(Feels like a) Sunday smörgåsbord #006 - 10.4
This week: chocolate, missing art, bubbles on the beach and an eyebrow-raising story about Little Richard. Happy Easter!
NB: [PW] signifies a paywall, though some providers allow you to read a set number of articles for free.
Features & Podcasts
‘Erin Foster, Sara form Oversubscribed Ventures to invest in Consumer Tech’, TechCrunch. I’m not usually a fan of celebrity-owned business ventures (Cliff Richard’s wine, anyone?) but couldn’t help feeling heartened, and even a little bit inspired, by the news that the Foster sisters are founding a new VC funding female-focused consumer tech businesses. Venture capital is a male-dominated industry (yes, just like pretty much every other industry out there), so it’s not surprising that women-run businesses barely get a look-in on investment. In 2022 only 1.9% of all venture capital raised went to woman-founded companies, yet women control or influence 85% of consumer spending. There’s a clear gap here and where there’s a gap, there’s an opportunity - one that the Foster sisters have clearly spotted by honing in specifically on businesses building consumer tech products for women. Good luck to them.
‘Cody Rigsby: Queerness, addiction, and being Rishi Sunak’s favourite Peloton instructor’, How to Fail with Elizabeth Day, podcast. I always thought Peloton seemed like a bit of a cult. Then I got the Peloton app (to use with my cheaper, non-Peloton bike)… and it confirmed to me that yes, it is a cult, but one I am an enthusiastic member of. I can’t quite believe just how much I enjoy it, but it definitely has something to do with the endorphins, the music and to give them their dues, the instructors. Part drill-sergeant, part-clubbing buddy, Cody is my favourite by far. He’s cutting with his humour but still inspirational, with pop playlists that make you sing out loud as well as sweat. I really enjoyed this podcast on my first run back since the half marathon, and especially his views on how Peloton is helping to fight bigotry across middle America one ride at a time.
‘My dream of affordable IVF became a real family business’, The Times [PW]. I have a thing for what makes businesspeople tick, no matter what kind of business they may be. Case in point, this is the story of Professor Geeta Nargund who, with her son, has built a multi-million turnover business as well as continued her work as a consultant in reproductive medicine at St George’s. I recognised her son as I believe he is in the running for Jeremy Corbyn’s old Labour seat in Islington, but no mention of that here.
‘I first left Europe aged 30 — here’s where I booked my big trip’, The Times [PW]. I found this article very sweet as well as an amusing read about columnist James Marriott’s first trip across the pond. He captured the mix of naivety and wonder we all have when venturing to an unfamiliar but exciting place for the first time.
‘Our sleeping secrets caught on camera’, The Guardian. The owners of nine different beds agreed to be captured during their most vulnerable time, sleeping, living, loving and lying in them for this photojournalism piece. I enjoyed the stories it told about the minutiae of people’s lives and how they make all number of arrangements work - sleeping and otherwise.
Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Juan Tallon on ‘Obra Maestra’, Iberia A Bordo magazine. A rare article about a Spanish book, but in English: an interview with Juan Tallon about his most recent work Obra Maestra, or Masterpiece. The novel is made up of seventy-five voices, each telling their part of the story across chronological time and place. The book darts back and forth, capturing so many different voices and perspectives that I actually originally thought it was a journalistic endeavour rather than a fictional one. The tale told, however, is the bonkers-but-true story of how Madrid’s flagship modern art museum, Museo Reina Sofia, lost (yes, lost) its multi-million, 38 tonne Richard Serra sculpture (‘Equal-Parallel/Guernica-Bengasi’) from a storage unit sometime in the late 90s/early 00s. I found this interview as I was trying to explain Tallon’s format to a Storytelling friend who is experimenting with different ways to write her story. And if you don’t read Spanish then I recommend Googling more about this crazy piece of Spanish art history, you’ll be shaking your head in amazement.
‘Notoriously cruel: should we cancel Picasso?’, The Guardian. From one Guernica, to another (also exhibited at the same Museo Reina Sofia as Serra’s sculpture, though Picasso’s never went missing, thank God). I tried to write a short commentary on this piece, promoting a new exhibition ‘Pablo-matic?’ (Terrible title) at the Brooklyn Museum. As I tried, I found had to keep deleting or risk a torrent of thoughts, mostly questions, in turn raising other questions. So what I’ll say is that this an interesting group of perspectives brought together, and I particularly enjoyed the last which posits the link between Picasso’s modernism and African art. I also nodded reading this quote from Catherine Morris, curator of the Brooklyn Museum exhibition this piece refers to:
‘If the goal was to cancel Picasso, we wouldn’t be doing this show and Hannah [Gadsby, self-proclaimed hater of Picasso] wouldn’t be participating’.
The Magpie Murders, BBC1. I’m enjoying this adaptation of an Anthony Horowitz book that I downloaded once upon a time and never read. It’s a clever story within a story, about the murder of an author whose demise - and life before death - mirrors what was to be his final manuscript, found missing it’s final chapter. I feel like I’m confusing things just writing down the premise, so better to watch it unfold yourself. I’m only two episodes in but loving Lesley Manville’s stellar performance (as ever, she’s just so good!) and already wondering how Horowitz wrote such a story in text form. May have to give it a read after all!
