The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Robots don't take your job. Bosses do

Altered States of Monetary Consciousness • 821 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
💼 Business Corporate strategy Labor Economics Technological Change Workplace dynamics
  1. Jobs are created not by robots but by the need for workers to operate businesses. Companies like Amazon rely heavily on their workers to exist.
  2. When companies automate or replace jobs with machines, it's really about the bosses choosing to spend money on technology instead of their employees. This often means fewer jobs.
  3. Economic growth doesn't necessarily mean better lives for workers. As technology advances, the pressure to keep up increases, leaving employees stressed and wanting.

Should I buy a company after visiting Victoria, BC?

Olshansky's Newsletter • 45 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Acquisitions Capital Operations Strategy Startups
  1. Buy an existing, revenue-generating business instead of building from scratch to create steady cash flow and buy time and freedom to pursue bigger missions.
  2. Make plans without expectations and show up; building relationships and staying open to serendipity often creates better opportunities than rigid goals.
  3. Prioritize independence and real value creation over constant fundraising, and then fix operational inefficiencies — cut waste, move costly cloud workloads to cheaper infrastructure, automate with AI, and keep teams lean to extract reliable cash flow.

Highlights From The Comments On Housing Density And Prices

Astral Codex Ten • 4542 implied HN points • 10 May 23
💼 Business Economics Urban planning Housing Market City Development Real Estate
  1. Density is correlated with high prices, but demand, rather than new units, drives prices up.
  2. Long-term, attracting people through desirability is more impactful than building more houses alone.
  3. Building new housing may attract trendy cities, but some cities may have capped trendiness and adding density won't make them more popular.
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Where is the Moat in AI?

In My Tribe • 258 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
💼 Business Investment Finance Economics AI Corporate strategy
  1. Intangible assets, like brand loyalty and know-how, can create lasting profits that are harder to compete against than physical resources like data centers.
  2. With AI, some jobs, especially mid-level roles in fields like finance and law, may decline in value as companies adopt technology to cut costs.
  3. Successful companies will be those that maintain strong relationships and moats now, as they navigate competition with AI model developers.

Cigna said to be going after Humana to buy its way into Medicare Advantage

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
💼 Business Healthcare Mergers Acquisitions Insurance Finance
  1. Cigna is looking to acquire Humana to strengthen its position in the Medicare Advantage market. This is important because Medicare Advantage is a growing and profitable area in health insurance.
  2. If the deal goes through, Cigna and Humana together would have around 30 million health plan enrollees in the U.S., but they would still be smaller than their main competitor, UnitedHealthcare.
  3. Cigna's focus on this acquisition shows that they see it as a strategic move to grow, especially since both companies are shifting away from their commercial insurance businesses.

4 Strategies To Elevate Your Communication Style From Engineer To Leader

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 412 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
💼 Business Leadership Communication Data Strategy Consulting
  1. When communicating with non-technical stakeholders, focus on the impact of your work rather than the technical details. Using clear language helps everyone understand why your projects matter.
  2. Highlight the risks of inaction to motivate decision-makers. Making them aware of potential costs or missed opportunities can encourage them to prioritize your recommendations.
  3. Use analogies relevant to your audience to make complex ideas easier to grasp. Relating technical concepts to familiar ideas can help build understanding and trust.

I'd Segment That...

Elena's Growth Scoop • 668 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
💼 Business Onboarding Activation Personalization
  1. Profile your customers during onboarding in B2B PLG to understand who they are and what they want.
  2. Asking profiling questions during activation can actually increase activation rates by giving users a sense of progress.
  3. Segmentation based on monetization can help understand user base health and inform product personalization.

3rd Look at Local Housing Markets in December

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
💼 Business Real Estate Housing Market Market Data Home Prices Inventory Regional Markets Sales trends
  1. The NAR is reporting existing-home sales much earlier in the month now. That shortens the window for early projections and may lead to bigger revisions in the initial numbers.
  2. Inventory is rising across markets — Altos shows single-family active listings up about 10% year‑over‑year and regional samples show inventory up roughly 7–11%. This suggests supply may have bottomed and is returning ahead of the usual spring pickup.
  3. Sales are mixed: December had modest year‑over‑year gains but 2025 was the weakest annual sales year since 1995. In California sales edged up slightly while the statewide median price fell, pointing to softer demand and a more balanced market.

Erika's quick-start guide to research nonprofits

Erika’s Newsletter • 491 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
💼 Business Nonprofits Fundraising Philanthropy Operations Employment
  1. You can start a nonprofit research organization without needing permission from a university.
  2. Research nonprofits can be designed to fit scientific goals rather than fitting into academia or industry.
  3. To start a nonprofit, write a 'two-pager', get connected with potential funders, fundraise, manage money, hire people, get lab space, and manage intellectual property.

❄️ 🍅 Une Française va diriger une boîte du Nasdaq

Snowball • 668 implied HN points • 10 Sep 23
💼 Business Startups Stock Market Economy Tech Retail
  1. A French woman will lead a company on the Nasdaq, reflecting increasing diversity in leadership roles.
  2. The potential impacts of a $100 per barrel oil price include considerations on the US strategic oil reserve.
  3. The microlearning market aims to revamp traditional education models, offering opportunities for individuals to benefit and innovate.

Have rents stopped rising?

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 42 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
💼 Business Real Estate Housing Market Rent Inflation Construction Urban Economics Market Dynamics Affordable Housing
  1. Rent inflation has been much higher for lower-income families than for higher-income families, and public statistics don’t capture that difference well.
  2. Rents appear to have flattened since 2022, prompting the question of whether rents have stopped rising or are starting to correct.
  3. New home completions rose by roughly 600,000 a year after COVID, but whether that is enough to stop rent inflation depends on housing supply elasticity; rough estimates suggest about 2.5 million units a year might be needed to neutralize rent pressure.

