The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

America's Productivity Boom

Apricitas Economics • 105 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
💼 Business Economics Productivity Employment Investments Labor Market
  1. America's productivity is growing really fast, much more than other countries. This means people are making more while working the same hours, which helps everyone earn better wages and live better lives.
  2. Most of this productivity growth is coming from the service sector, like tech and healthcare, rather than manufacturing. Many jobs have changed to become much more efficient, especially since the pandemic made businesses rethink how they work.
  3. However, this growth could slow down because of rising unemployment and less hiring. If businesses don't keep investing in better tools and technologies, the gains we've seen might start to vanish.

Don't Give Up

Venture Prose • 459 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Investment Marketing Strategy Success
  1. In crowded markets, strive to show unique insight, act fast, and execute well.
  2. If there's a clear leader, consider different strategies - like targeting a different geography or being more capital-efficient.
  3. Entering small or tough market sectors can still work if you start niche, focus on profitability, and learn from previous attempts.

Founder Market Fit : An Unsuccessful Video Game Turned Into a $26 Billion Startup. | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 279 implied HN points • 26 Apr 24
💼 Business Startup Success Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Investment decisions
  1. Founders with deep understanding and passion for a market they know well can achieve success like turning an unsuccessful idea into a billion-dollar startup.
  2. Building a product that solves a real problem, utilizing product-led growth, freemium model, strong focus on retention, and creating a unique brand can lead to rapid growth and success.
  3. Investors prioritize market opportunity over market size, seeking startups that challenge conventions, address future needs, and have strategies for customer acquisition and profitability.
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Unpacking what it means to be an interim leader.

Elena's Growth Scoop • 766 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
💼 Business Career growth Compensation
  1. Interim roles offer flexibility for both employers and employees in fast-changing industries like tech.
  2. Finding an interim role may not be as straightforward as finding a full-time position, but it can be converted from existing opportunities with a specific focus or through a contract-to-hire approach.
  3. Compensation for interim roles should consider benefits, be a mix of cash and equity, and aim to match or exceed full-time market rates for specialized expertise.

Invisible, yet Invaluable: Valuing Intangibles - The Birkenstock IPO

Musings on Markets • 1139 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
💼 Business Finance Investing Valuation Market Trends Accountability
  1. Intangible assets, like brand names and management quality, are really important for a company's value but are often overlooked in accounting. Companies today get much of their worth from things you can't physically see.
  2. The way we value companies has changed a lot, especially with tech firms now leading the market. Investors need to think about future potential instead of just past performance, especially for newer companies.
  3. Birkenstock's upcoming IPO highlights how a strong brand and a loyal celebrity customer base can boost a company's value. The success of its stocks may depend not just on numbers but also on how the market feels at the moment.

The path to your first advising contract.

Elena's Growth Scoop • 1139 implied HN points • 26 May 23
💼 Business Career growth Advising Entrepreneurship
  1. Don't quit your full-time job to start advising, aim to close your first advising contract while still working full-time.
  2. Shift the narrative by creating your first advising opportunity instead of waiting for one to come to you.
  3. Focus on learning and experience in your first advisory contract, not just money. Iterate and analyze patterns to decide your future in advising.

Analytics Team: Strategic Partner or Service Org?

Elena's Growth Scoop • 1139 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
💼 Business Data Management Company Culture Decision-making
  1. Having a data-driven culture is important for making informed decisions and connecting actions to business outcomes.
  2. In many companies, data is not well managed and can lead to frustration when trying to implement a data-driven culture too soon.
  3. Striking a balance and ensuring data accuracy is crucial before pushing for a data-driven culture.

A Framework to Prove Your Market Is 'Big Enough' to VCs! | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 299 implied HN points • 19 Apr 24
💼 Business Startups Venture Capital Market Analysis Job Opportunities
  1. VCs often need to see potential for at least one investment to have billions in enterprise value for a good fund return.
  2. Different approaches like top-down market size analysis and bottom-up market demand can help founders prove a market's size to VCs.
  3. Being aligned with broad mega-trends or using analogies can also help convince investors of a market's potential.

The 21 GTM Channels to grow your SaaS

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 56 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
💼 Business Startups Marketing Sales Growth SaaS
  1. There are 21 different channels to grow your SaaS business. Some channels focus on direct interactions, while others rely on partnerships and external platforms.
  2. When choosing a channel, consider your product's complexity, market maturity, and your team's skills. Not every channel works for every product.
  3. It's important to engage with your customers through valuable content and be visible on social media to attract and retain them.

