Moving up the Vendor Value Chain. Getting to the Vendor Tipping Point.
If your agency is towards the low end of the client vendor value chain, and by that I mean execution-focused, your services are always in danger of being unecessary. How can you avoid that?
The goal is to become indispensable in theory and flexible in execution. Specifically, you should move up the vendor value chain until you reach a node that is never not required. And then park your focus at that node. If you get all the strategy from that node, then you can control the execution downstream. But, you have to remain flexible, not favoring any particular mode of execution, in order to capture all the downstream projects, too.
Featured writing
Why customer tools are organized wrong
This article reveals a fundamental flaw in how customer support tools are designed—organizing by interaction type instead of by customer—and explains why this fragmentation wastes time and obscures the full picture you need to help users effectively.
Infrastructure shapes thought
The tools you build determine what kinds of thinking become possible. On infrastructure, friction, and building deliberately for thought rather than just throughput.
Server-Side Dashboard Architecture: Why Moving Data Fetching Off the Browser Changes Everything
How choosing server-side rendering solved security, CORS, and credential management problems I didn't know I had.
Books
The Work of Being (in progress)
A book on AI, judgment, and staying human at work.
The Practice of Work (in progress)
Practical essays on how work actually gets done.
Recent writing
We always panic about new tools (and we're always wrong)
Every time a new tool emerges for making or manipulating symbols, we panic. The pattern is so consistent it's almost embarrassing. Here's what happened each time.
Dev reflection - February 03, 2026
I've been thinking about constraints today. Not the kind that block you—the kind that clarify. There's a difference, and most people miss it.
When execution becomes cheap, ideas become expensive
This article reveals a fundamental shift in how organizations operate: as AI makes execution nearly instantaneous, the bottleneck has moved from implementation to decision-making. Understanding this transition is critical for anyone leading teams or making strategic choices in an AI-enabled world.
Notes and related thinking
Learn how to engage consumers, influence decisions and create brand loyalty.
Master data storytelling to engage consumers, influence decisions, and build brand loyalty with insights from Marigold's expert masterclass.
By comprehending their personality type, companies can deploy generative AI automation solutions tailored to their specific needs.
Discover how understanding customer support personality types can help businesses implement tailored generative AI solutions for effective automation.
In just one year, ChatGPT has unlocked transformative potential in PPC. Here's where we are with genAI and what's in store for the industry.
Discover how ChatGPT is revolutionizing PPC marketing with innovative tools and features that enhance efficiency and strategy for marketers.