The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Recruiting Brainfood - Issue 383

Recruiting Brainfood • 373 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💼 Business Recruitment Economy AI Remote working Blockchain
  1. The issue covers insights on the best universities for Artificial Intelligence, challenges faced by LinkedIn, and the importance of body fat percentages in the US Navy Seals.
  2. BrightHire Plan is highlighted as an innovative AI copilot for end-to-end interview planning, offering time-saving and inclusive job planning features.
  3. Various societal and economic topics are discussed, such as the impact of Generative AI, remote working, the economics of fertility, and the interpretation of the US's booming economy.

✨⏩ What DeepSeek means for faster AI-driven economic growth

Faster, Please! • 1005 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
💼 Business Economics Technology Investments Productivity Global Trade
  1. DeepSeek's AI models show that effective technology doesn't always need expensive equipment, which could change how companies develop AI.
  2. Goldman Sachs believes AI could significantly boost productivity and global GDP, similar to tech booms seen in the past.
  3. The rise of cheaper AI models could lead to faster adoption of technology in businesses, which may help improve overall efficiency and economic growth.

3 Essentials That Will 2x Your Landing Page Conversion Rate

Nail It and Scale It • 59 implied HN points • 15 Jul 24
💼 Business Marketing Digital E-commerce Sales Entrepreneurship
  1. Make sure your landing page clearly explains what you're offering right away. If visitors can't understand it quickly, they're likely to leave.
  2. Build trust by showing strong brands you've worked with, sharing positive customer reviews, or highlighting any expert endorsements. This makes visitors feel more secure about their decision.
  3. Keep the action simple. Have one clear button for what you want visitors to do, and ensure the page loads quickly without distractions. The easier it is, the more likely they will take action.

Celebrating Greek wins

The Greek Analyst • 339 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
💼 Business Startups Funding Tech Economy Unemployment
  1. Success should be highlighted, embraced, understood, and replicated, especially in a society that tends to focus more on negative news.
  2. Greece is seeing achievements across various sectors, from biotech companies and architectural studios to AI innovation and modern office buildings.
  3. There is a growing trend in Greek startups raising significant funding rounds, indicating a positive trajectory in the tech and business ecosystem.
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Is now really the right time to start?

Kenny’s Sub • 199 implied HN points • 22 Apr 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Freelancing Productivity Startups Goal setting
  1. It's a good idea to start projects now, even if it's small. This allows for progress to begin and builds momentum over time.
  2. Starting small can lead to important gains. Just like planting a fruit tree, the benefits will come later if you start today rather than waiting.
  3. Taking small actions today can help reduce stress in the future. Even simple tasks, like planning or writing a title, can make a difference.

October 2025 Residential Construction

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 42 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
💼 Business Real Estate Construction Housing Market Homebuilding Market Data
  1. September and October residential construction updates are now available and cover recent activity for those months.
  2. Full details are behind a subscription paywall, but there is an option to claim a free post or subscribe to read everything.
  3. The write-up includes detailed month-by-month construction reporting for readers who access the full content.

Top Links 803 Big pharma's patent cliff. Stealthgas and the "dark fleet". The etymology of the "golden triangle".

Chartbook • 371 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
💼 Business Pharma Economics Global Trade Politics Technology
  1. Big pharma is facing a 'patent cliff' where key drugs lose their patents, which could affect their profits. This is important because it might lead to cheaper medications for consumers.
  2. There is a growing topic around 'stealthgas' and the 'dark fleet', which likely refers to rising maritime activities that don't always follow regular regulations. Understanding this can reveal much about global trade and environmental issues.
  3. The term 'golden triangle' has an interesting history and meaning. Learning it can help understand cultural and geographical contexts, especially in economics and trade.

How to Talk About Valuation Numbers When Investor Ask? | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 479 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Investing Funding Entrepreneurship
  1. When discussing valuation with investors, it's important to provide general ranges without giving a specific price to anchor their expectations.
  2. VCs may ask about your past funding to assess fit and potential valuation issues, so it's beneficial to be transparent about your previous funding details.
  3. A delicate balance is required when discussing existing investors participating in a new round to ensure harmony between new and existing investors.

