The hottest Business strategy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

MicroTimes Interviews Borland's Philippe Kahn (1985)

Computer Ads from the Past • 1024 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Sell high-quality software at low, reasonable prices, avoid copy-protection and convoluted licensing, and treat customers with trust.
  2. Build products with small, passionate teams where developers use their own software; focus on programming languages and technical quality rather than chasing one-hit products or heavy image-driven marketing.
  3. Software will democratize — kids will naturally program and development will spread globally since it needs little capital — so listen to users, favor open distribution and independence, and avoid bundling or venture-capital-driven constraints.

How Google Pulled Off Its Stunning, Rapid-Fire AI Turnaround

Big Technology • 8006 implied HN points • 21 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Google made a strong comeback in 2025 after a rough start with AI, focusing on improving their models and products. This change led to a significant increase in stock value and market confidence.
  2. A major part of Google's success came from centralizing its AI research and development under Google DeepMind, which allowed for better collaboration and faster decision-making in product development.
  3. The company's search and cloud divisions also grew significantly, with increased revenue and innovation in AI products, showing that Google can still compete effectively in the evolving tech landscape.

Slop Cannons and Turbo Brains

The Algorithmic Bridge • 286 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. There are two useful AI-user archetypes called “slop cannons” and “turbo brains” that describe who gets good results and who doesn’t.
  2. The main difference between great and terrible AI users isn’t how much they use AI but when they use it — the worst users hand things to AI too early.
  3. Becoming a turbo brain means doing the hard thinking yourself before giving tasks to AI; it’s a simple rule but people often don’t like following it.

Pure heroin

benn.substack • 971 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. AI chatbots are being optimized to maximize user engagement, and that optimization can create addictive, attention-grabbing behavior with real harms similar to social media.
  2. AI companies face a deep tension between long-term research goals and short-term commercial pressure, and chasing growth and revenue often pushes teams to prioritize engagement over safety or values.
  3. Society faces a choice about how to handle deeply integrated, persuasive AI systems—do nothing and risk cultural and cognitive shifts, or act with regulation and restraint to limit those risks.

When To Kill A Project

Jacob’s Tech Tavern • 1749 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Know when to stop a project that's not working. Sometimes it's better to cut your losses and move on rather than keep putting effort into something that won't succeed.
  2. Always do market research before launching an idea. Talking to potential users can help you understand their needs and avoid mistakes.
  3. Even successful projects can have an end date. Recognizing when something has outlived its usefulness allows you to focus on your next opportunity.
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Make product worse, get money

DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER • 1250 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
💼 Business 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.

How the Businessmen Lost the AI Race

The Algorithmic Bridge • 254 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. AI leadership is shifting from business executives to scientists, changing who leads the field. This means researchers are increasingly setting priorities and steering public debate.
  2. The tone of AI conversations has moved toward long-term, scientific questions like what happens after AGI, rather than just product or profit talk. Panels and forums now emphasize technical and existential concerns.
  3. Who shows up matters: prominent researchers like Demis Hassabis and Dario Amodei are center stage at Davos while some big-name CEOs are absent. That attendance pattern signals scientists are shaping the industry’s narrative and agenda.

Nvidia's Unique History and Culture

The Asianometry Newsletter • 7614 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. NVIDIA's success comes from a strong work ethic and a unique company culture that encourages honesty and speed. They focus on being direct and efficient in their communication.
  2. The leadership of Jensen Huang has been crucial for NVIDIA, as he continuously motivates employees to aim high and pushes the boundaries of what's possible in technology.
  3. Long-term thinking, like the development of CUDA, is key to NVIDIA’s strategy. They invest in innovations that may not pay off immediately, but will lead to big gains in the future.

Translating Data Buzzwords Into Real Requirements

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 412 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Data teams often struggle to explain complex terms that business leaders misunderstand. This leads to confusion and unmet expectations.
  2. Buzzwords like 'real-time' and 'data quality' can sound impressive, but they often miss the real needs of the business.
  3. Understanding the actual requirements behind data projects is crucial to avoid wasted effort and ensure solutions are effective.

