The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Professional Pricing

Software Design: Tidy First? • 2411 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
💼 Business Business Model Revenue growth
  1. Consider raising prices to increase revenue, but be aware of potential tradeoffs.
  2. Subscribers can expect to improve software design and communication skills, connect with a community, and receive thought-provoking ideas.
  3. New pricing for the newsletter will be $25/month starting January 15, 2024, so signing up before then locks in the current $7/month rate.

Some thoughts on the Substack controversy

The Watch • 2631 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
💼 Business Controversy Monetization Platform Subscription Income
  1. Substack has faced controversy over hosting white supremacists and other objectionable content
  2. Switching platforms can be risky for content creators like the author due to potential loss of subscribers and audience
  3. The author suggests direct support via other payment methods for those who want to support writers on Substack without contributing to the company

Introducing The Substack Bulletin

Substack • 635 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💼 Business News Resources Community
  1. The Substack Bulletin shares news, resources, and opportunities for publishers, offering collaboration tools and customization tips for Substack websites.
  2. Recent updates include direct messaging capabilities for publishers, an upgraded recommendations network leading to increased subscriptions, and advanced layout options for showcasing content.
  3. The community section highlights writer meetups, milestones, and press features, encouraging interaction and sharing within the Substack community.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

⏩🔬 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.

Letters to a Young Investor: Reid Hoffman on Signals and Mirages

The Generalist • 1941 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💼 Business Investing Technology Venture Capital AI Startups
  1. Investors need to differentiate between signals and mirages in venture capital to find potential winners.
  2. The process of identifying successful investments involves filtering out flawed ideas and making bets on plausible opportunities.
  3. Successful investments are like oases in the technology landscape that investors strategically seek out.

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.

Why newsletter signups should always be your north star

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 723 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Entrepreneurship Finance Marketing Content creation
  1. Focus on growing newsletter signups as a key metric for success, as platforms can impact content creators' reach and livelihood unpredictably.
  2. Media entrepreneurs should be cautious of relying solely on tech platforms for distribution, as policies and algorithms can mistakenly impact their work.
  3. Entrepreneurs in media should consider covering niche news sites, video channels, podcasts, newsletters, and affiliate/ecommerce to succeed independently.

🌎⏩ How fast can the global economy grow?

Faster, Please! • 822 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
💼 Business Economic Growth Artificial Intelligence Global Economy Science fiction
  1. The concept of the Singularity involves rapid technological advancements leading to an unimaginable surge in economic growth.
  2. The idea of exponential economic growth can be challenging to comprehend, similar to how residents of a two-dimensional world might struggle to imagine a three-dimensional object.
  3. Exploring historical precedents can offer insights into more feasible scenarios for economic growth.

Internal Slack Messages Reveal Riot’s Messaging About Saudi Arabian Tournament`

Richard Lewis • 1631 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
💼 Business Companies Ethics Partnerships Esports Diversity
  1. Riot Games faced internal conflicts over participation in a Saudi Arabian tournament due to LGBTQ+ concerns
  2. There was controversy over Riot's decision to work with a government that criminalizes homosexuality
  3. Internal messages revealed mixed feelings within Riot about business relationships with Saudi Arabia

The dream of deregulation - the grid part III

Construction Physics • 9812 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
💼 Business Energy Regulation Competition Market Policy
  1. Electric power in the US was historically monopolized by utility companies, but cracks in the system started to appear in the 1960s and 1970s.
  2. The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 revolutionized the energy industry by creating a new class of independent power producers called Qualifying Facilities, leading to an increase in non-utility electricity generation.
  3. Deregulation of the electric power industry began in the 1990s and 2000s, with the unbundling of generation and transmission services, creation of new power suppliers like Exempt Wholesale Generators, and the establishment of Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations to introduce competition.

On Earning Foreign Income: A Book On Lessons And Strategies

Day One • 179 implied HN points • 13 Apr 24
💼 Business Global Market Book
  1. One strategy to hedge against declining local currencies is earning currencies of first-world nations like the US and Great Britain.
  2. Long-term thinking is crucial when aiming to earn in foreign currency, involving market study and adaptation for taking advantage of opportunities.
  3. Building a strong foundation, identifying market needs, and genuinely helping people are key steps towards earning foreign income successfully.

8 naming strategies ✍️

First 1000 • 1592 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💼 Business
  1. Mashups can create new names by merging two words together.
  2. Play on words involves creatively using spelled terms to describe a product.
  3. Paying tribute by naming a company after someone or something significant adds meaning.

TBM 273: Transition and Reflection

The Beautiful Mess • 883 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
💼 Business Leadership Workplace dynamics
  1. Humans shape environments, and environments shape humans -- there's no dichotomy. This insight helps in understanding complexity and progress.
  2. Self-awareness and understanding others' beliefs are crucial at work -- it minimizes clashes and can lead to better teamwork and company growth.
  3. Seek coherence across different areas of work -- aligning various frames and systems is essential for company success.

