Hey there, Creator!

On my flight back to Houston from New Jersey earlier this week, I couldn’t help but stare out the window and ponder what 2025 has left for me this year.

I always love high-level thinking, and there’s no better time for that than a mid-year business self-analysis, especially when something massive is shifting in how we build products.

TLDR: The price to create software and products is trending towards zero.

This isn't just another trend piece - this changes everything about how we build and compete (or ideally, escape competition) in 2025. Here's why:

• Small teams (even solopreneurs) can outcompete Fortune 500 companies thanks to agents and cheap computing

• People will get used to spending MUCH less on software in the future (making it feel more unstable to build software long term)

• In a world of AI slop, people gravitate to the human connection and the founders behind the products

But here's the thing that keeps me up at night: The strongest brand will always win the competition.

Always.

Because people buy based on emotion (and rationalize their decision later with logic).

This era of building products is exciting and scary at the same time.

If you're a founder in 2025, you must become a culture maximizer—an exquisite tastemaker. There's no other option anymore.

Let me show you exactly how I'm playing this new world order...

Learn from the GOATs

Steve Jobs didn't just build products - he turned Apple into emotional stories. The iconic turtleneck. The obsession over “unboxing” design in tech. Even revolutionized retail stores. Every detail mattered.

Want to know something wild?

I recently watched the Kanye documentary on Netflix, and there's this moment where he decides, "From this year on, I'll become the best-dressed rapper." That simple decision ultimately led to his billion-dollar clothing line.

Here's the thing about being a tastemaker: it's going to bring hate (like Kanye’s outfits often do lol).

Most people will never have the guts to live out that part of their personality. That's exactly why it works.

Copy-paste this into ChatGPT: “Based on everything you know about me, what are some unique quirks or traits you’ve noticed I have that I should lean into more for my brand?”

This should give you a good start for your own “tastemaking” ideas.

Involve your audience every step of the way.

A study suggests that building furniture yourself can significantly increase your emotional attachment.

The same principle works for your audience - if they're involved in every step of building your product, their emotional connection skyrockets.

That's why I'm going to:

• Share every step of the building process (right in this newsletter!)

• Document the messy parts.

• Most importantly, share every single fuckup I'm going through.

If you want to build any digital product, involve them in every step. In an AI age, vulnerability and human messiness are what connect people to you.

Your fashion is part of your brand, whether you like it or not.

Have you noticed how Zuck suddenly became the cool guy?

From looking like a dork to becoming a tech-guy cool guy. His style had improved tenfold, and people immediately noticed. Especially in tech, the bar for good clothing is damn low.

Learn from other industries (the farther away, the better).

The great tastemakers are usually outside of the tech industry. I'm studying:

• Luxury fashion brands use drops to create hype

• Film directors build a narrative

• Cult leaders building belief (without the exploitation part)

I also enjoy learning from history. The further away from tech, the better the lessons tend to be.

Because while everyone's focused on features and metrics, these other industries have already mastered what matters - creating deep emotional connections with their audience.

And let's be honest - tech could use a little less "optimization" and a lot more soul.

Lean into controversy.

Great tastemakers know what they like, but even more what they DON'T like. This could include design, UI, tech stack, marketing messaging, and everything else.

If you want to act as a cultural magnet for your customer, you have to tell them what you DON'T believe in. This may stir up some negative emotions, but that's what's needed to build a strong connection.

My personal list:

• I don't like people giving out unscientific bro health advice

• I don't like people grifting with crypto

• I don't like people telling you everyone should be a content creator

• I don't like people teaching business models they don't use themselves

Founder-Led > everything else.

Founders are the new influencers. All strong cultural brands have strong leaders at the forefront.

I'm doubling down on this. I'm looking to change this newsletter to be much more personal again.

Next steps for 2025:

• Long-form video (video gives us much more depth in terms of personality)

• Hosting virtual meetups to connect with my audience and other creators IRL

• Sharing my personal takes on what's happening in the tech scene (and beyond)

Design has never mattered more.

It doesn't matter if you build software or physical products - AI tools make it much easier to create, so it's even more important to stand out with a beautiful design.

When countless new no-code build tools flood the market, a thought-through design can make or break your journey.

How I'm adjusting:

• Reworking my personal branding design (Digital Escape)

• Spending resources on hiring a great designer to make my whole product world feel like a brand journey

• Studying up-and-coming consumer brands to learn what’s working NOW

Invest in humor, especially memes.

Humor and memes are severely underestimated. Some of the memes I recently shared reached tens of millions of people (including big shot VCs at a16z, political players, and even Elon engaged).

Some tips for you:

• Look at memes that go viral

• Sit down and try to think about how you can adopt them for your niche

• Make fun of yourself often enough

Here's something that worked for me:

I once made a challenge where I created 30 memes in 30 days, which helped me develop this skill. It's just a skill like anything else—the art of conveying a truth in the quickest/funniest way possible.

There’s a reason many major corporations are paying Gen Z interns six-figure salaries to post memes on their social media.