Downtime
To say a massive thank you for your readership and support this year... We've held events at some of the best venues in London this year: The Goring, The Ned, Mr Porter, but for Christmas we're putting on an old-school party in an even older pub. Our venue this year is the kind of pub your
Leadership
Hello Children Today, the squirrels are in the boardroom doing their: Libel Badge. "Everyone," winks Baldrick. "I've got a cunning plan. We'll splice different parts of the US president's speech to make it look like he meant something else." Daddy Pig is taking notes. "Isn't he one of the
Growth
My Executive Summary for this week: stop relying on someone else's platform, someone else's recruiters or someone else's sales process. Build what you own - the audience, the expertise and the narrative. The builders today are the ones who control their own distribution. Use social media
Geopolitics
A friend of mine runs a boutique consultancy. Recently he told me he's moving to Dubai from the UK. Not for the zero income tax, he said, but he's fed up of taking scrappy projects and being ghosted while his industry suffers and government looks on. In 2000, Professor Ian Angell published
Downtime
In my opinion, this is fishing. Spey casting for salmon on the River Tweed. You can barely see me in this photo because I have succeeded in my mission of getting away from people. But now I have two young sons who want to come fishing with me, today's fishing trips are less about listening
Wellbeing
There’s a lot going on at the moment. I was supposed to write the AI update this morning, but my dog is on her last legs. At three years old, she has recently declined due to seizures, which may be a brain tumour. In fact, I’m now certain it is. She's pacing around the kitchen this morning
Leadership
Last night I went see Barack Obama at the O2. My takeaways: Obama admitted politics has failed people and there were many mistakes. The West and the left became too comfortable in an echo chamber, taking its eye off the ball in many areas He frequently referred to values-based leadership
Growth
Europe is falling behind. The US thrives on bold ambition. China scales with relentless momentum. But Europe's many committees and caution culture sap its capacity to adapt, innovate and lead. Without reframing its mindset to one that embraces experimentation, rapid learning and unified
Geopolitics
“Please miss, can we leave school early today? It’s election day.” “I beg your pardon, Jimmy? Oh, yes voting, of course. Off you go, but don’t forget your plimsolls and make sure your mother is at the gate to collect you.” Pokemon cards and ballot slips don’t mix. Giving the vote to
Downtime
What's your favourite Whatsapp group? Over Covid and lockdown, many people found comfort in Whatsapp groups. It was a way to deal with isolation or the ridiculous situation we found ourselves in. Or perhaps it was to find comfort in what were extremely frightening times. I've managed to
Downtime
Morning Folks, I hope you're in a good place this morning. I have a favour to ask. Two in fact - so I won't beat about the bush. Firstly, I'm growing the newsletter readership and I need your help. Would you mind recommending the Executive Summary to a few people? Two minutes. I'd really
Wellbeing
What makes the perfect partner? Research suggests it’s someone who listens. Active listening is one of the most important traits in a healthy, lasting relationship. It builds empathy, trust and emotional safety, the foundations of human connection. Tools like ChatGPT and Replika are
