Tremendous

An angel investor's take on life and business

  • Warren Buffett Says Goodbye

    This week, Buffett announced he’s “going quiet.” No more letters in the annual report, no more Q&A at the shareholder meeting.

    In a poignant message, Buffett reflected on his life and building Berkshire. 

    “I was late in becoming old – its onset materially varies – but once it appears, it is not to be denied.”

    Success Through Patience

    “In 1958, I bought my first and only home. Of course, it was in Omaha, located about two miles from where I grew up (loosely defined), less than two blocks from my in-laws, about six blocks from the Buffett grocery store and a 6-7-minute drive from the office building where I have worked for 64 years.”

    Imagine going to the same building and doing the same job for 64 years. Few have the patience.

    No wonder Buffett became such an incredible investor. 

    Charlie Munger said that Buffett’s skills “markedly increased since he turned 65.” Buffett’s knowledge compounded along with his capital. 

    It’s easy to become impatient and expect success overnight. I struggle with that. But if Buffett had to wait for it, so do we.

    Part of that is accepting the mistakes along the way. 

    Warren’s Advice for Life

    From where I sit, Buffett seems perfect. But he’s quick to disabuse us of that notion:

    “My advice: Don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes – learn at least a little from them and move on. It is never too late to improve. Get the right heroes and copy them.”

    If he’s entitled to a few mistakes, so are we.

    Buffett often talks about the importance of choosing the right heroes. He’s always been a hero of mine.

    Buffett came from the middle of nowhere. He used his powers of analysis to build something incredible. 

    Growing up in a small town in northern Wisconsin, that spoke to me. If he could do it, maybe I could too. 

    Wrap-Up

    I’m going to really miss Warren’s letter in the annual report. But Warren isn’t going silent altogether. 

    He will write an annual Thanksgiving message to shareholders. I can’t wait to read them!

    I’ll leave you with a wonderful thought from Warren:

    “Greatness does not come about through accumulating great amounts of money, great amounts of publicity or great power in government. When you help someone in any of thousands of ways, you help the world.”

    More on investing: 

    Buffett’s Annual Letter

    Poor Charlie’s Almanack

    My New Investment Strategy

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • How My Startups Can Help You Cut Costs and Sell More

    Every founder needs to cut costs and sell more. Here are some great ways to do that, courtesy of my portfolio companies…

    Make Incorporation and Fundraising Easy – Capbase

    Capbase makes it easy to get incorporated, prep for due diligence, and raise money.

    If you want to raise venture capital, you need to have your incorporation and cap table squared away. Capbase is the best way to do that. 

    Capbase’s pricing is startup-friendly — just $999 a year.

    Get Higher ROI from Conferences – Mobly

    If you go to a lot of conferences, Mobly is for you. It scans badges and business cards and pipes the data to your CRM.

    Mobly enriches each of these leads so you’re ready to make sales. Conferences are a big investment — make them count!

    Cut Your Cloud Costs by 50% – North

    Cloud compute is a huge cost for many startups. North can lower those costs by 50% or more. 

    It plugs into your stack and gets you discounts automatically. Major companies like Brave use North to save a fortune on cloud costs. So can you!

    Cut SMS Costs by 80% – Sent

    Does your application send a lot of text messages for things like 2FA? Sent can cut those messaging costs by 80-90%. 

    Sent does this by using alternative messaging channels instead of costly SMS. If a customer uses iMessage, for example, Sent delivers your message there. 

    Analyze Data In Seconds – Querio 

    What percent of your free trials convert? Who are your top sales guys this month? Querio can answer these questions in seconds.

    It’s basically ChatGPT for your data. 

    Don’t spend hundreds of thousands on tools like Tableau or Looker. Querio can give you that information at a fraction of the cost.

    Wrap-Up

    Being a startup founder means having limited resources. But if you use the right tools, your dollars can stretch a heck of a lot further.

    To find each of these companies, I had to look at around 200 startups. So I’m confident these are the best tools on the market. 

    Spend just 5 minutes looking into one of these products. You might save yourself a fortune!

    There will be no blog tomorrow in honor of Veteran’s Day. See you on Wednesday! 

    More on tech:

    Kimi 2 Thinking — A Real Threat to ChatGPT and Grok

    Testing Zuck’s $70 Billion Model

    Neo Launches Android — Which Jobs Are Safe, Which Are Toast?

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Kimi 2 Thinking — A Real Threat to ChatGPT and Grok

    Kimi just dropped Kimi 2 Thinking. I tested it this morning. It’s as good as Grok 4, the best model I’ve ever used. 

