The hottest Entrepreneurship Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

The newsletter platform wars heat up

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 548 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. The newsletter market is competitive as platforms like Substack and Beehiiv fight for creators. Beehiiv aims to help creators monetize with ads better than Substack, which focuses on subscriptions.
  2. Big media companies see theatrical releases as a way to boost streaming views. They think that cinema buzz can lead to more interest in streaming the same content later.
  3. Forbes is moving away from freelance writers due to changes in Google's policies. They're focusing more on their internal content to adapt to new search engine challenges.

Gymshark part 2: co-founder exits, billionaire tax planning, securing the bag, and cash crunches

Net Income • 373 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Co-founder disagreements in growing businesses are common and it might be necessary to part ways if visions differ.
  2. Smart tax planning strategies can help wealthy individuals protect assets and leave a financial legacy for future generations.
  3. Managing cash flow in a rapidly growing business, especially with inventory-based models, is crucial for long-term success.

"What if I annoy everyone?"

Trying In Public • 79 implied HN points • 07 May 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Sending regular emails can help clarify thoughts and develop your body of work over time.
  2. Don't be afraid to share your ideas and message; they are worth exploring and worth sharing.
  3. Email marketing is a powerful tool that allows direct communication without relying on algorithms, making it essential for engaging with your audience.

Managing cancer, an agency and building SaaS products

Kenny’s Sub • 99 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Managing a business while dealing with serious health issues like cancer requires clear delegation and smart prioritization. It's important to have a supportive team that can share the workload.
  2. Building a business with multiple co-founders can offer different strengths and perspectives. Sharing a common dream and working closely together helps in navigating the challenges of starting a company.
  3. Balancing client work with developing your own products can be tricky but is essential for long-term success. Treating internal projects like client projects with clear goals can help maintain focus and ensure progress.

Further improvements to the landing page

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jul 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Improving the landing page is important based on user feedback. It's a continuous process to get high ratings through various updates.
  2. Using tools like Sentry helps in monitoring performance and collecting user feedback. This makes it easier to identify and fix issues.
  3. Conducting customer interviews is valuable for understanding user needs. The insights gained can guide product development and marketing strategies.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Samsara

Business Breakdowns • 353 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Samsara is focused on revolutionizing industrial operations through IoT technology.
  2. The company offers a diverse portfolio of IoT devices and solutions beyond just fleet management.
  3. Samsara's business model involves bundling hardware costs with subscriptions and focusing on digitizing industrial companies.

Confidence vs. Arrogance

The Breaking Point • 459 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Confidence is important in business but crossing into arrogance can lead to mistakes.
  2. Being confident means knowing your strengths and weaknesses, while being humble.
  3. Regular self-evaluation is essential to maintain a healthy perspective in business.

And now for something completely different

Tilting At Windmills • 176 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Some Substacks have significant backing, while others rely on different strategies to succeed.
  2. Austin Peterson, a former presidential candidate, supports liberty through various platforms and a merchandise store.
  3. By partnering with his store's affiliate program, readers can get discounts on liberty-themed products and support the Substack.

"Land & Expand" To Improve Your Odds of Getting to Yes With a VC | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 299 implied HN points • 10 Nov 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Raising capital from VCs is a sales & marketing process where you're selling trust and confidence in the future of your company. Building trust with VC partners and understanding their decision dynamics can increase your odds of success.
  2. Each VC firm has a unique decision-making process, so it's crucial to know the firm's partner structure, how decisions are made, and the role of non-partner staff. Building relationships with multiple team members before the final decision meeting can improve your chances.
  3. To secure funding from VCs, go beyond just your sponsoring partner - engage with multiple staff members, understand the decision dynamics within the firm, and address biases and concerns in advance. Building broad relationships within the VC firm can increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.

🚪 A snail-mail platform with $200MRR in just 2 months

No-Code Exits • 176 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Nick Freiling created a successful snail-mail platform called StampFans that generated $200 MRR in just 2 months.
  2. He started by testing the idea with a simple landing page and manual operations, then used tools like Softr for further development.
  3. Nick focused on keeping things lean, leveraged LinkedIn for user acquisition, and reached $200 MRR in less than 2 months.

Space Ambition Useful Resources for Founders and Investors

Space Ambition • 99 implied HN points • 10 Apr 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. There is a fellowship program for people interested in starting spacetech companies. It's starting soon and there are only a few spots left.
  2. They offer help for those with ideas for spacetech or sustainability start-ups looking for support or funding.
  3. Investors can get involved by reaching out for access to deal flow and investment opportunities in the space sector.

