The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Ten favorites from 2025

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 42 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
💼 Business Industrial Policy Biotech Antitrust Real Estate Energy Supply Chains Corporate Governance
  1. Political choices and regulations shape big technological and infrastructural outcomes. Decisions about ownership, siting, and industrial policy often determine whether projects like power plants, aircraft firms, or urban housing succeed.
  2. Small regulatory and technical changes can unlock large health and market gains. Faster approval pathways, scalable biological technologies, and better competition metrics can bring treatments to more people and help regulators act effectively.
  3. Geography and collective action drive economic power and vulnerability. Who controls resources or how land is owned and reorganized affects trade, development, and security, and tools like land readjustment or desalination can reduce holdouts and dependencies.

TBM 325: Skeptoptimism – Thinking Slow, Acting Fast

The Beautiful Mess • 952 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Planning Execution Leadership Risk management
  1. Thinking slowly helps in planning well and reducing risks. It's not sitting idle; it's about being active and experimenting with ideas.
  2. Being a skeptoptimist means balancing a belief in teams with a realistic view of challenges. It's important to express confidence in the team's ability to succeed while addressing risks.
  3. It's key to involve others in 'slow thinking' to ensure they understand and support the process. Sharing your thoughts can help bridge the gap between deep exploration and action.

PE Slapping VC

Venture Prose • 579 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
💼 Business Investment Finance Startups Entrepreneurship Management
  1. Private equity-backed companies prioritize cash flow over growth, teaching venture capitalists an important lesson for sustained success.
  2. Some growth-stage companies, profitable and mature, outshine venture-backed companies in terms of financial yield without the need for external fundraising.
  3. Venture-backed founders can benefit from connecting with founders of different companies to understand the importance of capital deployment yield and reduce stress levels.

Please stop overusing Baumol’s cost disease

Something to Consider • 59 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
💼 Business Economics Labor Productivity Healthcare Education
  1. Baumol's cost disease is often misused to explain high costs; it doesn't make things unaffordable, just shifts what we spend on.
  2. This theory shows that wages can rise in unproductive areas, like music or certain services, because they adjust to wages in other sectors.
  3. If services like healthcare or education are getting more expensive, it might be because they're experiencing lower productivity, not because they're doomed to be unaffordable.
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Hype Is Not A Data Strategy

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 365 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
💼 Business Data Strategy Marketing Tech Trends Data science
  1. Hype around data and AI can distract companies from their real goals. It's important to focus on what data can actually do for your business, instead of getting lost in the trend.
  2. Most businesses don't rely on data as their main product. Even if data can improve their operations, it’s not their primary focus, so the challenge is making data truly useful.
  3. Companies often look up to big tech for data strategies, but they have different resources. Chasing after their methods without understanding your own needs can lead to a misguided strategy.

4 lessons I learned giving 2 million to small businesses

Kenny’s Sub • 259 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Small business Grants Funding Work Culture
  1. People often feel too scared to ask for what they want, but pushing through that fear can lead to success. It's important to be respectful when following up and seek solutions when faced with a 'no.'
  2. Making mistakes is a part of learning and won't ruin a business if there’s a solid financial backup. It's wise for businesses to have enough savings to cover expenses in tough times.
  3. Prioritizing getting actual customers is more important than focusing on future revenue hopes. It's better to earn money now than gamble on uncertain future profits.

TBM 362: How (And Why) We Help

The Beautiful Mess • 370 implied HN points • 14 Jun 25
💼 Business Consulting Change Management Leadership Organizational Behavior Workplace culture
  1. Consulting can either follow a set plan or focus on helping people discover their own solutions. It's important to understand the difference and choose the right approach.
  2. It's normal to feel torn between sticking to the usual ways of doing things and wanting to create real change. Recognizing this struggle is the first step to addressing it.
  3. Being aware of how we show up in our work is crucial. It helps us connect better with others and can lead to more meaningful change.

Do Nothing & Do Everything

Investing 101 • 69 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
💼 Business Investment Entrepreneurship Management Self-Improvement Tech
  1. Taking time to pause and reflect is important for personal growth and mental clarity. It may feel like doing nothing, but it's actually a valuable activity.
  2. Finding a balance between working hard and being smart is key. Sometimes, working too hard without thinking can lead to exhaustion and poor results.
  3. Both action and reflection are necessary for success. You need to know when to push forward and when to take a step back and regroup.

What if tanker crew deaths are intolerable?

Gordian Knot News • 783 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Economics Regulation Manufacturing Safety Productivity
  1. When building ships, having clear rules helps keep everything running smoothly. If everyone knows the guidelines, they can work together to create quality ships on time.
  2. Bringing in third parties like the Ocean Safety Directorate can disrupt the process. Their focus on preventing accidents leads to extra paperwork and slowed productivity.
  3. If the rules are too strict or unclear, it can result in delays and lower quality. Maintaining a balance between safety and efficiency is key to successful shipbuilding.