    In July, I ran the prior Kimi through testing. It scored a B+, solid but below Grok 4. 

    This time, Kimi performed far better. Let me show you what it can do… 

    Round #1: Researching FP&A Startups

    I recently saw an interesting new FP&A startup. It can forecast your runway based on when you pay bills. 

    But FP&A is a crowded category. So I asked Kimi what the leading startups in FP&A are and what they can do.

    Kimi provides a table with all the leading FP&A startups. It clearly explains the features of each.

    Looks like this category is even more crowded than I thought! 

    Kimi did include citations, but they’re all in a list on the side. I’d prefer to see the citations integrated into the response to make clear what information comes from where. 

    Still, Kimi’s response is very useful. I’m going to give this round an A.

    Round #2: Looking for Missile Defense Startups 

    SpaceX just won a huge contract for missile defense radar. It’s part of President Trump’s Golden Dome project. 

    This made me wonder: what startups could work together with SpaceX to improve our missile defenses?

    Kimi found some fascinating companies. Apex in particular grabbed me. They’re making space-based interceptors to shoot down missiles.

    Kimi cites many sources, but it’s unclear which source goes to which piece of information. This makes it harder to rely on Kimi’s response. 

    Overall I’m giving this round an A-.

    Round #3: Make New York Build Again 

    The biggest reason Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral election this week is the high cost of housing. 

    If we build more housing, we’ll lower rents. What’s the best way to do that? 

    Kimi provides some interesting ideas, from office conversions to upzoning near transit. It also does a good job of citing sources in the body of the response this time.

    But Kimi doesn’t give me much idea who has the power to make these changes. In red tape-loving New York, understanding the regulatory environment is critical. 

    I’m giving Kimi an A- for this round.

    Wrap-Up

    Kimi turned in a strong performance in my testing. It answered my questions thoroughly and accurately. 

    Overall I’m giving Kimi an A-.

    This is the same grade I gave Grok 4, the best model I’ve used so far. If Kimi could more clearly tie citations to responses, I’d give it an A. 

    China has caught up to the very best models from the United States. To regain our lead, the top American labs must release tools more powerful than anything we’ve ever seen. 

    Have you tried Kimi?

    Have a great weekend, everybody!

    More on tech:

    GROK 4: THE BEST AI MODEL EVER?

    DID CHINA JUST DROP THE WORLD’S BEST AI MODEL?

    CAN DEEPSEEK BEAT THE BEST AMERICAN MODELS?

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Inside My Angel Portfolio: What I’m Paying in 2025

    $13 million — that’s my median entry price this year. In the hottest market ever, I’m watching valuations carefully. Here’s why…

    Behind the Scenes In My Portfolio

    First, let’s take a peak inside my portfolio and see what I’ve been paying, year by year:

    These deals are almost all seed and pre-seed stage. They typically have between $200,000 and $500,000 ARR.

    What stands out most to me is how consistent my entry price is. 

    It rises and falls slightly from year to year but stays somewhere a little over $10 million. The price is even more consistent when you adjust for inflation. $10 million in 2021 is around $12 million today. 

    The Risks of a Hot Market

    We’re seeing some amazing companies created now. But a market this hot also has huge risks.

    It’s easy to get swept up in the mania. To justify paying any price.

    If it’s Uber, it won’t matter right?

    Many people have parachuted into venture capital with that mindset. Over and over, they blow themselves up.

    SoftBank Vision Fund, Tiger, the list is longer than your arm.

    Trees don’t grow to the moon. We cannot invest at any price and still make money.

    How I Know If a Valuation Makes Sense

    In order to justify investing in a start-up, an enormous exit has to be possible.

    In most venture funds, nearly all the gains come from one company. To justify investing in startups with the risks and illiquidity, you need at least a 4x fund in 10 years (15% IRR). 

    A typical early-stage fund might contain 35 companies. To hit 4x, you need one of those companies to grow 280-fold (35 companies * 4 * 50% dilution). If it’s a syndicate deal with fees, you need an even bigger return, around 370-fold. 

    So I ask myself: in the best-case scenario, could this company be a 280x?

    Trees Don’t Grow to the Moon

    Say we’re looking at a deal at a $13 million pre-money valuation, my median entry price for this year. Perhaps they’re raising $2 million. 

    I have to believe that this company can exit at $4.2 billion (280 * 15 million). That’s difficult, but doable.

