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An addendum to Christmas tree arbitrage

Last holiday season I followed the pine needle trail to find different Christmas tree pricing from block to block. The good news: there are still arbitrage opportunities! The bad news: average prices are up by 50%. Supplies are short, so don’t throw too much shade at the tree farmer hustle, they want to buy Christmas gifts too. I’ve seen some excellent minimalist millennial tree substitutes as well, exemplar below.

Book tree - and there were books to spare! A true thespian's West Village nook. Book tree – and there were books to spare! A true thespian’s West Village nook.

So cozy up with your book tree, pine tree, or just the Captain Morgan’s spiced rum, and remember that it doesn’t have to be pricey to be festive.

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Positive Cyc-ology: Peloton and the cultural sweep towards Positive Psych

Peloton seems to be rolling into every media stream from the Tim Ferriss podcast to TV ads to Classpass – so of course I had to give it a whirl. And what I found was not just the club vibe of Soul Cycle but the positive psychology messaging that has permeated our media even more than their marketing.  “Leave everything else outside and bring your best” was my instructor’s charge early in our session.

It reminded me of my first Daybreaker, where the MC told us “love yourself… and let your hips go. Love yourself…and let your hips go.”

Daybreaker NYC - bringing the good vibes to your day Daybreaker NYC – bringing the good vibes to your day

In these days of social comparison via Instagram and Facebook, there’s a parallel movement in academia, non-profits, and now businesses to remind people that self actualization cannot be sourced from external affirmation. I kinda dig it – marketing that is catchy and urging on a better you rather than a needier you. I can’t say I’m going to give up my precious NYC apartment real estate for a Peloton bike (think about the opportunity cost per square foot!) But live classes, that I am up for. Preach on Peloton!

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It’s hot cocoa time!

Nature has flipped the switch from 70F to 40F – which means it is high time for hot drinks! I do regret that mulled wine isn’t an American winter staple, although Hot Toddies are a decent substitute. But if it’s too early in the week or day for that, there’s nothing more pleasing that a hot cup of cocoa. And if you’re an east coaster who has discovered Ghiradelli Hot Cocoa, there really is no substitute. But the grand question of several years ago is, what happened to their distribution? Why did Stop & Shop stop carrying it? Did it not sell as well as Nesquik? Were the comparative margins of chocolate bars so much better that grocers changed their SKU strategy? I do grant that a package of hot cocoa takes up a lot more shelf space. Thankfully as with all even moderately niche products, e-commerce has filled the gap. And the everything store (a.k.a. Amazon) sells it in bulk. Thanks, Amazon, for filling my cup!



Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa, Premium Indulgence, 1.5-Ounce Envelopes, 15-Count

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Five favorite robots of 2017

We all know that the robots are coming – in fact, they’re here! From self-driving cars to Alexa, they both take our jobs and improve our lives. Right now we’re in the honeymoon phase where the former situation has not upended New York, so I will share my favorite robots for their success in the latter – incremental conveniences to our busy modern lives. I use the term robot loosely to include technologies that reduce labor.

Most stress-relieving robot: Dyson 360 Eye Robot Vacuum

Dyson has far outdone the Roomba with its 360 Eye Robot Vacuum, with its efficient floor coverage and app controlled system. I come home to a spick and span house every day, even when I was dog sitting a cute but sheddy dog. And you get to name it in the app 🙂


DYSON 360 EYE RB01NB Vacuum Cleaner – International Version (Japan)

Most predicted robot: Amazon drone delivery

In their continue quest to own all things logistics, Amazon has already got the downstream operations nailed with their patented drone friendly shipping labels. While drone delivery may sound over the top, it is undeniably uneconomical and slow to ship to a number of rural parts of the U.S. – so this will be a step towards better connecting all parts of the world to modern convenience.

Most user-centric designed ‘robot’: Google/Levi’s ‘smart’ jean jacket

Google and Levi’s have developed a new commuter jacket that integrates with your phone. While you might initially question the utility of talking to your jacket, if you’ve ever been a Citibike commuter trapped listening to a boring podcast, the swipe functionality on this could be a real boost to your West Side Highway bike path experience. Kudos to Google and Levis for rising above the fray (see what I did there 😉

Most societally enhancing ‘robot’: driver’s ed VR

Imagine if teens could log 50 or 100 hours of challenging driving experiences before ever hitting the road. Aceable’s got our budding teen drivers covered with their VR drivers education platform. I’m not sure if that will help their insurance premiums, but it will definitely help the rest of the drivers on the road!

Cutest robot: TeleRetail driverless delivery

If my driverless delivery vehicles look like the unimposing TeleRetail, then please do send! Only in Switzerland now, and perhaps no match for SUV owning Americans sharing the road, but we can hope.

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One Shoe to Rule them All

We’ve all had to face up to the moment when our favorite pair of shoes is no longer wearable and, worse yet, is out of production. What if we had a way to extend shoe life? Well Mime et moi has cracked that nut with their interchangeable heels!

Options are endless, from funky to functional for the same flexible sole. Options are endless, from funky to functional for the same flexible sole.

This solves sooo many challenges: the day to night, client to off site, and general space constraints of a small urban apartment. Magnifico!

The German fanbase clearly feels the same way - look how happy this lady is! The German fanbase clearly feels the same way – look how happy this lady is!