The Great Differentiation

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 309 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
💼 Business Startups Innovation Marketing Finance Technology
  1. In a world where everything looks the same, standing out is really important. Companies need to be unique to catch people's attention.
  2. Making things difficult to copy is a smart way to stay different. When something is hard to replicate, it holds more value and status.
  3. People are starting to understand that true uniqueness comes from being authentic and true to themselves. It's all about creating something special that only you can offer.

Raising Heel

HIDDEN.RSRCH • 569 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
💼 Business Fashion IPO Brand
  1. Birkenstock has filed for an IPO after being a long-standing orthopedic shoe company.
  2. The company's value is high due to consistently making quality products.
  3. The journey to success for Birkenstock has been traditional and focused on quality.

You Think Freelancing Means Freedom? Think Again

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 59 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
💼 Business Freelancing Entrepreneurship Work-life balance Productivity Self-Improvement
  1. Freelancing can feel freeing, but it often leads to stressful situations, like juggling client work with personal life. It's important to recognize when to seek help or create a team you can trust.
  2. Transitioning from freelancing to entrepreneurship requires a clear understanding of your lifestyle goals and what success means to you. It's not just about making money, but building a fulfilling life.
  3. Personal growth and willingness to change are key to evolving your business. Being open to learning and shifting your role can help you create a more sustainable and enjoyable work environment.

Recruiting Brainfood - Issue 334

Recruiting Brainfood • 569 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
💼 Business Recruiting Jobs Economy AI Remote work
  1. Maintain a multi-channel approach to audience building to mitigate risks of being removed from platforms like LinkedIn
  2. Stay informed about emerging trends like the Creator Economy and prioritize personal branding with effective LinkedIn headlines
  3. Recognize that platforms like TikTok are becoming increasingly influential, especially for Gen Z, impacting employer branding and recruitment strategies

The Myth of Hyper-Growth: Successful Startups Follow Quadratic Hypergrowth, Not Exponential. | VC Remote Jobs

Venture Curator • 239 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
💼 Business Startups Venture Capital Job Opportunities Community Building
  1. Successful startups often experience quadratic hypergrowth rather than exponential growth.
  2. Understanding the quadratic growth model is crucial for predicting and controlling growth in companies.
  3. To sustain growth, companies must launch new products into new markets, leading to a variety of quadratic growth curves over time.

Staying in balance ⚖️

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 16 Aug 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Mindset Productivity Personal Development
  1. Your mindset shapes your life. A strong, positive mindset can lead to happiness, even during tough times.
  2. Pushing yourself can be exciting, but it’s important to balance hard work with self-care and important life activities.
  3. Recognizing where you struggle is key. It's okay to ask for advice on how to stay balanced while pursuing your goals.

TBM 335: "Simple" Dependency Coordination

The Beautiful Mess • 753 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
💼 Business Team Dynamics Project management Collaboration Productivity
  1. It's better to focus on fewer tasks and do them well, rather than spreading yourself too thin and making mediocre progress on everything. Aim for a clear main focus.
  2. Collaboration patterns between teams are more effective than just relying on lists of tasks. Discuss how to work together instead of getting bogged down in details.
  3. Starting with a conservative approach is usually smarter. Leaving some room for capacity means you can tackle tasks better rather than cramming everything in and ending up with nothing to show.

The One Slide, Most Founders Get Wrong When Fundraising | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 199 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup funding Fundraising Investment
  1. The 'ask and use of funds' slide is a crucial opportunity for founders when fundraising; it should clearly state how much money is being raised, for what purpose, and avoid common mistakes like not including a specific dollar amount.
  2. Include SMART goals in the 'use of funds' slide, focusing on product, traction, market validation, and key hires; investors want to see a detailed plan on how the raised funds will contribute to company progress.
  3. Avoid including valuation on the 'ask' slide before securing a lead investor; the focus should be on the amount needed and what it will be used for, rather than terms of investment.

The Trade Desk

Business Breakdowns • 334 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
💼 Business Advertising Technology Data Management Market Dynamics Company growth
  1. The Trade Desk helps ad agencies spend their budgets more effectively by providing a platform for optimizing programmatic advertising.
  2. The company focuses on building strong, recurring relationships with buy-side agencies, leading to a high customer retention rate.
  3. The Trade Desk functions as a data management platform, enabling efficient real-time bidding and liquidity in the digital advertising market.

How to Work With Anyone

Perspectives • 5 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
💼 Business Leadership Management Career Communication Teams Workplace culture Professional development
  1. As your career advances you often can't choose who you work with, so learning to cooperate with a wide range of people becomes essential for success.
  2. Start by understanding what others value and how they are measured, and look for even small commonalities to build trust and align incentives.
  3. Make people look good by sharing genuine, specific praise and credit, and take a team posture by framing challenges as shared problems so others join you rather than defend.

