The Knowledge with David Elikwu

125. Authentic Ideas, Social Media, and Writing with Wes Kao

Nov 14, 2024

In this chat, Wes Kao, an entrepreneur and co-founder of the edtech company Maven, shares her insights on the evolving landscape of social media and writing. She highlights the danger of chasing viral content and advocates for authentic expression over mediocrity. The importance of clarity in leadership is emphasized, alongside the significance of meaningful online engagement. Wes also warns against the pitfalls of memetic ideas and discusses how writing fosters rigorous thinking, shaping effective communication for tech leaders.

36:56

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Episode guests

Wes Kao

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Engaging in rigorous writing not only enhances clarity of thought but also transforms complex ideas into deeper understanding and insight.

Prioritizing unique perspectives over viral content in social media fosters meaningful connections and encourages thoughtful dialogue among engaged individuals.

Deep dives

Value of a Smaller, Quality Following

Having a smaller following comprised of high-quality individuals is often more beneficial than a large audience of less engaged thinkers. The type of content shared influences the kind of people drawn to it, with generic or superficial posts attracting less rigorous individuals. Thoughtful content can not only reflect one's true self but also attract others who resonate with that same level of thinking. It is essential to focus on the quality of engagement rather than just the quantity of followers.

Intro

2min

City Life and Connectivity

6min

The Art of Online Engagement

10min

The Importance of Authenticity in Content Creation

6min

The Art of Repurposing Content

14min

David speaks with Wes Kao, an entrepreneur, coach, and advisor who writes a newsletter. She is the co-founder of Maven, an edtech company that raised $25M from First Round and Andreessen Horowitz. Previously, she co-founded the altMBA with Seth Godin. Wes now writes for over 300,000 operators across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Substack, coaches tech leaders, and teaches a 2-day intensive course on executive communication and influence.

They talked about:

🔗 How social media is redefining connection

💬 Why it’s good to disagree sometimes

🔥 The trap of chasing viral content

📝 How writing builds rigorous thinking

🧩 The danger of memetic ideas

🧭 The importance of being clear and decisive in leadership

Andreessen Horowitz | https://a16z.com/

Spiky point of view | https://www.weskao.com/blog/spiky-point-of-view-lets-get-a-little-controversial

ChatGPT | https://openai.com/index/chatgpt/

Wes Kao’s Blog | https://www.weskao.com/blog

Wikipedia | https://www.wikipedia.org/

Rick Rubin | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin

Substack | https://substack.com/

Nilay Patel | https://www.theverge.com/authors/nilay-patel

Decoder | https://www.theverge.com/decoder-podcast-with-nilay-patel

Maven | https://maven.com/

👤 Connect with Wes:

Website: https://www.weskao.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weskao

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wes_kao

👨🏾‍💻 About David Elikwu:

David Elikwu FRSA is a serial entrepreneur, strategist, and writer. David is the founder of The Knowledge, a platform helping people think deeper and work smarter.

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