wisdom for a new era

This newsletter is sponsored by the now back-in-stock Pierce & Ward Collection for West Elm. Moody and rich.

We're watching entire industries reshape themselves. Major upheaval in the job market. Just looking around and talking to folks, it seems that job security is uncertain at best.

Take marketing & tech - how much has changed in just the last two years?

There's undoubtedly some confirmation bias in my mix, but I think we are very much headed towards a world of self-employed individuals, gig workers, and small, nimble companies of 1 to 20 people.

How much longer will we bet on college to make you employable upon graduation? For STEM, sure, but for anything else, I'm not sure I'd take that bet.

This is not meant to scare you. Personally, I feel this is a time of absolutely unprecedented opportunity.

Individual creators are building formidable brands and garnering more views than huge media organizations.

The way social algorithms have changed makes followers matter less than ever before. The message and voice are what hold power in the algorithm today.

You can really find your voice online, connect with people who share your interests, and build what they need.

I've watched real businesses built online - everything from organic makeup and stained glass lamps to tutorials on becoming a prolific pattern designer, highly curated furniture stores, and the restoration of giant historic buildings in the heart of Kansas City. All starting from tweets or short-form video.

Naval Ravikant, whom I've written about before, is my favorite career philosopher for our time.

My favorite quote of his is:

"The internet has massively broadened the possible space of careers. Most people haven't figured this out yet."

When I write this newsletter every week, I am both living this out and trying to convey this message, because I believe it's so essential for creatives today.

You are capable of more than you think, and the infrastructure & technology now exist to support you.

​Naval has been releasing some new material lately. Some recent quotes that stuck out to me:

"When you truly work for yourself, you won't have hobbies, you won't have weekends, and you won't have vacations — but you won't have work either."

You become the business. I am wired like this. I know not everyone is, but this feels like the mentality of everybody who creates something outstanding. The first time I experienced this was when I first built homes—a totally encompassing 24/7 obsession. I had to make the best possible thing down to the smallest detail.

"You have to enjoy it a lot... almost psychopathic at the level at which you enjoy the thing."

He puts it bluntly, but the point stands: if you like writing, write. If you love visual storytelling, dive into video. If you like design, make your house an incredibly beautiful testament to your taste, photograph it, and share it.

Play to your natural strengths. What do people say your superpower is? What do you uniquely do best?

Leaning into those natural strengths has been the key to my success on social media. I am way better at critical commentary content than at follow-me-as-I-live-my-beautiful-life content. I've tried both, and the results speak for themselves.

And perhaps most importantly, take responsibility:

"Blame yourself for everything and preserve your agency."

Responsibility can feel heavy, but of course, the downside of not shouldering it is that you give away any locus of control.

The question isn't really whether a shift is happening - it's whether you'll position yourself to thrive in it. I'm rooting for you.

some things I saw this week

We're in the process of getting a new bed. Many beds are just...boring. I feel like everything's been done. I've been thinking about canopy beds because the ceiling is vaulted.

This one was really cool:

I love the fabric on top. Feels like a modernist medieval tent.

Rug creativity. I'd love to see more rugs that were like paintings and less like patterns. I've always thought of rugs as a painting for the floor.

The below is certainly this. A custom commission in 1939 by Christian Berard for Nelson Rockefeller. Sold by Sothebys last year. Who's doing this today? I want to meet you.