Alex Lieberman — On Voice, Unicorns & Intrinsic Motivation (EP.192)
Dec 7, 2023
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Alex Lieberman, Co-founder of Morning Brew, discusses how hiring a Voice Editor contributed to Morning Brew's success, spotting a writing unicorn, following intrinsic motivation, the flaws in the interview process, the concept of arbitrage, stepping out of the CEO role, rewriting internal stories, building a personal media company for executives, and the power to change the world.
Writing with a distinctive voice is crucial for creating engaging and refreshing content.
Self-awareness plays a vital role in the hiring process and leadership roles.
StoryArb aims to help professionals build their personal brand on social media.
Self-belief and love for others have the power to transform individuals and society.
Deep dives
The Importance of Resetting Our Thinking
The podcast highlights the significance of resetting our thinking to avoid getting stuck in repetitive thought patterns. It emphasizes the need for a fresh perspective to gain a better understanding of why we think the way we do and how we can change that. The goal is to provide listeners with a multifaceted lens through which to view various issues, incorporating history, philosophy, art, science, linguistics, and quantitative analysis.
The Origin Story of Morning Brew
The podcast features an interview with Alex Lieberman, the founder of Morning Brew, who shares the fascinating origin story of the company. He explains how he started writing a daily business newsletter called Market Corner while in college to keep his knowledge about the markets sharp. The newsletter evolved into Morning Brew, initially a PDF without a website or logo. Alex's co-founder, Austin Rief, joined the company, and they focused on adding a voice that read like a sociable friend discussing business over drinks. The company grew and expanded, creating a unique place in the industry.
The Significance of Writing with Voice
The podcast conversation touches on the importance of writing with voice and how it differentiates Morning Brew's content. The hosts discuss how writing with voice, like a sociable and smart friend, brings a refreshing and engaging tone to the newsletter. They highlight the challenges of finding writers who can balance writing chops with a distinctive voice. The discussion also emphasizes the value of specificity, sentence length variation, and the ability to make the content dance to create an enjoyable reading experience.
The Benefits of Self-Awareness in Hiring and Leadership
The podcast explores the benefits of self-awareness in the hiring process and leadership roles. The conversation emphasizes the value of being aware of one's own weaknesses and knowing when to delegate tasks to more suitable individuals. The importance of finding complementary thinkers and skill sets is also discussed, with examples from personal experiences. Additionally, the podcast highlights the need for a long and thorough interview process, allowing candidates to self-select and ensuring that the right fit is chosen.
StoryArb: Building a Personal Media Company for Executives
StoryArb is a new venture that aims to help exceptional professionals build their personal brand on social media. The idea originated from the realization that short-form video agencies are becoming commoditized and lack the ability to track ROI for their clients. By leveraging text-based platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, StoryArb believes it can drive real opportunities and relationships for executives through content creation. Initially, the company acted as a matchmaking service, pairing qualified writers with executives. As the business gained traction, a CEO was hired, and the goal expanded to include rented audiences, owned audience platforms like email and podcasts, and ultimately, monetized businesses. Alex Lieberman, the founder, envisions launching business ventures with clients, offering passive income streams and reinforcing their main businesses through built-up distribution. StoryArb's goal is to be the personal media company for the modern executive.
Finding Identity and Motivation After Transitioning from CEO Role
Alex Lieberman opens up about his personal journey of leaving the CEO role at Morning Brew, describing it as one of the hardest decisions he has ever made. He shares his emotional state during that period, including feelings of loss of identity and a shift in motivation. Lieberman reflects on his early years at Morning Brew, realizing that his zone of genius was in the ideation, storytelling, and underdog battle stages, rather than the scaling and operational aspects of the business. He highlights the importance of seeking support, utilizing time as a teacher, and examining one's intrinsic motivations and passions. Lieberman emphasizes the need to challenge and change self-limiting beliefs and stories, understanding the impact they can have on one's personal and professional life.
The Power of Self-belief and Love for Others
Alex Lieberman explores the profound impact that self-belief and love for others can have on individuals and society as a whole. He suggests that if every person wakes up with a genuine love for oneself and a choice to love others, the world would be a better place. Lieberman sees the importance of building incredible things in the world but believes that without self-belief and empathy, these achievements lose their purpose. He advocates for individuals to prioritize self-love and extend that love to others, highlighting the transformative potential it holds for personal growth, relationships, and overall well-being.
Alex Lieberman is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Morning Brew, the cofounder of Storyarb and the host of 60 Second Startup & Founder’s Journal. Alex joins the show to discuss why hiring a Voice Editor contributed to Morning Brew’s success, how to spot a writing unicorn, how he learned to follow his intrinsic motivation and MUCH more! Important Links:
What Works on Wall Street, Fourth Edition: The Classic Guide to the Best-Performing Investment Strategies of All Time; by Jim O’Shaughnessy
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters; by Joseph Sugarman
The Tao Te Ching; by Laozi
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success; by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman & Kaley Klemp
The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human, and How To Tell Them Better; by Will Storr
Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind; by Andy Dunn
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