    Now, what if it’s a hot deal raising at $35M? I have to believe the company can reach $9.8 billion.

    There just aren’t a lot of $10B startups. Maybe I get lucky and hit one, but I don’t want to depend on it.

    Making Exceptions

    Entry price is very important. But at the same time, great startups sometimes go for a premium.

    I don’t want to lock myself out of a fantastic deal. That’s why I focus on median entry price, not average.

    This allows for the occasional outlier. 

    Let’s say you get an opportunity to invest in Travis Kalanick’s next company. It’s not going to come cheap.

    I still want to do that deal. I’d balance it with other, more reasonably priced deals in less well known founders.

    Wrap-Up 

    In a market like today’s, it’s easy to get sloppy.

    $35 million for a pre-revenue company? Sure, why not! 

    Fill a portfolio full of those hot deals, and 10 years from now you’re in for a rude awakening. 

    Most won’t perform. And even when you hit a big winner, your entry price is so high that you don’t make much money. 

    That’s why I’m scrutinizing valuations closer than ever. Even in a world transformed by AI, price still matters.

    More on tech:

    Meet My Latest Investment: Verustruct

    My New Investment Strategy

    How to Get Started Angel Investing

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Why Mamdani’s Agenda Is Dead on Arrival

    Zohran Mamdani made a lot of big promises. But most of his agenda will never happen. Here’s why…

    Defunding the Police — Doubtful 

    Mamdani has repeatedly called for defunding the police. In this year’s election, he changed his tune. 

    No wonder – he wanted to get elected! 

    Once he’s sworn in, Mamdani could attempt to cut the police budget anyway. But those budgets have to be approved by the City Council.

    Most of the City Council does not support defunding the police. Especially given the COVID crime spike, cutting the police risks their seat. 

    Mamdani’s election may also lead President Trump to deploy the National Guard to New York City. Ironically, this could result in more police than ever.

    I hope President Trump comes through! 

    Rent Freeze — Maybe 

    Mamdani has promised to freeze the rent. But this only applies to rent-stabilized units. 

    What’s more, he cannot freeze rents by decree. The Rent Guidelines Board must approve it. 

    The mayor does have the power to appoint the Rent Guidelines Board. So a rent freeze on rent-stabilized units may be feasible.

    But it won’t help most New Yorkers, who don’t have a rent stabilized unit. 

    If the rents are too low to maintain the unit, the landlord may take the apartment off the market. If units are taken off the market, rents will increase.

    Tax Increases — Good Luck

    Mamdani has pledged to increase taxes on millionaires and businesses. But the mayor does not have the authority to raise taxes.

    Any new taxes have to be approved by New York State. Governor Kathy Hochul has said she’s against new taxes.

    Without this new tax revenue, many of Mamdani’s other plans become difficult or impossible. No new tax revenue means no money for free buses or government-run grocery stores.

    Wrap-Up

    Celebrating his election victory last night, Mamdani looked like he was on top of the world. But when he’s sworn in on January 1st, reality will set in.

    He’ll simply be one politician out of many in New York State. Most of his pie-in-the-sky promises will not happen. 

    He simply does not have the power or support to push them through.

    As far as I’m concerned, that’s wonderful news! Raising taxes on an already overtaxed city makes no sense. Getting rid of the police that keep people safe makes even less.

    Score one for checks and balances. 

    More on politics: 

    As Cuba Starves, Elites Funnel Money Out

    Goodbye Charlie

    Three Priorities for the Trump Administration

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 


  • Testing Zuck’s $70 Billion Model

    Zuck is investing $70 billion in AI this year. Is it finally paying off? My testing says no.

    When I tested Meta’s Llama model in May it scored poorly, earning a C+. 

    Since then, Zuckerberg created the Superintelligence team, headed by Alexandr Wang. Meta has poached top researchers with pay packages as high as $1.5 billion.

    This morning, I gave Llama another shot, running it through 3 real world tests. It scored even worse, notching a D+ overall. 

    Let me show you how flawed Llama really is…

    Round #1: Missile Defense Startups

    Last week, I watched House of Dynamite on Netflix. It shows what could happen if an adversary launched a nuclear missile at the United States.

    That got me thinking about missile defense. So, I asked Llama to find me the best new startups in this area.

    Llama gave me a nice list of missile defense startups. But it didn’t cite any sources.

    If I want to verify information about any of these companies, I need to go to Google or Grok. So, there’s no point in using Llama. It also gave me mostly late stage startups, despite my instructions to focus on early stage.

    I’m giving this round a C-.

