Every week, we put together a list of our top 5 articles of the past week. Happy reading!
The Amazon Empire Strikes Back Stratechery (reading time: 11 minutes)
Amazon is one of the best ways to get your goods to customers. The key thing is that this capacity is not due to last minute ship charters or airplane leases, but rather investments and initiatives Amazon undertook years ago.
The e-commerce giant has been heavily investing in its supply chain and logistics for years. This article from Ben Thompson explains how exactly Amazon is getting ahead of other retailers this holiday season. This is super attractive to merchants on its platform but comes fraught with risk.
Three Steps to the Future Benedict Evans (reading time: 20 minutes)
Every year, we cover Ben Evans’ presentation on tech trends. Once again, he does not disappoint. He shares many interesting insights on web3, VR, retail and media. As software is eating the world, Ben shares what sectors are affected and how fast its occurring.
The Lost Art of Strategy Roger Martin (reading time: 8 minutes)
I’ve shared every new Roger Martin article this year and I do so unapologetically. In his latest article, he discusses a new restoration project he has in mind for students of strategy. The most fascinating part is his description of major management consulting firms that have slowly moved away from pure strategy work. It’s not that they’ve stopped doing it, it’s just that strategy mandates are small compared to the rest of the pie. It’s made me wonder about our maniacal focus on strategy alone…
Magic Beans – What is the best mental model for NFTs? Ribbonfarm (reading time: 28 minutes)
I’m still trying to wrap my head around NFTs and their potential. Venkatesh Rao dives into the subject in this latest post. It’s a tough read that sheds some light on how to think about NFTs. My main conclusion is that it’s still so early.
How To Run An Early-Stage Board Meeting Pete Flint – NFX (reading time: 12 minutes)
In the last newsletter, we covered advice on running effective board meetings. This is a great follow up post on the topic focused on early stage boards. The advice here is stellar. Two points that resonated with me are finding your business equation and sharing bad news first.
