An update ☀

Hey

There's no new post this week. Why? Because it's summer and I have been prioritizing regaining strength after a year of intense work (not mentioning a pandemic). Instead, I wanted to give you three updates:

1. Pick my brain re-opens in the fall!
   I've had a couple of requests for work just like this in the last weeks so starting August, you can get access to me on a short-term basis. Do you want to bounce ideas for a product? Do you want to accelerate UX within your organization? Or do you want to personally accelerate? Either way, I'm open for consulting! Find out more and book your spot: Pick my brain
   

2. Let's meet!
   One of the few positives of not having a dog with me at work anymore (😢) is I'm far more flexible when it comes to traveling. So if you want to schedule something in-person for the fall, I'm open to it! That could be a workshop where we define the core features of your product or a review of your current product along with a time plan of necessary fixes going forward. While I love working remotely, some meetings are better in person. Just hit reply!
   

3. Tell me what you want, what you really really want
   I've written my blog for nearly 7 years and had this newsletter for just about as long. There's still a few of you here from the very beginning - thank you - although I think I may have forced you to join. Care to help me continue providing you with insights? Answer these quick questions (less than 2 minutes)!

I'll be back with a new post in about a month or so. Until then, I hope you're having a great summer and taking time to just... breathe again. If you want to tell me or ask me anything, just hit reply. I respond to every email 😃

Wishing you a relaxing summer until next time!
Anton

3 things I highlighted this past week

1. A common cliché is that the world is a battle between love and hate. It’s true, but not quite the right point. The world is a battle between clarity and delusion. Where there’s clarity, love is obvious and hate makes no sense. Before you read this tweet and think, “Totally – if only everyone could have as much clarity as I do!” remember that the clarity/delusion battle is our collective mental illness and no one is immune. Best way to help clarity win in the world is to get better in your own head.

2. Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two--and only two--basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs.

3. Hourly billing does not reward expertise, it punishes it. The better you get, the less you make. That's the hourly trap.