital Investment Finance Startups Entrepreneurship
  1. The venture capital world is changing, with smaller emerging managers expected to yield better returns than larger, established firms. Smaller funds need less total value to achieve strong returns, making them more appealing.
  2. Finding the right emerging managers is really tough. Not all of them will succeed, so it's important to pick those with unique skills and a track record of success.
  3. Emerging VC firms now have a lot of opportunities, especially with many new operators starting their own funds. The early-stage landscape is hot right now, and there's excitement about investing in it.

🤖👴 AI vs. age: The great offset

Faster, Please! • 548 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Macroeconomics Demographics Productivity Labor markets Technology Forecasting
  1. Many people expect AI to cause a huge economic boom and rapid change across society.
  2. A JPMorgan analysis suggests aging populations will subtract from growth roughly as much as AI can add, so the two forces could cancel each other out.
  3. That means AI might mainly keep economies from shrinking rather than spark a new golden age. So investors and policymakers should temper overly rosy expectations.

Top Links 938 America's great divergence. The birth of "Electrotech" out of the digital revolution. Desertification in Inner Mongolia & "cultural workmen".

Chartbook • 529 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Economy Finance Politics Technology Culture
  1. America's economy changed a lot due to the Volcker shock and the Reagan revolution. These events reshaped how society and the economy developed.
  2. There is a growing field called 'Electrotech' that developed from the digital revolution. This new area focuses on technology-related industries.
  3. Desertification in Inner Mongolia is an important issue. It affects the environment and the livelihoods of people living in that region.

The CTO’s Consulting Rate Calculator

The CTO Substack • 499 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
đź’Ľ Business Consulting Entrepreneurship Startups Technology Leadership
  1. Determine your consulting rate based on client revenue and C-Suite salaries. This helps set a fair price for your services.
  2. Consider the complexity of the company and its engineering team size. A larger or more complicated organization may require a higher fee due to increased work.
  3. Always get paid before starting the work. This ensures that clients respect your time and commitment right from the beginning.

Labor Laundering

Doomberg • 6490 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
đź’Ľ Business Supply Chain Global Trade Regulation Labor Rights Corporate ethics
  1. Many electronic devices use cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where child labor is often involved in mining. This makes it hard for companies to claim their supply chains are free from issues.
  2. China plays a major role in the solar panel supply chain, often using polysilicon that comes from regions known for forced labor. This creates challenges in ensuring products are ethically sourced.
  3. The EU has introduced a law aimed at holding companies accountable for labor and environmental standards, but this could lead to conflicts, such as threats from Qatar to stop gas exports if they face penalties.

Amazon Faces a Complex China Calculus as Trade War Continues

Big Technology • 2376 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
đź’Ľ Business E-commerce Trade War Logistics Global Markets Pricing Strategy
  1. Amazon is increasingly relying on Chinese sellers, with over 60% of its sellers based in China now, compared to just 10% a decade ago. This shift has helped Amazon provide more products at lower prices.
  2. Recent tariffs from the U.S. government have made it more expensive for Amazon to sell Chinese goods. These costs will likely be passed on to customers, making products more expensive.
  3. Despite these challenges, Amazon can navigate through its strong seller relationships and logistics capabilities. The situation may even lead to some positive changes in how Amazon does business.

This Week in Marketing: Instagram Alerts, QuitGPT, Paramount-WBD deal, and Snap Awards

The Social Juice • 34 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
đź’Ľ Business Advertising Social media AI Media Mergers Privacy Regulation Platforms
  1. Big social platforms are under pressure to protect kids and enforce age checks, leading to new safety features, fines, and delayed verification rollouts.
  2. AI is reshaping content, ads, and search at speed, but it’s also provoking user backlash, legal fights, and growing regulatory scrutiny.
  3. The creator economy and media landscape are shifting: user-generated content and creator tools are rising while big mergers and advertiser moves reshape where brands spend.

