Writing
Essays on autonomous work from Working Autonomously on Substack, plus earlier writing on growth, GTM, and markets.
WORKING AUTONOMOUSLY · SUBSTACK
The second robotics battle to get you anything in under an hourDec 2025
Why DoorDash can succeed in quick commerce while public companies, investors, and startups have lost billions trying the same thing.
Public staffing companies are finally growing againDec 2025
And what that might mean for AI.
How corporate reforms in Japan lead to a more expensive, slower hiring market in the USDec 2025
Or why the 2014 Ito Review is leading to higher prices & fewer jobs on Indeed.com
ZipRecruiter Q3 '25 EarningsNov 2025
Could ZipRecruiter use the same ad capabilities as eCommerce Companies?
Upwork Q3 2025: Successfully riding Gen AINov 2025
Maybe I'm wrong about Upwork
Q3 '25 Public Company Staffing EarningsNov 2025
3 years of revenue declines, but CEOs say it's not AI
4 Reasons Meta Will Win the Local Job MarketOct 2025
Meta relaunched their jobs product, focusing on local and blue collar jobs. Here's why that matters.
A (too) early look at Tariff Impact on Public Robotics CompaniesApr 2025
ABB’s local‑for‑local moat, Zebra’s $20 m EBITDA drag, and why near‑shoring to Mexico is the industry’s default hedge.
Customer Service Agents vs OutsourcingJan 2025
Who answers when you dial for help tomorrow?
Walmart, Robotics, and The New GoliathsJan 2025
How Walmart, and others, are using Robots to extend their moats
AI Agents and Fiverr, Upwork Q3 '24 earnings Dec 2024
Strong revenue and earnings, but AI Agents will be a big challenge
Gen AI Apps coming customer acquisition scaling wallDec 2024
Why it will be harder for Gen AI apps to get distribution than previous cycles, and where to look instead
AI Agents, DOGE, and GTM with WDAY Earnings Q3 '24Nov 2024
(Happy Thanksgiving to my American Readers!)
Intuitive Surgical and Symbotic Q3 '24 EarningsNov 2024
How to position automation solutions
Q3 '24 HCM Earnings: Here comes Gen AI & How to double PEPM!Nov 2024
Growing revenues, expanding product surface areas, and Gen AI features.
Slow posts and conference seasonOct 2024
Conferences and writing don’t mix.
From system of record to system of actionOct 2024
A bull case on why systems of records could win the agentic future
The AI Skills Dichotomy and the ROI GapSep 2024
PLUS: Upcoming events and activities
Moving from performance marketing to investing: Part ISep 2024
How AI got me to change careers
The Real Force Behind the Robotics Boom: It’s Not Just Labor Shortages or AI Hype Sep 2024
Strategic imperatives and competitive dynamics
Full archive on Substack ↗EARLIER · FOCUS ON GROWTH
How Jasper.ai beat Copy.ai at go-to-market — despite launch a year laterMay 2023AI in Robots: A brief historical surveyMay 2023Double Down on Scaling ChannelsJul 2020Service Business >Tech Enabled ServicesJul 2020Staffing Firms Recovering Market CapMay 2020Staffing Growth Marketing Teams to ProductsMay 2020Incrementality Testing: True Value of Your AdsMay 2020Staffing Firms Revenue After a RecessionApr 2020Big Companies > StartupsMar 2020Preventing Wasted Crawls Part 1 of ManyFeb 2012Initial SEO Decisions for The Dog WayFeb 2012Getting SEM Keyword Data From Apache Log FilesFeb 2012Blog IntroJan 2012