Hello everyone,
If you're reading this on Christmas Day, I hope you're somewhere cozy with good food, good people, and a good time, in whatever format that looks like for you.
This is the first year I’m not going home for the holidays and Christmas is looking different this year. I’m going to a dinner in the city, a burlesque Nutcracker show, and cozying up to FaceTime my parents when I get home. It’s interesting to understand boundaries, what works and what doesn’t, and how to start new traditions that are not quite the “norm.” I’ve decided to begin my own holiday moments and fully commit to this notion of doing what feels right to me. In so many moments of my life, I’m a constant yes (wo)man, pouring into others, and somehow this just doesn't make sense anymore. A slow, charming, winter holiday is exactly what the doctor ordered.
I’m not a fan of the "new year, new me" but I do love to ask myself: Did I actually do the things I said I wanted to do this year? Did I rest enough? Did I show up for the people who matter? Did I build something I'm proud of?
Some of those answers are yes, some are "we'll try again next year," that’s okay to me. Progress isn't linear, and neither is life.
Anyway, I hope this edition finds you in full holiday mode, whatever that looks like for you.
Enjoy the sprinkle of red and green on this week’s news!
What I’ve been thinking about lately
Not everything needs a paywall, and that includes my thoughts. Somewhere along the way we started conflating visibility with monetization, and I'm genuinely not convinced that's the right move for everything. When someone's charging you for their curated browser history or their casual weekend update, something's gotten weird.
Caring isn't cringe, but we've somehow made it feel that way. Modern dating has become this nightmare where everyone's so focused on being nonchalant that nobody's actually connecting anymore. We've confused endless options with endless possibilities, and the result is a culture where wanting real commitment makes you seem desperate.
Letting go of clothes that don't fit is kind of like letting go of who you used to be. My best friend watched me try to squeeze into a jumpsuit that hasn't fit in years and lovingly told me the truth: my body changed, and that's not a moral failing. There's something quietly radical about accepting that your 30s look different than your 20s, not worse, just different.
Business & Marketing
Western Food Giants Are Handing the Keys to Chinese Private Equity. Luckin Coffee already overtook Starbucks in sales and store count, so now Western brands are selling majority stakes to local PE firms who actually know how to compete.
Netflix Is Officially Coming for the Podcast Industry. Deals with Spotify, Barstool Sports, and iHeartMedia will bring 30+ video podcasts to the platform, including Pardon My Take and The Breakfast Club.
PepsiCo Is Bringing Three Brands to Super Bowl 60. Pepsi Zero Sugar, Poppi, and Lay's will each have their own in-game spots on February 8. The zero sugar push continues.
Culture & Lifestyle
Those Vanity Fair Close-Ups of the Trump Administration Are Saying a Lot. Photographer Christopher Anderson's extreme close-ups of Karoline Leavitt, JD Vance, and Marco Rubio set the internet on fire.
The Oscars Are Moving to YouTube. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will stream on YouTube instead of ABC. Will it bring more eyeballs? Probably not, but it's a symbolic shift.
Why Every Woman You Know Is Feral for Heated Rivalry. The HBO hockey romance has taken over TikTok and group chats everywhere. Experts say it's about watching men be vulnerable, plus enjoying desire without the pressure of performing for the male gaze.
Tech & Leadership
Economist Anton Korinek says AI abundance could make us "an order of magnitude wealthier" if we figure out income distribution. The closest parallel? The Industrial Revolution.
The AI Face-Swapping Platform Making Romance Scams Way Too Convincing. Haotian sells deepfake tech that lets scammers video chat as whoever they're pretending to be. That "girlfriend" asking you to invest in crypto? She might literally be a face filter.
TikTok Signs Agreements With New Investors. Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will take 45% of a new American TikTok entity. Deal could close January 22, one day before the latest ban deadline.
Cynthia is a brand strategist who went from stay-at-home mom to building a referral-only business that literally markets itself. Her approach to reputation-building is kind of like going to the gym for your business relationships: it's not about the quick win, it's about showing up consistently until word-of-mouth does the heavy lifting for you.
We get into the messy reality of client conflict, the fine line between over-delivering and losing your boundaries entirely, and why sustainable growth requires you to stop chasing leads and start cultivating relationships instead.
Key takeaways:
Reputation and referrals beat traditional marketing for long-term growth
Client conflicts don't have to destroy relationships if you handle them with grace
Work-life balance isn't a destination; it's an ongoing negotiation
Listen to the full episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
A few things I've been adding to cart lately (some practical, some purely for the vibes):
Satin Kimono Robe – For when you want to feel like the main character while doing absolutely nothing.
Medicube Plump and Radiant Pink Duo – K-beauty girlies already know, the collagen jelly cream is unreal.
Muse Apothecary Flush Ritual Spray – Because we're adults who have guests over sometimes.
Instant Hydration Electrolyte Packets – Holiday party season recovery essentials.
Authentic Mexican Tequila Shot Glasses – Hosting upgrade that makes your tequila taste better.
ICYMI: Clean Girl Is Dead. Long Live the Messy Girl.
The slicked back bun, the glazed donut skin, the 5 AM Pilates followed by journaling in matching neutrals? She's exhausted and the data proves it: tobacco products are up 843% and alcoholic beverages are up nearly 1,000% in the past 12 months. The messy girl aesthetic isn't just a vibe shift, it's a full rejection of the performance of perfection that was never sustainable in the first place. Read more here.
P.S. If you’re thinking “I wish my brand had content like this” good news: we can make that happen. Let’s Talk!
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