Ben Thompson is one of the best tech writers around right now—his blog, as well as his podcast, Exponent, covers the tech world in a fascinatingly unique way. It’s tech and the current trends of tech, but from a business/marketing standpoint, all passed through a layman’s filter that is just slightly—and perfectly—beyond the understanding of someone who isn’t familiar with that arena. This isn’t just another Apple Blogger praising the iPad Air 2. I read Stratechery, and listen to Exponent, because at points, I feel like I only understand every third word or so—there are so many business/marketing terms that I don’t understand/am not familiar with.

But, like giving my daughter newer, harder books when it’s clear she understands her current books, that’s precisely why I listen.

On the most recent episode of Exponent, the episode I’ve linked to here, Ben lays out how and why he started his site. On the surface, sure, it’s a useful story for anyone looking to start a blog. But I feel like there are some really important lessons to be learned for any writer/artist out there, especially an artist trying to create and feel fulfilled while maintaining a family and some semblance of a professional life (read as: me). Keep a careful ear out for Ben’s breakdown of what content creators worry about when starting a project (spoiler: product), and for a real gem of wisdom that Ben’s cohost, James Allworth, throws in at one point about the best time to do something and the second best time to do something.

Extra Credit: Ben linked to this piece on recently, writing:

I think @exponentfm listeners will recognize many of Sheryl Sandberg's principles about life and career. Good stuff

For the non-MBA crowd, it’s a bit jargon-y; not nearly as accessible as Ben, but it’s worth the read for the same reasons I mentioned above.

Joe Stracci