Are hotdesks always hellish?

Make Work Better • 103 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
💼 Business Workplace Culture Management Productivity Human Resources
  1. Most companies use their office space less than three days a week and are planning to reduce their office size in the near future. This change is a response to new work habits formed during the pandemic.
  2. Employees can be happy with hotdesks, but it's crucial to have a variety of workspaces available. A diverse range of settings helps them feel productive and satisfied.
  3. Some workers struggle more than others in hotdesk environments, indicating that not everyone adapts the same way. Companies should consider individual needs, like having good booking systems for personal spaces.

Humana to shutter Louisville, Kentucky headquarters; top executives now working out of Washington, D.C.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
💼 Business Corporate behavior Healthcare Industry Financial Performance Market Trends
  1. Humana is closing its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, as top executives have already moved to Washington, D.C. This change aims to cut costs and better align with their government business focus.
  2. The company has recently struggled financially, citing high costs associated with their Medicare Advantage enrollees using more healthcare services than expected. This led to significant losses and a drop in stock prices.
  3. With top leaders now based in D.C., they can quickly engage with lawmakers who are examining Medicare Advantage and its financial impacts, as these plans may be overpaying billions to insurers.

How TPMs Lose Credibility and What to Avoid

Building Rome(s) • 20 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Management Leadership Project management Team Dynamics Communication
  1. Credibility is crucial for TPMs because it's how they build trust with their teams and leaders. Consistently following through on promises and communicating effectively helps maintain that trust.
  2. Small mistakes can lead to big problems. Overlooking details, not following processes, and poorly communicating can damage a TPM's credibility quickly.
  3. Being proactive rather than reactive is important. TPMs should anticipate potential issues to show they're engaged and capable, which strengthens their credibility.

The Making of a Senior Engineer 💡: Guest Post by Addy Osmani

High Growth Engineer • 1238 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💼 Business Leadership Engineering Career development Management Skills Development
  1. To transition into senior engineering roles, you need to shift from hands-on work to systems thinking, focusing on strategic leadership and fostering team autonomy.
  2. Senior engineers lead through influence rather than pure authority, emphasizing building trusted relationships, setting vision, and empowering teams.
  3. Developing critical leadership skills as a senior engineer involves improving empathy, communication, collaboration, systems thinking, and execution orchestration, while overcoming common pitfalls like losing sight of the big picture and excessive control.

Putting the I in Team

In My Tribe • 364 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
💼 Business Management Workplace Teamwork Employee Relations Organizational Behavior
  1. Teamwork relies on everyone doing their part. If some people don't contribute, it can hurt the whole team's chances of success.
  2. Hiring people who are responsible and committed can help encourage teamwork. When employees feel connected to their mission or colleagues, they're less likely to slack off.
  3. Measuring how well employees cooperate can improve teamwork. Giving clear examples of what good teamwork looks like can help everyone understand how to contribute.

Chinese experts' perspectives on some key aspects of China's economy

Ginger River Review • 668 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💼 Business Economy Technology Investment Globalization Localization
  1. Disruptive technological innovation drives new productive forces, like in new energy and materials.
  2. China is focusing on expanding the digital economy, leveraging its vast data resources for growth.
  3. Institutional opening-up and cultivation of new drivers for foreign trade are key strategies for China's economic development.

What Is a Brand?

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 119 implied HN points • 26 Jun 24
💼 Business Branding Marketing Design Consumer behavior Entrepreneurship
  1. A brand is more than just a logo or a website; it's how a company is perceived by customers. It includes everything about the company, inside and out.
  2. Building a brand involves creating trust and relationships with people. It's about how customers feel when they interact with your business.
  3. Your brand is shaped by how others see you over time. It's important to stand out and leave a memorable impression, as that perception affects your success.

How AI startups are building moats - by paying for them

Enterprise AI Trends • 443 implied HN points • 19 Jul 24
💼 Business Startups Mergers Data Technology Finance
  1. AI startups need to spend a lot of money to build strong defenses, like buying data and companies, instead of just focusing on AI features.
  2. Having unique data is more valuable for AI startups than having great technology or user experience.
  3. Established companies have a big advantage because they already own important data. New AI startups may struggle to compete without something really special.

