Apple’s App Store changes are genuinely a good deal for small publishers, and make me feel more favorable about the entire business. Then, Airbnb’s costs, particularly marketing, are too hard to understand.
Playing on Hard Mode
Airbnb and DoorDash both created new markets where ones did not previously exist; they are startups played on “hard” mode.
Snowflake’s S-1, Snowflake vs. the Public Cloud, Snowflake’s Sales & Marketing
A look back at Snowflake’s S-1, and why it is no surprise the company had a successful IPO.
The Final Word on the App Store (for Now), Palantir’s S-1, Alex Karp’s Letter
The final word on the App Store, while Palantir’s S-1 both establishes the company as a defense firm, and argues that the biggest tech companies are on the wrong side of history.
Casper Files for IPO, Casper’s Business, Spotify Ad Targeting
Casper is a tech-enabled company, but so are its many competitors. Trying to win with brand is difficult in a market defined by infrequent purchases. Spotify, meanwhile, is seeking to expand the podcasting market beyond companies like Casper.
Neither and New Follow-Up, Adam Neumann Forced Out, Peloton IPOs
Why Neither/New companies are different than traditional marketplaces, how Vision Fund’s flaws led to Adam Neumann being forced out, and why Peloton has a big opportunity it might not see.
WeWork Delays IPO, Datadog Prices IPO, SoftBank and Going Big
WeWork abandons its IPO, for now, and is likely at the mercy of Softbank. Then, why Datadog is set to have a great IPO, in direct counter to WeWork and a direct rebuke to Softbank’s approach.
Privacy Fundamentalism Follow-up, Peloton’s S-1, Peloton and Disruption
Answering two criticisms of Privacy Fundamentalism, and then looking at Peloton’s S-1 and answering the question as to whether or not they are a tech company through the lens of disruption.
Why WeWork Isn’t AWS and the CEO Problem, Cloudflare’s S-1, Contrasting S-1s
The comparison of WeWork to AWS shouldn’t be taken too far, because software is different. Look no further than Cloudflare’s IPO. Plus, leadership matters.
The WeWork IPO
The WeWork IPO is defined by audaciousness and excess, all of which is driven by unlimited access to capital.