Gerald Hinson

I just read a post that said, "Do it right to avoid tech debt." I agree with that, but with trepidation. Too often, "do it right" means "do it wrong." The person defines "right" as lots of unnecessary formal interfaces, design patterns salad everywhere, futureproofing up the wazoo, unnecessary structure, features, and details nobody's asking for, and so on. All of that stuff IS technical debt. To me, doing it right means exactly enough code and architecture to get a micro-story into the user/customer's hands. Not one semicolon more, not one extra interface, not one extra method argument to "make it more flexible." Simple code is easy to refactor if you inadvertently leave something out. Also, the story you're realizing should be the simplest possible story that makes the user's/customers' lives slightly better, not some big "feature," not an entire complex business process. The best stories are single-threaded—only one path from beginning to end with no conditionals or variables.

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Polls can be a cheat code for earned media, and a great way to build authority. But there are levels to this. Here's how one of the best I've seen - Capital One - does it. (And what I'd do differently to increase earned coverage). Led by Shena Ashley, PhD, Capital One's Insights Center is a masterclass in leveraging polls to create unique insights that would do incredibly well via earned syndication. Here’s what they do great: ✅ Content that sticks: Crucial issues > fleeting trends. Focusing on topics like financial stability, mobility, and entrepreneurship, it's easier to rationalize investment on topics with a longer shelf life. Their insights + stories can drive coverage for months to come. ✅ Visual storytelling: Data doesn’t have to be dry, and Capital One presents original insights through clear and eye-pleasing visuals that are easy to understand. Publishers like charts, they love colorful charts, and they LOVE colorful charts that are easy to understand. Check, check, check. ✅ Strong methodologies and extensive polling numbers: Capital One frequently involves 7k+ participants in their studies - they are not half a**ing it. Well explained methodologies are table stakes to get your polls covered, and Capital One does a great job outlining their data collection process, sample size, and research methodologies.   ✅ Easy to steal: Each report has multiple easy to take stories/soundbites, and are also written as full pieces of content, which can be taken as whole. Finally --- if I could change one thing... Add a byline. Brand publishing NEEDS a byline - no news outlet wants to cover a story that can't be credited back to a human. All in all, polls can be incredibly valuable for driving earned syndication - check out Capital One's Insights Center in comments for killer examples.

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The Prestige is one of my favorite films. And it turns out, in a way, I've been living through it. The pledge, the turn, and the prestige, all mark chapters in the story of a project I've been working on, and now we're finally here. Get to read about how it started (the pledge), it's development (the turn), and it's exposé (the prestige) on my Medium. #startup #startups #founder #businessdevelopment #storytelling

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What's not being good at interviewing costing you? "I just cannot seem to interview well. I have lost out on roles to people who used to report to me." I was speaking to my client—let's call him Steve. He was a smart, accomplished product leader who had led successful launches of products you have probably heard of. He launched multiple hit products, drove millions in revenue, and all that jazz. But Steven had a problem—a big one. Despite being a total PM rockstar, he still interviewed like he had seven years ago. When he was interviewed, the impression he left was "Great product manager, not leadership material yet." Ever felt like you're the most accomplished person in the room, but when it comes to interviews, you can't seem to convey that? That was Steve. Do you know who didn't choke on interviews? The PM's Steve personally trained and mentored. That's right - Steve's own pupils interviewed well rose above their sensei by having better storytelling and positioning, and the executive presence and confidence that got them further in an interview. His pupils had risen to levels above him. Can you imagine how emasculating and demoralizing that must have felt? To have your star pupils, whom you groomed from scratch, outshine and outearn you just because they could describe their achievements better? Steve had already missed out on many years of success, new roles, and millions of dollars because he was worse at interviewing. He felt the sting of watching others, who he knew he was more qualified than, climb the ranks and achieve the success he deserved. This wasn't just a financial loss but a blow to his self-esteem. He wanted his kids to look up to him and be proud of his accomplishments. Enough was enough. He decided he couldn't afford to lose out anymore. He came to us as Intentional Product Manager, determined to turn things around. We worked with him to refine his narrative, boost his interview skills, and truly represent the outstanding professional he is. It took work, but he got there. The result? He's achieved a prime role at a company you would have heard of and now makes over a million dollars annually. Not only did he secure the financial success he always deserved, but he also earned the respect and admiration of his peers and, most importantly, his family. But as importantly, he carries his skills and executive presence every day. --- P.S., If this resonates with you, and you: - Are a product manager - You love to take action - You are committed to career growth But if you need help in landing that ideal next role. DM me "dream role" and I will send you details. We only work with selected folks and have started to limit how many people we accept every month.

