Learn & Grow
Learn & Grow
The frameworks, tools, and practices shaping how I think about brand strategy, AI-forward operations, and human-first leadership right now.
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Start with Why ↗ — Simon Sinek’s case for leading with purpose before tactics, still the lens I return to when setting brand direction.
Obviously Awesome ↗ — April Dunford’s field guide to product and brand positioning, the sharpest, most practical framework I’ve found for naming what actually makes something different.
Play Bigger ↗ — the case for category design over competing inside someone else’s category. Useful reading anytime a brand is trying to lead a market, not just sell into one.
AI & GenTech Workflows
Co-Intelligence ↗ — Ethan Mollick’s clear-eyed, non-hype look at how AI actually changes daily work. Closest thing to required reading for building an AI-forward team.
a16z’s AI Canon ↗ — a curated, regularly-updated reading list on generative AI. A good way to stay current without drowning in noise.
Model Context Protocol ↗ — Anthropic’s open standard for connecting AI systems to real tools and data, the kind of orchestration layer I’ve been building Coupa Concierge on.
Human-First Leadership & Empathy
Creativity, Inc. — Ed Catmull on overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration. A foundational read on protecting a team’s creative culture from the inside.
IDEO U ↗ — an online school built around creative problem-solving and leadership mindsets. Still one of the better resources for staying resilient as the pace of change increases.
Radical Candor ↗ — Kim Scott’s “care personally, challenge directly” framework. Close to how I think about leading people: trust and honesty aren’t in tension, they’re the same skill.
Dare to Lead ↗ — Brené Brown on vulnerability and courage as leadership skills, not liabilities. A useful check against the instinct to lead from armor instead of trust.
Craft, Design & Production
Material 3 ↗ — Google’s design system, still one of the best public references for how to build and govern a system at scale.
What is a Lottie? ↗ — a JSON-based animation format that’s small, works on any device, and scales without pixelation. Still an underused production shortcut.
Trapcode Suite ↗ — particle simulations and 3D motion tools from Maxon. Good shorthand for what’s possible when a team pushes past the basics.