Calendar of events: Spring of 2026

Respectful Leadership • 163 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Startups Healthcare Sustainability Artificial Intelligence Leadership Fundraising Legal
  1. Events focus on three industries driving change: health care, green sustainability, and AI.
  2. The schedule features panels and founders sharing real-world work across health‑tech, green‑tech, and AI — including AI and law — and health‑care sessions repeat by popular demand.
  3. The series also includes practical startup workshops on pitching, selling, team management, and delegation to help founders grow.

And in the juxtapositions may lie the meaning.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 49 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy Marketing Leadership Innovation Culture HR Diversity
  1. Data and algorithms are powerful but can't capture human imagination and messy emotions, so decisions must blend math with empathy and creativity.
  2. True diversity is more than representation—it means actually hearing different voices, because varied perspectives drive innovation and fairness.
  3. People join jobs for pay but stay for connection, purpose, and growth, and businesses should also value older customers and employees since age and experience hold huge economic and creative power.

Flow State #4 - Mastering the Meta and Your Own Personal Tutor

Superfluid • 92 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Startups Venture Capital Fundraising Strategy Talent AI Productivity
  1. Playing the right game matters more than playing well. Instead of just mastering the current playbook, look for ways to change the rules and zig when everyone else zags because the meta shifts fast.
  2. Massive early fundraising and soaring pay are changing incentives and making loyalty weaker. Big rounds can buy credibility and talent but also make companies fragile and leave little room for error.
  3. Turn curiosity into lasting knowledge by building a personal learning assistant tailored to your style. Tweak it over time so learning stays fun and what you read actually sticks.

The best growth tactics of 2025

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 465 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Growth Marketing Sales Product Partnerships Events AI
  1. Outbound/ABM, partner/ecosystem plays, and events/community were the biggest growth channels in 2025 — they generated the most pipeline despite the AI hype.
  2. AI-driven content and discovery plus product-led tactics also paid off, with wins from AEO/LLM work (JSON-LD, custom GPTs) and freemium/mini tools that captured high-intent leads.
  3. Execution mattered most: tried-and-true tactics succeeded when done exceptionally — examples include automated intent-based outbound, "give-to-get" partner programs, and intimate in-person or virtual events.

How a local newsletter company is leveraging AI to cover hundreds of counties across the US

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 399 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Media Technology Marketing Advertising Entrepreneurship
  1. 6AM City uses AI to launch newsletters in smaller cities without hiring editors right away. This approach helps them start at low cost and grow until they can add human editors later.
  2. Their newsletters focus on local news and community events, using a friendly tone and avoiding divisive topics. This strategy helps attract advertisers and maintain a loyal subscriber base.
  3. Instead of just relying on traditional reporting, 6AM City uses technology to gather and compress information from local sources. This allows them to produce accurate content quickly while keeping costs down.

How Google Blew Up Its Open Culture and Compromised Its Product

Big Technology • 16387 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
đź’Ľ Business Corporate culture Product Development Leadership Tech industry Employee Relations
  1. Google's open culture deteriorated, impacting its product quality and employee morale.
  2. Issues began when Google shut down discussions on sensitive topics like diversity and employee concerns.
  3. The closure of open channels for questioning within Google led to a negative impact on the company's innovation and decision-making processes.

Profile: Ryan Reynolds and Owning the Outcome

Creating Value from Nothing • 132 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Sales Operations Revenue Growth Strategy Culture Hiring Onboarding
  1. Own inbound sales end-to-end by building systems that route leads quickly and make signing up simple, so growth doesn’t stall.
  2. Solve root causes instead of surface symptoms by creating repeatable workflows, clear handoffs, and measurable definitions of “good” so the team doesn't rely on heroics.
  3. A scrappy, cross-functional culture with a bias toward action and rituals that celebrate gritty execution helps teams move fast, learn from outcomes, and sustain improvements.

Subscrive Drive 2025 + Free Unlocked Posts

Astral Codex Ten • 6400 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
đź’Ľ Business Subscriptions Finance Marketing Media Economics
  1. You can subscribe to Astral Codex Ten for paid access, which includes extra articles and special threads for subscribers. It's a chance to support the blog and get more content.
  2. The blog had strong subscriber growth at first but has seen a drop in recent years. The author encourages financial support but understands if people cannot afford it.
  3. Several subscriber-only posts offer unique insights, covering topics like historical figures and personal reflections. When you subscribe, you can access a lot of great content.

