EIEIO...Beach Reads
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EIEIO…Fast Facts
Entrepreneurship: 3.5 years – The amount of time from inception it took for Figma to launch a live product. (Lenny Rachitsky)
Innovation: 60x – The factor by which AI spend is up in construction in the past 24 months. (Ramp)
Education: $1,000 –The amount that will be invested by the government into savings accounts for children born in the U.S. between Jan. 1, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2029. (Forbes)
Impact: 5% – The percentage of deaths in Canada that are now from “Medical Assistance in Dying” a.k.a. MAID. (The Atlantic)
Opportunity: 81% – The percentage of S&P 500 members that have beaten earnings estimates so far in Q2. (Daily Chartbook)
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller
“Books are uniquely portable magic.” – Stephen King
“Show me a family of readers, and I’ll show you people who will move the World.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
As we are entering the lazy hazy days of summer, I thought a book review could be useful for beach time. It also has the benefit for me to dispel the persistent rumors that I’ve written more books than I’ve read.
Without further adieu….
Apple in China by Patrick McGee
A fascinating book about a fascinating company and a fascinating country.
Apple’s story in China isn’t just supply chains and 1.4 billion potential customers — it’s a masterclass in how to grow while constantly negotiating with gravity itself. This book shows Apple less as a tech giant and more as an acrobat: one foot on Silicon Valley ideals, the other on Beijing’s firmly shifting ground. It’s part business case study, part geopolitical thriller, and part cautionary tale.
The takeaway? That iPhone in your pocket is more than a sleek device — it’s the product of delicate deals, geopolitical paradoxes, and very human cost.
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow
Ron Chernow has been the biographer for many of the most important American figures including George Washington, J.P. Morgan, John Rockefeller and of course Alexander Hamilton. Chernow portrays Mark Twain not just as the the grandfatherly figure with a white suit and a quip for every occasion; he’s a dazzling mix of hustler, wisecracker, genius, and serial bankrupt—more Tom Sawyer with a stock portfolio.
The book traces Twain from his Missouri boyhood through his big-stage celebrity, revealing a life packed with wild highs (literary stardom, world tours, roastings of Gilded Age hypocrisy) and Mississippi lows (business disasters, profound losses). Chernow gleefully reveals Twain’s contradictions: funny and fatalistic, progressive and problematic, always both ahead of and hopelessly entangled in his times.
The takeaway? Twain made America laugh, took it to task, and lost plenty of money along the way—proving you can be both a national treasure and a magnificent mess at the same time. At over 1,000 pages, you can also get an arm workout bringing it with you.
The Technological Republic by Alexander Karp and Nicholas Zamiska
Palantir CEO Alexander Karp’s “The Technological Republic” is pretty straight forward…whoever writes the algorithms writes the future. In a world where data is the King and the AI arms races eclipse old-fashioned weapons, Karp calls out both Silicon Valley’s self obsession and government gridlock.
Part rallying cry, part corporate confessional, the book warns: If the West keeps snoozing while tech titans chase ad clicks, the real power will land in the hands of regimes that “move fast and break norms.”
The takeaway? Reboot our values, hardwire ethics into AI, and make tech work for freedom—not just shareholders—before tomorrow’s world gets programmed by the bad guys.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
What is it about Navy Seals that make them such compelling story tellers? Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink (and Leif Babin) delivers tough-love leadership lessons from the battlefield to the boardroom. The core idea: leaders must take full responsibility—no excuses, no finger-pointing.
The takeaway? No excuses. Own everything in your world—even the failures. Blame-shifting is poison; leadership means taking radical responsibility and turning problems into wins. The book’s core lesson is that effective leaders never point fingers—they look in the mirror, take 100% accountability, and drive solutions.
The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad
I tried to read George Soros book “Alchemy of Finance” like five times but it always felt like trying to understand Martian.
Alchemy isn’t just for medieval chemists—it’s for anyone with a pen that wants to solve a problem. In The Book of Alchemy, Suleika Jaouad recruits 100 creative co-conspirators (from Salman Rushdie to death row poets) to deliver a journaling bootcamp that’s equal parts group therapy, writer’s room, and spiritual laboratory. Born from the author’s fights with leukemia and gnawing uncertainty, Jaouad’s message is clear: Don’t chase perfection; grab presence. Scribble through your chaos, and watch disappointment turn into insight, confusion into art.
The core message is that journaling is a transformative practice—a tool for personal evolution, resilience, and meaning-making. The book frames journaling as an accessible ritual for anyone navigating change, grief, growth, or simply seeking clarity in their life.
There you have it. Until next August’s list of Beach Reads…remember to use sun block!
Market Performance
Market Commentary
The Market moved higher last despite inflation data that was “hotter” than expected.
Even with core consumer inflation coming in at 3.1% versus a year ago, investors are still expecting the Fed to start lowering rates when it meets September 17th.
For the week, the Dow rose 1.7%, the S&P gained .9% and NASDAQ moved up .8%. The small cap Russell 2000 had its best week in the past 6 months, surging 3.1%. NASDAQ has now risen over 12% YTD.
Two hot 2025 IPOs took some air last week with both enjoying strong results but announcing secondary stock sales. CoreWeave, which had gained 150% since IPO, reported revenue growth of 209% but shares fell over 22% on a larger loss than expected and the lockup period expiring. Circle reported revenue growth of 53%, but it shares fell 6% but are still up over 380%.
Chinese giant Tencent jumped to a new high as it beat estimates and grew revenues 16%. JD.com had accelerated revenue growth of 22% but shares fell based on losses from a new on-demand meal service.
I remain BULLISH. 🐂
Need to Know
READ: The State of AI In 2025 | BVP
WATCH: Bill Belichick and Ray Dalio on What It Takes to Win | The Deal with Alex Rodriguez & Jason Kelly
LISTEN: Why ChatGPT Will Be The Next Big Growth Channel (And How To Capitalize On It) · Brian Balfour | Lenny’s Podcast
GSV’s Four I’s of Investor Sentiment
GSV tracks four primary indicators of investor sentiment: inflows and outflows of mutual funds and ETFs, IPO activity, interest rates, and inflation.
#1: Inflows and Outflows for Mutual Funds & ETFs
#2: IPO Market
#3: Interest Rates
#4: Inflation
Chart of the Week
Maggie Moe’s GSV Weekly Rap
Chuckles of the Week
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Connecting the Dots & EIEIO…
Old MacDonald had a farm, EIEIO. New MacDonald has a Startup…EIEIO: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Education, Impact and Opportunity. Accordingly, we focus on these key areas of the future.
One of the core goals of GSV is to connect the dots around EIEIO and provide perspective on where things are going and why. If you like this, please forward to your friends. Onward!
Make Your Dash Count!
-MM