Category Archives: Finance

02.26.18
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Zero to One

Although Peter Thiel’s book was first published in 2014, it is still engaging and relevant. 0-to-1.jpgThe book is concise and punchy, talking to all things startup and evolving your dream into a sustainable monopoly. Peter successfully argues that operating in a world of perfect competition where no economic profit can be made is sub-optimal, business owners should be fighting for and aiming for a monopoly.  He drops morsels of wisdom that is often overlooked when in a startup, one of them is how important it is to sort how you make sales, as small sales volumes require lots of marketing effort or a healthy dose of viral growth engines.

In his 14 chapters, Peter details his journey and learnings while navigating Paypal through the DotCom bubble of the 2000s and then going on to build other successful business.  Peter asks a number of daunting questions throughout the book, 2 of which had me thinking for a very long time:

  • What valuable company is nobody building?
  • What important truth do very few people agree with you on?

Zero to One is not a blueprint for success but notes from a successful entrepreneur and definitely worth a read

04.18.17
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Review: The Physics of Wall Street

James Owen Weatherall examines the history of maths and physics which hasThe Physics of Wall Street underpinned not only the rise of Wall Street but all other financial exchanges and markets. It’s an informative read that feels lite even though it delves into deep and complex maths.

Increasingly financial models have been blamed for many market crashes and are even described as Weapons of Mass Destruction. In this easily accessible book, James convincingly argues that financial models should not be abandoned but constantly tweaked and improved. They are essential to the mechanics of our international exchanges.

Definitely, a book to read.