Fat Tailed Thoughts: Upcoming Projects
Two major new projects. Funders & Founders series and a brand new site.
Hey friends -
No new topic this week (carbon credits next week!). This week's highlight of what's to come at Fat Tailed Thoughts.
I'm excited to announce two major new projects:
Funders & Founders series
New website
Here's a quick preview.
Funders and Founders
We're starting an interview series with startup funders and founders. The early days of building aren't sexy - the grind, the hustle, and the endless no's on the way to success. This is about telling the stories of what it takes in the earliest days and how these builders found that initial product-market fit. You'll learn what worked, what didn't, and discover some of the most exciting funders and founders today.
We have an awesome lineup of conversations already underway that I can't wait to share. If you or someone you know wants to come on, drop me a note at jared@fattailedthoughts.com.
New Website
The existing website at fattailedthoughts.com leaves a lot wanting. It served its purpose as a placeholder but the time's come for something better. The new site will be a single home for letters, podcasts, and yet-to-be-announced content. That'll include enriching the podcast. We cover a lot of ground in each discussion, including references to other resources outside Fat Tailed Thoughts. I'm experimenting with how to make it easily consumable for you.
You'll hear more about these in the upcoming letter. Thank you for the great feedback and continuous stream of new ideas! I've had tremendous fun building this and am excited to share what's to come.
Brief Ukraine Update
Russia continues to wreak havoc in Ukraine. Ukrainian citizen Oleg Fomin is exemplifying the best of humanity during a terrible situation.
Oleg is an IBMer who has been forced to flee Kyiv with his wife and two young kids. On his way 500 mile journey to Poland, he packed 4 more people into his car and got them out as well. He's providing housing and food for all of them.
Since fleeing his home, Oleg has helped more families get out of Ukraine. He's now fully supporting 25 people at a huge personal expense. His correspondence tells it all.
Oleg is a former colleague and personal friend of Fat Tailed Thoughts co-host Steven Dickens. Steven's organized a fundraiser to support Oleg. All funds go directly to providing for the families.
Please consider giving.
GoFundMe Ukraine Displaced Families Fund
Cocktail Talk
Debt collections remains the seedy underbelly of financial services. We discussed the space in a previous letter: how it became a $90B+ industry, why it's been abusive, and who is changing the game. TrueAccord is was the first startup to transform the industry and continues to be the most prominent. Packy McCormick at Not Boring did a great deep dive on the company. (Not Boring)
Snowflake is a poster child for what a technology company can achieve. It generates over $1 billion in revenue a year and is still growing at 100% every year. That's no accident. It's part of a carefully constructed and well-executed playbook by CEO Frank Slootman. Frank's track record is legendary - he achieved similar successes as CEO of Data Domain and then ServiceNow. His recent conversation with Patrick O'Shaughnessy is a great lens into how he thinks and builds. (Invest Like The Best)
The world of NFTs is continuing to evolve quickly. The company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club, one of the largest NFT collections by market cap, acquired the intellectual property rights to CryptoPunks and Meebits. That means three of the top ten NFT projects are under single ownership. Of particular interest is the ongoing battle over commercial, licensing, and IP rights. The rights to CryptoPunks and Meebits were always held by the original creators while the rights to Bored Apes were distributed along with the NFTs. With the acquisition, rights to CryptoPunks Meebits will be transferred to the NFT owners. We'll see in real-time what that can unlock for a community. It's likely to become a case study in years to come. (Decrypt)
Well, it's official. We're all doomed. Scientists took control of a Venus Flytrap with an implanted microchip. They can force it to open and close - devour prey - on demand. I'll be booking a seat on SpaceX's Starship and look forward to seeing you there. (Futurism)
Your Weekly Cocktail
An old fashioned variant to transition you in spring.
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
1.5oz Reposado Tequila
0.5oz Vida Mezcal
0.25oz Agave Syrup
2 dashes Xocolatl Mole Bitters
Pour everything into a mixing glass. Add ice until it comes up over the top of the liquid. Stir for 20 seconds (~50 stirs) until the outside of the glass is frosted. Add ice to a rocks glass. Strain into the glass and enjoy!
I got one last good skiing weekend in with friends before the spring and enjoyed a couple too many maple old fashioneds during the après ski. It left me wanting something that could bridge the winter into spring as the weather warms in New York. Enter the Oaxaca Old Fashioned. Created by Phil Ward in 2007 at Death & Co., this cocktail quickly made it into the New York Times and bars across the world. The wonderful earthiness from the agave runs through the entire drink while the smokiness of the mezcal marries wonderfully with the sweetness of the tequila. It’s no wonder this drink became so popular.
Cheers,
Jared