Here are six of the things we read and saw that made us think this week that we found interesting even if they were more than 140 characters long.
1 VC investment themes
A great slide deck by Gil Dibner at DFJ Esprit. Even if you are not interested in investment, this is a great framework for the questions you need to answer in order to grow a big company.
2 What Clayton Christensen got wrong. How Apple survives with design vs low cost competition.
“Apple is – and, for at least the last 15 years, has been – focused exactly on the blind spot in the theory of low-end disruption: differentiation based on design which, while it can’t be measured, can certainly be felt by consumers who are both buyers and users.”
3 Harry McCracken on the Myth of Steve Jobs’ constant breakthroughs.
“Under Steve Jobs, Apple released an epoch-shifting product every two years or so. Under Tim Cook, it’s capable only of the boring, evolutionary business strategy Cannold later calls “incrementalism.”
“Except…
“The golden age of Apple that Cannold pines for never existed. Steve Jobs didn’t change the world every two years like clockwork, and he was incrementalism’s grand master.”
4 Fascinating post mortem of the failed startup, Sonar, from the founder, Brett Martin.
Lots of useful lessons, the one on focus being particularly apposite for startups.
“You do not have 20% time. Identify your top three priorities. Throw away numbers two and three.”
5 The habits of successful people – they start before they are ready.
“We all start in the same place: no money, no resources, no contacts, no experience. The difference is that some people — the winners — choose to start anyway.”
A fantastic 4 minute video about the importance of UI and how you should think about it.
“Great UI isn’t there.”
Drop us a line if you find anything that makes you think that deserves wider appreciation.
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