Chapter 1: Effective Meetings and Communication

During long flights across the country, I find that it's an excellent opportunity to catch up on newsletters and articles I haven't read yet. This week, I’ve come across several pieces that I believe are worth sharing.

One such piece comes from Levels, a consumer health firm that specializes in glucose monitoring. They operate in a very intentional manner—primarily asynchronously and fully remote, from what I gather. Levels has shared valuable insights into their operational strategies, including an impressive guide on conducting meetings that emphasizes system-thinking. While not every approach may suit your organization, it certainly sparks some innovative ideas.

Section 1.1: The Importance of Tough Feedback

Next, we have an article titled "Tough Love" by Jared Hecht, co-founder of Fundera and GroupMe. Jared, a skilled entrepreneur based in NYC, has recently taken to blogging more frequently. In this piece, he discusses the significance of providing honest and constructive feedback, particularly in the context of investing. As he eloquently states,

> "The irony is that withholding the truth is the opposite of being founder-friendly. There is a market for those who can do this exceptionally well. It's something I try to do when I invest in companies and work with founders. And to my delight, it's not just me who appreciates 'real-talk.' Entrepreneurs crave it. They may hate it in the moment because it can hurt the ego, but it resonates. When it comes to company building, I want to partner with someone who tells it how it is and isn't afraid to hurt my feelings than someone who prioritizes simply being liked. In my experience, it's those that dish out the tough love that I've grown closest to and admire most."

Be sure to read his entire post and consider subscribing to his newsletter.

Subsection 1.1.1: Optimism as a Driving Force

Another insightful read is from Alexandr Wang, co-founder and CEO of Scale.ai, titled "Optimism Shapes Reality." He shares his experiences with excellent execution within his company, focusing on effective communication with the team and his philosophy on maintaining a positive outlook. Rather than relying heavily on organizational charts or KPIs, Alexandr emphasizes the importance of goal-setting and optimism.

Chapter 2: Marketplace Business Insights

In addition to these articles, Jeff Fluhr from Craft Ventures offers a compelling perspective in his piece on "Applying the Burn Multiple to Marketplace Business Models." He adapts his partner David Sachs' SaaS 'Burn Multiple' framework specifically for marketplace businesses. This kind of analysis is intriguing as it challenges you to justify your position as a positive outlier if your metrics don't align with their segmentation. While not infallible, it's certainly a step in the right direction, and I’m eager to see how this plays out, especially since Jeff recently led a deal that we participated in.

The first video, titled "5 Blog Posts that are Quick to Write and Will Bring in Traffic," provides insights into creating impactful blog content that attracts readers. This is essential for anyone looking to enhance their online presence.

The second video, "Successful Blog Post Examples: 16 Great Blog Posts to Learn From (Teardown)," breaks down effective blog posts that serve as excellent templates for aspiring writers.

In summary, here are five of the most enlightening articles I encountered during my flights this week!