    Round #2: Robots Building Robots

    I saw a tweet yesterday about Chinese robots that build more robots. In a matter of weeks, the number of robots could double.

    So I wondered, what startups are working on this?

    Llama gave me a list of general robotics companies like Figure and Boston Dynamics. These companies make some awesome products, but they’re not focused on robots-building-robots. 

    Llama also failed to cite any sources. How can I rely on this information?

    I’m giving this round a D.

    Round #3: Llama as Personal Trainer

    I work out 5 times a week, doing a mix of weights, yoga, biking and swimming. But I’ve never really been a runner.

    The NYC Marathon on Sunday got me thinking: should I add running to my routine?

    Llama noted that although we worry about running hurting our knees, moderate running can actually strengthen the muscles and stabilize the joint.

    Llama cited a source for that info, but when I clicked through, the source had nothing to do with knee arthritis. Instead, it covered how to train for a 10k.

    Once again, it’s hard to trust Llama’s info when it can’t cite a source properly. I’m giving this round a C.

    Wrap-Up

    Llama scored poorly in this re-test. I’m giving it a D+ overall.

    That’s down a full letter grade from my test in May. At this point, Zuckerberg doesn’t have any more excuses.

    He’s investing tens of billions of dollars into AI. He’s hiring the best people in the world.

    Why can’t they produce a decent product?

    I’m hoping Meta gets its act together and makes a model I actually want to use. Until then you’ll find me on Grok.

    More on tech:

    Wispr Flow: Voice Dictation That Finally Works

    Can DeepSeek Beat the Best American Models?

    Neo Launches Android — Which Jobs Are Safe, Which Are Toast?

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Why Profitable Startups Raise Venture Capital

    “They’re profitable. Why are they raising money?” Here’s why you should consider raising venture capital even if you’re profitable… 

    Strike While the Iron Is Hot

    Right now markets are about as hot as they get. It’s the perfect time to raise.

    You may not need money now. Maybe you’ll need it in 2027.

    But the market may no longer be hot in 2027. The market doesn’t care when you need money.

    If it’s easy to raise now, raising makes a lot of sense. You can always sit on the money until you need it.

    Profitability Is Fleeting

    Let’s say you’re profitable right now. If you lose a big customer, that profit could quickly swing to a loss.

    I’ve seen this happen in startups I’ve invested in. The company is producing profits reliably for months, then loses a major customer.

    Suddenly, large losses appear. Without a cash cushion, the company could die.

    Fortunately, when this happened to startups I invested in, they had a capital cushion. They were able to weather those losses, sign more big customers, and get back in the black. 

    The Vagaries of Usage-Based Pricing

    Not all ARR is actually recurring. Especially in a world dependent on AI tokens, an increasing percentage of startups’ revenue is usage-based.

    It’s hard to say how much usage-based revenue will come in from a customer in any given month. You may expect to be profitable, but if your customers don’t use your product as much as expected, you could see a large hole in your income statement.

    At times like that, it’s awfully nice to have some cash in the bank. 

    Fuel for the Fire

    Raising capital isn’t all about mitigating risk. It can also help you grow faster!

    Maybe you know that when you spend a hundred dollars on ads, you make 500 dollars in revenue.

    You’ve seen this 5X return over and over. If you raise $2M and burn it on advertising, you are highly confident that you’ll bring in $10M.

    In that scenario, you should definitely raise money. 

    Wrap-Up

    Raising money when you’re profitable makes all the sense in the world. 

    Venture capital insulates you from potential problems. It also helps you grow faster.

    So if you weren’t planning on raising anytime soon, I suggest you reconsider. There’s no better time to raise capital than today. 

    “This is all the time you’ll ever have.” – Hannibal Lecter

    More on tech:

    Your Deck Probably Sucks. Here’s How to Fix It.

    Meet My Latest Investment: Verustruct

    Request for Startups: Drones, Healthtech and Art, Oh My!

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Wispr Flow: Voice Dictation That Finally Works

    For the first time ever, I’m using voice dictation regularly. Wispr Flow has nailed it where every other app has failed. Let me show you what this thing can do…

    I first tried voice dictation in the late 1990’s. For its time, it was incredible. But it made so many mistakes that typing was easier.

    In recent years, I’ve tried to use Apple dictation. But even a generation later, it still makes so many mistakes that I turn it off.

    So when Robert Scoble started talking about a new app called Wispr Flow, I was skeptical. Does it really work?

    This week, I’ve tested Wispr extensively. The verdict: voice dictation is finally here! 