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Setting a vision is just the start. Think about the bold moves needed to make it happen. Sundar, Google's CEO, set a daring vision to tackle climate change. That's where the real work begins. Executing a vision requires bold and tough decisions. Google is buying nuclear energy to feed its AI data centers. Other big tech companies are following this lead. This is a big kudos to Sundar and his leadership team. They are executing on a sustainability vision. Leadership is about taking action. And Sundar is showing the way.

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Paul Graham’s Founder Mode essay is a valid reaction to the zero interest rate phenomenon of average management and company bloat. The goat founders can operate well in this way and scale it pretty far. Unfortunately it’ll also probably inspire a bunch of mid founders not really get it — and to lean into their current erratic micromanagement ways. They’ll think they’re in Founder Mode, when they’re really in Flounder Mode 🐟 https://lnkd.in/gpjSV9Ea

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It's time to get real about what makes or breaks tech. Ignoring user needs. Humans have a ten-second attention span. That's all the time you have to convince them to like your product. Confuse them- May the bridges you burn light the way. Overwhelm them—They can outpanic a Xanax; what's ur superpower? Annoy them— lose their trust forever. To solve this, we must focus on meeting the user four basic needs: 👉 security 👉 connections 👉 individuality 👉 growth Ethical Assurance: because nobody likes a shady algorithm. Emotional Connection: think pacifier on steroids. Cognitive Clarity: It's all about making genius look easy. Social Integration: as a Tiktok user I get annoyed when I speak to (non Tiktok users ) Aspirational Empowerment: This app is a lifesaver! 99% of apps fail... why? Because 'big tech' egos are involved, making it about themselves. Or whatever open-source project they piggyback from. Forgetting this is about them 👇🏻 The users. Got it? Mazel. #AI #UXDesign #Innovation #TechForGood #HeartwareAI

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For those of us who live and work in the Greatger Seattle area, let's work together to thaw the Seattle Freeze and make the Emerald City even more Queer friendly. This AI generated meme is free to use for promoting the LGBTQ community in the city protrayed and the LGBTQ community in general. #Pride #AcceptanceMatters #LGBT #LGBTQ #LGBTQIAPlus #Lesbian #Gay #Bisexual #Transgender #Queer #Intersex #Asexual #NonBinary #Businesses #Employers #Recruiters #HumanResources #TalentAcquisition #Seattle #GeaterSeattleArea

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I have a theory that many startup founders in the elder millennial (me) and younger Gen X cohorts benefit from having played the Oregon Trail computer game in our early formative years. The game is an excellent mental model for a startup; an allegory applicable to navigating a long, arduous, and unpredictable journey that holds the promise of a better future. I replayed this game recently (Visit Oregon hosts a free online version at https://lnkd.in/gWR5hUPn) and the lessons are as salient as ever: 1. Starting capital: In the game, you can start out as a banker (lots of money), a carpenter (some money), or a farmer (very little money). It might seem like starting out with the most money positions you better for success, but it’s certainly no guarantee. And the less you start out with, the more credit (points) you get at the end if you are ultimately successful. Starting out with less forces you to be resourceful. Throughout the game, you can choose to do the following any time: •Change your pace •Rest •See if anyone wants to trade •Hunt 2. Pace: to win, you have to keep a steady pace most of the way to stay healthy, but sometimes you have to push to go faster and take the risk that comes with that pace, otherwise you won’t make it before winter. 3. Rest: you have to rest, especially if a member of your party has a health issue. Regularly taking just one day of rest at a time goes a long way. 4. Trade (i.e., network): You can’t do this journey on your own, and the more people you talk to, the likelier you are to run into someone who has exactly what you need, like a wagon axel or a set of winter clothes, at a critical time. 5. Hunt (i.e., sell): You have to be able to hunt. Hunting is the most critical skill in this game, and you can make it through with a combo of effort and practice— the poorest farmer can afford more than enough ammo, but you’ve got to put in the time. And you have to focus on hunting the right things. It might be easy and exciting to snag a 1042 lb bison, but remember you can only carry 100lbs at a time to your wagon. You can spend lots of ammo and time to get a fast squirrel or rabbit, but those are only 2 lbs of food. Focus on what is the greatest return on your effort—like the mid-size deer. The greatest lessons are about what happens to you along the way. 6. Fording rivers: sometimes you have to make decisions on how to navigate an inherently difficult situation based on incomplete information. You can wait to see if conditions improve, seek advice, and even hire expert guides. But at some point you just gotta go. Even if you do all the right things, you might suffer setbacks and losses. But as long as your decisions are reasonable, you’ll make it through, even if it costs you some oxen, some supplies, and some regret. (A few more lessons in the first comment, including one involving dysentery)

