The hottest Business Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

TBM 393: Why Labeling Relationships Is So Important

The Beautiful Mess • 1190 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Management Strategy Operations Agile Leadership
  1. Labeling relationships in work systems helps clarify how things are connected. This understanding can improve strategy and execution in organizations.
  2. Different mental models for goals and initiatives impact how teams operate. Each model assumes different relationships, affecting overall effectiveness.
  3. Many companies still rely on simple hierarchies, but real work often functions as a complex network. Mapping out these relationships can lead to better insights.

TBM 401: Solving Problems the Hard Way

The Beautiful Mess • 528 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Leadership Management Strategy Operations Product Teams
  1. Break work into a small set (3–5) of clear but flexible lanes with a one- or two-line intent; make them stable enough to get a groove but easy to reshape or retire as reality changes.
  2. Put real ownership on each lane (one to three people) and run simple routines—copy lanes forward and review weekly or biweekly—to surface what moved, what stalled, and where to course-correct.
  3. Work small and think big: focus on near-term actions you can influence while keeping longer-term direction soft, and treat lanes as a collaborative, iterative learning practice rather than a rigid framework.

TBM 389: Overthinker!

The Beautiful Mess • 1600 implied HN points • 16 Nov 25
đź’Ľ Business Workplace Leadership Strategy Communication Organizational Behavior
  1. People often reduce complex problems to simple ideas to make them easier to understand. While this can be effective, it can also oversimplify important details.
  2. Finding a balance between reductionism and complexity is key. Both views can be useful, depending on the context.
  3. To create real change, we need to engage with others and take action together. It’s about making connections and being willing to prototype our ideas.

From Gucci to WPP, marketers are rethinking AI, ad agencies, and the rest is marketing campaigns

The Social Juice • 75 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Advertising Branding Agencies Mergers Campaigns Retail Media Partnerships Sponsorships AI
  1. AI is upending marketing: companies are using generative tools to make ads, cutting roles because of automation, and facing backlash when AI work feels low-quality or ethically shaky.
  2. The agency landscape is being reshaped as holding companies and clients reorganize, consolidate accounts, and rethink commissions and media models to stay lean and more integrated.
  3. Brands are leaning hard into bold creative moves — stunts, cultural partnerships, celebrity tie‑ins and purpose-driven campaigns — to cut through noise and stay culturally relevant.

Strait Shooting

Doomberg • 5341 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
đź’Ľ Business Energy Market Economics Global Trade
  1. Historic events like World War II led to drastic actions like gasoline rationing due to supply fears, showing how crises can change daily life.
  2. Wars can disrupt trade and create shortages, but they also push countries to innovate, like how the U.S. started producing synthetic rubber during WWII.
  3. Current worries about oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz highlight how geopolitical tensions can affect global energy prices and markets in the long run.
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How Duolingo reignited user growth

Lenny's Newsletter • 9571 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
đź’Ľ 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.

The Price-Fixing Economy

BIG by Matt Stoller • 48129 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
đź’Ľ Business Monopoly power Inflation Fairness
  1. Inflation could possibly be driven by consolidation and data sharing in industries like Amazon and meat price-fixing cases.
  2. Price-fixing can involve colluding to raise prices or lower wages, not just about increasing prices for consumers.
  3. People not only dislike high prices but also feel cheated by unfair pricing practices, like hidden fees and tips, impacting their perception of the economy.

What Eight Years Of Being Stuck Taught Me About Career Paths

Diary of an Engineering Manager • 259 implied HN points • 22 Aug 24
đź’Ľ Business Career development Work-life balance Skills Training Organizational Behavior Job Market
  1. Career growth can be messy and non-linear, much like cooked spaghetti. Just because you're not moving up quickly doesn't mean you're failing.
  2. Promotions often come with extra responsibilities and sacrifices. It's important to reflect on whether you're ready for those changes before chasing a title.
  3. Your career will have phases, with ups and downs. It's okay to experience stagnation; it's part of building resilience for the long run.

The 3-lever framework

Tiny Empires • 36 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Entrepreneurship Growth Marketing Pricing Retention Distribution
  1. Price: Make each customer worth more by raising base prices, adding premium tiers, or switching to recurring billing, since small increases often multiply revenue without huge drops in conversions.
  2. Distribution: Pick one channel and work it for months so effort compounds — focus on SEO, a niche newsletter, or direct outreach to get the right people seeing your offer.
  3. Retention: Reduce churn because keeping customers longer changes the economics dramatically — deliver early wins, ask why people leave, and remind customers regularly of the value.

