The hottest Strategy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

How health-tech founders can survive a brutal 2024

Second Opinion • 471 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. In 2024, health-tech founders may face challenges due to market conditions like the difficulty of fundraising.
  2. It's okay to let go of a struggling company and start over; it can make you smarter for the next venture.
  3. Founders should practice ruthless prioritization, focus on achieving break-even, and be realistic about liquidity events.

Notes on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy, and Human Nature (Part 2)

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 890 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
đź“– Philosophy Strategy
  1. Power dynamics are everywhere in our interactions and understanding them can help us navigate life better. It's important to pay attention to how power shifts between people in different situations.
  2. Seduction isn't just about romance; it can be used as a tool to influence and engage others. Learning to be more charming and persuasive can benefit many aspects of your life.
  3. Mastery takes time and persistent effort. Focus on honing your skills deliberately over time to achieve real expertise in your chosen field.

Championship Sunday was a strange watch for Vikings fans

Purple Insider • 294 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Strategy
  1. Sunday's games were strange for Vikings fans to watch from a unique perspective.
  2. Building a championship team can involve having an all-time great quarterback, hitting on many draft picks, or building a strong supporting cast around an affordable quarterback.
  3. Success in the NFL requires making bold decisions and it's challenging to win even with a great team.

Dinners are the new trade shows. Here’s how to run them well

MKT1 Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Dinners and small hosted events are a high-leverage B2B channel because they let you control the guest list, create real human connection, and focus on active pipeline accounts instead of spraying money at trade shows.
  2. To make a dinner worth it, be strategic: pick target accounts, treat each dinner like a campaign with pre/during/post touchpoints, and nail the three Ps—people, place, and programming—so conversations actually move deals and surface insights.
  3. Make dinners repeatable and measurable by building systems: track campaign influence in your CRM, standardize invites and personalized 24–48 hour follow-up, and document a playbook so you can scale and prove ROI.

The Discipline of Seeing Clearly

Kathy PM • 21 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Good leadership means noticing and naming what isn’t working instead of smoothing it over; that clarity helps teams move faster and builds trust.
  2. Growth language gets misused when it excuses poor outcomes. True growth requires precise learning and concrete updates based on real results.
  3. Self-deception feels easier but makes leadership harder because people stop sharing real signals. Using your own tools and judgment honestly is a discipline that starts real improvement.
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Outcome-Based Positioning

Good Better Best • 4 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Agentic AI creates a new value ladder where customers pay more for outcomes — i.e., work actually done for them — rather than just features, volume, or support.
  2. Companies can adopt outcome-based positioning in two ways: conservatively by reframing plans around service levels (do it yourself → done with you → done for you), or aggressively by directly comparing AI costs to a human worker to show value.
  3. If you’re still selling inputs like seats or usage, start shifting your messaging toward completed work today; even small moves toward outcome-focused copy or pricing will make your product feel more valuable.

The 3 Marketing Metrics To Rule Them All [Part 1]

Category Pirates • 530 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Marketing that does not produce revenue is called arts and crafts.
  2. Honing focus and adopting a different marketing mindset is important for category creators.
  3. Understanding what metrics matter, why results matter, and what made legendary marketers successful are crucial for driving maximum marketing outcomes.

When Change Outruns Us

Fish Food for Thought • 42 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. When companies change faster than people can adapt, employees get exhausted and stop learning. That creates compliance without conviction and a culture that frays.
  2. Growth needs time to absorb change—quiet intervals for people to make sense, rebuild habits, and consolidate learning. Slack and recovery are not inefficiencies but necessary infrastructure for durable capability.
  3. Leaders should value direction and readiness over raw speed and watch for signs of saturation, slowing the tempo to let changes take root. Measure progress by clarity and strengthened capabilities, not by how many initiatives are launched.

2024 NBA Finals Leadership Lessons

DruGroup • 79 implied HN points • 04 Jun 24
🎾 Sports Strategy
  1. Success can lead to complacency. When teams or leaders get too comfortable after success, they often fail later on. It’s important to stay humble and keep pushing forward.
  2. Failure can be a stepping stone to success. Just because something didn't work out before doesn't mean it can't succeed later. Learning and adapting can turn past failures into future wins.
  3. Having great team players is key to winning. In basketball, no one can do it alone. It's important to recognize and appreciate the role of all team members in achieving success.