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Here are a few posts on this week's menu: - A question I ask engineers to test for attitude. https://lnkd.in/gXm4vYGc - Your career is dying because of your Disney-fied brain. https://lnkd.in/gvyAMWY2 - A quiet developer is a ticking time bomb. https://lnkd.in/grNNqYCg - Top 3 career errors I see smart engineers making. https://lnkd.in/gMddHXxf Which one are you looking forward to? Follow me, Taha Hussain, and hit the notification bell so you don't miss any of these.

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This is a perspective I've been thinking about for a while, and I appreciate how colorfully pg puts it here. However, he does not explicitly define Founder Mode, except for contrasting it with being "a faker." I don't disagree, but I think I have a more subtle take. With the "don't just hire good people and let them figure it out" sentiment - I think that advice hits failure modes because people take it too literally and end up abdicating their authority instead of scaling it. I also think some founders should fully step away from their company as their involvement can hinder the company's success instead of nurture it. In both cases, you're not making decisions grounded in reality. I do know that managers and leaders who aren't zoomed in and present in the day-to-day work with their teams tend to make really crappy decisions. And because they have large areas of ownership, they can really steer the company into the rocks because they are - unwittingly or otherwise - willfully flying blind. So if being in Founder Mode means that you're in the work with skin in the game and not just phoning in your remit, you've got your hands in the dirt enough to understand what's growing and what's dying, you're constantly responding and adapting to the dynamics of your context, you're making timely decisions that keep your teams productive and grounded, and you're hiring good people and empowering them to do their best work, then I don't see much of a difference between being in Founder Mode versus being someone who is owning their work. That's just doing your damn job, and doing it well.

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Ironically it’s the companies which are struggling or really need to streamline that will lean even more aggressively into things like having more geographically diverse (remote) employees. What inevitably follows that is a smaller physical office footprint. There’s just no denying that these things reduce operating costs https://lnkd.in/gbJ6yT3T

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Me and Lens Protocol almost didn’t happen. This is what happened. I’m old and have been on social media for many years, I joined X(Twitter) in 2009. For the last three years I have been seriously diving deep down some wild and crazy rabbit holes. This one I begged to get in. During their introduction at Permissionless 2022, the audience was asked to scan a QR code from the screen on stage. Remember,I’m old, and I freaked! I thought how unsafe!!! Thoughts of draining my info or worse my crypto wallet!!! I watched in shock as everyone held their phones up and gleefully signed up, getting their profiles,the first few public profiles given. Yeah!!! A few days later I learned what it was. LENS PROTOCOL!!! I started researching on X(Twitter) to find out all about it and who and what and where!!! That was May 2022. When I got the nerve to DM the founder of Lens Protocol, yup, I DMed him on X(Twitter) I TOLD HIM EVERYTHING!!! I was old and afraid and didn’t comprehend what was happening. And on December 23,2022, for Christmas I say, I received my Lens handle “Sababa” and I haven’t looked back. Oh, I’ve tried different social media Dapps. I have! I am on quite a few. However, growing a garden with talented, creative, intelligent and diverse group of people is one of the most magical experiences I’ve had on social media. It reminds me of the first days of Vine. Good feels. Fabulous vibes and genuine people. And if you like butter? You would enjoy the Butter club on Orb. There’s a writers app with fabulous contests. So many cool social media Dapps to choose from. Lens is growing. Phaver, built on Lens, is a dApp with many communities and features. Explore the ecosystem of Lens. You may start tending to your patch of the garden 🪴 https://hey.xyz/ http://orb.club/@sababa Don’t get left behind 😉

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