Innovation, Customers and Scale: A Positive Vision for Intel's (Foundry) Future

The Chip Letter • 4586 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Intel might need to split its foundry and product divisions to succeed better. This way, each part can focus on its own goals and customers.
  2. For Intel to compete effectively, it has to be innovative and meet customer needs. Keeping an eye on emerging tech trends and demands is crucial.
  3. The success of Intel Foundry hinges on attracting big clients and delivering quality products on time. If they can impress customers, there's a chance for future growth.

Everyone is excited about Claude Code!

Alex's Personal Blog • 164 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Claude Code is giving lots of people superpowers by making it easy for non-developers and developers to build and ship useful software, democratizing who can create with AI.
  2. Nvidia’s new Vera Rubin chip suite and yearly upgrade push aim to satisfy booming AI compute demand and keep customers upgrading, but that strategy could still lead to a future chip glut and tougher price competition.
  3. U.S. moves toward Venezuela and talk about Greenland risk straining alliances and reshaping global tech markets, which could open opportunities for European and other non-U.S. tech companies.

Delusions of grandeur

Kenny’s Sub • 239 implied HN points • 21 May 24
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Having big ideas can be exciting, but it's important to ground them in reality. You might be really enthusiastic about your dreams, but they need to be achievable in the real world.
  2. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and ignore warnings. Just because something feels good doesn't mean it will be successful.
  3. Learning from failure is okay. Taking risks and experiencing disappointment can teach you valuable lessons for the future.

Issue #11 - Dispelling the AI Hype Train

The Data Ecosystem • 139 implied HN points • 23 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. AI needs a proper plan and strategy to work well. Companies shouldn't think they can just jump in without understanding how it will fit into their overall goals and data.
  2. Many AI projects fail because organizations overlook the importance of data quality and proper infrastructure. Good data practices are essential for AI to be effective.
  3. It's important to get everyone in the company on board with AI. This means training employees and creating a culture that embraces the technology, rather than fearing it.

Intel CEO Letter to Employees

More Than Moore • 560 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Intel plans to reduce its workforce by 15%, moving to around 75,000 employees, to improve efficiency and accountability.
  2. The company is shifting its focus to become a more disciplined foundry and aims to better align its operations with customer needs while cutting down unnecessary projects.
  3. Intel is honing its AI strategy to prioritize areas like inference and agentic AI, aiming to build a better system that meets customer requirements for future growth.

#17: Niche cruise products: Why they work and how they might grow

Bureau of Adventure • 59 implied HN points • 27 Jul 24
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Niche cruise products, like river and coastal cruising, work well because they focus on smaller, unique destinations. This creates a more personalized experience for travelers, allowing them to explore different places without the crowds of larger ships.
  2. Established cruise lines mostly stick to big ships and mainstream markets because they see smaller niches as a distraction. However, this leaves openings for new companies to succeed in these specialized areas.
  3. The future looks bright for niche cruising, especially with a trend toward sustainability. Smaller ships can become more eco-friendly, which might appeal to communities that want to limit large cruise ships and reduce environmental impacts.

Problems at 130 Long-Term Underperformers

The Bear Cave • 419 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
💰 Finance Business strategy
  1. The report lists 130 companies that have performed poorly over the long term. They looked at companies in the S&P 1500 that have not seen their revenues grow.
  2. Experts reviewed many sources to understand why these companies are struggling. They checked employee reviews and press coverage about the companies' management.
  3. This analysis is useful for short-sellers who want to know why these companies might keep failing in the future. It's a great read if you're looking for investment insights.

#27: Long Google

Loeber on Substack • 407 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
💰 Finance Business strategy
  1. Google is undervalued right now because many investors are worried about how AI could disrupt its Search business. However, the total value of what Google has built is much greater than just Search.
  2. Google has strong advantages in the AI race, including the largest dataset and a wide range of products. This puts them in a better position to dominate the market compared to newer competitors.
  3. If Google successfully leverages its resources and leads in AI, it could become worth over $20 trillion in the coming years, unlocking huge opportunities as the tech evolves.

