Hey there đ
Weâre back at it. If itâs your first time hearing from me, you can expect a weekly digest of the best links I stumble upon within data, growth, startups, and life in general. I hope you really enjoy it.
âď¸ Notes on How to Live
Conor Dewey | Life | 2021-06-20
This was a really cool idea from Derek Sivers. He lays out 27 different (and wildly contradictory) ways to live your life. As I was making my way through it, I wondered if the chapters that resonate with you most could act as a personality test of sorts. Anyways, there are a lot of quotes here, but you might like some of them. I sure did.
đ A History of Netflix Personalization
Gibson Biddle | Product | 2021-05-17
As former VP of Product at Netflix, Gibson Biddle is well-positioned to provide a fun overview of the progression of Netflixâs approach to personalization and recommendation systems in general.
đ Harder Than It Looks, Not As Fun as It Seems
Morgan Housel | Mental Models | 2021-06-17
I enjoyed this framing of âthe grass is always greenerâ from Morgan Housel. And isnât it the truth? Almost everything looks nice from the outside, but we often underestimate the messiness that goes on behind closed doors.
đ Towards a Unified Theory of Peloton
Anne Helen Petersen | Culture | 2021-06-20
Peloton instructors leverage the company audience to grow their personal brand. They engage with and grow their individual following on various social platforms. This acts as a Peloton marketing vehicle. And the flywheel continues. Really fascinating stuff.
đ How to Ask Useful Questions
Josh Kaufman | Career | NA
Whether you're asking for information, clarification, or just straight-up help, thereâs a bunch of great advice in here. Iâve bookmarked this to reference the next time I have an ask for someone.
đ Introduction to ML Interviews
Chip Huyen | Machine Learning | NA
If you are in the machine learning space or thinking of seeking a new role, check out this comprehensive guide from Chip Huyen. Even if you are an established ML person, Iâve always find interview prep useful for maintaining a birds-eye view of the work.
Food for Thought
When Instagram was duking it out with its many competitors back in the day, my former student Mikey and his cofounder won the race because they created the simplest and best way to help people feel successful. If you try a product and it makes you feel clumsy or stupid or unsuccessful, you will very likely abandon it. But when something makes you feel successful, you want more. You engage. You make it part of your life. â BJ Fogg
Until next time
As always, if you're enjoying Oversimplified, I'd love it if you shared it with a friend or two. If anything stood out, whether good or bad, I would love to hear about it. Reply to this email or tweet at me and letâs chat.
Until next time,
Conor