Europe's rigid labor markets are an economic death sentence

Economic Forces • 26 implied HN points • 05 Mar 26
đź’Ľ Business Labor markets Regulation Investment Economic Growth Employment Productivity
  1. When it's hard to fire workers, companies treat employees like long‑lasting capital and are much more reluctant to hire, so labor supply can't adjust quickly.
  2. That rigidity makes uncertainty especially harmful: firms hold back hiring and investment during downturns because they can't easily unwind staff, which creates lasting scarring and reduces reallocation to more productive firms.
  3. The result is less economic dynamism and weaker growth, especially in risky, fast‑changing industries where firms need to experiment and scale quickly.

$20 Tabs

Perspective Agents • 21 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business AI adoption Organizational Change Talent Management Digital Transformation Leadership Enterprise Tech
  1. Frontline workers are skipping expensive corporate AI and getting real work done with cheap consumer tools, so formal platforms often sit unused.
  2. Top-down mandates and one-off programs don’t stick; find the people already using AI and build sandboxes and practices around their work so useful systems emerge.
  3. Investing in human readiness is essential because judgment, oversight, and experience matter as models drift; without that investment AI pilots will launch loudly and then fade away.

Why your LinkedIn is about to get very busy

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 6359 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
đź’Ľ Business Employment Job Market Company Culture
  1. Many people are unhappy with their jobs and looking to switch. A lot of employees feel under-compensated and are actively searching for new opportunities.
  2. Paparazzi often take risks to capture celebrity moments, even during natural disasters. Some question whether the images are worth the danger involved.
  3. Mark Zuckerberg's claims about free speech seem insincere, as he continues to censor content under pressure from the government. Both political sides prioritize controlling speech that opposes them.

Lessons from $1/day challenge

Kenny’s Sub • 299 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
đź’Ľ Business Entrepreneurship Marketing Sales E-commerce Product Development
  1. Haggling often doesn't work well in the long run. It's better to stick to your price and negotiate on other terms if needed.
  2. $1 can feel expensive to some people. They may not see the value in what they are buying or find it too much effort for a small price.
  3. You need to have products ready to sell. Without anything to offer, it's tough to make money. Planning ahead is crucial.

The Magic Loop

Lenny's Newsletter • 4559 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
đź’Ľ Business Career growth Personal Development
  1. The Magic Loop is a framework for rapid career growth with five basic steps.
  2. The core Loop consists of doing your job well, asking your manager how you can help, doing what they ask, asking for work that aligns with your career goals, and repeating the cycle.
  3. Building a cooperative relationship with your manager through the Magic Loop can lead to career advancement and mutual benefits.

Judgment Day Has Arrived for the Journalism Business

The Honest Broker • 30220 implied HN points • 07 May 23
đź’Ľ Business Journalism Media Subscription Advertising AI
  1. Media platforms struggling with advertising rely on gimmicky clickbait strategies that eventually fail.
  2. Subscription-based models are becoming successful in journalism, shifting the focus back to quality writing.
  3. AI-generated articles, the latest gimmick in media, reduce writing costs but sacrifice quality and are doomed to fail.

This is Math Meets Money

Math Meets Money • 139 implied HN points • 19 Aug 24
đź’Ľ Business Finance Operations Strategy Recruitment Consulting
  1. Math Meets Money is a newsletter that helps scientists understand the business world using clear explanations. It's designed for those with scientific backgrounds who want to transition into business roles.
  2. The newsletter addresses common barriers scientists face when entering the business world. These include feeling over-qualified, under-qualified compared to others, and struggling with the specialized language of business.
  3. Readers can expect daily briefings on business terms and concepts, along with deeper dives into case studies and current events on weekends. This is all aimed at empowering scientists to innovate in industry.