Napkin Math

Profit and power in technology, every Tuesday and Thursday.

Sep 2, 2021

Content Moderation Double-Bind Theory

The market failures damning content to ever increasing sensationalism

Aug 7, 2020

New York Times: Investing In The Long Term

A review of the Q2 earnings: growth in digital subscriptions, a fall in advertising, and a decline in APRU due to long-term investing.

Sep 9, 2020

First Steps to Buy A School Bus Company

Last week I pitched the idea of buying a school bus operator. This week I tell you how to do it.

Aug 29, 2024

Welcome to the Era of the Gritty Startup

The age of glut is over. Here are three lessons to navigate through leaner times.

Sep 23, 2021

Toast—a Vision of Software’s Future

Hints to why their shares popped 60% in their first day

Nov 19, 2021

iBuy, iRent, iLose My Investors Money

The Murky Future of American Housing

Jun 10, 2020

Crash: Pitch a Company, Get a Job

Candidates earn jobs by putting in more work than their competition

Jan 13, 2022

3 Thoughts On Justworks

The newest SaaS company to hit the public markets

May 23, 2024

Microsoft’s Boring but Profitable Future

The PC giant is making Windows exciting again

Nov 6, 2020

Your Uncle Is Still Your Uncle: Ant Pulls Its IPO

Ant's IPO has been taken down. What happened, what do you need to know and what should we expect to see next?

May 29, 2020

The Jet.com Obituary

The brand couldn’t compete against Amazon, but the acquihire was worth it for Walmart

Jan 30, 2021

A Local News Revival

How product, marketing, and cost innovations create a massive opportunity

Jun 17, 2021

Finance is Broken But Don’t Worry, This Has Happened Before

Net Income and the Refactoring of Our Financial Ideology

Apr 23, 2024

Some Things I Know (And Some Things I Don’t)

What have I learned from two years of writing?

Nov 13, 2021

Top 12 Creator Platforms—Ranked

Who has the brawn to capture creator’s profit?

Aug 15, 2021

The Rise of the Content Capitalist

In Practice Beta V2

Jul 25, 2024

Can Anyone Compete With Meta’s New AI Model?

Zuckerberg’s open-source gambit could burst the AI hype—or save it

Jul 2, 2021

In Practice: My Newest Beta Product

Come take an early peak at the future