Top Shopify Stores. Read the List Backwards.The till is the easy bit to copy. A famous co-founder, a century of shelf space or a creator network is not, and the lists rarely mention them.Commerce · 1 Oct 2026 · 3 min read
The Death of the MascotMy partner buys Kakao Friends. I get given software plushies. One has an audience, the other gets thrown away. Brands · 14 Sept 2026 · 5 min read
Your Customer Problem is a Persona ProblemMost businesses that fail don't fail because they never had a persona. They fail because they had one and quietly walked away from it.Commerce · 21 Jun 2026 · 13 min read
The Economics of BoringWater. Fish. Oats. Nut butter. Bananas. Milk. The most exciting brands in consumer goods right now are selling the most boring products imaginable.Brands · 28 May 2026 · 12 min read
Why Do Protein Bars Make You Shit?The $5 billion industry built on ingredients your gut can't process. And why nobody's fixed it.CPG · 12 Apr 2026 · 15 min read
The $114 Billion Gut FeelingPepsiCo just paid $1.95 billion for fizzy water with fibre in it. The three way cage match between Coke, Pepsi, and a guy who blew $300K on his first failed soda brand. The gut is big business.CPG · 9 Apr 2026 · 18 min read
Why $20 Kombucha and $3 Kombucha Are The Same ThingThis is the multi-billion dollar industry built on four ingredients your nan kept in her pantry.CPG · 7 Apr 2026 · 17 min read
Dog Vitamins, A $3 Billion Industry Built on GuiltIf you're building a pet brand, the economics are extraordinary. Low COGS, high emotional attachment, weak regulation, subscription-friendly, what more could you want? CPG · 6 Apr 2026 · 12 min read
Wine: The Only Product Where the Scam Tastes Better Than the Real ThingA bottle of wine costs $2 to $7 to make. It retails for $15 to $15,000. Business · 15 Mar 2026 · 16 min read
Running Gels Are Just Expensive CandyYour $4 running gel costs about 15 cents to make. The primary ingredient? Maltodextrin. CPG · 2 Mar 2026 · 12 min read