SatPost by Trung Phan

SatPost by Trung Phan covers the intersections of technology, business, creativity, and culture with a focus on insights from tech giants, entrepreneurial strategies, reading's impact, and creativity's role in innovation. It explores themes of decision-making, value capture, addiction management, and industry-specific strategies for success.

Technology and Business Insights Entrepreneurship and Innovation Creativity and Design Digital Advertising Productivity and Focus Strategies Corporate Culture and Practices Reading and Continuous Learning Historical Impacts on Modern Industry Mental Health in the Digital Age Branding and Marketing Strategies AI and Digital Transformation

The hottest Substack posts of SatPost by Trung Phan

And their main takeaways

How Hermès Sells "Time"

435 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
💼 Business Marketing Finance Heritage Retail
  1. Hermès sells luxury by focusing on craftsmanship, heritage, and long-term thinking, with iconic bags like the Birkin and Kelly embodying these values.
  2. The concept of 'time' is central to Hermès' brand, with leadership emphasizing selling time and creating desire through managed supply and quality craftsmanship.
  3. The history and heritage of luxury brands like Hermès play a significant role in their perceived value, illustrating a strong correlation between brand longevity and luxury status.

"The Economist" Cover Curse, Explained

95 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Economics Marketing Investing Tech
  1. The Economist's cover is seen as a contrarian investing signal, with examples showing it may indicate market trends, but careful analysis is necessary.
  2. The Economist acts as a curator-in-chief for relevant news, publishing content anonymously in one voice, and holding influence among decision-makers.
  3. Jalapeños are less spicy due to Big Ag influence, TikTok faces potential ban due to bipartisan concerns, and Dune 2 review includes insights on visuals, cast, and production.

"Now is the Most Important Time"

58 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Celebrities Entertainment Social media Film Memes
  1. Being present and focusing on the now is a common theme among successful individuals like Jensen Huang, Cillian Murphy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld, and Oprah Winfrey.
  2. Living in the present moment and minimizing rumination about the past or worries about the future is key to achieving goals and success.
  3. Although the concept of 'now is the most important time' may seem generic, it holds value in helping people stay focused and achieve their aspirations.

Beware value capture

201 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Metrics Social media AI Streaming
  1. Tech apps influence our behavior through metrics, so don't blindly follow them
  2. Metrics like rankings, step counts, and likes can lead to 'value capture' influencing our decisions and behavior
  3. Be aware of how external metrics set by institutions in apps can guide our values and behaviors without us realizing
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Second Winds

84 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Social media Venture Capital Internet culture
  1. Many famous YouTubers are quitting after about a decade due to burnout, desire for new challenges, and moving on to new things.
  2. Václav Havel's essay 'Second Wind' explores the choices an artist has after initial success: repeat past successes, build on them in the same lane, or try something completely new for a 'second wind.'
  3. YouTubers like Tom Scott, MatPat, and Seth Everman are examples of creators seeking their 'second winds' by quitting YouTube after around ten years of success.

The Greatest Meme Template Ever

47 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Memes Interviews Internet culture Film
  1. The meme template featuring Juan Joya Borja, also known as El Risitas, has gained immense popularity for its universal humor and captivating storytelling.
  2. Juan Joya Borja's infectious laughter in the meme is a key factor contributing to its widespread appeal, as laughter is a universal social bonding mechanism.
  3. The structure of El Risitas' story, following a narrative arc that gets progressively worse, adds to the meme's appeal and showcases the power of storytelling in humor.

The Psychology of Apple's Packaging

69 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology Technology Packaging Design Marketing
  1. Apple prioritizes packaging as a form of theater to create memorable unboxing experiences.
  2. The design of Apple packaging is deeply rooted in human psychology, focusing on creating a luxury, multi-sensory experience.
  3. Apple's packaging reflects the company's commitment to perfection and attention to detail, reflecting their dedication to creating a high-quality product.