The VC Corner 📰 #6

The VC Corner • 219 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. This newsletter provides valuable news and resources for people in the startup and venture capital world. It's great for both experienced investors and beginners.
  2. By subscribing, you get access to weekly insights that can help you stay informed about the latest trends and developments in startups.
  3. There's a free trial option available, so you can explore the content without any initial commitment.

Are you putting products on a pedestal?

Kenny’s Sub • 179 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. It's easier to sell services than products. Many successful people started with client work before launching their products because it's more certain and quicker.
  2. Working on client projects helps you learn business skills. You can use these skills to market products later on more effectively.
  3. Balancing client work and product development can be tough. It's important to make time for both, or you might end up feeling overwhelmed and miss out on important parts of your life.

Priced‑In Flaws: from cars to colleagues to couples

Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman • 170 implied HN points • 13 Jul 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. When you buy something, like a car, you need to accept its flaws. If you choose an orange car, complaining that it's not blue isn't fair because you knew it was orange all along.
  2. This idea applies to people too. If you hire someone who is great but struggles with deadlines, you can’t blame them for that flaw if you knew about it first.
  3. In relationships, if you accept someone's weaknesses, like being late, you shouldn't complain later. You chose to be with them knowing those flaws were part of the package.

Burning

Venture Prose • 339 implied HN points • 11 Jun 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Companies in the startup world face the risk of 'burning out' due to various reasons like lack of product-market fit, slow growth, or unsustainable economics.
  2. Entrepreneurs fall into categories like 'High Flyers' who start strong but need to sustain hype, and 'The Burn-Outers' who struggle to manage work-life balance while pushing their companies forward.
  3. Running a company successfully requires a balance of fundamental work, intense focus, and clarity of vision, along with surrounding oneself with a supportive team to navigate challenges.

The Business of Venture Capital

Insight Axis • 296 implied HN points • 05 Nov 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Venture capital began from the dot-com bubble era, where tech entrepreneurs set up investment firms to fund new, high-growth technology companies.
  2. VCs specifically invest in early stage companies with potential for rapid growth and huge profits, aiming to 10x their investment in 5 years.
  3. Venture capital faces challenges like misaligned incentives, high-risk investments, and the need to balance finding unicorns without funding too many duds.

Chaos

Venture Prose • 359 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Entrepreneurship
  1. Chaos can bring beauty, freedom, and risk, offering a different perspective and new ideas.
  2. Embrace chaos in action by allowing room for diversity, creativity, and rebellion in your organization.
  3. While chaos can be inspiring, be cautious of letting it cloud your thoughts - aim for clarity and coherence.

How to differentiate your product

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 520 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Identify who your target customers are and what problem your product solves. Knowing your audience helps position your product effectively.
  2. To stand out, clearly define how your product is different from its competitors. Focus on unique features or benefits that are important to your customers.
  3. If you're in a crowded market, consider creating real differentiation or targeting an underserved area. Both strategies can help your product capture attention and grow.

Letter #84: Sam Zell (1976)

A Letter a Day • 334 implied HN points • 20 May 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Sam Zell was a successful real estate mogul, starting his career in property management before building a massive real estate empire.
  2. In his 1976 essay, Zell discussed the opportunities in distressed properties, emphasizing the importance of initial investment analysis and financial restructuring.
  3. Investors in distressed properties are motivated by the potential for equity value appreciation and long-term asset value growth, despite initial cash-flow challenges.

Is this guy the British Michael Jordan?

Net Income • 334 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Understanding the business deals of famous athletes like Michael Jordan can be fascinating and inspiring.
  2. Athlete-entrepreneur stories, like Junior Bridgeman and Shaquille O'Neal, highlight the potential for wealth beyond their sports careers.
  3. Analyzing the business ventures of athlete-entrepreneurs like Gary Neville reveals complex financial strategies and potential reasons for varying net worth.

Launching Something New

New World Same Humans • 40 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. A new paid project launches on Thursday, December 4 — tied to the full moon — to create a fresh space for thoughtful analysis.
  2. It will explore the intersection of technology, business, culture and creativity, focusing on how emerging technologies and shifting norms are reshaping work and society.
  3. It's aimed at designers, marketers, strategists, consultants, founders and other practitioners who need to keep pace with fast-changing consumers and build impactful products, services, or campaigns.