Asking Rents Decline Year-over-year

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 248 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Real Estate Housing Market Rental market Economic data Construction Demographics Immigration
  1. Asking rents nationwide have fallen year‑over‑year across several major indexes, continuing a multi‑month streak and pulling rents down from their 2022 peak.
  2. A surge in multifamily supply plus weaker demand — including slower household formation and changes in immigration — has raised vacancies and kept rent growth under pressure.
  3. The trend is uneven: single‑family rents and a few metros still show modest gains, while many large markets are seeing weaker growth or outright declines.

Netflix is done zigging and is ready to zag

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Media Streaming Advertising Publishing Subscriptions Social media
  1. Netflix is moving away from its strict "zig where others zag" stance and is now embracing traditional models like theatrical releases and potentially ad-based monetization to grow beyond subscriptions.
  2. Major media outlets are integrating prediction markets and betting-style odds into coverage, which risks turning news consumption into gambling and creating ethical and public-harm concerns.
  3. The industry is experimenting with varied distribution and revenue strategies — from BBC making shows for YouTube and creators landing streamer deals to newsletters building ad networks — as publishers try to stabilize and find new growth paths.

Is it time for YouTube to invest in prestige TV?

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 124 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Streaming Creator Economy Advertising Subscriptions Podcasting
  1. YouTube should revive big-budget Originals now that it’s the top TV platform, because prestige shows can win premium advertisers and help keep top creators from fleeing to higher-paying rivals.
  2. The creator economy is consolidating — the biggest creators dominate, so newcomers need to niche down and build small, paid communities to succeed, as shown by huge Twitch subscription numbers and athlete creators.
  3. Media companies are reshaping strategies: Netflix is tightening and optimizing content spend, legacy players are buying into podcasts and subscription tools, and social-native firms are scaling massive audiences by mastering platform virality.

Are Brands Coming For The Group Chat?

Total Rec • 2236 implied HN points • 27 Apr 24
đź’Ľ Business E-commerce Entrepreneurship Consumer behavior Marketing Ethics
  1. Substack chats provide a space for genuine conversations and personalized recommendations, free from traditional algorithms and commercial pressures.
  2. The influx of brands into these organic spaces raises concerns about maintaining authenticity while allowing brands to engage profitably.
  3. Exploring the idea of creating online spaces that prioritize values like community, collaboration, and enrichment over the pursuit of vast wealth and success.

How You Can Eliminate Your Competition

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 159 implied HN points • 02 Sep 24
đź’Ľ Business Entrepreneurship Marketing Startups Competition Branding
  1. You don't have to be the first in the market. Being different is more important. Focus on filling gaps in what others offer instead.
  2. Understand what your customers truly want. They often seek value and connection, not just the service itself. Learn their needs to attract more clients.
  3. Instead of only cutting costs, focus on providing great value to your customers. Sometimes spending more can actually improve your service and satisfy customers better.

Why Apple Must Buy Perplexity

Big Technology • 5254 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
đź’Ľ Business Mergers Acquisitions Technology Finance Corporate strategy
  1. Apple should buy Perplexity for $30 billion because it can greatly improve its AI features. This acquisition would help integrate smart AI into Siri and Safari, making Apple's offerings much better.
  2. There is a sense of urgency for Apple to act quickly; if they wait too long, they risk losing their deal with Google and could miss out on growth opportunities in AI. Buying Perplexity now could help shape Apple's future in this competitive market.
  3. Perplexity is growing fast and has a partnership with Samsung that could strengthen over time. If Apple jumps in now, it might block Samsung's plans and establish itself as a more serious player in the AI space.

BOMBSHELL: Potential Criminal Activity Revealed in the Kroger-Albertsons Merger

BIG by Matt Stoller • 34149 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
đź’Ľ Business Mergers Antitrust Monopoly Regulation
  1. The Kroger-Albertsons merger faces challenges due to potential criminal activity discovered, leading to antitrust suits and trials to block the deal.
  2. The merger could worsen the grocery market situation with fewer stores, higher prices, and data implications for suppliers, consumers, and workers.
  3. Evidence found of Kroger and Albertsons colluding in wage suppression by avoiding hiring each other's workers, raising concerns and prompting legal action.