‘Little Richard: the real King of rock’n’roll’, The Times [PW]. Do you know what the song ‘Tutti Frutti’ was originally about? I did not and it was quite the surprise. This article is recommended for that insight alone, but generally it really shone a light on who Little Richard was and how his innovations in music, fashion and performance paved the way for the ‘greats’ who eclipsed him in popular culture. As per usual it’s a tale as old as time, a man from the margins (Little Richard was a queer, black man making new music in Macon, Georgia) does hard and important work pushing boundaries only to see others have greater success even as - gallingly - they play his songs and wear their hair like he does. I’m staggered to learn the impact he had on modern music, rock’n’roll and, by extension, American culture, just from one article. Looking forward to seeing the documentary when it comes out - it’s already led me to revisiting his hits, one of my favourites below.
Lifestyle:
My sister and I treated our Nanna to afternoon tea at Limewood in Hampshire this Thursday gone. I’d never been before and it was a beautiful setting for a posh sandwich and cream cake. Driving through the New Forest to the stately house you pass ponies mingling happily, practically all the way up to the front door. The interiors are stunning, with fantastic art including a few Tracy Emins I spotted in the billiards room (might sound bizarre but she’s an artist I think of in the same breath as Picasso for the breadth of media mastered and the controversy!) If you’re in the area it’s worth stopping by for a wander and a pot of tea.
I was extremely lucky to be gifted this delicious Hotel Chocolat Champagne Truffle ‘extra thick’ egg this Easter Sunday. Two chunky chocolate halves, one milk chocolate, one white chocolate-strawberry, filled with - possibly the best bit - champagne truffles. I actually had to stop after a few bites, it was so rich. It’s currently packed in my suitcase in the overhead locker of today’s Easyjet flight to VLC. Half tempted to crack it out mid-air for another nibble!
This weekend was our last Storytelling weekend for a while. I’m really going to miss it, you can’t underestimate the inspiration you get from hearing how your creative colleagues are progressing week after week, along with all their fab ideas that you would just never think of. Luckily, we have our next meeting to look forward to, and this time it will be in person as Bonnie crosses the pond to come and see us! Whilst she’s here, she’ll be running a one day workshop to help your find the story you’ve got lurking inside. It’s in a lovely location in central London, food is included and you will have the beginnings of, if not a full, short story by the end of the day. Today is the last day to sign up with the early bird price.
Is there anything better than bubbles by the sea? It was great to catch
in person on Saturday in one of our happy places down on the South Coast of England. And what can make a happy place happier? A bottle of fizz and some salty snacks. Perfect 😍
Ok, there is something better than bubbles on the beach… my new nephew started smiling this weekend! Maybe it was the chocolate that done it but I’d like to pretend it was my jokes 🐣 ❤️
Substack
‘Own a piece of Substack’ - On Substack
I chose to join Substack as a bit of an experiment - more than anything to give me the discipline to actually write on a weekly basis. I’ve been impressed though by the investment they’ve been making into the writers’ community and the innovative ways that they encourage greater buy-in from the network of writers they are creating (and, it must be said, depend on!)
The next step is Substack’s announcement that for their next round of investment they’ll be running a community round, prioritised at writers who are writing on the platform and with starting investments of $100 USD. Marketing / PR-stunt aside (there are quite a few questions in the comments about how optimistic this valuation is), it’s a canny way to get writers to feel more connected to the platform and literally invested in making it work.
‘Issue 83: All about my novel, coming next year’ - Morning Person
Like many amateur writers, I’m a sucker for a writer’s daily routine post. Usually because it’s a heady combination of aspiring-author-porn (‘you too can unlock the secrets to getting a book written alongside everything else going on in your life’) with convenient distraction from actually, you know, doing any writing.
Morning Person’s creator, Leslie Stephen’s is no different, but I enjoyed reading about it anyway. It also got me thinking what a sloth I am, not being driven or enthusiastic enough to get up at 6am for 2 hours solid writing before I start my day job. I loved the idea of listening to the same music each time I write to get me in the zone though.
‘How your GTM motion impacts your marketing strategy and org chart’ - MKT1 Newsletter
Leading marketing for a scale-up is fast, frenetic, and ever-changing. It can also feel like you’re continually working from first principles, even after six years. One of the things I love about Substack as a reader is that there’s a fantastic community of PLG, product marketing and scale-up experts here, all to learn from. One of the newsletters I find super-useful is the MKT1 newsletter
Side note: I especially love how unapologetically Emily Kramer and Kathleen Estreich (Founders of MKT1) claim marketing’s might in the successful GTM motion - and question why it’s not seen as a key component more generally. To their point, if marketing is essential for sales-led growth and critical for product-led growth, why are neither of them called ‘marketing-led growth’? I feel seen.
‘Know your circle’ - a little bit of A LOT.
A beautiful, useful piece of writing explaining the concept of ‘ring theory’ and how to apply it to grief and other difficult moments. As well as being a helpful concept to apply when you’re in a tricky time, it’s also made me re-assess where I may have overstepped the mark at times.
That’s it for this week. I hope you find something in this list that sparks joy or curiosity.
If you’ve got any recommendations on articles, podcasts, Substacks or shows for me to dive into next week, please drop them in the comments.
Oh my days so much to devour here on my train ride north. I too joined the Peloton cult... though my bike is getting a little dusty these days. Already missing our coven but love that you’ve gifted so many nuggets for me to read over in the interim! 🧡
Bubbles on the beach was the best 🥂 hope you had a safe flight back to Valencia