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Good morning to all new and old readers! Here is your Wednesday edition of Faster Than Normal, exploring one short story about a person, a company, a high-performance tool, a trend I’m watching closely, and curated media to help you build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself. 

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Today’s edition:

Cheers,
Alex

P.S. Send me feedback on how we can improve. I respond to every email.

Stories of Excellence

Person: Belinda Johnson

Belinda Johnson is a seasoned tech executive who has played a pivotal role in Airbnb's growth and success. She joined the company in 2011 as its first executive hire, serving as Chief Business Affairs and Legal Officer. Johnson's strategic acumen helped Airbnb navigate complex regulatory challenges and expand globally. In 2018, she was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, overseeing core functions like legal, policy, and communications. Johnson's leadership was instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic, as she helped steer Airbnb through a major downturn and subsequent IPO in 2020. Known for her calm demeanor and sharp intellect, Johnson has been a key advisor to CEO Brian Chesky. She stepped down from her COO role in 2022 but remains on Airbnb's board of directors, continuing to shape the company's future.

Key Lessons from Belinda Johnson:

• On problem-solving: "Break down complex issues into manageable parts. We tackled regulatory challenges city by city, building relationships along the way."

• On leadership: "Empathy and clear communication are essential. I always strive to understand different perspectives and ensure everyone is aligned on our goals."

Read More.

Company: Palantir

Palantir was founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, Nathan Gettings, Joe Lonsdale, and Stephen Cohen. Thiel, a PayPal co-founder, provided initial funding of $30 million. Karp, with a PhD in neoclassical social theory, became CEO. The company's name was inspired by the "seeing stones" from Lord of the Rings. Initially focused on counterterrorism software for government agencies, Palantir expanded into commercial markets in 2010. They received early contracts from the CIA and FBI, and raised significant funding, including $50 million in 2010 from Founders Fund. By 2015, Palantir was valued at $20 billion. The company went public via direct listing in September 2020, with an initial market cap of $16.5 billion.

Key Lessons from Palantir:

• On competition: Create a category. Palantir didn't just enter an existing market. They created a new category of data analysis platforms. Hard to compete when you're the only one in the race.

• On customer insight: Solve real, hard problems. Palantir focuses on complex issues like counterterrorism and financial fraud. Not sexy, but crucial.

• On hiring: Value philosophy degrees. Karp's background in philosophy informs Palantir's approach. They hire thinkers, not just coders. Unconventional, but effective for tackling complex problems.

Read More.

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Accelerants

High-performance tool

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Confidence determines Speed vs. Quality

This concept suggests that our level of confidence in a decision influences whether we prioritize speed or quality. When confidence is high, we tend to act quickly. When it's low, we focus more on ensuring quality. As Jeff Bezos puts it, "Most decisions should probably be made with somewhere around 70% of the information you wish you had. If you wait for 90%, in most cases, you're probably being slow."

This principle is valuable because it helps balance the need for thorough analysis with the need for timely action. It can guide decision-making processes in fast-paced business environments.

How does your confidence level affect your decision-making speed? Are you striking the right balance?

Insights

Tactical reads

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> When preparing to give an impactful presentation
How to Start a Speech (Read it here)

> When honing your negotiation tactics
The Art of Negotiation: Six must-have strategies (Read it here)

1 question

That’s all for today, folks. As always, please give me your feedback. Which section is your favourite? What do you want to see more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know.

Have a wonderful rest of week, all.

Recommendation Zone

⎯

Hire remote employees with confidence

Two years ago, I hired an offshore assistant for the first time. Since then, I’ve recommended many people do the same. It’s been one of the highest leverage things I’ve done, helping with everything marketing and customer support (for The Intelligence Age) and personal matters and email management.

Athyna is a service that quickly (<5 days!) finds remote employees across 150+ countries for you or your team. They cover roles from sales and marketing to creative and product, and have worked with companies like Facebook, Zoom, Uber, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Amazon.

I’ve personally used Athyna and recommended them to my Brother, Will, who runs a fashion label, and several close friends running their own businesses. To date, they’ve all had very positive experiences.

If you’re in the market for talent, visit their website to explore options and cover all your hiring needs.

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Alex Brogan

Find me on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

Offshore Talent: Where to find the best offshore talent. Powered by Athyna.

Why Faster Than Normal? Our mission is to be a friend to the ambitious, a mentor to the becoming, and a partner to the bold. We achieve this by sharing the stories, ideas, and frameworks of the world's most prolific people and companies—and how you can apply them to build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself.

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