Newsletters we read to stay smarter than the competition

CommandBlogue • 139 implied HN points • 04 Sep 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups Growth Innovation Marketing Entrepreneurship
  1. Staying updated with newsletters is super important for personal and professional growth. They help you learn quickly and efficiently in a fast-changing world.
  2. Some recommended newsletters focus on tech, product growth, and honest startup experiences. They provide unique insights and practical advice that can really help new teams and startups.
  3. Reading newsletters can keep you motivated and optimistic about the tech industry. It’s a great way to stay informed and inspired by successful stories and strategies.

How To Actually Make Money Freelance Writing as Beginner in 2024

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 919 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
đź’Ľ Business Freelancing Writing Marketing Entrepreneurship Content creation
  1. You can make good money as a freelance writer, even if you're just starting out. Many companies want real human writers because they bring creativity that AI can't.
  2. It's important to clearly define what services you offer and how you can help potential clients. This helps you stand out in a crowded market.
  3. Guest posting can still be a great way to showcase your writing and attract clients, so don't underestimate its value in building your portfolio.

February 24: come have lunch with us

Respectful Leadership • 54 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business AI Strategy Startups Operations Go-to-market Partnerships Leadership
  1. A lunchtime event on February 24 in NYC will bring people together to discuss how AI is changing business, with abundant healthy food and pizza provided.
  2. Speakers will share practical AI use cases like automating residential building permits and warn about legal pitfalls, including the risk of losing attorney-client privilege when using AI tools.
  3. Talks will also cover startup and agency strategy — who to hire early (X-shaped people), how to integrate outside agencies, and new go-to-market opportunities driven by AI.

Why solo-founders quit

Tiny Empires • 147 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Entrepreneurship Startups Founders Pricing Marketing Productivity Sustainability Community
  1. Don't try to do everything. Pick one product or service, focus until it runs without constant babysitting, and say no to distracting ideas.
  2. Stop comparing yourself to other founders' highlight reels. Track your own numbers and measure progress against your past performance, not someone else's posts.
  3. Charge properly and build for sustainability. Serve fewer, better-paying customers, keep simple routines for bad weeks, and have outside support so you don't burn out or quit.

Make product worse, get money

DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER • 1250 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
đź’Ľ Business Marketing Economics Consumer behavior Product Development Business strategy
  1. Companies often make their products worse to save money, which can lead to disappointing experiences for customers. It's a common issue in many industries.
  2. People generally want to pay less, even if it means accepting lower quality products. This leads companies to prioritize cost-cutting over quality improvements.
  3. Sometimes, companies don't face strong competition, so they can prioritize profit over quality. This pricing power can keep bad products in the market for a long time.

Did Las Vegas get too greedy?

Silver Bulletin • 740 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Tourism Hospitality Gambling Pricing Consumer behavior Data Analytics
  1. Visitor numbers and room revenues are falling even with discounted prices, marking the biggest year-over-year drop since COVID and lower average daily rates after inflation.
  2. High-roller gaming like baccarat is holding up, but middle-class gambling and spending are down as blackjack, roulette and slots see lower play and customers wager less.
  3. Casinos have tightened odds and monetized many services to boost short-term profits, but those data-driven tactics risk alienating ordinary visitors and eroding repeat business over time.

Scrum Is No Excuse To Avoid Accountabilities

Ageling on Agile • 99 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
đź’Ľ Business Management Agile Productivity Teamwork
  1. Scrum helps teams work better, but it doesn't mean people can ignore their responsibilities. Everyone needs to step up and be accountable.
  2. Self-management in Scrum isn't just about freedoms; it also includes taking on duties and being responsible for their work.
  3. It's important for everyone in a Scrum team to communicate clearly and understand what is needed to succeed, especially regarding project timelines.

So you want to be a pirate, eh matey?

Jeff Giesea • 558 implied HN points • 14 Aug 24
đź’Ľ Business Employment Work Culture Remote work Gig Economy Career development
  1. Job-stacking is when people hold multiple full-time remote jobs at the same time, mainly in tech fields. Some think it's unethical because it can trick employers.
  2. Supporters argue job-stacking is okay as long as people do their jobs well and there are no secret issues. They feel the current job market is unreliable, so they find new ways to cope.
  3. The job landscape is changing, and job-stacking could be a sign that we need new work models. While not for everyone, it might push us to think differently about employment.

