Every week, we put together a list of our top 5 articles of the past week. Happy reading!
2017 Founders’ Letter Sergei Brin, Alphabet
This year’s founder’s letter by Sergei Brin is immensely fascinating. The organization’s leaders seem to recognize their responsibility in the immense power they have now. Sergei Brin highlights the “technological renaissance” we are currently living as well as Google’s responsibility in this epoch.
Inside the Wild Race to Overthrow Every Consumer Category Inc. Magazine
There is a new race to upend every single consumer category. Brands like Warby Parker and Dollar Shave Club are the poster child of this new Direct to Consumer movement. This great Inc.com read highlights the key trends in this category; from venture capital, rising acquisition costs and offline retail.
The Cult Brand Whisperer Behind Casper, Allbirds, And Birchbox FastCompany
In line with the previous article, direct to consumer brands need, well – branding. One of the firms behind highly successful startups is Red Antler; a branding strategy based in Brooklyn. Their work harkens back to the day of Mad Men; creating brands that will resonate with people. In this digital age, managers assume that brands that have lost their importance. Some people are proving them wrong.
China’s Challenge to Democracy Wall Street Journal
Apologies for the archived link to bypass the paywall; this article is worth it. At the end of the 20th century, it was clear that liberal democracy had won. However, a new system in the East is proving that it can raise the standard of living for its citizens. Highly recommend this overview of the current battle of East vs. West.
Algorithms Tour: How Data Science is Woven into the Fabric of StitchFix StitchFix
Stitch Fix’s business model is simple: they send you clothing and accessories they think you’ll like; you keep the items you want and send the others back. They leverage data science to deliver personalization at scale, transcending traditional brick-and-mortar and e-commerce experiences. They also happen to be one of the most advanced companies in terms of data science out there. They created this amazing walk through of how exactly data science plays a role in almost every facet of their business. It was also covered in this HBR article.
