Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman $314 / month

Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman is a curated monthly and weekly digest aimed at offering insights across various fields to make readers smarter. It covers a wide range of topics from technology, economic predictions, banking industry analysis, to the impacts of leadership styles and the evolution of job landscapes.

Technology Economics Banking Industry Leadership Job Landscape AI Bias Corporate Strategies Health and Biology Global Affairs

The hottest Substack posts of Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman

And their main takeaways
121 implied HN points β€’ 22 Jun 25
  1. Private equity (PE) companies used to be seen as well-run, but many are now poorly managed and bloated. Unlike the past, there's no guarantee that a PE-backed company is better run than others.
  2. PE firms today often focus more on financial engineering and increasing their fees rather than actually improving the companies they buy. This has led to companies becoming more complicated without much actual performance improvement.
  3. If a top PE firm acquires a company from another top PE firm, the acquired company may not be able to provide significant improvements. The trend shows that the initial efficiency that PE firms once promised is largely missing now.
56 implied HN points β€’ 29 May 25
  1. Modern life may seem easy, but it can actually make us feel emotionally tired because we lack real struggles. It's important to find meaningful challenges.
  2. Innovations in the defense industry are coming back after a decline since the Cold War. This shows that there is still room for improvement and change.
  3. Some parents are choosing to live near their friends to support each other in raising kids, showing the importance of community over just living near family.
389 implied HN points β€’ 18 Dec 24
  1. Choose the right place for your dinner party, preferably at home where everyone can hear and engage in conversation. If not at home, consider a quiet restaurant room or an Airbnb.
  2. Keep your dinner small for one meaningful conversation. Limit guests to 12 and have a moderator to facilitate discussion. Make sure everyone is excited to meet each other.
  3. The food and drink are not the main focus. What matters is the fun and laughter shared during the dinner, so focus on guest interactions instead.
1638 implied HN points β€’ 17 Aug 23
  1. Silicon Valley Bank collapsed due to overcharging customers, not a classic bank run scenario.
  2. SVB's business model relied on overcharging depositors, which led to customers seeking better deals elsewhere.
  3. In competitive industries like banking, overcharging customers is a risky game that can lead to loss of business and eventual downfall.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:
56 implied HN points β€’ 13 Jan 25
  1. A group of twelve people made predictions about 2025 and placed bets on the outcomes. This makes it fun and competitive to see who can guess the future better.
  2. Last year's predictions didn't go well overall, with only a few being correct. It shows that forecasting the future can be really tricky.
  3. This year, they have some bold predictions about events in politics, the economy, and culture. Some predictions sound far-fetched, but others seem more likely.
56 implied HN points β€’ 05 Dec 24
  1. Innocori,or,orhiri,inorihorihti,orihitothi,MKithohiri,in,Mith,gAinorinhri,o,orNtodihrnt,GnRn,thorbyoro,n,orrith,yh,orm,oro,ory,rinhi,ror,itho,oro,gAoritG,oror,orority,Mi$
  2. orith,y,rothio,roRoith,MIrgh,orno,orith,Inorthy,or,ro,ithir,hnorithrtormg,INNori,orHi,ororhitLot,MiMhihion,INnor,or,orotoyohroh,RndoiroRntgM,hitiRYroNti,$
  3. rNtM,orothbyNorninM,ororyr,gAin$
243 implied HN points β€’ 26 Feb 24
  1. Different career decisions are optimized on different time scales from sub-second to months to years.
  2. Professions like athletes and speed-chess players excel in making sub-second decisions through muscle memory and pattern matching.
  3. Job interviews are typically designed for quick-time decisions, but should be adjusted based on the timescale of the job.
24 implied HN points β€’ 31 Jan 25
  1. Group decisions can be affected by the type of games leaders create in their organizations. It’s vital for leaders to understand these dynamics.
  2. Investment banking has seen a decline in prestige compared to lawyers, who are rising mostly due to advancements like AI. Career paths in finance are shifting.
  3. The search for modern geniuses is challenging. Many believe they are just hidden away, and learning to find them can lead to greater insights.
40 implied HN points β€’ 01 Nov 24
  1. Lebanon has potential wealth but struggles with chaos. A detailed explanation covers its history and issues that prevent economic success.
  2. Raising successful children means being cautious about entitlement. It's important to balance expectations in families that have money.
  3. Web scraping is a growing industry. It's evolving to create marketplaces for data, which could change how businesses use information.
170 implied HN points β€’ 30 Nov 23
  1. The post shares five interesting links to read, watch, and listen to.
  2. There is a new launch called Placekey 2.0 focusing on entity resolution for places and addresses.
  3. The text includes a bonus content section with additional information and links for further reading.
162 implied HN points β€’ 03 Nov 23
  1. The Techno-Optimist Manifesto by Marc Andreessen highlights the belief in building a better world through technology.
  2. Banking on Status by Julian Lehr discusses the intersection of luxury and software in modern apps.
  3. Travis May's article on The Six Moats of Data Businesses explains what effective moats look like in data companies.
113 implied HN points β€’ 01 Sep 23
  1. The collapse of SVB was not due to sudden withdrawals, but rather their practice of overcharging customers.
  2. Bryan Johnson is investing in reversing his biological age and shares easily replicable pieces of his program.
  3. Larry Gagosian's role in reshaping the art world into a $65 billion industry is explored in detail.
56 implied HN points β€’ 06 Mar 24
  1. The post is about sharing five interesting links for March 2024, covering topics like buying a pro sports team, the business of check cashing, and how time influences career choices.
  2. The post includes bonus content like podcasts on SaaS sales strategies and investing for a higher purpose, as well as articles discussing potential threats like rogue billionaires making nuclear weapons.
  3. Additional recommendations in the post include books to read, notable tweets, and a graph highlighting that spending on security does not always equate to high security levels.
97 implied HN points β€’ 21 Jun 23
  1. Spinning out companies can help ideas thrive by focusing on core business and raising additional funds.
  2. Different types of spin-outs include Incubation, Product, Division, and Acquisition spins, each serving a unique purpose.
  3. Success stories like SafeGraph's spin-outs show how effective team leadership is crucial for the new company's success.