Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="1d756dff073e06c95c541e75fe2b59e4e56267594838c181dde51e7abb7a" Subject: Top 10 Most-Read Essays of 2024 (so far) From: Rex Woodbury To: Hidden Recipient Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2024 09:29:57 +0000 X-Hiring: We are hiring, reach out at header-hacker@emailshot.io X-EmailShot-Signature: Ap0fnOWp-fYea22MfKCYOE6MWiw2xucvBWjrQudwL3afYuOpDAI4QuCly-kq6zi2xb3aSYCskL2Vr9h0WRezyw== --1d756dff073e06c95c541e75fe2b59e4e56267594838c181dde51e7abb7a Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable View this post on the web at https://www.digitalnative.tech/p/top-10-most-r= ead-essays-of-2024-so Weekly writing about how technology and people intersect. By day, I=E2=80= =99m building Daybreak [ https://substack.com/redirect/672749cf-bf98-42d3-8= bc8-9a200f9412e1?j=3DeyJ1IjoiM2dmeXZtIn0.xu76uFObqArDfP822j-jnN48_jCfgM3m0r= bAsF0l24U ] to partner with early-stage founders. By night, I=E2=80=99m wri= ting Digital Native [ https://substack.com/redirect/9942303c-d6e5-4007-92ac= -9f14f01e9621?j=3DeyJ1IjoiM2dmeXZtIn0.xu76uFObqArDfP822j-jnN48_jCfgM3m0rbAs= F0l24U ] about market trends and startup opportunities. If you haven=E2=80=99t subscribed, join 60,000+ weekly readers by subscribi= ng here: Top 10 Most-Read Essays of 2024 (so far) We=E2=80=99re in the dead of August, so I=E2=80=99m pausing on a new piece = this week. Instead, here=E2=80=99s a look back at the year so far.=20 We=E2=80=99ve put out 28 pieces so far this year, and below are the 10 most= -read. We=E2=80=99ll be back soon with a fresh essay; in the meantime, catc= h up on any you missed!=20 1=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 The Huberman-ization of America This piece argues that the rise of Andrew Huberman is emblematic of a broad= er mega-shift: society=E2=80=99s growing emphasis on health. We care a lot = more about our bodies and brains=E2=80=94and consequently, we=E2=80=99re wi= lling to spend a lot more to make sure they=E2=80=99re in good shape. This = piece delves into America=E2=80=99s growing fascination with health. 2=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 10 Charts That Capture How the World Is Changing From LLMs to electric vehicles, church attendance to AI game development=E2= =80=94this piece looks at a wide range of topics, each captured in a chart = capturing a broader, multi-year shift.=20 3=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 Water Bottles and Lessons in Viral Growth We use the mania around Stanley Cups to examine savvy marketing tactics, an= d look at how startups should approach brand, marketing, and growth in a mo= ment when distribution is a constant challenge. We talk Crocs, Disney, and = Mario Kart. 4=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 Business-in-a-Box 2.0=20 AI is reinventing the =E2=80=9CBusiness-in-a-Box=E2=80=9D playbook, and we= =E2=80=99re seeing startups underpin entire new ecosystems of work=E2=80=94= work as a dietitian, as a hairstylist, as a travel agent=E2=80=A6all made s= imple with software. This piece digs into this startup trend and what categ= ories are ripe for the taking.=20 5=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 Crazy Ideas A few weeks before Emma Stone won her second Oscar for Poor Things, we use = the film as a lens through which to explore social constructs=E2=80=94and t= o question which parts of life are about to change. Crazy ideas are crazy u= ntil they become reality=E2=80=A6and then eventually boring parts of everyd= ay life. We talk AI language translation, interactive media, and augmented = reality. 