March-July Information Round-up

This is the first of what I hope to be a monthly series where I round-up all of the top information I’ve consumed over the past month.  Information is comes in all forms, mediums and sizes and like any good millennial, I’m a big fan of videos, podcasts and articles so that’s what I plan on sharing.

Now this month’s round-up dates all the way back to March because that’s when I first got the idea for this site, but I had nowhere to publish it all.  So excuse the stuff from March but most of it is evergreen anyways.

March

In March, I read the following:

Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman) – Well I guess I should say I tried to read this book, since although it was truly fascinating, it isn’t exactly poolside reading.  I made it through the first 25% but even though I found it interesting, I just got too busy with life and other stuff to really bang this one out.  I often go through reading phases where I’ll read a bunch of books over a 2-3 month period and then take a break.  I’ll probably pick this one up again during one of those next phases.

The Smartest Bro In The Room (Ellen Cushing – SF Magazine) – Travis Kalanick is a pretty polarizing figure but there’s no doubt that he is insanely smart.  Most of the media profiles I’ve read on him are more headline-grabbing than anything (I’m looking at you Business Insider) but this one provides a really in-depth look into someone who could turn out to be the most successful CEO of our generation.

I also listened to:

Maddest Men of All (Freakonomics) – Behavioral economics is a fascinating field to me and it has applications in so many aspects of life.  This is a great warm-up for anyone interested in learning jedi mind tricks 🙂

PDX Carpet (99% Invisible) – I’ve actually never visited Portland but this was a really cool story of their infamous airport carpet.  I’d never heard about it until listening but it’s a cool story about a unique aspect of Portland.  I think this episode stood out to me because whenever I travel, I’m always looking for things off the beaten path or locals only type stuff.  Most of the big tourist sites are cool but there’s so much more to exploring a city if you go outside your comfort zone and look for stuff to do outside of the box.

April

Apparently I didn’t find anything too interesting during April.

May

I read the following:

The Big List of 189 Words That Convert – Copywriting isn’t exactly a skill I’m great at or one that I enjoy but it’s pretty damn important.  A lot of people think good blogging/writing is about just that, but I’d say it’s even more important to know how to market yourself, self-promote the shit out of yourself and really get your stuff out there through the right channels.  This is something I’ve learned a ton about over the years and it translates into every single industry because no matter what you do or what you’re building, you need great marketing.

June

I read the following:

When the robots take our jobs (VOX) – This article touches on a few different things but I am a big fan of MMM more for what he did in the blogging world than the actual lifestyle he lives.  One of the things I’ve learned from starting RSG is that finding and dominating a niche is one of the best ways to put yourself in a position to succeed.  It’s important to be good and to be lucky but first-mover advantage is powerful and when you can back that up with a good product, it’s almost unstoppable.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck (Mark Manson) – This is a great read, I won’t spoil it with my thoughts 🙂

I watched the following:

Silicon Valley (HBO) – I discovered Silicon Valley this month and if you’re even remotely involved in tech or IT, you’ll probably find it hilarious.  Season 2 wasn’t quite as good as season 1 but the season finale of season 1 probably ranks on my top 10 list of times that I’ve laughed the hardest.  I literally could not stop laughing.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi – I wasn’t expecting much from this movie but boy was I surprised and hungry by the end.  I have always found the Japanese way of living very intriguing – they truly have a dedication to their work that is not found anywhere else.  Personally, I think it’s ridiculous but there are certain elements that I try to use in my own life.

July

I read the following:

What Mr. Money Moustache Gets Right and Wrong (White Coat Investor) – I touched on MMM earlier but this guy’s story really is pretty fascinating.  He has built a blogging empire in a niche that was already pretty saturated by focusing on the ultra-saver population.  His message is pretty inspiring but personally, I am on WCI’s side.  I love to ride bikes and go on hikes but there’s also some pretty fun stuff you can do if you’re willing to spend a few bucks.  And I’ve probably spoiled myself beyond repair when it comes to travel since I pay for everything with miles and points.

Wealthfront: Silicon Valley Tech at Wall Street Prices (Medium – Blake Ross) – I’m a big fan of do it yourself investing and now that I’m not involved in the PF space as I once was, my ‘stock’ investment strategy is pretty simple.  Put as much as the government will physically allow into a Vanguard target date retirement fund.

The New American Slavery (BuzzFeed) – There’s so much wrong with the world and the US, it’s tough to know which cause to support.  This is a long read, and admittedly I didn’t make it to the end, but it is very interesting.  I also wanted to share it because I think it highlights the transition BuzzFeed has made into one of the most legit online media sources today.  They are doing some really cool things with online video, breaking news and I’m not sure if they post those idiotic list-icles anymore but they are apparently now pretty legit.  Their rideshare reporter is one of the best in the business and has broken some of the biggest stories and written some of the best articles on the topic.

I listened to the following:

NUMMI (This American Life) – I think the idea of a union sounds great but it often ends up putting management and workers on different sides of the table.  And as someone who’s worked under the Toyota manufacturing system, I actually apply a lot of the concepts of standard work and LEAN practices to my current business.

Until next month!

-Harry