The Freedom Tradeoff

Jay's Data Stream • 29 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
💼 Business Startups Fundraising Bootstrapping Scaling Entrepreneurship Founders Work Life
  1. Bootstrapping buys you control over decisions and the freedom to choose your lifestyle. It also forces you to prioritize immediate profitability and often limits rapid scaling.
  2. Taking venture capital adds constant pressure to grow quickly — a ‘boot on your neck’ — which can drive fast scaling but reduces autonomy and can cause burnout or loss of control.
  3. There’s a clear tradeoff between outsized freedom and outsized growth, so you need to decide what you’re optimizing for. You can try to self-impose urgency to grow, but it’s not the same as the external forcing function investors provide.

Steve Jobs: 'The Half-Truth of First-Mover Advantage' | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 319 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💼 Business Market Analysis Job Opportunities Funding Updates Venture Capital
  1. Being the first to market doesn't always guarantee success - focus on product and marketing execution instead of just being the first.
  2. Many pioneers in industries did not become successful despite being first movers, showcasing the importance of execution over timing.
  3. Entering a market after pioneers can provide the advantage of learning from their mistakes and building a better product with secure marketing funds.

Ante Up, SUV Drivers: Paris Triples Parking Rates

The Micromobility Newsletter • 275 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business Transportation Electric Vehicles Bankruptcy Investment Logistics
  1. Paris has tripled parking rates for SUVs over 1.6 tonnes and electric vehicles over 2 tonnes to promote a bike-able and walk-able city.
  2. Cake, an e-motorcycle manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy after facing challenges with recalls and losing an investor in funding.
  3. DYU, a prominent e-bike manufacturer in China, raised $14M in a funding round, planning to expand operations and enhance supply chain.

The VC Corner 📰 #11

The VC Corner • 279 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Investment Trends Market Analysis Technology
  1. Gulf investment is increasing in European startups, which could help boost innovation and growth in the region.
  2. Venture capitalists are looking at the secondary market for discounted investment opportunities, which can provide advantages in a tough economy.
  3. Generative AI is becoming a key focus for CEOs, who need to understand how it can benefit their businesses and improve efficiency.

What Does It Take To “Do Things That Don’t Scale” For Your Startup? | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 359 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
💼 Business Startups Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Innovation Market research
  1. To succeed as a startup, focus on solving unique problems that others haven't addressed.
  2. Embrace doing tasks that may not scale initially, like manual sales calls, to validate your business model.
  3. Founders of successful startups often start small, handle unglamorous tasks, and focus on learning and building their product before seeking rapid growth.

The VC Corner 📰 #7

The VC Corner • 339 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Investing Finance Entrepreneurship
  1. This newsletter is a great resource for anyone interested in venture capital and startups. It offers news and insights that can help investors and startups stay informed.
  2. You can subscribe for a free trial to access more detailed content. This allows you to explore the newsletter before committing to a subscription.
  3. The VC Corner aims to keep readers updated weekly, making it useful for both experienced investors and those new to the field. It provides valuable information that can enhance your understanding of the startup landscape.

Dinners are the new trade shows. Here’s how to run them well

MKT1 Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
💼 Business Marketing Events Sales Strategy Networking Operations Brand
  1. Dinners and small hosted events are a high-leverage B2B channel because they let you control the guest list, create real human connection, and focus on active pipeline accounts instead of spraying money at trade shows.
  2. To make a dinner worth it, be strategic: pick target accounts, treat each dinner like a campaign with pre/during/post touchpoints, and nail the three Ps—people, place, and programming—so conversations actually move deals and surface insights.
  3. Make dinners repeatable and measurable by building systems: track campaign influence in your CRM, standardize invites and personalized 24–48 hour follow-up, and document a playbook so you can scale and prove ROI.

The Discipline of Seeing Clearly

Kathy PM • 21 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership Management Product Strategy Culture Decision-making Teams
  1. Good leadership means noticing and naming what isn’t working instead of smoothing it over; that clarity helps teams move faster and builds trust.
  2. Growth language gets misused when it excuses poor outcomes. True growth requires precise learning and concrete updates based on real results.
  3. Self-deception feels easier but makes leadership harder because people stop sharing real signals. Using your own tools and judgment honestly is a discipline that starts real improvement.

carry on consulting

Dan Davies - "Back of Mind" • 294 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
💼 Business Analysis Consulting Professional Services
  1. The 1970s movie 'Carry On At Your Convenience' offers an interesting but awful look at British class politics and industrial relations.
  2. British industry problems in the film reflect real issues of sclerotic management, militant unions, lack of communication, and reliance on hard currency export markets.
  3. The British miscellaneous professional services sector may have stemmed from individual solutions to underlying institutional problems.

The Archive

A Letter a Day • 550 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
💼 Business Investors Public Markets Venture Capital Private Equity Founders
  1. The project involves sharing letters from influential investors, founders, and operators.
  2. The bottom-up approach helps to understand industries and people by reading their published works and listening to their talks.
  3. The newsletter provides a diverse range of insights from various individuals across different sectors such as public markets, venture capital, private equity, founders, operators, and talent hubs.