Letters to a Young Investor: Kirsten Green

The Generalist • 820 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
💼 Business Venture Capital Investing Entrepreneurship Startups Finance
  1. Kirsten Green's journey to becoming a successful investor wasn't straightforward. It took her ten years of learning and failing before founding her own firm.
  2. She developed a unique way of looking at business opportunities by focusing on how a business model can enhance the customer's experience.
  3. Failures in her early investments taught Kirsten valuable lessons and shaped her approach to investing, helping her identify when to trust her instincts.

How Bolt.new hit $40M ARR in 5 months

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 362 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
💼 Business Startups Growth Marketing Product Development Entrepreneurship
  1. Bolt.new succeeded because it had the right technology at the right time, quickly building on improvements in AI. This allowed them to grow rapidly after initially struggling for years.
  2. They made their user experience simple and easy for anyone to use, which helped people feel excited about creating and sharing their projects. This lack of barriers led to more users trying their product.
  3. Their growth strategy revolves around users sharing their creations, which naturally attracts new users. They also focus on quickly releasing updates and new features, keeping excitement high among users.

Economic Lessons from the Screwtape Letters

Kyla’s Newsletter • 451 implied HN points • 21 May 25
💼 Business Economics Finance Consumer behavior Market Trends Cultural analysis
  1. Rejection is becoming a part of everyday life, especially for young people. They face so many job and college applications but get very few chances.
  2. Convenience in our lives is making us feel less connected and more anxious. Things are so easy now that we don’t put in the effort to really enjoy or appreciate them.
  3. Surprise is disappearing in our culture, with new creative ideas being replaced by recycled ones. This loss makes our experiences less rich and fulfilling.

💥One down, eleven to go...💥

PETITION • 334 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
💼 Business Bankruptcy Legal Finance Retail Consulting
  1. Recent bankruptcies in the corporate sector include companies like Humanigen Inc., Audacy Inc., and Eye Care Leaders.
  2. GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2024 due to financial struggles and liquidity issues.
  3. In Rite Aid's bankruptcy case, issues arise regarding store closures, conflicts over lease rejections, and negotiations with stakeholders.

Clouded Judgement 2.6.26 - Software Is Dead...Again...For Real this Time...Maybe?

Clouded Judgement • 18 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
💼 Business Technology Investing Markets Valuation Cloud AI SaaS
  1. Public software valuations have collapsed — the median NTM revenue multiple is about 3.6x and roughly 39% of the index trades below 3x, as investors reprice the sector amid much higher uncertainty.
  2. AI agents are poised to capture much of the new incremental value on top of systems of record, effectively pushing legacy cloud software down the stack into lower-growth middleware; a small minority (maybe ~10%) of incumbents may successfully capture the agent-driven S-curve.
  3. The market reaction may be overdone in the short term because many companies still show solid results and enterprise cloud migrations continue, but real operational problems (heavy SBC, long CAC paybacks) plus greater terminal risk justify a lower, more cautious multiple environment.

The Best of MRR Unlocked 2025

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 43 implied HN points • 28 Dec 25
💼 Business Marketing Sales Strategy Startups Product Growth SaaS
  1. Build a strong GTM foundation before you scale: be clear on one primary ICP, your positioning, and your dominant go-to-market motion so growth is repeatable, not random.
  2. Continuously analyze and refine your ICP and messaging as your product and market evolve, and keep that messaging consistent across website, content, outbound, and demos.
  3. Use founder-led channels like LinkedIn intentionally so content compounds, and focus on one or two high-impact growth channels plus a simple, documented sales process to drive wins, retention, and expansion.

LFG (for semiconductors)

State of the Future • 47 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Semiconductors Hardware Manufacturing Fundraising Regional Markets
  1. Semiconductors are the best area to invest right now because system-level innovations like chiplets, advanced packaging, and heterogeneous computing are creating new opportunities beyond Moore’s Law. These shifts make startup-driven hardware innovation more valuable than before.
  2. With the right funding and momentum, Europe could produce many semiconductor giants; the region has the talent and existing industrial strengths to support about 20 potential unicorns in the next 3–4 years. Keeping founders and capital in Europe is key to building that pipeline.
  3. Cloudberry VC is a dedicated European semiconductor fund offering early capital, industry partnerships, and hands-on support to help hardware founders focus on building instead of chasing grants or ill-suited investors. The fund connects startups to manufacturing and photonics partners to speed prototype-to-volume paths.

The Profile: The secretive 38-year-old billionaire & the reporter who quit The New York Times

The Profile • 555 implied HN points • 03 Dec 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurs Media CEOs Logistics
  1. The Profile newsletter features interviews with interesting individuals like Laura Dekker, discussing parenting and chasing dreams.
  2. The edition highlights notable figures like Josh Kushner and Bari Weiss, providing insights into their success and ventures.
  3. Profiles of important personalities like Laura Alber, Dr. Ruth, and Beryl Tomay shed light on their remarkable careers and roles in various industries.

3 Mistakes to avoid when writing your performance review

High Growth Engineer • 866 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
💼 Business Career development Workplace Management Performance Human Resources
  1. Don’t start writing your performance review from scratch. Create a separate document summarizing your work to help you organize your thoughts and provide a clear overview.
  2. Avoid assuming that everyone knows the details of your work. Write your review in a way that any reader, even a senior leader, can easily understand the impact of your contributions.
  3. Use specific numbers and clear statements to show your impact. Instead of vague phrases, quantify your achievements and relate them to team goals for better clarity.