Hi friends,

Greetings from Utrecht!

After a short bout with a pretty hefty cold, I'm finally feeling back to my normal self. I can already feel the creativity starting to flow again - I finally finished my essay on Porter's activity system map, I'm outlining the next few essays, and I'm tinkering with a few other ideas that I'll share more of as soon as they're ready.

Besides this, I'm mostly antsy with anticipation today as the final installment in the Neon Genesis Evangelion movie series is finally available outside of Japan, and I'm going to watch it with my brother tomorrow. Whatever it is that director Hideaki Anno has cooked up for us this time, it looks like it will be filled to the brim with his trademark batshit insanity.

What can I say? I'm a sucker nihilistic, giant mecha action.

Here's what I want to share with you this week:

​Beyond the business model: Most people in business are familiar with various forms of business modeling, like the business model canvas or the lean canvas. Porter's activity system map isn't talked about nearly as much, but offers much more strategic value. This essay explains how to use this tool to finetune your strategy.

The Best Bits

​Disney's Synergy Map: In 1957, Walt Disney first created what has since been referred to as Disney's "Synergy Map". The concept is very similar to the activity system map in my essay, and it's fascinating to see the extent to which Disney had planned out his media empire.

​Almost Famous: Jocelyn Bell: This mini documentary highlights the achievements of Jocelynn Bell, who probably would have won a Nobel prize if she had had the good manners to have been born with a penis instead of a vagina. I love how she recounts the whole story, and how she has taken the high road and forged her own path. She is exactly the type of role model I want Maya to grow up with.

Lessons from Keith Rabois: Rabois is a prominent tech executive (think Paypal, Linkedin, Square) and investor. This short article summarizes his advice for being an effective executive. The advice is tailored towards high-growth tech companies, but much of it is equally and easily applicable to other business sectors.

See you in two weeks!

Martijn