Blog - Ben Guttmann

Sparkles mean AI now ✨

Every few years, we get a chance to witness how a new technology changes the way our written and spoken language works. In the mid- to late-nineties, the dawning internet age spawned a host of companies with a “.com” in their names. Today, it's the sparkle emoji as the stand-in for AI.

February 19, 2024

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The "Rhapsody in Blue" method

Somebody recently asked me what was the best tool for writing a book. It wasn't Google Docs, or Notion, or Grammarly. It was "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin.

February 12, 2024

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Rubberducking: The power of talking it out

There's a trope plays out in dozens of films, shows, and novels – one small prompt from an outsider, or even just the act of explaining something to them, unlocks the solution our protagonist has been looking for the whole time. It seems like a fictional cliche, but if you’ve ever sat with a real-life computer programmer, this sort of thing actually happens quite a bit.

February 5, 2024

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What size client do you want to be?

Not too much, not too little. There’s a Goldilocks zone for how hot or cold porridge should be, and if you find yourself hiring a team to help you do stuff, there’s a Goldilocks zone for how big they should be.I used to run a marketing agency, so I’ll talk about this through the lens, but the same rules apply to nearly every client/provider relationship.

January 29, 2024

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When churn is ok – the wedding magazine problem

Think about what it must be like to run a wedding magazine. For a few months, it’s one of the most important and anticipated pieces of mail for your readers. Then, all of a sudden, they cancel their subscription. When you’re done planning your wedding, you suddenly don’t need a wedding magazine anymore.

January 22, 2024

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The gift of desire lines

Today, I woke up to the first snowfall in New York City in 701 days – the longest snowless stretch in history, beating the previous record by nearly a full year.It’s pretty when I look out my window to take in the snow-covered city for the first time in nearly two years. But beyond the aesthetics, there’s something else that the snow can show us.

January 16, 2024

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Bikeshedding: Or focusing on what doesn’t really matter

It’s a new year, and many of us have big goals. As you’re working on them, just make sure you’re not accidentally spending your time on bike sheds instead.

January 8, 2024

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Some predictions for 2024

Happy New Year! It’s a cliche at this point to say that we’re in for an unpredictable year. But that won’t stop me from making at least a few predictions about the twelve months ahead. From elections to movies, here’s what I think might happen in 2024 – along with my confidence percentage in each guess.

January 2, 2024

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23 things I enjoyed in 2023

Personally and globally, it was a bit of a weird year in terms of media and culture. But still, there was lots to like in 2023. Here are some of my favorites.

December 18, 2023

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Four small stories about tech and culture that have stuck in my head

In my notes, a few ideas for posts have been staring at me for weeks or months. I found these interesting ideas and always wanted to share them but never had enough material to flesh them out into a complete article. Well, now that we’re halfway through list season, today is the perfect opportunity to share them.

December 11, 2023

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Thoughts.