The hottest Finance Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

The Gravitational Force of Tech Money

The Future, Now and Then • 167 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. Gravitational impact of money increases with scale, where extreme wealth creates societal problems beyond personal purchasing power.
  2. Tech billionaires accumulating astronomical sums of money have industry-warping and societal impacts, shaping the future and institutions.
  3. The concentration of vast capital in the hands of a few leads to comical ineptitude and problems society struggles to address, highlighting flaws in the tax system.

A dive into Economy of India

Sitesh’s Substack • 2 HN points • 08 Aug 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. India's economy is growing but still has a long way to go. It currently contributes 8% to the global GDP, while having 18% of the world's population.
  2. Most of India's economic activity comes from informal sectors, making it hard to get accurate data. This leads to big challenges like high debt and low per capita income.
  3. Despite having a large population and potential for growth, India struggles with inequality and low productivity. A small part of the population contributes to most of the economic consumption.

Six-Word Memoirs, Career Moves, Reverse Sear

Austin's Analects • 19 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Finance
  1. Six-Word Memoirs offer a concise way to connect with others by describing yourself in just a few words.
  2. When planning your next career move, consider mapping out adjacent careers and necessary skills to see what roles align best with your interests and strengths.
  3. A simple 'reverse sear' method can help you cook a perfect steak every time: season, oven cook, sear, and rest to enjoy a delicious meal.

The New Sports-Only Streaming Service Ignores Traditional Media's Biggest Problem

Huddle Up • 175 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. A new sports-only streaming service is being launched by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, bundling various sports rights into one package.
  2. The pricing for the new service hasn't been finalized but is expected to be more than ESPN+ and cheaper than YouTubeTV, likely around $40/month.
  3. This move highlights the trend in the industry where companies either bundle or unbundle content to make money, showcasing the evolution in how media services are structured.

Giving Thanks for Price Theory, 2025 Edition

Economic Forces • 6 implied HN points • 27 Nov 25
💼 Business Finance
  1. Costs go beyond just money. When making decisions, we should think about what we're giving up, like time or effort, not just the price tag.
  2. Efficiency is an important idea in economics. It helps us compare how resources are used, but we should recognize that it's not always about keeping things the same; sometimes we need to adapt to make improvements.
  3. Profits and losses help guide businesses. Profits show what's valued by people, while losses indicate when something isn't working well, ensuring resources are used effectively.
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The Ultimate Investors List of Lists 🚀

The VC Corner • 1 HN point • 27 Aug 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. Finding the right investors is crucial for startup success. It helps to connect with the right people whether you're just starting out or already growing.
  2. Using curated lists of investors saves time and effort in your search. This way, you can focus more on running and building your business.
  3. Access to a variety of potential investors increases your chances of finding the right match for your startup's needs. More options mean better opportunities!

How we built a business out of recession - chapter 52 - tick tock, one year and counting.

The ZIPster • 26 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
💼 Business Finance
  1. CitNOW started from a small kitchen table and grew significantly over time, eventually selling for £30 million. It shows that with hard work and determination, big things can begin in small places.
  2. During the sale process, Tenzing had concerns about CitNOW’s growth potential, which led to a renegotiation of the sale price based on achievable sales targets. This illustrates the importance of clear, honest projections in business.
  3. The final sale agreement included a performance target that required the remaining team to prove they could generate more revenue. This highlights the necessity of aligning incentives to ensure everyone works towards the same goal.

💬 Dom Wells: Lessons on how to acquire a digital business

Concepts of Finance 🧠 • 59 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. When buying a digital business, you need to be careful of scammers. Always verify financial information and ensure the business is truly what it claims to be.
  2. Focus on finding good businesses rather than thinking you can easily flip a struggling one. It's better to invest in a solid company with growth potential.
  3. Successful digital business owners are curious, adaptable, and able to learn on the job. It's important to be able to delegate tasks and stay committed to the process.

How Kobe Bryant's $400 Million Investment Win Set The Standard For Athlete Investing

Huddle Up • 55 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
💼 Business Finance
  1. Kobe Bryant made a significant investment of $400 million, which shows how athletes can succeed financially after their sports careers. It highlights the importance of smart investing for athletes.
  2. Kobe's dedication and work ethic were key to his success, not just in sports but also in business. This shows that hard work can pay off in multiple fields.
  3. His achievements in investing have set a new standard for how other athletes think about their financial futures. Athletes today can learn from his example.