Can Foxtrot Market Be Redeemed?

Snaxshot • 219 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
💼 Business Retail Redemption Analysis
  1. The post discusses the topic of whether Foxtrot Market can be redeemed, sharing a mix of anger, doubts, and hope.
  2. The author received a lot of messages about the Foxtrot Market post, leading to the decision to delay the scheduled issue to focus on this topic.
  3. The post is for paid subscribers of Snaxshot, emphasizing support for deep dives, curation, and news commentary.

Have purpose agencies forgotten how to do charity ads?

Thoughts on Writing • 379 implied HN points • 21 Mar 24
💼 Business Advertising Non-profit Marketing
  1. Ad agencies may need to relearn how to create impactful charity advertising as commercial clients shift away from social causes.
  2. Charity ads must strike a balance between emotive storytelling and responsible representation of the cause to avoid misrepresentation.
  3. Creating purposeful campaigns for charities requires a different approach compared to commercial brands, involving sensitivity and skill.

My work-life under threat by Amazon’s return-to-office mandate

Sheep Code • 67 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
💼 Business Work Culture Corporate Policy Employee Relations Remote work Career development
  1. Amazon announced that employees must return to the office five days a week, ending the hybrid work model. This change caused a lot of stress and uncertainty for many workers who had enjoyed remote work.
  2. The move to return to office signals bigger trends in the industry, with other companies likely following Amazon's lead. Many believe this decision might push talented employees to look for jobs elsewhere, but Amazon might prioritize diligent workers over talent.
  3. For those still working remotely at Amazon, it's important to plan ahead. If you want to stay in your role but can’t relocate, it's wise to think about your next steps and prepare for potential changes in your job situation.

What happened in marketing: Meta is cooked, Microsoft goes big and TikTok's last hope

The Social Juice • 39 implied HN points • 05 Jan 25
💼 Business Marketing Technology Investments Social media AI
  1. Microsoft is investing heavily in AI, planning to put $80 billion into data centers this year. This shows their commitment to growing their technology influence.
  2. Meta is facing serious challenges and has decided to remove certain AI character accounts, signaling struggles in their strategy.
  3. TikTok is in a critical situation and needs to find new ways to maintain its user engagement and popularity.

⏩🔬 Good news: We know how to accelerate the US economy

Faster, Please! • 1188 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business Economics Policy AI Health Clean Energy
  1. Increasing public money for R&D can boost business productivity and private sector investment.
  2. Historically, technological innovation and public R&D have played a significant role in driving economic growth.
  3. There is a correlation between higher public investments in nondefense R&D and long-term increases in total factor productivity (TFP) in the business sector.

Deglobalisation: Diversification rather than decoupling

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
💼 Business Global Trade Supply Chains Investing Economics Market Trends
  1. Businesses are diversifying their supply chains instead of completely decoupling from certain countries. This means they are sourcing from multiple countries to reduce reliance on any single one.
  2. The evidence shows that while some decoupling is evident (like with Russia and the UK), many ties with countries like China are actually increasing.
  3. Overall, it's more about managing risks in supply chains rather than a full reversal of globalization. Companies are investing in new areas like Southeast Asia instead of just relying on past hubs like China or Russia.

Why brand comes first

The Sociology of Business • 657 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Brand Management Organizational Design Marketing Retail Product Design
  1. Short-term thinking in brand-building focuses on quick sales, leading to discount-dependency, while long-term prioritizes full-funnel strategy and brand desirability.
  2. Brand strategy goes beyond marketing, involving product design, retail, and cultural influence for modern retail success.
  3. Brand management emphasizes organizational cooperation, cultural awareness, and coordination across departments to renew brand perception and maintain relevance.

Philip Morris International: More More More

Invariant • 511 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💼 Business Finance Marketing Strategy Investment Industry
  1. Philip Morris International is focusing more on next-gen products like IQOS and its heated tobacco units, with efforts to transition users from traditional cigarettes - showing promise for future growth.
  2. Despite some challenges like higher costs and FX pressures, PMI is maintaining its position in the market by introducing innovative products and investing in its portfolio.
  3. ZYN, another product spreading rapidly, faces questions about its popularity among underaged consumers, but it still shows strong growth due to being a preferred choice over competitors.