It took me 11 years after becoming a Warren Buffett enthusiast to finally attend my first Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. Here are my notes and my guide for first-time attenders. Key Learnings from 2019 Meeting Write down your thesisBefore you buy a stock, write down: “I’m buying this company for [insert market…
Category: Wealth
Why I created a Facebook page
Inspired by Rolf Dobelli’s book, I stopped using Facebook six months ago. Mainly because I was addicted, and also because the constant social comparisons and the instant gratification treadmill became toxic for me. (I’m still using Messenger/WhatsApp for one-one-one contact.) The downside of leaving Facebook was that I lost a distribution channel for my content,…
15 Years of (Failed) Side Projects
When writing about the hyper-niche strategy, I thought back to all my own side projects. In this post, I offer a brief post-mortem for each one, so you can learn from my mistakes and don’t repeat them. (There were even more projects, but these were the main ones.) Webmaster forum (2003-2015)While this started as a…
Why You Should Go Hyper-Niche
Since the agricultural, and more recently the industrial revolution, specialization has been one of the key drivers of human economic progress. It allows for a unique win-win situation: You focus on what you do best. I do what I do best. Then we trade. In total, we produce better and more things, which keeps increasing…
Audio Is Titanically Important
I am a huge believer in audio. These days, more than ever. I started listening to audiobooks 11 years ago, inspired by a friend (thank you, Rouven!). I had a portable MP3 player. First, I had to buy or lend a CD, then convert the CD into MP3, and then load them onto the device….
The Cost per Use Principle
Do you want to spend less money than you earn, so you can save more, invest more, and ultimately achieve financial freedom? Then I suggest you pay attention to the Cost per Use Principle: For each material possession (especially the most expensive ones), calculate and minimize your cost per use. Crave a swimming pool? Then…
31 Takeaways from START Summit 2019
My main motivation for going to START Summit 2019 was to meet old friends and acquaintances from the St. Gallen area, but also to learn from the talks. I was positively surprised. It ended up to be one of the best and most innovative tech/startup conferences I have ever attended. Check out the opening video…
Charlie Munger’s Three Basic Rules for Business
Don‘t sell anything you wouldn‘t buy yourself. Don‘t work for anyone you don‘t respect and admire. Work only with people you enjoy. If we could all apply these a little more often, the world would be a better place. (Learned from Poor Charlie’s Almanack.)
Twitter is a public utility
I have been using Twitter for 12 years and I love it more than ever. For me, Twitter is not a social network. It’s an interest community. An idea network. More like a protocol. A global conversation protocol. Twitter the business I have trouble viewing Twitter as a regular tech company. Of course, I want…
Podcast Ads 101: How to Succeed with Podcast Sponsorship
My own experience shows that sponsoring podcasts can be very effective in driving awareness and sales. I have bought many things triggered by podcast ads, including supplements, clothing and even a new mattress. Here are the success factors that made those sales happen: A trusted hostPodcasts are very personal, and loyal listeners spend countless hours…