Making Space After Burnout

Tech and Tea • 213 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Career Workplace culture Employee Benefits Work Life Coaching
  1. Get clear on why you want a sabbatical—whether for rest, learning, adventure, play, or connection—because that purpose will guide your planning and help you stay the course when challenges come up.
  2. Practical barriers like money, health insurance, housing, and career concerns are common but often solvable with careful planning, creative problem‑solving, and community or professional support.
  3. A sabbatical can be deeply transformative, so design simple daily rituals or loose structure aligned with your why, give yourself permission to slow down or follow joy, and treat the time as an investment in a life you truly want.

Brands kill culture, feed the zeitgeist, and neglect tradition.

The Social Juice • 102 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Marketing Advertising Branding Media Strategy Distribution Trust
  1. Brand building is steady work that hasn't gone away. Chasing every trend or declaring old formats dead wastes energy and erodes long-term value.
  2. Culture belongs to no one and moves with young people, so brands can't capture it outright. The smart play is to find a clear role, support creators, and earn a place in that culture over time.
  3. Moments and momentum both matter: use smart distribution, honest slice-of-life creative, and long-term advertising to build trust instead of squeezing viral creators for immediate attention. Over-collaborating or treating creators like disposable assets dilutes both the creator's and the brand's meaning.

The Essential Intangibles

DruGroup • 139 implied HN points • 03 Sep 24
đź’Ľ Business Leadership Management Skills Development Training
  1. Being a skilled leader isn't enough; you also need certain qualities called intangibles. These qualities may not be easy to measure, but they are essential for effective leadership.
  2. Leadership intangibles include selflessness, risk-taking, and transparency. Focusing on these traits can help leaders build better relationships with their teams.
  3. You can learn and improve these intangibles through your everyday experiences, rather than needing special training. Recognizing and addressing your blind spots can make a big difference.

My Journey From 300 to 15000 Followers on LinkedIn

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 319 implied HN points • 12 Aug 24
đź’Ľ Business Social media Marketing Networking Lead Generation Entrepreneurship
  1. Growing your LinkedIn followers takes consistency and patience. Posting regularly can help you connect with more people and keep your audience engaged.
  2. Content is key to grabbing attention on LinkedIn. Share personal stories, expert insights, and occasional calls-to-action to build connections and generate leads.
  3. Engaging with others on the platform boosts visibility. Comment on posts, reach out to new connections, and collaborate with top creators to expand your network.

Selling Freddie and Fannie - What's the Real Point?

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 3184 implied HN points • 20 Aug 25
đź’Ľ Business Economics Finance Investing Real Estate Corporate
  1. The Trump administration is considering selling a part of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which have been government-owned since the 2008 financial crisis. This might result in big profits for investment banks and hedge fund managers.
  2. Freddie and Fannie were once public companies but became like hedge funds over time, leading to risky investments that contributed to their downfall. The move to make them public again raises questions about whether it will end in disaster again.
  3. Selling shares in these companies could lead to higher mortgage rates for homebuyers, which would make buying a home more expensive. Concerns are being raised about whether this plan actually benefits the public.

How To Give Yourself A Promotion And Grow Your Business Beyond Solo Freelancing

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 99 implied HN points • 09 Sep 24
đź’Ľ Business Freelancing Entrepreneurship Marketing Management Growth Strategies
  1. To grow beyond solo freelancing, you need to stop doing everything yourself. Focus on what you do best and outsource the tasks that take up too much of your time.
  2. It's important to package your services in a way that clients understand and can buy easily. This means creating fixed-fee services that have clear pricing and deliverables.
  3. You should regularly audit how you spend your time to figure out what tasks can be delegated. This helps free up your schedule for the high-value work that you enjoy.

Ads Are Coming to AI and None of Us Are Ready

Big Technology • 5379 implied HN points • 30 May 25
đź’Ľ Business Advertising Marketing Technology Economy AI
  1. Generative AI advertising has huge potential but also carries big risks. It could change how brands interact with consumers and what they promise.
  2. Advertising needs to be transparent and beneficial for users to keep their trust. If done poorly, it can ruin the user experience on platforms.
  3. Quality content and trusted publishers are vital for generative AI. They should be valued more to ensure that AI systems provide accurate and relevant information.