A Substack is a book’s best friend: An interview with Luke Burgis

read • 10456 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
💼 Business Marketing Engagement Authors Collaborations
  1. A Substack can be a powerful tool for writers to engage with readers and promote their books.
  2. Substack allows for direct connection with committed readers and can significantly impact book sales.
  3. Starting a Substack can help writers build a community, get feedback, and continue engaging with readers even after the publication of a book.

The Ultimate Game Dev's Guide to Working with Content Creators

A16Z GAMES • 199 implied HN points • 09 Apr 24
💼 Business Gaming Marketing Content creation Industry Trends Relationship building
  1. One of the biggest challenges for game developers is working with content creators to market their games effectively. It's important to find creators that resonate with your game and engage with them early on.
  2. Each content creator is unique, so it's crucial to tailor your approach to match their audience and content style. Understand their goals and create experiences that align with them.
  3. Building long-term relationships with content creators requires kindness, respect, and genuine engagement. Treat them well, consider their needs, and value the relationship beyond short-term marketing gains.

Lessons From Over 13 Million Naira Worth of Organic WhatsApp Sales

Day One • 758 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
💼 Business Sales Marketing Content creation Data Analysis Customer Support
  1. Building trust and authority through valuable content is essential for selling products or services online
  2. Utilizing testimonials and free high-quality content can greatly persuade potential customers to make a purchase
  3. Addressing objections, providing ongoing support, and reducing buyer's remorse are key to maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty

Meta's just not that into you

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 499 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Publishing Social media Monetization Legislation
  1. Facebook is shifting away from news content, with recent actions including shutting down its news tab and restricting news links on its platforms like Instagram and Threads.
  2. Publishers have seen a decline in Facebook traffic over the years, as the platform has deprioritized news pages since the aftermath of the 2016 election.
  3. Many publishers blame Meta for not compensating them adequately, leading to lobbying efforts by publishers globally to force Meta to the bargaining table.

Dealflow LatAm #1: Welcome!

Dealflow Latam • 99 implied HN points • 22 Apr 24
💼 Business Startup funding
  1. Dealflow LatAm newsletter covers startup funding news, M&A news, investor and accelerator news, startup news, big company and policy news in the Latin American ecosystem.
  2. Sign up for the newsletter to stay updated on the latest from the Latin American startup and VC ecosystem. The curated weekly email delivers relevant articles straight to your inbox every Monday morning.
  3. The newsletter also highlights funding rounds of various startups in Latin America, showcasing the growth and investment activities in the region.

The posters decide

benn.substack • 457 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business Influence Startups Technology Investing Entrepreneurship
  1. In political elections like the presidential primaries, insiders within the party can heavily influence candidate selection, impacting how votes translate into nominations.
  2. Silicon Valley, despite its reputation for meritocracy and free-market capitalism, also shows signs of elite insiders shaping success by directing funds, influencing hiring decisions, and controlling media narratives.
  3. Public perception and hype generated by influencers play a significant role in Silicon Valley, from selecting blogging platforms to predicting success of new technologies, often superseding personal experiences and independent analysis.

The Great Saudi Arabian State “Pay To Play” Scheme

Richard Lewis • 1022 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business Esports Saudi Arabia Corporate Influence Ethics Sponsorship
  1. Esports World Cup program provides financial assistance to organizations in exchange for participation in tournaments and generating viewership.
  2. Saudi Arabian state heavily involved in funding and controlling Esports World Cup, aiming to increase global recognition through esports.
  3. Esports organizations receiving stimulus payments from Saudi Arabia may face conflicts of interest and compromise on integrity due to financial ties.

2,800 jobs to go...

Off to Lunch • 1356 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
💼 Business Economy Industry Politics Environment Retail
  1. Tata Steel is cutting 2,800 jobs in the UK by closing two blast furnaces to shift to electric arc furnaces.
  2. The job cuts are part of a plan to reduce carbon emissions and transform the Port Talbot facility into a center for green steelmaking.
  3. The UK faces a significant drop in retail sales, potentially signaling a risk of falling into a recession.

America's Housing Rebound

The Overshoot • 1316 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
💼 Business Housing Real Estate Construction Mortgage Rates Economic Growth
  1. Despite high mortgage rates, construction and renovation spending in the US housing market have been holding steady or accelerating.
  2. Housing sales and construction are greatly impacted by changes in monetary policy and credit availability.
  3. The rebound in house prices and construction reflects the broader growth and asset price acceleration in the US economy post-pandemic.

How Duolingo reignited user growth

Lenny's Newsletter • 9571 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
💼 Business Tech Marketing Growth Product Leadership
  1. Duolingo achieved 4.5x user growth over four years through innovative strategies like leaderboards and push notifications.
  2. Their focus on improving retention over new user acquisition led to significant improvements in engagement metrics.
  3. Using data and models, like Zynga and MyFitnessPal did, helped Duolingo identify North Star metrics and drive growth effectively.