The Ethics of Business with Niklas Anziger

Bet On It • 35 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
💼 Business Business Ethics Markets Regulation Entrepreneurship Economic Policy Governance
  1. Niklas Anziger discusses the ethics of business and how moral questions affect real-world commercial choices.
  2. The conversation emphasizes a pro-market, pro-business perspective, arguing that freer markets can lead to better outcomes.
  3. Prospera is used as a real-world example of experimenting with freer markets to illustrate how ethical business practices play out.

The MCP Freemium Strategy

Good Better Best • 3 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
💼 Business SaaS Pricing Product AI Distribution Monetization
  1. MCPs let LLMs discover and call your product, making them a powerful new distribution channel that’s different from traditional APIs.
  2. Making MCP access free is often the right play because it boosts discoverability and user value, while usage limits or guardrails can nudge heavy users to upgrade.
  3. MCPs show up three ways — as a feature, a usage accelerant, or to power agentic workflows — and each style can be monetized with smart quotas or plan design.

Why Do Great Ideas Often Fail The 'Elevator Pitch' Test? | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 179 implied HN points • 30 Apr 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup funding Market Strategies Investor Relations
  1. Raising capital is a sales process where founders sell trust and confidence in building something valuable. Understanding VC decision-making dynamics increases the likelihood of closing deals.
  2. Knowing the structure and decision processes of VC firms can help founders navigate partnerships and improve their chances of success.
  3. The key to success in VC pitch meetings is building relationships with various partners within a firm to gain broader support and increase the probability of getting to a 'yes.'

Why Insurance Companies Are Rationally Failing Their Social Purpose

Software Design: Tidy First? • 1391 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
💼 Business Insurance Finance Economics Investing Risk management
  1. Insurance is meant to convert risks into opportunities, allowing people to buy homes and start businesses by protecting lenders against losses. But it's complicated when companies only want to insure low-risk customers.
  2. Insurance companies often cut back on the risks they cover to stay competitive and offer lower prices, which means they might not support those in need, like entrepreneurs with health issues.
  3. For insurance to work as it should, companies need to stop focusing solely on low-risk clients. They should start covering real people, including those who are a bit riskier, to provide the societal benefits that insurance was originally designed for.

Five Important Yet Frequently Missed User Archetypes

Elena's Growth Scoop • 766 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
💼 Business Customer Engagement Marketing Strategy Customer Experience Product Development
  1. Core users are important, but don't overlook other user archetypes.
  2. Different user archetypes like power users, viral users, champions, high-LTV users, and adjacent users play unique roles in shaping your business strategy.
  3. Identify and cater to each user archetype to ensure sustainable company growth.

NOTE TO SELF: On Katie Martin's "Magnificent Seven" Today

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 353 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
💼 Business Tech Giants Market Trends Investments Economic Policy Digital economy
  1. The 'Magnificent Seven' tech companies are dominating the market, making up 31% of the S&P 500. Their growth is impressive but it raises concerns about economic fairness.
  2. These companies are not just innovating; they're also extracting a lot of money from their positions in the market. They often make profits through platform fees and controlling access to resources.
  3. Investors need to look deeper into each company's story. Some are thriving due to strong tech advancements, while others are more about squeezing profits out of their current advantages.

Paying the SOC2 Screenshot Tax

Margins by Ranjan Roy and Can Duruk • 331 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
💼 Business Technology Startups Compliance Finance SaaS
  1. SOC2 compliance can be seen as a necessary hurdle for small tech companies trying to build trust with larger clients, but it often feels like a tax rather than a true security upgrade.
  2. The process of obtaining SOC2 involves significant effort, including hiring auditors and filling out extensive spreadsheets, which can distract startups from product development.
  3. There's a growing call for a better compliance system that continuously monitors security rather than relying on periodic checks, as the current method can feel outdated and ineffective.

How I Became a Venture Capitalist

The New Internet by Jeff Morris Jr. • 14 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Investing Fundraising Entrepreneurship Careers Mentorship
  1. You can move from operator to VC by building a public, trackable investing record and a clear thesis—start small with SPVs or angel checks and share your work openly.
  2. Traditional scout programs are broken: access is closed to insiders, scout performance is hidden, and the programs mainly create leverage for firms rather than career paths for scouts.
  3. A new season-based Scout Program aims to democratize access by letting anyone apply, giving each selected scout $100K, public profiles and leaderboards, and mentorship to help scouts build real track records and potentially raise funds.

