Catalyst

Will Web3 help decentralize the web and give us more privacy, or will it fall into the same old traps? This week, Gina Trapani joins Paul and Rich to dissect Web3 and its many utopian promises. Are they right to be critical of it, or is their point of view out-of-touch? Probably — but there’s still a lot to discuss.

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What is Web3, and why should we care about it? Will it be the digital revolution that brings the internet back to its decentralized and democratic roots? This week, internet expert (and Postlight CEO) Gina Trapani joins Rich and Paul to chat about their experiences with different iterations of the web and break down how it ended up so siloed, control-driven, and centralized. Will Web3 save us? Stay tuned.

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Paul and Rich are proud New Yorkers through and through, but sometimes they can't help but feel jealous that California kicked NYC to the curb when it comes to tech and Silicon Valley. This week, they unpack how that happened and try to figure out what it is about California that sparks innovation. They also speculate what the next technological revolution will look like and discuss whether or not we're on the cusp of a crypto explosion.

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It’s no secret that the past two years have shaped the ways we work with others. We have a growing constellation of tools at our disposal that all orbit around our sun: Slack. But why does it still feel like none of those tools talk to one another? This week, Rich and Paul chat about that disconnect and how it affects the way we work. They also envision a more streamlined future for tools and a better way to communicate.

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It’s been a few weeks since Zuckerberg’s video broke the internet, but does anyone actually know what the metaverse is? This week Paul and Rich chat with journalist Choire Sicha to figure it out. Will it be a radical new way to live in the future, or did Facebook only need a new story to tell? Together, they predict what digital platforms will look like in 20 years and what such changes will mean for all of us.

Links:

Choire Sicha Twitter

Zuckerberg Pivots to Creators and Renames Facebook Meta - Choire Sicha

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Tom Watson and Stefan Borsje are avid photographers and creators of the new photography app, Glass. This week they join Paul Ford and Michael Shane, Postlight’s Head of Digital Strategy, to talk about developing the app for their fellow photographers. They also share why they chose community funding over venture capital, highlight the importance of transparency with your users, and discuss defining product success when growth isn’t the primary focus.

Links: 

Glass 

Are.na 

Ravelry 

Metafilter 

Nolt 

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Clay Shirky is a man of many talents — author, educator, and now Vice Provost of Educational Technologies at the New York University. This week, Clay joins Paul and Rich to discuss his role in procuring tech for a large educational institution and shares how the pandemic made us more aware than ever of ed tech's shortcomings. He also breaks down the dangers of optimizing for stability instead of flexibility. Could low-code solutions be the answer for universities? Clay thinks so, but it’s not always that easy.

Links:

Clay Shirky Twitter

Here Comes Everybody

Meet the Numtots

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What's a Product Discovery Coach? This week Teresa Torres joins Paul and Rich to break down the mystique of her job title and the important work behind it. They discuss all things product development, and Teresa shares how unearthing product assumptions can help you achieve a better final outcome. Teresa also explains why you should expect your ideas to fail — and use that failure to your advantage.

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As an actor and communications coach, Bill Smartt knows how to speak to the room — both in person and online. Bill has been working with Postlight for years, and this week, he joins Paul and Rich with tips on how to communicate effectively and give that presentation you’re nervous about. He breaks down how to structure your deck, shares how to make eye contact on a video call, and discusses the importance of rehearsing.

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Paul Ford may have coined the term “content strategist” but he’s certainly not the only expert in it. This week Paul and Rich are joined by Postlight’s Associate Director of Digital Strategy, Chappell Ellison, to discuss the three pillars of content strategy. She also discusses the difference between editorial and technical content strategists, shares her journey in finding the role, and explains why content strategy work will only continue to grow.

Links: 

Chappell Ellison 

Chappell Ellison Twitter 

Probable Futures

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