A tale of two American cities

Wrong Side of History • 693 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Tech Real Estate Talent Migration Urban Education Economics
  1. Austin has become a magnet for talent and tech firms because of Texas’s low regulation, cheap land and energy, and an influx of Californians and international migrants, turning it into a fast-growing, futuristic city.
  2. That rapid growth brings clear benefits—jobs, higher wages and lots of new housing—but also serious social costs like rising costs of living, displacement of the city’s bohemian culture, and visible homelessness and mental-health problems.
  3. The story reflects a broader American pattern: a bold, experimental meritocracy that drives big inventions and new institutions, yet often produces stark inequality and an uncertain civic legacy because mobile tech elites don’t always create lasting public cultural endowments.

Final Look at Housing Markets in December and a Look Ahead to January Sales

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 224 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Real Estate Housing Market Home Prices Inventory Mortgage Rates Economic data
  1. Existing-home sales are very weak: 2025 posted the lowest annual sales since 1995, with a SAAR near 4.35 million and about 19% below pre‑pandemic levels.
  2. Inventory is rising and months‑of‑supply are above pre‑pandemic norms, and that higher supply—despite only a small median price gain—increases the risk of national price declines in 2026.
  3. Falling mortgage rates in late 2025 make a slight uptick in January sales likely, but new listings remain below 2019 levels so inventory improvements may be uneven across markets.

The Startup Pricing Journey đź’¸

The VC Corner • 439 implied HN points • 30 Jul 24
đź’Ľ Business Startup Pricing Monetization Market Strategy Growth
  1. Pricing is super important for startups because it affects how customers see your product and can help grow your business.
  2. In the beginning, startups need to choose a pricing strategy that can change and adapt as they learn more about the market.
  3. A good pricing strategy helps with attracting and keeping customers, while a bad one can lead to problems for the startup.

Is Vivek Ramaswamy A BioTech Ponzi Schemer & Deep State Asset?

2nd Smartest Guy in the World • 4658 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
đź’Ľ Business Biotech Scams Investing Entrepreneurship Finance
  1. Vivek Ramaswamy made millions from biotech companies that failed, leading to accusations of running a Ponzi Scheme.
  2. Ramaswamy has been critiquing corporations engaging in what he calls 'socially conscious investing' as a threat to America's well-being.
  3. Despite accusations and controversies, Ramaswamy's net worth has been estimated to be over $950 million, raising questions about his business practices.

Reading List 01/04/2025

Construction Physics • 11065 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
đź’Ľ Business Venture Capital Startup funding Infrastructure Natural resources Regulations
  1. There are maps showing natural amenities across the US, ranking places based on factors like temperature and sunshine. The West Coast and Florida score well, while the Midwest does not.
  2. Venture capital funding is shifting, with larger firms getting most of the money while smaller ones are struggling. There's a big drop in initial public offerings, making it tougher for investors.
  3. Boeing's recent struggles can be linked to its past merger with McDonnell Douglas, which seems to have affected its product development negatively.

The Middleman Economy: Why Realtors Just Took a Big Loss and Homebuyers Might Benefit

BIG by Matt Stoller • 38389 implied HN points • 02 Nov 23
đź’Ľ Business Real Estate Antitrust Market Dynamics Legal Actions
  1. A $1.8 billion antitrust decision against the National Association of Realtors for price-fixing could change the housing market.
  2. The high commission structure for real estate agents in the U.S. could lead to changes in how homes are bought and sold.
  3. Private enforcement of antitrust laws is important in challenging monopolistic practices and promoting fair competition in the real estate industry.

Close the Umbrella

The Engineering Leader • 159 implied HN points • 22 Sep 24
đź’Ľ Business Management Leadership Team Dynamics Organizational Culture Workplace well-being
  1. Managers should be honest and transparent with their teams. Hiding difficult information can backfire and leave everyone unprepared.
  2. Overprotecting a team can create dependence and limit their growth. It's important for team members to face challenges to develop their skills.
  3. A balanced approach is best. Managers can help their teams focus by filtering out unnecessary distractions while still being transparent about real issues.