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The Short and Sweet Summary of “Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives “

Index Card Book Summaries: because most practical books can be summarized on an index card

Tim Harford posed a provocative question as to whether orderliness always benefits us. He unearths the human psychology that causes us to seek order while also showing the pitfalls and missed opportunities from being too orderly and the benefits of strategic mess! While Tim does this in 300 pages, I’m happy to share the 3 bullet summary:

1. Messy processes can bread creative and higher quality solutions

2. Trying to force structure on naturally messy processes can result in negative unintended consequences

3. As people have become very automated in their own social interactions, they should look to self-disrupt to re-engage with one another

Point 1 is an obvious one for artists and the avant garde. But in relation to point 3, if we find ourselves in the well worn grooves of work and personal life patterns, how do we tap into the rest of our brains to enliven and draw on the other ideas and connections we can make? More on that in a minute.

Point 2 is particularly dangerous with the automation of legal decisions. I’ve heard of several friends being mistakenly placed on terrorist watch lists, interrupting medical degrees and personal lives. This isn’t to say that machine learning can’t be leveraged to accelerate pattern recognition, but we just need to be careful about the new robo cops on the block receiving too much autonomy.

Back to unpacking Point 3, the subtle call to self-disrupt.  What this will mean in the macro and micro, personal and professional level is really up to you. The humble high achievers out there might be shivering at this business-bantery term and feel the impulse to artfully side step the charge, lest they become too much of a walking resume. But what this really is about is engaging your full self. It’s about snapping out of “shoulds” and survival mode, and tuning into the bigger you. Like the X-Men Apocalypse entourage, but for good. 

If you’re curious for a longer read, here’s the book link!
Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives

By Tim Harford

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You’ve been Cronutted

Being (admittedly) one step behind the foodie trend, I was mightily pleased when I came across an Upper West Side food fair with a bold banner announcing “CRONUTS”, the flakey croissant-like donuts that somehow seem to come up in every weekend conversation with my hard-core foodie friends.

I picked out a juicy Nutella and creamy coconut pair and glanced at the name “Jolie’s” in small print in the corner of the banner, not thinking much of it…only to learn upon presenting my +1 with his trophy donut that I’d been duped by a copy cat! Well, I was still really excited to eat the donut, so I actually didn’t feel that bad. But I was certain that such a catchy name had to be trade marked, lest other chefs take advantage of the hard won innovation. While Wikipedia says “yes”, the NYC bakery market says, “You think a patent and trade-mark can stop us?” While no big players have been so brazen as to steal the exact name, nothing else is sacred. Yes, D&D is in on the action.

So how does that make all the entrepreneurs feel about where their blood, sweat and tears are going? Eh, it’s par for the course really. Did you hear about the lady that invented these now ubiquitous spinners? That’s right, no, because Chinese-built knock-offs flooded the market once her patent expired. In the land where IP is thought to be sacred, you may not always be much better off. But on the upside, for us consumers, more donuts of 80% the quality!

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Meeting you at your level: NYC Sandwich Board Marketing

My eyes tilted downward at my phone as I traverse the streets of Manhattan, sandwich boards turn out to be perfect marketing height! Like a good PowerPoint presentation, the best boards are not text heavy, and speak without words.

Any given hole in the wall can punch above its weight with an emotive graphic promising a delicious sensory experience.

Let’s be real, even the trendy little spots might barely be making rent, so no need to splash out on a fancy awning that only gets weather-worn. Keep it fresh, keep it innovative, and keep it at iPhone level 🙂

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Doing SJP proud

Bartender: “Hey, how’s your evening going?”

Me: “Great!”

Me: “Wow that’s a lot of beers you have on tap! Must be 15”

Bartender: “20 actually”

Me: “Anything local?”

Bartender: “Actually yes, we have Brooklyn Brewery, Coney Island Lager, The Other Half”

Me: “That’s great! You know a lot of local beers can’t get into bars like this”

Bartender: “Huh?”

Me: “There’s a monopsony among distribution companies; it creates so many logistical challenges.”

Him: “…”

Me: “Microbreweries seem like a tough business! They get squeezed on both sides, with limited number of supplier as well! You need a lot of conviction to start one.”

Bartender: “…”

Me: “Yeah, and –“

Bartender: “Yep, the Other Half is a great IPA.” He wandered to the other end of the bar.

Sarah Jessica Parker would be proud.

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The Short and Sweet Summary of “Growth Mindset”

Index Card Book Summaries: because most practical books can be summarized on an index card

Carol Dweck has taken the business world by storm by popularizing her success psychology book Mindset. I listened to the whole thing on Audible because I’m slightly OCD about completing books. I’ll share with you a little secret: the book is well summarized in a few lines, which follow.

There are only two types of mindsets

1. A growth mindset posits that you can grow and develop

2. A fixed mindset holds that how you are now is all you can achieve (i.e. is fixed)

The results and drivers of each mindset are listed in the table below.

Mindset Fixed Growth
World View You’re a finished product You’re a work in progress
Impact on Outcomes Regressive Progressive
Drivers Short term view, Stereotype threat Long term view, Constructive thinking about setbacks
Approach Haphazard, Uncontrolled, Reliance on raw talent Strategic, Tactical, Focused on taking charge of the process
Results Leads to short cuts, Inability to cope, Need to establish superiority Tunes out the negative, Cultivates character, Care about personal best

The book makes the compelling argument that people with a growth mindset are more successful in everything that they do. But how does the mindset of the managers and other authorities you work with factor into your ability to action a growth mindset? That will be saved for another post 🙂
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

By Carol S. Dweck