Those of you who know me, or those of you who have been curious enough to click on the “Jewelry Portfolio” button in the upper right of this website, know that I’m a hobbyist metalsmith. I studied metalsmithing in college
Creating True Long-Term Value
How many different ways are there to create true long-term value? It’s difficult to even think of how to answer such a question. Hmm.. let’s see, there are lots of different industries to start, so that makes the problem pretty
On Being a Draftsperson
I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, and in college I took classes in jewelry and metals. I was taught by a Professor named David Peterson who is an extremely talented (albeit tough) teacher. After studying with David for two
Great by Choice
I recently finished reading Jim Collins latest book, Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All. I like Jim Collins and think that he does excellent work, however I tend to be somewhat of
It’s Never Been a More Terrible Idea to Follow the Herd
“Best business practices.” The first time I herd this phrase was Sophomore year of college. I was in business class and we were seated in the round having a discussion about business strategy. I don’t remember the exact case, but
Business Books
I spend a good chunk of my free time reading business books. Whether it’s the classics like Christensen, MgGrath or Moore, or newer business books by the likes of Youngme Moon or Cal Newport – I love learning about different
Warren Buffet’s Prioritization Strategy
Part of working at any high growth technology company is juggling a lot of competing priorities. To be clear, having a lot of opportunities is a good thing – it means the business is growing and the company is thriving.
Being a Good Operator
I’ve recently been introduced to the concept of being a good “operator” in business. I’d heard the word before, but never really understood what it meant. I’ve thought a lot about leadership and management in the past, but being an
What vs. How
For the past couple weeks I’ve been reading Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport (special thanks to Igor Shindel for the great recommendation). The book is interesting. At the core, Newport examines
It’s Really Hard to Change Your Brand
Late last year Playboy made headlines by announcing that they would no longer show nudity in their magazine. Down to a circulation of just ~800,000 (from a peak of 7.16M in 1972) the decision was likely spurred by declining readership