    Set-Up: A Little Tricky, But Doable

    I had a little trouble installing Wispr on my MacBook Air. 

    I tried to log in using my Google account. Wispr kept rejecting the log-in, sending me back to square one. That may be because I’m using the Brave browser.

    So, I tried logging in with my Apple account instead. That worked right away. I also installed Wispr on my iPhone. 

    On both desktop and iOS, Wispr needed me to set a few permissions. It gave me clear directions, which was super helpful.

    If your app requires the user to change any settings, include a tutorial like Wispr. This will really improve your activation rate!

    How Good Is the Dictation?

    Now, the moment of truth: does the dictation actually work?

    I held down Fn and started dictating a tweet. When I let Fn go, the text appeared.

    Wispr didn’t make a single mistake!

    Next, I switched over to LinkedIn. I often comment on my startups’ posts to boost them in the algo. 

    I wrote a comment on a post from Recall, an awesome app I have a small investment in. I used the founder’s name, Sankari, in my comment.

    Wispr nailed it, even getting Sankari’s name right! 

    Saved by the Snippets

    Wispr doesn’t just take beautiful dictation. You can also pre-load snippets of text. It’s like your own customizable clipboard.

    I send the same little intro blurb to each new founder I meet telling them what I invest in, check size, etc. I loaded that into Wispr and called the snippet “about me.” 

    Now, I just press Fn and say “about me.” When I release the Fn key, the text pulls in.

    Incredible!

    Room for Improvement

    Wispr is fantastic. But there are a few changes I’d like to see.

    In the final sentence of a dictation, it usually omits end punctuation. This is an annoying quirk that makes extra work for me.

    Also, the Fn to start dictation works on my laptop keyboard, but not my USB keyboard. This is an edge case, but it would still be a useful fix.

    Finally, I want Wispr to do more. Control my entire computer!

    I want to say “Wispr, open Brave and go to LinkedIn. Scroll down, comment on the post from Recall. Say…”

    If Wispr could run my entire machine, it would be a multibillion dollar company.

    Wrap-Up

    Wispr is the first voice dictation that actually works.

    It makes so few mistakes that I barely check the output anymore. The accuracy is really stunning. 

    Overall I’m giving Wispr an A-. If it could improve the issues with punctuation, I’d give it an A.

    And if it could control my entire computer, I’d give it an A+! 

    Wispr is an incredible product, especially considering it comes from a 4-year-old startup. When my trial runs out, I’ll be upgrading to their paid Pro plan. 

    If you want to give it a try, use my promo code for a free month of Pro!

    Have a great weekend and happy Halloween!

    More on tech:

    Neo Launches Android — Which Jobs Are Safe, Which Are Toast? 

    Can DeepSeek Beat the Best American Models?

    Using Grok 3 to Manage My Stock Portfolio

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Michael Jordan: The Life

    Michael Jordan started elementary school in a racially segregated classroom. He went on to win 6 NBA championships and amass a net worth of $3.8 billion.

    How does a kid from such a difficult background become an icon? To find out, I picked up Michael Jordan: The Life.

    Loving to Win, or Hating to Lose?

    Michael Jordan loved to win. But perhaps even more, he hated to lose.

    In his freshman year of high school, Michael didn’t make varsity. That disappointment gave him incredible motivation.

    “Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that usually got me going again.”

    Humans tend to respond more powerfully to losses than gains. When Michael used failure to motivate himself, he tapped into a powerful tool.

    Take my work as an angel investor. When I see a startup become highly successful and I don’t own a piece, I seethe.

    I don’t want to be consumed by negativity. But a dose of it as motivation does wonders. 

    The Power of Rest 

    “You have to have other things in your life or the pressure becomes too great.” – Phil Jackson

    Jackson pushed the Bulls to practice hard and play to win. But he also made sure they had plenty of down time. 

    Throughout the Bulls’ six championships in the 90’s, no one worked harder than Michael. But rest also played a critical role in his career. 

    MJ spent endless hours practicing at the Berto Center. But he also spent a lot of time playing cards and hole after hole of golf.

    His gambling on these games became a scandal in 1993. But without hobbies to distract him, Michael might have cracked under the pressure. 

    Like Michael, I try to build rest into my week. From sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday, I try to avoid any form of work. 

    Instead, I take long walks, catch up with friends and family, and just relax. 

    Come Sunday night, I’m excited to dig into my e-mails. I also have a few ideas on how to do my job better.

