Websites I often share

• Fast (Patrick Collison)
  • Some examples of people quickly accomplishing ambitious things together.
• What Are the Causes of Human Progress? (Johan Norberg)
  • The escape from stagnation has always required a culture of optimism and progress.
• Ripples of Hope (Robert F. Kennedy, 1966 Cape Town speech)
  • Famous speech on individual liberty and justice, connecting the US and South Africa.
• Our World in Data (Max Roser)
  • Evidence-based understanding of progress through long-term international data.

Playbooks

Communications: Going Direct

• Go Direct: The Manifesto (Lulu Cheng Meservey, Flack)
  • Tell your own story; don’t outsource it to intermediaries whose incentives differ from yours.

Email Introductions 101: “Double Opt-In Intros”

• Idea: The Double Opt-In Introduction (Fred Wilson)
  • Ask both people before you connect them; an unwanted intro costs everyone.
• Tactics: The Double Opt-In Email Introduction (Alex Jarvis)
  • Get consent from each side and spell out why the connection helps both.
• Counterpoint: A Strong Cold Email Always Beats a Weak Warm One (Hunter Walk)
  • A lukewarm intro signals weak judgment; a sharp cold email with proof wins.

Essays & Books I often recommend

Building & Investing

• Essays (Paul Graham)
  • The best writing on startups, ambition and clear thinking.
• Writing a Business Plan (Sequoia Capital)
  • Don Valentine’s one-page framework; still the clearest test of a company.
• The Power Law (Sebastian Mallaby, 2022)
  • The definitive history of venture capital, from Arthur Rock to Sequoia and PayPal.