Hello 👋
At the end of 2020, I was chatting with Hans Meyer—founder of Zoku, where I’m currently writer-in-residence. I asked him why he’d never appeared on Monocle Radio, given that I’d spied him reading the magazine on more than one occasion.
“I’d love to do that,” he said. “How does it work?”
I’m an intolerable busy-body, so I sent a message to Monocle’s show The Entrepreneurs, and told the producer about Hans. Turns out it was the perfect match. His episode aired yesterday and is now available as a podcast.
The lesson here? Next time you notice a connection worth making, don’t hesitate. It feels damn good to play a role in bringing awesome people together.
-Lauren
🏙️🎨 American Cities Are Putting Artists Back to Work (Axios)
Smart, forward-thinking mayors and governors are making sure that artists are at the heart of pandemic recovery plans in US cities. They’re funding pop-up installations and live performances, and might even encourage artists to populate former downtown commercial districts at reduced rents.
💼🏝️ A Future-Proof Work From Anywhere Policy (Spotify Blog)
Legacy tech companies are looking to cut their wage bills by reducing salaries when their staff move away from big cities. Spotify, however, has chosen a more enlightened approach. The company’s WFA policy takes a talent-centric stance and will continue to pay according to role, not location.
📚✍️ How I Wrote My Latest Book: An Outrageously Detailed Guide (Shane Snow)
Shane Snow—founder of the tech and media startup Contently—takes readers behind the scenes of his latest book. Dream Teams: Working Together Without Falling Apart took him three years to write, and this in-depth post covers everything from concept and research to fact-checking and cover design.
🎧💡 The Decentralization of Everything (The Realignment)
Formerly CTO at Coinbase and partner at Andreessen Horowitz, Balaji Srinivasan is one of the most exciting global thinkers alive today. This podcast episode is chunky at ~90 mins, but if you want to understand more about the major shifts going on in the world, look no further.
🏆🎧 Audio’s Opportunity and Who Will Capture It (Matthew Ball)
People can’t stop talking about Clubhouse right now, but the story of audio reaches beyond one platform alone. This essay explores the technology and business models powering the audio media category, with sharp analysis and surprising insights from VC and writer Matthew Ball.
🎬❄️ Living With the Dark Winters in Sweden: Midnight Sun & Polar Night (Jonna Jinton)
My latest guilty pleasure on YouTube is "visiting" exotic, rural destinations at the end of the world. Jonna Jinton is part of a fast-growing demographic of makers who showcase their daily experiences in stunning, nature-led videos. Her channel focuses on life in the far north of Sweden.
☕ If you enjoy what I do, consider buying me a virtual coffee from time-to-time. I know it seems small, but it really helps.
📚 Support the creation of my first book, Global Natives: The New Frontiers of Work, Travel & Innovation, by pre-ordering the digital edition today.
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