    Being in the Moment

    Phil Jackson had players meditate in the dark for 30 minutes each practice. His goal was to train them to be present in the moment.

    If they were intently focused during practice and games, they had the best chance to win. And in their off hours, being in the moment let them escape the pressure.

    We can only have an effect on the present moment. That’s where we need to focus.

    But holy cow, is it hard!

    I try to meditate most days. But I’m not always consistent. 

    When I haven’t meditated for a while, I feel mentally scattered. My focus wavers. 

    Seeing how much meditation did for Michael and the Bulls, I’m going to make it a higher priority.

    Wrap-Up

    If you want to understand top performers, read Michael Jordan: The Life.

    Extraordinary people like Michael Jordan aren’t well balanced. Love of the game drove Michael. But so did anger, grievance and shame.

    I plan to keep using the fear of failure to motivate myself. But I also want to emulate Michael in other ways.

    I want to make sure I rest and relax. And I want to be present in the moment, focused.

    No matter what you do, you can learn from Michael Jordan. 

    What has MJ taught you?

    More on books: 

    My Top 3 Business Books

    Janesville — Or Why AI Will Be a Disaster for Jobs\

    Memos from the Chairman

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order. 

  • Neo Launches Android — Which Jobs Are Safe, Which Are Toast?

    Neo’s new robot can vacuum, do your dishes, and take out the trash. But will it also take your job? 

    Yesterday, 1X launched the Neo. This android is powered by a mix of AI and teleoperation. 

    You can order one now on their website for $500 a month. 1X plans to ship in 2026. 

    Neo is designed to help with household tasks. But if it can tidy up your place, how long until it can work in a factory or warehouse?

    Here are the jobs Neo is most likely to replace and the jobs that will be hardest to automate…

    Housekeepers: Toast

    Neo is primarily designed to help in the home. So the first jobs to go will be house and office cleaning.

    Office cleaning is particularly vulnerable. I may not want an android in my bedroom, but I won’t mind one tidying up the office at midnight when I’m not there. 

    AI will guide the Neo for some tasks. For others, a human abroad will teleoperate the robot. 

    Let’s say Neo gets its remote workers from Bangladesh. The average wage there is less than $1 an hour. Americans can’t compete.

    Assembly Line Workers: Toast

    If the Neo can do simple manual tasks in the home, it can do them in a factory too.

    Factory workers who do repetitive tasks are going to be out of a job. Even if AI can’t do the task, the teleoperator in Bangladesh can. 

    More complex jobs like maintenance and engineering are probably safe for now. But lower level workers should be retraining, today.

    Warehouse Workers: Toast

    Even before the Neo launch, Amazon was talking about replacing most of its warehouse workers with robots. Now, it’s a sure thing.

    Warehouses can be complex places. Boxes and products come in all shapes and sizes. 

    AI may struggle to pick products effectively. But with just a little training, our Bangladeshi teleoperator will be up to the task.

    Amazon warehouse workers make around $20 an hour. You can bet Andy Jassy would love to get that down to a buck. 

    Healthcare Workers: Safe

    Healthcare will be one of the hardest sectors to automate.

    A good friend of mine is an EMT. He makes over $80,000 a year in a low cost city in the Midwest. The job required just a 6 month program that cost $1,200.

    His job is multifaceted. He takes vitals, drives the ambulance, consoles distraught patients, and a lot more.

    The work requires a lot of interpersonal skill and flexibility. Neither a robot nor a worker in a developing country will be able to do it any time soon.

    Healthcare is also one of the most highly regulated industries. Even if the robot could do his job, regulations won’t allow it! 

    What’s true for EMT’s is true for doctors, nurses, Physician’s Assistants, Respiratory Therapists and more. If you want a steady paycheck that’s highly resistant to automation, there’s no better place to be. 

    Wrap-Up

    The Neo is an incredible breakthrough. Watching the demo got me really excited!

    But make no mistake: robots like Neo will put millions of people out of work.

    There will be new jobs. But the lesson of the factory closures of my youth is that the displaced workers won’t qualify for them.

    Bottom line: we’re going to see a lot of unemployed, angry people. 

    I’m not sure how society will handle that. But I don’t think we can stop it.

    More on tech: 

    Janesville — Or Why AI Will Be a Disaster for Jobs

    Meet BMW’s New Factory Workers

    Can DeepSeek Beat the Best American Models?

    Save Money on Stuff I Use:

    Fundrise

    This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

    More on Fundrise in this post.

    If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

    Misfits Market

    I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

    I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

    Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order.