PacBio Sells Short Read Tech To Illumina

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
💼 Business M&A Biotech Corporate Finance Restructuring Intellectual Property Product Strategy
  1. PacBio sold its short-read sequencing assets to Illumina for about $50M, which is far less than what it paid acquiring Omniome and Apton.
  2. PacBio’s short-read products never gained traction and Onso sales were minimal, and recent layoffs suggest the development teams are largely gone.
  3. The deal only buys PacBio roughly six months of additional runway, and Illumina is likely to hold the IP rather than immediately use it to build new platforms.

TBM 334: The Capacity Allocation Illusion

The Beautiful Mess • 1031 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
💼 Business Management Operations Finance Strategy Innovation
  1. Capacity in software development isn't just about how many hours people work. It's more complicated and depends on past investments and the overall work environment.
  2. Oversimplifying capacity can lead to poor decisions. You need to consider many factors, like team dynamics and the quality of work, rather than just time spent on tasks.
  3. When asked about spending, it's better to focus on how investments improve future capacity instead of just breaking down hours. Understanding the bigger picture is key.

Moving Mental Mountains

Software Design: Tidy First? • 1369 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
💼 Business Finance Technology Economics Management Workforce
  1. Now it's easier and cheaper to explore data and insights, so we should be more curious and take the time to investigate our 'I wonder' moments.
  2. Emotional reactions often replace actual work, and we need to focus on doing the analytical tasks instead of just responding emotionally.
  3. When analyzing data, start small and make sure your findings are accurate. Sharing what you learn can help you grow and encourage collective knowledge.

The Oddest Man Out Among Our $Hundred-Billionaires: Elon Musk

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 492 implied HN points • 04 Jun 25
💼 Business Economics Entrepreneurship Market Trends Corporate strategy Investment
  1. Elon Musk's wealth, largely tied to Tesla, is facing challenges as the company’s profit growth may not continue. The recent surge in Tesla's sales was helped by market conditions and celebrity status, but that charm seems to be fading.
  2. Many billionaires, especially those in tech, have consistent income from their businesses. In contrast, Musk's financial future looks uncertain as competition in the electric vehicle market increases and his brand image shifts.
  3. The reasons people used to buy Teslas included its innovation and eco-friendliness. Now, with Musk's controversial actions, many of those who once supported the brand are distancing themselves, which could hurt Tesla's future sales.

A Business Upended: The Streaming Disruption of the Movie & Broadcasting Business

Musings on Markets • 759 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
💼 Business Entertainment Streaming Media Finance Television
  1. The rise of streaming services like Netflix has drastically changed how we consume movies and shows. Many people are moving away from cable TV and preferring the convenience of streaming platforms.
  2. The movie industry may face a fate similar to the music industry due to streaming disruptions. Just as music labels struggled to adapt, traditional movie companies might find it hard to survive without significant changes.
  3. Streaming has led to increased content production but also rising costs. While there's more choice for viewers, the quality can sometimes suffer, leaving many overwhelmed by the options available.

Quitting freelancing to build products

Kenny’s Sub • 239 implied HN points • 01 Apr 24
💼 Business Freelancing Entrepreneurship Product Development Marketing Client Management
  1. Freelancing can consume a lot of time and energy, making it hard to work on personal projects. Focusing entirely on building your own products might be a better choice for growth.
  2. Getting paid as a freelancer can be tricky and often requires chasing clients. Having good platforms can help with payment security and reduce the hassle.
  3. When developing products, it's important to try out various ideas. Finding what works best often means experimenting and adjusting based on feedback and demand.

Numlock News: October 24, 2023 • Moon, Scares, Deus Ex Machina

Numlock News • 707 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
💼 Business Advertising Entertainment Real Estate Social media Research
  1. Author promoted the launch of their new book 'You Are What You Watch' and shared a discount code for purchases.
  2. Jump scares in horror movies have been declining since the mid-2010s, hitting a 20-year low in 2021.
  3. Growth of Korean AI-driven Bible chatbot service used by 20% of Protestant ministers to write sermons.