Time is emphasis: planning your calendar as a leader

Lessons • 511 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Your calendar as a leader affects what gets done in the company and how you spend time and resources.
  2. Setting clear priorities and having a structured calendar system are crucial for spending time on strategic priorities.
  3. Create a calendar skeleton to lay out core activities and priorities, and regularly revisit and adjust your system.

Facing your fears when they're valid | #53

The Pole • 79 implied HN points • 29 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Strategy
  1. Facing your fears, even when they are valid, is crucial for personal and professional growth. It's important to confront fears creatively and develop a plan to mitigate risks.
  2. Reflect on past mistakes to learn and improve. Identify patterns and focus on building expertise and confidence.
  3. Articulate and address your fears to move forward effectively. Consider efficacy, effectiveness, efficiency in your pursuits and tackle any doubts or uncertainties.

TBM 332: The Last Strategy Framework You'll Ever Need

The Beautiful Mess • 674 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Strategy frameworks help teams figure out what questions to ask and how to answer them. They provide tools to organize and visualize ideas for better clarity.
  2. Different strategy frameworks focus on various aspects of a business. Some are good for visual thinkers, while others suit goal-oriented people or those who prefer simpler approaches.
  3. Understanding and applying strategy is challenging because it's about real-life situations. Successful strategy involves collaboration, adaptability, and accepting uncertainty rather than relying on perfect plans.

Unlocking the Time Management Puzzle

QUALITY BOSS • 59 implied HN points • 17 Jun 24
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Time blocking can be challenging because admin tasks often take over the blocks. It's important to set separate times for these tasks to protect your focused work.
  2. Interruptions can break your flow, so setting 'do not disturb' periods or specific times to check messages can help. Communicating the importance of your focused time to your team is crucial.
  3. Procrastination can still happen even with a schedule. Breaking tasks into smaller steps or tackling the hardest tasks first can make projects feel more manageable.

What I learned from tracking 443 SaaS pricing pages

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 907 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Many SaaS companies are raising their prices. In 2024, about 42% of them made adjustments, with an average increase of 20%.
  2. Some companies are adding or removing plans to better meet customer needs. Others are being more strategic with their pricing pages to attract larger clients.
  3. Pricing strategies are evolving, with some companies using discounts to gain new customers while others maintain strict pricing models to target premium segments.

The definitive product positioning framework

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 749 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Choosing the right customer segment is crucial for your product's success. Different segments have different needs, and you need to focus your strategy accordingly.
  2. Positioning isn't something you can just test quickly with A/B tests. It's more of a strategic choice you make at a higher level, affecting how you market and present your product.
  3. Your homepage is the best place to show your product's positioning. It should be clear and accessible, so everyone inside and outside the company understands it.

đźš—beep beep, I'm on a road trip

Mehdeeka • 4 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Only sell features before they're built if the launch will happen within your average sales cycle, and be upfront about timing with clear “coming soon” messaging.
  2. Artful, minimalist ads can do heavy lifting for positioning — spending on creative brand moments signals luxury and makes higher prices feel believable.
  3. Keep messaging simple (ELI5), start early on EOFY campaign and sales-incentive planning, and get customer insight now by talking to sales, listening to calls, or checking dashboards.

6 founders sharing their mistakes & tips going from 0-1

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 56 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Focus on one clear, painful problem and validate it with real paying customers before you scale. Do regular discovery, prioritize their feedback, and keep iterating until you reach product–market fit.
  2. Own and double down on reliable go-to-market channels instead of depending on rented platforms; build community, integrations, referrals, and launch often. Start manually (onboarding, outreach) to learn what works, then scale the proven plays.
  3. Hire and structure the team smartly and keep product craftsmanship disciplined: bring in senior people early, avoid premature VP titles, be ruthless about hires, and pay down tech debt. Keep onboarding and pricing simple so customers don’t get overwhelmed.

