Apurva Shukla/writing

08-02-25: Internet goodies I read last week

  1. The product design talent crisis

  2. Site design & construction

  3. Vibe Analysis

  4. Face it: you’re a crazy person

    • Before dreaming big, really unpack what the day-to-day grind of that dream looks like—because if you can’t handle the boring, messy details, the dream will quickly lose its shine. Real passion means loving the tiny repetitive stuff, not just the glamorous highlight reel. So next time you want to switch careers or chase fame, ask yourself if you’re ready to be a little crazy about the reality behind the dream.

  5. Relentlessly Resourceful

    • Being a great startup founder comes down to being "relentlessly resourceful"—not just determined, but flexible and creative in overcoming new challenges. This mindset means constantly adapting and trying new approaches instead of passively letting circumstances control you. The big takeaway? If you want to succeed in startups, focus less on luck and more on cultivating this restless problem-solving spirit.

  6. Some mistakes I made as a new manager

  7. Attention is your scarcest resource

    • The biggest lesson here? Your attention is precious, so guard it fiercely and focus hard on what truly matters. Multitasking and endless distractions just kill creativity and progress—better to monotask, care deeply about your work, and block off time for the noisy, less-important stuff. This way, you can actually make those “shower thoughts” count instead of letting your brain run in a million directions at once.

  8. Seagull management

    • Seagull management is a style where managers only swoop in when they think there's a problem, making quick decisions without really understanding the situation. Imagine a noisy seagull that flies in, dumps waste, and flies away. Sounds very familiar.

  9. Engineering a culture

    • Oxide recently tackled a routine bug, but the way their team handled it highlighted the strong, collaborative culture they've built. A big part of that culture centers around their weekly Demo Friday sessions, where anyone can showcase their work, fostering curiosity, learning, and peer appreciation company-wide. Their non-hierarchical, open environment encourages communication, curiosity, and teamwork, backed by deliberate cultural choices like uniform compensation and feedback without formal reviews. While creating this culture is hard and requires balance, the team passionately defends and values it as a core part of their success.

  10. 3 - Oxide Hiring Process / RFD

    • Oxide is shaking things up by blending hyperscaler system insights with open data center energy to create integrated hardware-software server solutions. They look for candidates who embrace this integrated mindset and can balance collaboration with independent focus, creativity with practicality, and confidence with humility. Instead of solely relying on traditional interviews, Oxide values real work samples, writing, and analysis to truly understand a candidate’s abilities across different roles. They believe assessing a mix of aptitude, motivation, values, and integrity through tangible work is the best way to find the right fit.

  11. Reflections on Founder Mode

    • Paul Graham’s concept of “Founder Mode” highlights the challenge founders face in balancing multiple roles while avoiding the trap of blindly following convention, which he calls “Management Mode.” The key to staying true to a company’s mission, as illustrated by Oxide’s experience, lies in a strong, writing-focused culture that documents values and processes, helping build trust and clarity across the team. Trust, often underrated by Graham, is crucial for empowering teams rather than micromanaging them. Ultimately, founders should focus on creating systems that foster trust to help their companies grow and thrive authentically.