Teleocracy & Prestige

Becoming Noble • 757 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
💼 Business Organizational Behavior Entrepreneurship Business strategy
  1. Organizations like big tech companies have a unique capability to help young men reach their full professional potential through exposure to elite performers and a culture of audacious projects.
  2. To attract young elite talent and transform them, alternative structures need to offer opportunities for prestige, independence, wealth, and growth, emphasizing mission, service, transformation, and recognition.
  3. Building attractive spaces for elite talent involves strategic embedding of factors like perceived external prestige (PEP) in organizations by leveraging unique strengths, to compete with elite liberal institutions.

#14: Five ideas from the airline business

Bureau of Adventure • 119 implied HN points • 01 Jun 24
💼 Business Aviation Marketing Operations Economics Strategy
  1. Airlines can use different route models, like hub-and-spoke or point-to-point. Each has its benefits, with point-to-point focusing on direct flights and hub-and-spoke maximizing connections.
  2. Focusing on trip costs rather than unit costs can be more effective. Sometimes a smaller plane with higher costs per seat is better for fewer passengers, rather than trying to fill a large plane.
  3. Using an 'out and back' flying strategy can help airlines run more efficiently. It allows them to keep crew costs low and isolate delays, while also making it easier to cancel unprofitable flights.

No more Theatre: How I embraced failure as an Engineering Leader

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 139 implied HN points • 20 May 24
💼 Business Leadership Teamwork Success Coaching Learning
  1. Leaders need to embrace failure and turn it into a learning opportunity without fear of judgment.
  2. Teams require leaders to set clear boundaries, values, and expectations to create a psychologically safe environment.
  3. Continuous delivery in engineering leadership involves delivering faster, reducing stress, fostering a positive environment, and supporting team growth.

The state of B2B monetization in 2025

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 520 implied HN points • 04 Jun 25
💼 Business Software Pricing Subscription SaaS AI
  1. Traditional pricing models like flat-rate and seat-based are losing popularity. Companies are now favoring hybrid pricing to better match value and costs.
  2. Hybrid pricing is becoming the go-to choice for software companies, providing flexibility and a better upselling opportunity while keeping it simple for customers.
  3. Outcome-based pricing is highly desired but rarely adopted because it's complicated. Most companies struggle with measuring and ensuring consistent results for customers.

Top Links 773 How a private equity titan became an insurance-backed quasi-bank. Narrating the AI boom & rethinking the "fall of Rome".

Chartbook • 443 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
💼 Business Finance Investing Private Equity Banking Insurance
  1. Apollo, a big player in private equity, became like a bank by adding insurance services to its business. This change was led by its CEO in 2009.
  2. The rise of artificial intelligence is a hot topic, drawing attention to its impact and potential in today's economy.
  3. There's a need to rethink historical perspectives, like the fall of Rome, to better understand how current events and trends affect us today.

No More Mr. Nice Guy

Fish Food for Thought • 37 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership Management Team Dynamics Decision-making Organizational Culture Performance Management Communication
  1. Being “nice” can become avoidance: trying to spare individual discomfort by postponing hard choices ends up harming the team and shifts unfair costs onto others.
  2. Psychological safety isn’t the same as comfort: real safety comes from clear expectations, honest feedback, and timely decisions, even when conversations are uncomfortable.
  3. Mature leadership balances empathy with decisiveness: caring often looks like setting standards, delivering candid feedback, and sometimes making the hard calls so the system can function.

The House of Huawei

ChinaTalk • 444 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
💼 Business Corporate culture Entrepreneurship International Trade Telecommunications Geopolitics
  1. Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Huawei, grew up facing hardship during the Cultural Revolution but turned this struggle into his motivation for success. His challenging past helped him build a strong company culture focused on hard work and resilience.
  2. Huawei has grown by exploring high-risk international markets where other companies hesitated, such as Libya and Iraq. This strategic risk-taking allowed Huawei to create valuable global partnerships and expand its business.
  3. The company has faced significant scrutiny from the West, particularly the United States, over security concerns related to its technology. However, Huawei has continued to thrive by emphasizing its importance to China's tech development and fostering a unique corporate culture.