FDE Should Mean Forward Deployed Executive

Tippets by Taps • 12 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Customers will pay to embed experienced leaders into their organizations to lead AI and data strategy, not just to buy software.
  2. Being embedded as a leader turns you into an extension of the customer, revealing real constraints and feeding those insights back into your product and roadmap to build more value and trust.
  3. Reframe the FDE role from a scrappy implementer to a forward-deployed executive whose judgment and experience drive decisions, which changes hiring, pricing, and the kinds of customer relationships you pursue.

5 questions about the "AI opportunities action plan"

Odds and Ends of History • 603 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
đź•ą Technology Strategy
  1. The AI Opportunities Action Plan is an important government report that aims to guide Britain's approach to artificial intelligence. It has many recommendations that could shape the future of AI in the country.
  2. Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, is focusing on making Britain a leader in AI technology, highlighting its significance in politics and industry.
  3. There's a need for meaningful questions about AI policy, as many journalists often ask irrelevant questions that miss the key issues. Being informed helps drive better discussions around AI advancements.

What Are Companies Doing With Generative AI? A Tale Of 3 Strategies.

High ROI Data Science • 297 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
đź•ą Technology Strategy
  1. Companies are using Generative AI tools to decrease training times and improve customer service in retail.
  2. Some companies are implementing Generative AI without a clear business problem statement, leading to undefined outcomes.
  3. Retailers like Walmart are strategically using Generative AI to change customer workflows, improve online shopping experiences, and increase revenue.

Why reverse benchmarking works

A Bit Gamey • 33 implied HN points • 28 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Instead of copying market leaders, look for what they can’t do and compete on that different axis. Being meaningfully different in one area can beat being slightly better at the same things they already do.
  2. Big companies optimize measurable metrics and therefore create blind spots like intimacy, humour, or meaning. Small players can own these unmeasured dimensions to attract loyal customers.
  3. People respond to stories and contrast more than features, so changing the frame often beats pure optimisation. Don’t try to run the same race faster — find a race the leader can’t enter.

Notes on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy, and Human Nature

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 795 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
đź“– Philosophy Strategy
  1. Understanding power dynamics can help you navigate social situations better. It's good to be aware of how influence works between people.
  2. Mastery in any skill requires consistent practice and strategy. Putting in the effort over time will lead to improvement.
  3. Human nature is complex, and understanding it can help you relate better to others. Being empathetic goes a long way in connecting with people.

How to name a product

A Bit Gamey • 13 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Pick a name that clearly matches what the product is and the feeling or behavior you want people to expect.
  2. Prioritize legal safety by checking trademarks and avoiding names others already control so your brand can be defended.
  3. Verify a suitable domain (ideally an affordable .com) or plan clear modifiers, because online availability drives discoverability and credibility.

Sunrise: Japan's Leap for Empire

Big Serge Thought • 3 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
đź’ľ History Strategy
  1. The Pacific War was a uniquely vast and complex conflict fought across a contiguous oceanic theater, using air, submarine, surface, and amphibious forces and often resembling positional, continental-style warfare despite being fought from the sea.
  2. Japan had no single coherent grand strategy; the protracted war in China turned into a crippling resource sink that forced mobilization, worsened Army–Navy rivalry, and pushed Tokyo into desperate, contradictory choices that made southern expansion and confrontation more likely.
  3. U.S. policy of escalating economic pressure—most importantly the effective oil embargo after Japan’s move into Indochina—helped corner Japan and create the political will for war, and the eventual American victory relied not just on industrial overmatch but on decisive early battles and operational innovations like the fast carrier task force, amphibious doctrine, and submarine warfare.

How to Formulate Your Unfair Advantage Strategy

Running Lean Mastery • 412 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Unfair advantages are characteristics that can't be easily copied or bought, like insider information or network effects.
  2. Unfair advantages differ from competitive advantages in that they have exclusivity and defensibility, making them harder to copy.
  3. Differentiate between a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) for customers and an Unfair Advantage directed towards competitors.

TBM 329: Deep vs. Broad Context Traps

The Beautiful Mess • 608 implied HN points • 26 Dec 24
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Having deep knowledge in one area can make people think their ideas will work everywhere. But different situations need different approaches.
  2. People with broad, but shallow knowledge might see patterns everywhere but miss the unique details that influence outcomes.
  3. It's good to mix deep and broad experiences. Reflecting on your past can help you understand where your beliefs come from and how they fit into different contexts.

