Author, Investor, Speaker, Mentor
A common rhetorical technique I see being used all the time is to make arguments based on isolated statements. The formula is: “Because Person X said Y, she is or isn’t Z.” The issue with this approach is that ignores the fact that context reveals unspoken principles. If you meet a person who extols the … Continue reading Context Reveals Unspoken Principles
During the rise of WeWork, I’ve had many friends dismiss the company as an unprofitable house of cards. I’ve defended the company, arguing that WeWork has a simple but brilliant model that gives it a huge advantage over conventional office space, which I summarize as follows: Convince people to accept 50% as much square footage … Continue reading The Simple Problem With WeWork
The country (including me) is thinking and talking a lot about race recently. Reading this article in The Atlantic, about the work of Professor Ashley Jardina of Duke, gave me new nuance to my perspective. In her book, White Identity Politics, Jardina draws a distinction between those who self-identify as white but hold no animus … Continue reading White Identity Isn’t The Same As White Nationalism
One of the reasons it’s useful to engage with people who don’t agree with you is that it forces you to think much more rigorously.It’s easy to get away with sloppy thinking and careless arguments when you’re preaching to the choir. As long as what you say supports their beliefs, they won’t point out the … Continue reading To sharpen your thinking, engage with those who disagree
Back in 2017, I worked with the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) to run week-long program for entrepreneurs to visit Doha, look for great technologies to commercialize, and walk away with as much as $500K in seed funding from the Qatar Technology Venture Fund to launch a new startup. Things went so well, we’re doing it … Continue reading Come with me to Doha this October (all expenses paid)
It’s been another week, so it’s time for another update! I had another post-surgical appointment yesterday, and the news continues to be good. My doctor reports that the tendon seems to be very solid, and the healing continues. The only minor complication is a slight amount of wound dehiscence; essentially, the dissolving stitches are dissolving … Continue reading Achilles rupture recovery update: 3nd post-surgical appointment (4 weeks after surgery)
It’s been three weeks since my surgery on the 2nd. I don’t have a doctor’s appointment this week, but there’s still plenty of news! First, I can feel that the healing process has continued. The day after getting my stitches removed, I definitely felt increased pain and swelling, but in the week since, both have … Continue reading Achilles rupture recovery update: Week 3
I had my second post-surgical appointment this afternoon, and everything is looking good. My doctor removed the stitches from my leg, and put me back in my familiar walking boot. So far, there have been no complications from the surgery, and everything seems to be on track. He examined the tendon and announced that he … Continue reading Achilles rupture recovery update: 2nd post-surgical appointment (2 weeks after surgery)
Diversity and inclusion are important and beneficial, but should be pursued in an inclusive way. I get a queasy feeling when I read quotes like this, on why the interviewee prefers Elizabeth Warren to Bernie Sanders as the Democratic nominee: “If I have a chance of voting for an old white man or a less … Continue reading The Inclusive Pursuit of Diversity and Inclusion
I had my first post-surgical appointment this morning, and I received good news and bad news. The good news is that my leg seems to be healing well, with no sign of infection or other post-surgical complication. Since this is the main downside of surgery versus non-surgical treatment, it looks like the decision to have … Continue reading Achilles rupture recovery update: 1st post-surgical appointment