Friends of Dave #56: No Music, No Life.
What do Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett all have in common?
Answer: many things. Aside from not getting this newsletter, I hear that their wives all secretly think that Buffet's version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" is the weirdest thing they have heard in quite some time. So they have that.
But hey, when you are the richest man on the planet, who's going to tell you otherwise, right? "No music, no life" as the folks at Tower Records used to say (btw, check out the Last Word below for a really cool documentary on the rise and fall of Tower).
Jokes aside, one thing these distinguished gentlemen do have in common is that they read -- a ton. So this week I included a few longer reads at the start to get you thinking and threw in a bunch of easier to digest follow on articles to finish things off. You can take your own mini Gates-ian "reading vacation" of sorts if you would like. You may not end up being a billionaire or leader of the free world, but you do owe it to yourself to get wicked smaht.
Enjoy the articles, the utter giddiness of a potential reading vacation, and your weekend. If this issue makes you smarter, please be sure to pass it along, invite your friends to subscribe and join the party. The more the merrier!
XOXO
Dave
A Few Good Long Reads...
The Fall of Uber's Travis Kalanick Was a Lot Weirder and Darker Than You Thought — www.bloomberg.com
Silicon Valley CEOs were supposed to be sacrosanct. So how did it all go wrong at Uber? And after reading this, you may also understand that it was probably inevitable...
Beyond the Bitcoin Bubble — www.nytimes.com
Yes, the blockchain may seem like the very worst of speculative capitalism right now, and yes, it is demonically challenging to understand. But the beautiful thing about open protocols is that they can be steered in surprising new directions by the people who discover and champion them in their infancy.
Bitcoin, blockchain, Ethereum and ICOs -- for most over the age of 35, you probably could give two shits about this. But don't just dismiss the the recent run up as a simple tulip frenzy. If you care to gain a better understanding about this topic, this is the article all the cool kids are reading.
The Rise and Fall of Charm in American Men — www.theatlantic.com
What is charm? Few men possess it, few want to these days, and most don't understand it. And I something tells me I must not have been very charming this week, because my wife strongly suggested I include this one....
A Few Good Work Related Reads...
If you’re not spending 5 hours per week learning, you’re being irresponsible — medium.com
While goods and services are becoming demonetized, knowledge is becoming increasingly valuable.
And this, Friends of Dave, is why I humbly serve you with this newsletter every week. Also be sure to check this article out for the 6 skills that build the framework for effective attainment of the right knowledge.
The Greatest Sales Pitch I’ve Seen All Year — medium.com
Competitors can replicate features, your messaging and value prop. But they can't copy your story and how your customers feel about you and your team. Sales Friends: check this one out!
Why Marketers Should Use AI With Image Analysis in 2018 — www.adweek.com
Been playing around with "Google Arts and Culture" app lately? Then you are getting a taste for the power of AI powered image analysis -- and it ain't going away.
'We're pivoting to words': Slate says podcasts are now 25 percent of revenue — digiday.com
Still think an occasional blog post is going cut it to get your message noticed? Think again. People are moving beyond the typed word to video and audio content. Read up about it here.
A Few Good Random Ones...
An Open Letter to the Box of Loose Cables in My Closet — www.mcsweeneys.net
Cuz, after all, it's box of loose cables season, Friends of Dave.
How Mr. Potato Head Changed the Advertising Business — www.atlasobscura.com
Show the video of the first commercial for Mr. Potato Head at the top of this article to your kids any time they complain that Santa didn't bring them a Nintendo Switch last month. THANK ME LATER.
The evolution of the turntable 1877 - 2017 — mixmag.net
Dance music wouldn't exist without it....and interestingly, neither would Herbie Hancock.
And The Last Word....
All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records
Whether you are a music fan or not, you have no doubt heard of Tower Records. But the origin story, how it rose to global dominance in the music industry, the ego of it's founder, and Tower's ultimate downfall is a fascinating case study for music lovers, entrepreneurs and startups alike. Trust me, you will enjoy this documentary by Colin Hanks -- well worth the time.