🚪From 0 to 5-figure exit in 2 months

No-Code Exits • 334 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Interview with Domenico about building and selling a product from scratch in 2 months
  2. How Domenico attracted users without paid marketing by leveraging Twitter and other platforms
  3. Domenico's advice for No-Code Makers: Validate product before launch, focus on revenue, and be honest about product strengths and weaknesses

YC Partner: Avoid These Tempting Startup Ideas - Tarpit Ideas | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 179 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Avoid 'Tarpit Ideas' in startups, which have an oversupply of founders but low market demand.
  2. Consumer startups are risky due to high competition, user demands, and timing challenges.
  3. Identify Tarpit Ideas by spotting survivor bias, seeking second-order innovations or difficult-to-scale ideas, and pivot by understanding supply-demand dynamics.

How To Build A Brand On WhatsApp and Make A Lot Of Money From It.

Day One • 3933 implied HN points • 01 May 20
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. WhatsApp has a massive reach with over 5 billion downloads, making it a platform with a vast pool of users to tap into for creating income.
  2. Building a brand and making money on WhatsApp requires providing value to your audience consistently, which can lead to growth and engagement.
  3. Sustainable ways to make money on social media, like WhatsApp, involve processes that require patience and dedication to build a successful and trusted brand.

Chronicle Your Quest

Eliot Peper • 157 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Chronicle your journey to create a narrative explaining what you do and why it matters, help others understand you better, faster.
  2. Having a prose narrative about your quest is high-leverage, valuable for recruiting, fundraising, team alignment, and more.
  3. Telling your story through essays or narratives is a parallel art form to writing novels, providing a powerful way to document your company's journey.

Six Startups to Watch

The Generalist • 400 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. There are six startups that are worth paying attention to right now. They offer fresh ideas in areas like DNA sequencing and AI.
  2. These startups include a competitor to 23&Me and an AI accounting tool, which could change their industries.
  3. Joining a subscription service can give you exclusive insights into these startups and keep you updated on new trends.

How Eric Newcomer scaled his startups newsletter into a $2 million business

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 499 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Eric Newcomer started a newsletter focused on startups and venture capital, which has become very successful. He went from traditional journalism to creating his own business.
  2. His newsletter is projected to earn $2 million a year, mostly from events he hosts. This shows that live events can be great for generating income.
  3. Working closely with a wealthy audience helped him grow his business. Being focused on a specific, affluent group made his newsletter more appealing and profitable.

Founders, you’re being quietly screwed by VCs

Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman • 129 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Many founders don’t realize that a clause in their term sheet can take away their voting rights if they stop working at the company. This is often overlooked and can lead to significant power loss for founders.
  2. This clause is meant to protect against rogue founders who might cause trouble after leaving, but it often ends up hurting the good founders instead.
  3. Founders should carefully check their term sheets for voting rights related to employment. Understanding these terms can help them avoid losing influence in their own companies.

Endorsements for My Book From Heizo Takenaka and Other Notables

Japan Economy Watch • 219 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. The author's book on reviving entrepreneurship in Japan has received noteworthy endorsements from Heizo Takenaka, Gerald Curtis, Bill Emmott, Zoltan Acs, and David Audretsch, all experts in economics and politics.
  2. The endorsements highlight the potential for Japan to experience an entrepreneurial renaissance fueled by factors like digital technology, demographic changes, and government support.
  3. The book challenges the traditional belief that Japan lacks entrepreneurship, providing a fresh analysis that argues for the importance of fostering new companies.

Young People Can't Get Jobs. Now What?

State of the Future • 228 implied HN points • 15 May 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. AI is causing entry-level jobs to disappear, especially for young graduates. Many of the roles that students are training for are fading away fast.
  2. Youth unemployment is increasing, with recent grads struggling to find work. The job market is looking worse for them compared to the overall workforce.
  3. We need new ideas and solutions to help young people find work. Programs that encourage entrepreneurship and skilled trades can help them build careers even as traditional job paths vanish.

The Art of Experiment Design

Running Lean Mastery • 314 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Running experiments is crucial for innovation, but simply running experiments is not enough.
  2. Formulating better guesses is key for quality results in experiments.
  3. Steps to improve experiment design: adopt a discovery mindset, shortlist promising campaigns, and test with small additive experiments.

Walmart

Business Breakdowns • 314 implied HN points • 09 May 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship
  1. Walmart has shown tremendous stock growth on the New York Stock Exchange since 1972.
  2. The founder, Sam Walton's focus on providing value and growth led to Walmart's success.
  3. Consistent growth and adaptability are key lessons from Walmart's history.