Teleocracy & Prestige

Becoming Noble • 757 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Organizations like big tech companies have a unique capability to help young men reach their full professional potential through exposure to elite performers and a culture of audacious projects.
  2. To attract young elite talent and transform them, alternative structures need to offer opportunities for prestige, independence, wealth, and growth, emphasizing mission, service, transformation, and recognition.
  3. Building attractive spaces for elite talent involves strategic embedding of factors like perceived external prestige (PEP) in organizations by leveraging unique strengths, to compete with elite liberal institutions.

Want to Build Your Client Base? Get Started with These 3 Things First

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 79 implied HN points • 22 Jun 24
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Start with identifying a problem that needs solving. Focus on what others need instead of just your own ideas.
  2. Choose the right clients who align with your values and needs. This helps you work better and smarter with a specific group.
  3. Give before you ask for anything. Start by offering something for free to build trust and show what you can do.

Does data quality matter?

benn.substack • 1099 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Data quality is important for making both strategic and operational decisions, as inaccurate data can lead to poor outcomes. Good data helps companies know what customers want and improve their services.
  2. AI models can tolerate some bad data better than traditional methods because they average out inaccuracies. This means these models might not break as easily if some of the input data isn’t perfect.
  3. Businesses now care more about AI than they used to about regular data reporting. This shift in focus might make data quality feel more important, even if it doesn’t technically impact AI model performance as much.

The Arm Story Part 3 : Creating A Global Standard

The Chip Letter • 3494 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Arm's success was built on strategic partnerships and a unique licensing business model.
  2. The development of Thumb instruction set allowed Arm to address code size and attract key customers like Nokia and TI.
  3. Arm's growth and financial stability were further solidified by partnerships with companies like Samsung and the creation of the StrongARM line.

Distribution is not a "moat" in AI

Enterprise AI Trends • 253 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Distribution alone doesn't ensure success in AI markets. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it will protect a business from competition.
  2. Relying on trendy coding styles can actually hurt a company by increasing competition and reducing profits. It's like speeding without knowing where you're going.
  3. Established companies with strong relationships can benefit more from new trends than new players. They already have a secure place in the market.

Evolution Gaming

Business Breakdowns • 412 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Evolution Gaming provides back-end services for online gambling games, focusing on live casino games and RNG games.
  2. The company's revenue model involves charging a fee based on operators' winnings, with a focus on high-quality customer experiences.
  3. Evolution is the market leader in live casino with significant global market share, and is expanding into RNG games for further growth opportunities.

How to Keep Your Data Team From Becoming a Money Pit

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 282 implied HN points • 23 May 25
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. It's important to focus on outcomes, not just outputs. Creating a lot of dashboards means nothing if they don't help people make better decisions.
  2. Making good data work requires engaging with stakeholders. Understanding what users actually need can lead to more effective solutions.
  3. Success in data teams means having clear ownership and goals. Projects can fail if no one knows who is responsible for them or what they should achieve.

Just refund them

Startup Real Talk • 388 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Refunding unhappy customers quickly can save you time and effort. It's often better to give them what they want instead of arguing.
  2. Fighting over refunds can hurt your reputation. A dissatisfied customer might share their bad experience with others, which could cost you more in the long run.
  3. There are limits to refunds. You shouldn't give back more than the amount paid, and if a customer is extremely dissatisfied, it might be best to part ways.

Engineering Management in the Age of Agents

Leading Developers • 100 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Engineering managers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between technical and business sides. They need to understand what customers want and how the business works to effectively communicate and create roadmaps.
  2. Good communication is key for engineering managers, especially when mentoring new engineers. Clear expectations and understanding of the desired outcomes can help prevent misunderstandings and improve the coding process.
  3. People skills are essential in engineering management. As AI tools become more common, being able to manage relationships and navigate challenges with team members will remain an important advantage.