One bottleneck at a time

The Engineering Manager • 21 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Every system has one primary bottleneck at a time; improving other parts just creates more work waiting, so focus on the single constraint that limits throughput.
  2. Put your best people and attention on the ugly but critical work and subordinate everything else to fixing the bottleneck, even if it hurts short-term optics—this requires courage but yields real impact.
  3. Find where work piles up, take actionable steps to remove that constraint, measure progress, and then repeat the cycle at team, department, and company levels.

A Midas Winning VC Playbook

The Generalist • 1401 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Primary Venture Partners focuses on being the best seed fund by sticking to their core ethos of 'Startups are hard, founders deserve better.'
  2. They prioritize selective investing, focusing on high-risk, high-reward opportunities in the early stages of startup funding.
  3. Using a substantial impact team and unique operational approach, Primary Venture Partners aims to differentiate themselves in the competitive venture capital landscape.

Beating Hikaru

Zwischenzug • 373 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
🎾 Sports Strategy
  1. The importance of strategic moves in chess and unexpected turnarounds in a game.
  2. The experience of being selected for fair play screening in chess tournaments and the stress it can bring to players.
  3. The challenges and implications of cheating suspicion in online chess tournaments, and the need for transparent and fair anti-cheating measures.

Apple

Business Breakdowns • 373 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Apple's revenue is divided into five segments: iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories, and Services.
  2. Apple's Services segment has high margins and benefits from the large installed base of iPhone, Mac, and iPad users.
  3. Apple has a negative cash conversion cycle, giving the company leverage over its suppliers and improving working capital.

Marketing for a fundraise (like, the VC kind)

Mehdeeka • 5 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. During a fundraise the target audience for marketing shifts from customers to investors, so focus on clear messaging, founder thought leadership, and visible social proof like PR and case studies.
  2. Investors care about evidence of product-market fit and disciplined spend — they prefer real customer pull, clear unit economics, and honest testimonials over glossy rebrands or theatrical marketing.
  3. Marketers should be plugged into fundraising strategy early to reallocate budgets toward measurable proof (case studies, PR, targeted events) and cut wasteful spend that won’t convince investors.

Playoff Baseball is the Best Baseball

Points And Figures • 719 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Strategy
  1. Playoff baseball is exciting because of the high stakes. The games feel different and more intense than regular season games.
  2. Anyone can play baseball, no matter their size or background. It’s a sport that allows for dreams and opportunities.
  3. Baseball is deeply rooted in American culture, offering strategy and unpredictability without time limits, making it unique.

MatchQuarters' Super Bowl Preview

MatchQuarters • 176 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🎾 Sports Strategy
  1. In the Super Bowl preview, the 49ers defense faces the Chiefs offense in a matchup of opposites.
  2. The 49ers have a conservative approach to blitzing, focusing more on matchups with their deep roster.
  3. The Chiefs may target the outside flat area and use motion to amplify their offensive concepts against the 49ers' defenses.

S06 - EP 01 --> Pirates in the Navy: How to build a 0-to-1 machine and bypass the bureaucracy

Product Hustle Stack Newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Make culture the foundation: hire fast-moving, problem-solving people who bypass bureaucracy. Seed that pirate mindset in ripples so it spreads beyond the core team.
  2. Give leaders the right signals, not busywork: report on risk velocity and create invisible governance so executives can spot and remove blind spots without micromanaging.
  3. Anchor decisions with simple rituals and a single currency: choose something like customer obsession and run repeatable rituals so the initiative becomes a predictable, scalable machine rather than a one-off effort.

Effectiveness is Signal minus Noise

A Bit Gamey • 20 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Strategy
  1. Effectiveness comes from identifying the few things that truly matter and subtracting everything that interferes with them.
  2. Noise is socially acceptable — it feels like progress because it produces meetings, frameworks and consensus, but it quietly drains momentum and attention.
  3. Real focus means saying no and cancelling projects even when it’s uncomfortable; ask what the signal is, what’s interfering, and what would happen if you removed that interference.