Unvested shares don't just "buy back" themselves

The Founder Memo • 19 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. When an employee leaves with unvested stock, the company usually needs to buy it back within a short time, like 90 days. If they don't, that stock could stay with the former employee forever.
  2. There are two main ways companies can handle unvested shares: by repurchasing them or by automatic forfeiture. It's really important to know which method your company uses.
  3. After firing someone, companies should quickly check their stock agreements to see what to do about unvested shares. Handling it properly can prevent bigger problems later.

What Matt Levine and Taylor Swift Have in Common

Dunnstack • 39 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Finance
  1. Taylor Swift and Matt Levine are both superstars in their respective fields, known for their prolific work and influence.
  2. Analogies play a significant role in storytelling and leadership, illuminating ideas and engaging the audience.
  3. Matt Levine's insightful and witty writing on finance and business is likened to Taylor Swift's impact on music, showcasing different forms of creativity.

Venture Capital & Free Lunch

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 156 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. Venture capital is considered to be the best asset class due to its ability to fund innovation and high potential returns.
  2. Despite its risks and failures, venture capital has historically delivered strong returns and funded groundbreaking ideas.
  3. Venture capital's free lunch concept is the idea that through the failures and successes in investment, society benefits from innovation without direct costs.

Inside Pandora's Box

Diane Francis • 279 implied HN points • 11 Oct 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Finance
  1. The Pandora Papers show a large amount of hidden money and tax evasion linked to powerful people around the world.
  2. Investigative journalists worked hard to sort through millions of documents to uncover this information.
  3. This data leak highlights how corruption and financial wrongdoing can involve politicians, dictators, and other famous figures.

ServiceTitan just kicked the IPO door wide open

Alex's Personal Blog • 65 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. ServiceTitan recently went public, and its stock price rose significantly on the first day, showing strong investor interest. This kind of IPO performance typically generates excitement in the market.
  2. The company managed to raise more money than expected, which can indicate positive investor confidence and a solid business outlook.
  3. With ServiceTitan's success, there's hope for more tech companies to follow suit and achieve similar or even greater valuations in the future.

Building a Successful Company, Sharing Ideas Online, and Career Cheat Codes

Austin's Analects • 19 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. Key secrets for building a successful company involve getting the right people on board, showing category leadership, creating unique products, and ensuring everyone in the company is focused on sales.
  2. Sharing your ideas online allows you to grow your skills, learn publicly, and become the best version of yourself before pursuing corporate opportunities.
  3. To advance in your career, consider starting an internal newsletter to build relationships and standing out, as well as making a list of what you want out of your company to actively pursue opportunities and skills.

On Carlota Perez's "Technology Revolutions and Financial Capital"

Parth's Playground • 25 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
💼 Business Finance
  1. Technology goes through cycles of creation and adoption every 50 years. These cycles start with new technology being developed and then used by people, leading to big changes in society.
  2. Financial crises often happen in the middle of these cycles to clear out old ways of doing things and make space for new technologies to grow and connect with each other.
  3. Each new technology builds on past innovations, creating new opportunities. So, understanding where a technology is in its life cycle can help you know its potential and value.

Nautilus Bio

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
💼 Business Finance
  1. Nautilus Bio's market cap is under $100 million, which is very low, especially compared to its competitor QuantumSi.
  2. The company is spending a lot, with annual losses of about $70 million to $80 million, but has some cash reserves that could keep it going for a few more years.
  3. There hasn't been much new technical information released recently, which raises questions about the company's progress and future strategy.

Confido

next big thing • 16 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
💼 Business Finance
  1. Confido is building an AI platform for consumer brands to manage their financial operations better. It helps brands keep track of their money and improve sales forecasting.
  2. The company connects directly with many retailers and distributors, making it easier for brands to handle their finances all in one place. This should help them save time and reduce mistakes.
  3. Recent funding will allow Confido to grow its team and enhance its technology. They aim to support brands of all sizes and make financial management simpler and more effective.

Paul Graham, proto-techbro.

The Future, Now and Then • 152 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Finance
  1. Paul Graham's 2004 essay showcases Silicon Valley culture before the emergence of techbros.
  2. The cultural shift in Silicon Valley was influenced by migration waves from the financial industry in the 90s and after the 2008 global financial crisis.
  3. Tech culture has evolved to value charisma and charm over traditional intelligence, as seen in YCombinator's focus on popularity and connections.