TBM 318: Why Orgs Become Too Tall

The Beautiful Mess • 449 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Organizations can become too tall when they grow too big, leading to excessive layers of management. This often happens when companies cannot adjust their team sizes effectively as they deal with market challenges.
  2. Narrow spans of control make it hard for managers to handle large teams, resulting in more layers. This could be due to inexperienced managers needing more guidance or a culture that prefers smaller teams.
  3. A lack of trust and delegation can make organizations taller. When managers feel they need to oversee everything, it creates more layers instead of empowering teams to work independently.

An opening data strategy

Datent • 117 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Strategies are guiding principles and need a clear purpose for decision-making.
  2. Focus on maximizing the benefits of data through data product management, managing data culture, and running a data transformation program.
  3. Feedback and continuous improvement are essential in developing effective data strategies.

Sierra's AI Strategy in a Nutshell

Enterprise AI Trends • 126 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Sierra is an AI agent platform focused on building customer-facing AI interactions. It aims to take over all customer communications for businesses, starting with support.
  2. The success of Sierra could influence how other AI startups are viewed, especially those targeting the enterprise market. If Sierra struggles, it might signal challenges for similar companies.
  3. Sierra has a solid foundation with experienced founders and strong funding, but it faces risks like change management and vendor lock-in when companies consider using its services.

Temu: from $0 to $3 billion in 10 months

Tech Buzz China Insider • 179 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Temu rapidly grew from $0 to $3 billion in 10 months, expanding to around 20 countries and focusing on aggressive social media campaigns and expensive Super Bowl advertising.
  2. Shifting its focus to household and personal care products substantially increased Temu's average order value, as about half of Temu's suppliers were manufacturers and the other half were traders.
  3. Temu is putting pressure on staff, logistics partners, and merchants, shifting costs to merchants and increasing pressure to lower prices, resulting in a current loss rate of 60% despite significant gross margins.

Real Estate, Business, & Life... Where do I find Inspiration?

PropTech Future • 176 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Engage with thought leaders and content creators from various industries to find inspiration and insights.
  2. Follow key figures and newsletters in the Real Estate industry to stay updated on trends and analysis.
  3. Explore resources in areas like Venture Capital, RevOps, Business Strategy, and Product/Growth to learn and grow in your professional journey.

Overhead Costs vs. Marginal Costs

In My Tribe • 227 implied HN points • 28 Dec 24
💼 Business Business strategy
  1. Overhead costs are the ongoing expenses of running a business, while marginal costs are the expenses incurred by producing one additional unit.
  2. Many businesses today focus more on overhead costs because it's hard to measure the contribution of individuals in a team setting.
  3. Understanding these costs is important for making better decisions about managing a business.

What Musk and Zuckerberg should learn from McDonalds [System Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 159 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Fast food companies like McDonald's struggled with the lack of differentiation and identity when trying to offer healthier options, leading to worse performance and higher operating costs.
  2. Adding more options in social media can increase complexity, operating costs, and dilute platform identity, similar to challenges faced by fast food companies.
  3. Different social media platforms are optimized for different content types, and integrating different mediums can complicate code bases and user experiences.

Quo vadis, Data Open source

timo's substack • 157 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Snowplow, dbt, Rudderstack, and Iceberg are examples of open-source data tools each with unique characteristics.
  2. Open-source data tools face challenges in transitioning to successful go-to-market strategies.
  3. Companies need to focus on identifying customer pain points and developing experience-changing solutions in their GTM strategy.

Intel Q3'2024 Financials: Hallowe'en

More Than Moore • 256 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Business strategy
  1. Intel's recent financial report shows a drop in revenue but highlights some solid fundamentals when looking closer. The big losses are mostly from costs tied to restructuring and asset impairment, but without those, the numbers look much better.
  2. The company is focusing heavily on improving its margins and operations with new products coming up, especially in AI and client computing. However, they face tough competition in the AI market, lagging behind companies like NVIDIA.
  3. There are expectations for recovery in margins and revenue as newer products are released in the coming years. Overall, the restructuring seems to have some positive signs, but Intel needs to effectively deliver on its promised technology advancements.