IMHO, grindmaxxing in public is the 2026 equivalent of pitching VCs.
Investors want visible proof that founders are working relentlessly. The performance isn't just for customers—it's for analysts, investors, and everyone whose job is to decide whether to keep believing. The grind is a KPI.
@garrytan While this holds true most of the time, there are many situations, particularly in hardware or medical fields, where it's impossible to know if you can solve a problem without financial resources.
@Austen Expensive Apple products are usually economically more logical in the long run. But I disagree with both of you. People by it to assigned to a specific social class and that pays off. All Apple products are made as social class indicators. The logo on the lid, lens placement...
It's the same letter since 5 years. They just replaced Covid with AI. Only the letters between 2022-2024 were a bit different, they started with "absolutely"
Every CEO layoff letter in 2026 follows the same template.
"Hardest decision I've ever made. AI changed everything. New roles designed for AI-native work. We owe it to our customers. We're choosing to compete."
I feel like I'm reading the same letter with different logos
@lennysan@gokulr This feels like a second wave of Material Design, when engineering could ship without designers. The products weren’t great, but they are 99% of products. The difference now is AI already outperforms baseline designers. Add the reality that a lot of design work is mediocre.
@shreyas Iit’s also (1) a founder problem when only proxies are trusted, and (2) a cultural problem when credibility depends on who you are. If you’re an immigrant without a known background, you’re stuck arguing through proxy frameworks.