6=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 The 10 Forces Shaping Commerce Ozempic, overstock, AI personalization. This piece looks at the biggest tre= nds shaping the $25 trillion (!) global retail market.=20 7=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 Seurat and the Opportunity in Vertical AI We use a forced metaphor of Seurat=E2=80=99s pointillism=E2=80=94bear with = me=E2=80=94as a metaphor for building a vertical software company. Then we = look at how AI changes the vertical SaaS playbook.=20 8=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 Tech=E2=80=99s Blind Spots: The Startups Building for U= nderserved Markets One thing about Silicon Valley is that Silicon Valley disproportionately bu= ilds for=E2=80=A6.well, for Silicon Valley. This piece looks at who gets le= ft out: older Americans, kids, industrials workers, internet workers. Two g= roups are overlooked demographics, and two groups are overlooked segments o= f workers. We dig into each one.=20 9=EF=B8=8F=E2=83=A3 Two Roads Diverged: The Splitting of Venture Capital A =E2=80=9CState of the Union=E2=80=9D for venture capital, first analyzing= capital availability and trends in VC fundraising, then zooming out to loo= k at the broader trend: a cleaving of venture into Artisans and Asset Manag= ers. Daybreak [ https://substack.com/redirect/672749cf-bf98-42d3-8bc8-9a200= f9412e1?j=3DeyJ1IjoiM2dmeXZtIn0.xu76uFObqArDfP822j-jnN48_jCfgM3m0rbAsF0l24U= ] is an example of the former, and we end with the =E2=80=9Cwhy now=E2=80= =9D for a new venture firm that returns to VC=E2=80=99s roots.=20 =F0=9F=94=9F Weapons of Mass Production This piece makes a simple argument: what the Industrial Revolution was to p= hysical production, the AI Revolution is to digital production. While the i= nternet was a distribution revolution, AI is a production revolution: gener= ative AI makes it really, really easy to make stuff. We analyze what that m= eans, and which companies might capture the value. Thanks for reading! Subscribe here to receive Digital Native in your inbox = each week: Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGlnaXR= hbG5hdGl2ZS50ZWNoL2FjdGlvbi9kaXNhYmxlX2VtYWlsP3Rva2VuPWV5SjFjMlZ5WDJsa0lqb3= lNRGt3TVRjME1qWXNJbkJ2YzNSZmFXUWlPakUwTnpZNE1UVXhNeXdpYVdGMElqb3hOekkwTWpNe= U5qUTRMQ0psZUhBaU9qRTNOVFUzTmpnMk5EZ3NJbWx6Y3lJNkluQjFZaTB6T0RVd01DSXNJbk4x= WWlJNkltUnBjMkZpYkdWZlpXMWhhV3dpZlEuSTVhaEJQRWlOVDlMQ3NLWjAtZEFDSjZuU1FULUF= UdHJrNzBkNFJXUUMyMCIsInAiOjE0NzY4MTUxMywicyI6Mzg1MDAsImYiOnRydWUsInUiOjIwOT= AxNzQyNiwiaWF0IjoxNzI0MjMyNjQ4LCJleHAiOjE3MjY4MjQ2NDgsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0wIiwic= 3ViIjoibGluay1yZWRpcmVjdCJ9.DHUZpIzhClcLolav9SsRfgxqdIP85Gx0C8E8Owgq6ck? --1d756dff073e06c95c541e75fe2b59e4e56267594838c181dde51e7abb7a Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Top 10 Most-Read Essays of 2024 = (so far)
From Huberman to Seurat, = Gen Z Behaviors to AI Applications
͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏  = ;   ­͏     ­͏     ­͏=     ­͏     ­͏     ­= ͏     ­͏     ­͏    = ­͏     ­͏     ­͏   &= #8199; ­͏     ­͏     ­͏ &n= bsp;   ­͏     ­͏     ­= 47;     ­͏     ­͏     &s= hy;͏     ­͏     ­͏   Q= 99; ­͏     ­
<= /td>
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<= div dir=3D"auto" class=3D"post typography" style=3D"font-size: 16px; line-h= eight: 26px; padding: 16px 0 0 0;">

