Product Habits - The business genius behind MrBeast

Steve Jobs' 1985 Playboy Interview

In 1985, Steve Jobs spoke in an interview about how computers would affect the quality of our thinking and how we utilize tools. He suggested that computer programming captures underlying principles, facilitating thousands of experiences based on how people perceive those underlying principles. In many ways, he predicted what has unfolded over the past 35 years. 

The Business Mogul Behind MrBeast

MrBeast is one of the most successful creators in the world, with more than 109 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel. Most people don't know that he's also a brilliant entrepreneur growing a business empire. His growth started by not only studying YouTube as a platform but, more broadly, learning what led to viewer satisfaction. Every entrepreneur can learn something from his journey. 

An Ode to Software Products Over Services

Over the past 20 years, SaaS has dominated business software sales. But the pendulum might be swinging back to software products at the expense of services. One of the biggest reasons is that with software services, customers don't own their data. There are many other reasons—check out the thought-provoking list here.

The Product Manager Learning Path

With the start of every new year comes a period of reinvigorated thinking about career goals. If you're considering a leap into product management in 2023, this read outlines the knowledge and skills needed. The detailed learning path diagram is a beneficial resource worth bookmarking. 
 

Microsoft Designer: AI Prompt Design Principles

Microsoft is infusing AI into its products, including the new Microsoft Designer. One of the challenges with AI-generated art is how unpredictable image creation can be. This read explains Microsoft's approach to guiding new users on creating prompts that get more reliable outputs. This is a glimpse into the future of AI. 

How To Make Marketing Feel Less Cringe

I stumbled on this Indie Hackers thread that started with a question from a creator who built a side product but now has to do marketing and isn't enjoying it. The responses are helpful for anyone who feels like marketing is cringe-worthy or needs more confidence in their approach or message. Here are some small things you can do to make marketing feel more approachable. 

How To Be a Writer On a Marketing Team

If it's part of your job to write for your company—even if you're not an official marketer—this is a must-read. It's easy to default to jargon and corporate speak, but no one appreciates content that sounds like a press release written by a company about itself. Here are some things you can do so your writing is authentic and enjoyable to readers. 

A Decade of SaaS Lessons

A decade ago, Founder and CEO Nathan Barry started his SaaS company ConvertKit. Since then, his team has grown the business to over $33 million in annual recurring revenue. He shared the ten most significant lessons he's learned along the way. A few that resonate most with me: Scaling a startup takes longer than you think, and don't underestimate the impact of deliverability and fraud. Check out the entire thread here.