prime example of why proximity is power
if you want to do the thing, you should go where the thing gets done
this irl proximity is bound to be ever more important, especially in the context of AI
which massively scales and slopifies most online interactions
2024: i moved to SF as an immigrant with zero network and zero capital
2026: raised $18M, building the #1 AI mobile app builder Rork, baked by a16z speedrun
past week I did my first podcast ever with @juliafedorin where shared my story: (thread)
yeah, it's a great way to get a 'foot-in-the-door'
the final form of these approaches is charging for outcomes
have found that to be an incredible means for growth and absolutely transformational to
1) cultivate long-lasting & healthy relationships
2) secure meaningful enterprise contracts
@JTLonsdale it's underappreciated how strong the power law is with criminals and repeat offenders
20% of ppl causing 80% of distress
but unfortunately that's a reality some want suppressed
Asia spoils you with the abundance and breadth of beautiful things to visit, see and do (at any point in time)
infinite optionality, really
but all the upside you get in quality of life, then somewhat equally compresses your 'career quality'
and that's where US shines! so much opportunity and strong willingness & appetite to get things done here, compared to Asia or anywhere else
@imigry_com@levelsio@HSlifelearner@grok its not necessarily about it being 'top tier'
its just that the baseline average is so much higher in SE asia than here
https://t.co/Yz5RufjZSd
the literally just wrote about it haha
the cafe / coworking scene and culture in SF is catastrophic given its the 'go-to' place for the world's best startups
and especially disappointing for someone who has spent ample time in Southeast Asia
that being said, it's slowly getting better
https://t.co/JxmVH3WixJ
as a European who spent the last 6 years splitting time between - 6 months in EU and 6 months in Asia
coming to the US makes it so clear why it's winning on many different fronts and is so abundant in every shape and form
> everything is possible. this applies from the smallest of things like making custom arrangements at a restaurant to business opportunity. everything is figuroutable and there is NO reason why smth cant get done. everyone is programmed like this here
> success first, bureaucracy later. the entire legal, business and mental framework in the US is completely inverse to anywhere else. all of your paperwork, filings, licensing are typically threshold/milestone contingent - so you have to reach certain $$$$ numbers first AND ONLY THEN focus on the paper / regulatory stuff. this is huge and unique!
> complete meritocracy. everyone judges and approaches you based on what you are able to bring to the table. if you win and i win, let's do it. nothing less, nothing more.
> inverse mentality to risk and failure. everyone here predominantly focuses on upside and opportunity. everything else comes after
these all seem fairly small and implicit but imo greatly drive how people are programmed here and approach all facets of life. it's simply so nice to be around
while it also has its fair share of issues, it's definitely the best (and easiest!) place in the world to build a business and make huge things happen
the literally just wrote about it haha
the cafe / coworking scene and culture in SF is catastrophic given its the 'go-to' place for the world's best startups
and especially disappointing for someone who has spent ample time in Southeast Asia
that being said, it's slowly getting better
https://t.co/JxmVH3WixJ
the mismatch between sf being a hotbed for the world's greatest startups
and having ZERO work cafe culture & open coworking spaces always made zero sense
happy to finally see someone (@UseCorgi) addressing that
great 24/7 cafe & the demand is clearly there
win for corgi, win for sf
the mismatch between sf being a hotbed for the world's greatest startups
and having ZERO work cafe culture & open coworking spaces always made zero sense
happy to finally see someone (@UseCorgi) addressing that
great 24/7 cafe & the demand is clearly there
win for corgi, win for sf
@masonwarner this working space is single handedly responsible for my decision to move to new york instead of sf
incredible space
on the way there rn as i type this haha
This is one of the greatest reasons for our growth + arguably one of the most underappreciated unlocks of AI
We have charged for outcomes (AI visibility) since Day 1 and it has been one of the most positive sum decisions for a number of reasons
1) Complete incentive alignment with clients - if its win for them, its a win for us
2) Churn reduction - if they are satisfied only when we are also satisfied, there is no reason from either side to stop
3) Risk mitigation - only charging for the desired outcome removes a lot of uncertainty & risk, which has enabled us to get a foot-in-the door & onboard large institutional clients with extensive procurement processes
4) Margin expansion - by charging for outcomes, we get to entirely own & manage our backend operations and costs to optimize for making sure the outcome is delivered & do not need to justify costs with unproductive metrics (such as time)
With the proliferation of AI there are less and less reasons to *not* work like this
It is a huge value unlock for both sides
Not charging for outcomes is increasingly more a signal of one's lack of confidence in their ability to deliver
@signulll this! super spot on
while there is a never-ending psychosis around the latest, hottest AI thing
people generally underestimate + fail to realize and capture a lot of the value that AI enables and unlocks across various fields
see this first hand in the AI visibility space
just arrived today after 6mos+ away and to my shocking surprise was greeted by my name!
things that can make your experience better
1) choosing more 'boutique' hotels
2) having high status/membership with a hotel chain
3) tipping well
you are right, it usually sucks tho! that being said, its arguably one of the few downsides of NYC
@JTLonsdale exactly
a lot of these layoffs due to 'AI productivity' are just a comfortable shield for all the other things going wrong in the business
it’s arguably the most convenient way to reframe a cost problem you already had into a forward-looking decision the market rewards you for
AI visibility still remains to be one of the most misunderstood and mispriced opportunities of our time
1) exponential growth in users (soon 1B+ DAUs just with ChatGPT)
2) high perceived trust & authority
3) exponential growth in reliance and usage from users (avg. time spent)
4) higher conversion rates for anyone visible (due to extensive back and forths + personalization)
5) one of the only mediums where emerging players can displace traditional incumbents
and a lot more!
it will make or break the current generation of companies
Having mission-aligned investors who believe in your team and product and mission is a big unlock. So grateful to have a cap table filled with people like this.
I have invested in Natty and got to see 'behind the scenes'
Its truly rare to come across a team that executes their vision this relentlessly
they have stayed incredibly locked on the product, while *almost* everyone around them is optimizing for how things sound & look (instead of what they actually do to the body)
Natty keeps pouring the effort into the formulation, the ingredients, the reason someone reaches for a second pint, and truly built the whole thing from the ground up
While optimizing for the product and the consumer, they are also incredibly focused on making the underlying business durable and sustainable
They don't get lured by short-term games and incentives that can often be distracting
instead, they are very clearly playing the long game, which often requires time and patience, and which is increasingly rare in our fast-paced world
100+ stores is just the beginning
We did it. Natty is in 100+ new stores!
We're raising the bar in ice cream: 35g protein, 9g+ fiber, and only 9g added sugar per pint, made w/ clean ingredients (no EPG).
Find Natty in Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods, and Raley’s O-N-E Market, from the Bay Area to Reno.