Top 10 Most-Read Essays of 2024 (so far)=

From Huberman to Seurat, Gen Z Behaviors to AI Applicatio= ns

Rex Woodbury
=
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<= td height=3D"16" style=3D"font-size: 0px; line-height: 0;"> = <= /tr>
READ IN APP
 

Weekly writing ab= out how technology and people intersect. By day, I’m building = Daybreak= to partner with early-stage founders. By night, I’m writing Digital= Native about market trends and startup opportunities.

=

If you haven’t subscribed, join 60,000+ weekly read= ers by subscribing here:


Top 10 Mos= t-Read Essays of 2024 (so far)

We’re in the dea= d of August, so I’m pausing on a new piece this week. Instead, here&#= 8217;s a look back at the year so far.

We’ve pu= t out 28 pieces so far this year, and below are the 10 most-read. We’= ll be back soon with a fresh essay; in the meantime, catch up on any you mi= ssed!


1️⃣ The Huberman-iz= ation of America

This piece argues that the ris= e of Andrew Huberman is emblematic of a broader mega-shift: society’s= growing emphasis on health. We care a lot more about our bodies and brains= —and consequently, we’re willing to spend= a lot more to make sure they’re in good shape. This piece delves int= o America’s growing fascination with health.

READ HERE

Andrew Huberman embodies the rise of health awareness and sp= end, covered in February’s “The Huberman-ization of AmericaR= 21;

2️&#= 8419; 10 Charts That Capture How the World Is Changing

READ HERE

3D"legacy-wordpress-upload"
One of the charts covered in March’s “10 Charts That Captur= e How the World Is Changing”

3️⃣ Water Bottles and Lessons in Viral Gro= wth

We use the mania around Stanley Cups to examine s= avvy marketing tactics, and look at how startups should approach brand, mar= keting, and growth in a moment when distribution is a constant challenge. W= e talk Crocs, Disney, and Mario Kart.

READ HERE

3D"The
Stanley success was born from viral tactics that savvy startups can als= o use; from January’s “Water Bottles and Lessons in Startup Vir= ality”

4&= #65039;⃣ Business-in-a-Box 2.0

AI is reinventi= ng the “Business-in-a-Box” playbook, and we’re seeing sta= rtups underpin entire new ecosystems of work—work as a dietitian, as = a hairstylist, as a travel agent…all made simple with software. This = piece digs into this startup trend and what categories are ripe for the tak= ing.

READ HERE

=3D"Number
The steady growth of SMBs in Ameri= ca; from March’s “Business-in-a-Box 2.0”

5️⃣ Crazy Ideas

A few weeks before Emma Stone won her second Osca= r for Poor Things, we use the film as a lens through = which to explore social constructs—and to question which parts of lif= e are about to change. Crazy ideas are crazy until they become reality̷= 0;and then eventually boring parts of everyday life. We talk AI language tr= anslation, interactive media, and augmented reality.

READ HERE

January’s “Crazy Ideas” tackled s= ocial constructs and what far-fetched ideas might become reality

6️⃣ The 10 F= orces Shaping Commerce

Ozempic, overstock, AI persona= lization. This piece looks at the biggest trends shaping the $25 trillion (= !) global retail market.

READ HERE

Nike shoes I designed with AI, from May= 217;s “The 10 Forces Shaping Commerce”

=

7️⃣ Seurat and the Opportu= nity in Vertical AI

We use a forced metaphor of Seura= t’s pointillism—bear with me—as a metaphor for building a= vertical software company. Then we look at how AI changes the vertical Saa= S playbook.

RE= AD HERE

<= td style=3D"text-align: center;">
3D"Georges
Seurat’s most famous work; from February’s ̶= 0;Seurat and the Opportunity in Vertical AI”

=

8️⃣ Tech’s Blind Spo= ts: The Startups Building for Underserved Markets

One= thing about Silicon Valley is that Silicon Valley disproportionately build= s for….well, for Silicon Valley. This piece looks at who gets left ou= t: older Americans, kids, industrials workers, internet workers. Two groups= are overlooked demographics, and two groups are overlooked segments of wor= kers. We dig into each one.

READ HERE

=
Older Americans are one of the four “underserved ma= rkets” covered in January’s “Tech’s Blind SpotsR= 21;

9️&= #8419; Two Roads Diverged: The Splitting of Venture Capital

A “State of the Union” for venture capital, first = analyzing capital availability and trends in VC fundraising, then zooming o= ut to look at the broader trend: a cleaving of venture into Artisans and As= set Managers. Daybreak is an example of the former, and we end with th= e “why now” for a new venture firm that returns to VC’s r= oots.

READ H= ERE

<= /a>
An example of the Artisans vs. Asset Managers bifurcat= ion covered in March’s “Two Roads Diverged”<= /figure>

🔟 Weapons of Mass P= roduction

This piece makes a simple argument: w= hat the Industrial Revolution was to physical production, the AI Revolution= is to digital production. While the internet was a distribution revolution= , AI is a production revolution: generative AI makes = it really, really easy to make stuff. We analyze what that means, and which= companies might capture the value.

READ HERE

Asking AI to turn my headshot into a Family Guy character; from April&#= 8217;s “Weapons of Mass Production”
=

Thanks for reading! Subscribe here to receive Digital Native= in your inbox each week:

 
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