How do I invest in startups

Tech Ramblings • 39 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. Founders should be experts in their field. It's important that they have deep knowledge and experience to succeed.
  2. Hard work is crucial for startup founders. If they aren't responsive or dedicated, it could be a sign of problems ahead.
  3. Investing in startups with revenue is safer. It helps reduce risks and increases the chances of getting your money back.

Surveillance firm backed by Google and CIA allegedly defaulted on $370,000 per month rent

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 203 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. Orbital Insight, a surveillance firm backed by Google and CIA, allegedly defaulted on $370,000 per month rent
  2. Orbital Insight was sued by its landlord and subtenants for failing to pay rent for its Silicon Valley HQ
  3. The company had significant investments, including from Google Ventures and the U.S. Intelligence Community

An Experimental Update

Mindset Mastery • 39 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. The experiment of leaning into the business with spousal support is working well financially.
  2. Reflecting on and adjusting coping mechanisms, mindset about money, and work-life balance is crucial for overall success and well-being.
  3. Delegating tasks, seeking help, and maintaining personal boundaries are essential for sustainable growth in business and personal life.

JC content update - autumn 2023

The Jolly Contrarian • 39 implied HN points • 24 Sep 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. The Jolly Contrarian website operates as a 'pull' resource where users obtain content they want, instead of being bombarded with content they may not need.
  2. Emissions allowance trading is a unique and transgressive product challenging traditional financial boundaries, susceptible to government decrees, and with interesting documentation quirks.
  3. Understanding repackaging and secured MTNs involves complexities like limited recourse and security roles, needing a thorough study of documentation and anatomy.

A simple take on AI, MBAs going back to finance and some Q1 valuation data

Bigfoot Capital • 39 implied HN points • 06 Jul 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. Zooming out from AI: Operators should focus on tangible ways to utilize new technologies rather than making risky moonshot bets on AI.
  2. Pendulum Swing: MBAs are increasingly choosing finance jobs over tech jobs as the job market fluctuates.
  3. Q1 Valuations: Uncertainty remains about the economy, but valuations have returned to historical trends with high burn rates posing challenges in the venture space.

Marx & Money

Black Lodges • 39 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🚌 Education Finance
  1. Money buys you freedom in the world we live in.
  2. Collective lifetimes can be spent debating Marxist concepts around money.
  3. The newsletter has changed to one free post a week and two for paid subscribers.

Apartment Crisis Coming?

Pinecone Weekly Brief • 39 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. There may be a coming apartment crisis that could impact multifamily and macro industries.
  2. Consider subscribing to Pinecone Weekly Brief for more insights and a 7-day free trial.
  3. Existing paid subscribers can sign in for full access to the post archives.

Is the Twitter moat eroding?

Philoinvestor • 39 implied HN points • 27 Apr 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. Twitter needs to reduce headcount and rationalize costs.
  2. Twitter's low EBIT margins show mismanagement as a profit-seeking enterprise.
  3. Twitter is hurting its network effect by restricting content distribution and link sharing.

#61 - Matt Odell, LNM fam & Lightning friends

LN Markets’ Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🔮 Crypto Finance
  1. Matt Odell is a prominent figure in the Bitcoin community, advocating for individual freedom and supporting Bitcoin projects.
  2. Matt Odell emphasizes the importance of building Bitcoin-native projects by identifying unique needs and standing up for the mission.
  3. Matt Odell is excited about the future of Bitcoin and Lightning, particularly focusing on the need for easier-to-use privacy tools and complementary freedom tech tools.

Trust

Seeking Solutions • 39 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. In a world flooded with information, it's best to trust friends, family, and people in 'sell free' zones because they are more dependable.
  2. Being skeptical of information is crucial to discern true value; focusing on close connections and unbiased professionals helps maintain trust.
  3. Expanding friendships and cultivating communities based on genuine connections can create 'sell free zones' where trust can thrive.

Quitting

Seeking Solutions • 39 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
💼 Business Finance
  1. Consider the revenue multiple when evaluating a startup's valuation.
  2. Realistically project if the company can grow enough for you to make a return.
  3. Evaluate the company's spending efficiency and runway to decide if it's time to quit.

DirectorMoves

DirectorMoves • 19 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
💼 Business Finance
  1. Farient Advisors is a consultancy specializing in compensation, performance, and governance.
  2. Multiple changes in director and CEO positions have been observed across various companies.
  3. There has been a notable increase in women serving on boards of companies with market caps over $5 billion since January 1, 2024.