Field Notes
Practical writing for product leaders and boutique advisors – on deciding what to build, answering the hard questions, and running a sharper practice.
Half Your Team Is Already Pasting Client Secrets Into Ungoverned AI
Half of knowledge workers use unsanctioned AI tools; 39% have pasted confidential documents into them. For a discretion-based firm, that's existential.
The Robot Isn't the Threat. The Squeeze Is.
Only 22% of tech workers fear being replaced by AI. Far more fear the squeeze — more work for the same pay. It's answerable, from both sides.
AI Didn't Make Me Faster. It Made Me Right More Often.
82% of tech workers say AI made them more productive. Whether it made the work better is a choice — and the research shows exactly how the two paths split.
The On-Ramp Didn't Close. It Just Stopped Being Free.
Most tech workers wouldn't recommend their field to a newcomer. The on-ramp is narrowing — but it's a filter, not a wall, and here's how you still get in.
Burnout Isn't a Motivation Problem. It's a Pace Problem.
Tech burnout just became the majority experience — but people still like the work. It's a pace problem, and a lot of it is one you can stop imposing.
Your Team Isn't Split by AI. It's Split by You.
A 2026 survey says AI is splitting tech workers into thriving and struggling. The bigger truth: which side they land on is mostly about their manager.
Continuous Discovery Has an Infrastructure Problem, Not a Willpower Problem
Most teams fail at continuous discovery, but not from lack of discipline. It's missing infrastructure – and that's a fixable problem.
Diligence Is Getting Longer, Not Deeper
M&A due diligence has stretched from four months to nearly seven. Longer hasn't meant deeper – and that gap is where deals quietly break.
The AI Rule You Built For Just Got Repealed
The AI rules firms spent two years preparing for are now being repealed and pre-empted. Compliance built on a moving target needs a new approach.