The Story of Stripe Press with Tamara Winter - [Making Media, EP.47]

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Dec 7, 2023

Tammy Winter, the Commissioning Editor of Stripe Press, talks about the origin of Stripe Press and its goal to increase the GDP of the internet. They discuss the impact of republishing Poor Charlie’s Almanac and the importance of accessible information. The podcast also explores the power of Twitter in career growth and the influence of published books, including an unexpected impact on Bono. They highlight the success of Stripe Press books and the significance of investing in intangible things. The episode ends with an exploration of the development of Prince of Persia and an appreciation for physical infrastructure.

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Introduction

00:00 • 6min

The Origin and Mission of Stripe Press

06:01 • 12min

The Power of Twitter in Career Growth

18:04 • 10min

The Influence of Published Books and Unexpected Impact on Bono

27:45 • 2min

The Impact of Stripe Press Books

29:57 • 24min

The Making of Prince of Persia and the Value of Keeping a Diary

54:23 • 2min

Appreciation for Physical Infrastructure and Recommendations for Previous Conversation

56:32 • 2min

Our guest today is Tammy Winter, the Commissioning Editor of Stripe Press. As the name suggests, Stripe Press is a division within Stripe. Founded in 2010 by two Irish brothers, John and Patrick Collison, Stripe is a payment processing business with a mission to "increase the GDP of the internet".

From the surface, there doesn’t seem to be great synergies or reasons why a payments business would incubate a publishing arm – particularly one that focuses on publishing or re-publishing physical books. But, as Tammy explains, there is a lot more than meets the eye.

We recorded this conversation on Tuesday morning last week before the incredibly sad news that investing icon, Charlie Munger passed away. Stripe Press republished Poor Charlie’s Almanac earlier this week and we talk about that two-year project with Tammy in our discussion. Please enjoy this conversation with Tammy Winter.

Listen to Invest Like the Best: A Conversation with Charlie Munger & John Collison

Order your copy of Poor Charlie’s Almanack

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes:

(01:59) - (First Question) - The origin story and purpose of Stripe Press

(08:07) - Choosing between tactical guide-like books and inspirational open-ended books

(15:56) - Tammy's personal story and educational background

(20:54) - Intersecting with prominent people using Twitter to advance professionally

(24:00) - How they measure success at Stripe Press

(30:43) - Measuring success without numbers

(35:00) - Why produce physical books

(36:48) - Design conception and the process behind creating the books

(40:19) - Where books like Poor Charlie’s Almanack originally come from

(45:17) - Tammy's reflections on the media industry and what she’s learned in her career

(51:24) - Debrief