Amazon's $43B ad business, explained

329 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
💼 Business Advertising E-commerce Digital Tech Investing
  1. Amazon's ad business has grown significantly, reaching a revenue run rate of $43 billion annually, surpassing other social media platforms.
  2. Amazon's shift towards embracing ads was influenced by the need to reduce dependence on Google search slots and utilize its valuable first-party transaction data.
  3. Amazon ads have become highly profitable and could rival its AWS business in terms of generating absolute profits, signaling a significant shift in the digital advertising landscape.

9 Best Things of 2023

100 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Books Investments TV shows Films Podcasts
  1. Create for yourself first - don't try to guess what others will like, make what you like.
  2. Having no investments can sometimes be the best investment strategy.
  3. Using two phones - one for productive tasks and one for distractions - can help increase focus and productivity.

The Reading Unlock

254 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Investing Startups Economic Trends Market Analysis
  1. Entrepreneurs like Joe Coulombe, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk were inspired by reading single articles to start successful ventures.
  2. Reading diverse and random content can help build a unique insight stack when combined with other skills.
  3. Reading and continuous learning are crucial for developing insights that lead to successful ventures or investments.

Lululemon's $50B+ Apparel Innovation

90 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
💼 Business Innovation Manufacturing Marketing
  1. Chip Wilson pioneered the athleisure industry by solving clothing problems like the 'camel-toe issue'.
  2. Lululemon's success came from addressing the need for functional and fashionable female athletic apparel.
  3. Wilson's focus on vertical retailing and product innovation led to Lululemon's growth in the athleisure market, including solving unique design problems like the 'ball-crushing' issue with the ABC pants.

Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash and AI Art

84 implied HN points • 02 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Generative AI
  1. Context matters more than content in the age of AI-generated audio, images, and videos.
  2. AI tools are democratizing advanced audio and video creation.
  3. The reactions to generative AI art typically go through 8 stages, highlighting the evolving nature of technology and creativity.

Disney Loves (and Hates) Public Domain

53 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
💼 Business Copyright Entertainment Laws Digital Creativity
  1. Disney lost copyright on the 1928 'Steamboat Willie' version of Mickey Mouse, showing their contradictory relationship with public domain.
  2. Disney is a major user of public domain content but also supports copyright extension laws to protect their own works.
  3. The tension between copyright and creativity lies in finding the right balance for how long protections for works should last.

The Tale of Two Phones

196 implied HN points • 29 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Smartphones Addiction Social media Cognition
  1. Having a "Cocaine Phone" for distractions and a "Kale Phone" for focus can help manage smartphone addiction.
  2. Variable rewards from apps can lead to smartphone addiction by triggering dopamine responses.
  3. Creating a phone protocol with limited app access can increase productivity and reduce distractions.

Trader Joe's: The Anti-Grocer

159 implied HN points • 12 Aug 23
💼 Business Retail Marketing Finance Economy Industry
  1. Trader Joe's built a successful model by paying employees well and making strategic decisions based on that foundation.
  2. Trader Joe's differentiated itself by offering unique products, focusing on customer trust and education, and maintaining a friendly atmosphere in-store.
  3. Trader Joe's small store size, selective product range, and high sales per square foot contribute to its niche success in the grocery market.

Apple Demos vs. Amazon Memos

323 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
  1. Amazon uses writing culture with memos for decisions and understanding.
  2. Apple relies on product demos for decision-making and product development.
  3. Both Amazon memos and Apple demos force ideas from the brain into the real world and create a bias to action.

Mailbag Request

21 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
💼 Business Media Sports Economics Education Technology
  1. A new sports app by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming to attract a younger audience through streaming without cannibalizing traditional cable bundles.
  2. A consulting firm charging exorbitant fees for Ivy League admission consulting highlights the extreme lengths wealthy parents go to secure college acceptance for their children.
  3. Vail Resorts' success with the Epic Pass showcases how offering a membership with access to ski mountains can generate significant revenue, similar to gyms with unused memberships.

The Science and History of the iPhone Screen

122 implied HN points • 09 Sep 23
🕹 Technology History Science Business Smartphones Manufacturing
  1. In 2007, Steve Jobs chose Corning's Gorilla Glass for the iPhone screen, sparking a journey into the science and history of glass development.
  2. Corning's development of Gorilla Glass involved innovative techniques like ion exchange to strengthen the glass and meet Apple's demands for a durable and thin screen.
  3. Corning, a 170-year-old company, has a diverse range of products beyond Gorilla Glass, showcasing resilience and adaptation in various industries including optical communications and life sciences.

Beating the Auction Duopoly

31 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
💼 Business Auctions Market Trends
  1. Heritage Auctions is challenging the age-old auction duopoly of Sotheby's and Christie's with a focus on niche markets like rare coins.
  2. Auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's make money by taking commissions from both buyers and sellers and face challenges like collusion and price-fixing allegations.
  3. Heritage Auctions' success lies in focusing on growing auction categories, being internet-native, and prioritizing transparency compared to the established duopoly.

The $650m+ Spirit Halloween business

84 implied HN points • 29 Sep 23
💼 Business Retail Real Estate
  1. Spirit Halloween is a massive seasonal business making over $650m a year in only 2 months.
  2. The success of Spirit Halloween is due to its pioneering pop-up store model and the US Halloween Industrial Complex.
  3. The business's real estate operation includes over 1,450 locations set up in strategic areas to capture foot traffic.

Becoming the Tuna King

148 implied HN points • 24 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Food & Drink Sports Literature Comics
  1. To excel in any profession, there are specific table stakes and dedication required
  2. Success often involves extreme dedication, unique skills, and consistent effort over time
  3. Understanding the table stakes of a profession is crucial before committing to it

The psychology of Disneyland

106 implied HN points • 22 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture History Psychology Entertainment Travel Business
  1. Walt Disney created Disneyland to be a place of ordered and harmonious experiences, focusing on storytelling and immersive worlds.
  2. Disney's Imagineering process involves attention to detail and strategic design choices to enhance the guest experience and create a cohesive environment.
  3. Disneyland's success as a profitable venture showcases the importance of theme parks in driving revenue for the Disney empire, despite challenges like high admission prices and up-selling strategies.

Nike, Tiffany and The 3% Rule

154 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
  1. Slightly editing an idea can be powerful as humans desire both familiarity and novelty.
  2. The 3% Rule suggests altering a product or idea by only 3% to create something new, balancing between familiarity and novelty.
  3. Combining familiarity and novelty is key in design as seen in examples like iconic logos and successful research proposals.

Hello Kitty's $80B+ Secret Sauce

122 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
💼 Business Brands Marketing Revenue Licensing Expansion
  1. Hello Kitty's success is attributed to its simple design, cultural relevance, and successful licensing strategies.
  2. Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty, utilized strategic business decisions to expand globally and maintain the character's appeal over time.
  3. Hello Kitty's design, rooted in Japanese gifting culture and the kawaii aesthetic, contributed to its global success and longevity.

Nike’s Marketing Blindspot

74 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
💼 Business Marketing Athletes Brand Sports
  1. Nike lost top athletes Messi and Curry due to corporate incompetence.
  2. Nike prioritizes marketing superhuman aesthetics over regular person looks.
  3. Lesson: Extraordinary skills and unshakeable wills matter more than fitting a brand's archetype.

"This is pointless"

132 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Economics Marketing Retail Innovation
  1. Persistence and time are crucial in achieving success, like the story of James Dyson's long journey to create the bagless vacuum.
  2. Compounding effort and time can lead to significant achievements, as seen in the success of Jack Butcher's NFT project.
  3. Investing time in a worthwhile endeavor is valuable, as time is a powerful multiplier in achieving success, illustrated by Warren Buffett's success later in life.