Packy McCormick

Packy McCormick, the creator of the popular newsletter 'Not Boring' and founder of a $40 million venture fund, shares his journey from just a handful of subscribers to massive success. He discusses his unique writing style that combines humor and depth, which engages a vast audience. Packy explores the intersection of writing and investing, revealing how sharing knowledge can be transformative. He emphasizes creating quality, long-lasting content in a world filled with fleeting distractions and reflects on finding inspiration amidst technological stagnation.

Packy McCormick, founder and investor at Not Boring, joins to explore the evolving tech landscape. He reflects on Web3's early enthusiasm and its challenges, questioning the balance between idealism and reality. The discussion includes Europe's awakening to technological needs and innovative energy solutions. Packy also delves into the future of nuclear power amid a solar-driven energy world, while examining how AI stands to redefine human value and self-expression in a rapidly digitizing society.

We’re very excited for this one. Part of our mission with Making Media is to highlight great content across the internet. Today, we’re starting with business essays and to bring some wisdom to the conversation, we enlisted one of our favorite writers, Packy McCormick. Hear us break down our most influential business essays, read them through the links in the shownotes, and let us know what you think on Twitter or hello@joincolossus.com. Enjoy!   For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.    -----   Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.   -----   Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.   Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.   Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus    Show Notes (00:02:59) - [First question] - The Not Boring back story and what he learned from his time at Breather (00:05:06) - Aggregation Theory by Ben Thompson (00:09:42) - The Bus Ticket Theory of Genius by Paul Graham (00:13:45) - Letter to a friend who may start a new investment platform by Graham Duncan (00:17:05) - Positional Scarcity by Alex Danco (00:22:23] - The Three Sides of Risk by Morgan Housel (00:26:56) - Salary Negotiation by Patrick McKenzie (00:31:47) - Sam Hinkie’s resignation letter (00:37:10) - Increasing Returns and the New World of Business by W. Brian Arthur (00:41:54) - 10 Tips on Writing by David Ogilvy (00:44:46) - The next big thing will start out looking like a toy by Chris Dixon (00:49:08) - The Tail End by Tim Urban (00:53:41) - 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly (00:59:07) - Honorable mention: The Great Online Game by Packy McCormick (01:03:26) - Honorable mention: Excel Never Dies by Packy McCormick  (01:05:58) - Packy’s closing thoughts and why he thinks people should read more Sci-Fi (01:08:37) - Honorable mention: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

In this discussion, Packy McCormick, writer of Not Boring and founder of Not Boring Capital, reveals how AI shapes his investment strategies and writing processes. He dives into the future of vertically integrated businesses and shares insights on utilizing advanced AI tools to simplify complex topics. Packy explains creating interactive graphics for his newsletter and discusses the upcoming trends in cryptocurrency. The conversation also highlights the significance of AI in empowering writers and enhancing creative workflows.

Packy McCormick, founder of 'Not Boring,' dives into the intriguing intersection of media and entrepreneurship. He explores how creators can evolve into companies and the potential of one person leveraging the internet. McCormick shares insights on building personal brands, the balance between authenticity and monetization, and his own experiences in navigating content creation. The discussion also highlights innovative sponsorship strategies and the transformative impact of AI on productivity and creative processes. Tune in for a deep dive into modern media dynamics!

Packy McCormick, a writer and investor known for his newsletter 'Not Boring,' shares insights on how his writing journey transformed into a $50M VC fund. He discusses the art of storytelling in venture capital and highlights the magnetic traits of successful founders. Packy dives into the balance between intuition and analysis in investing while exploring the impact of vertical integrators in various industries. He also shares his hot takes on AI and reveals what he's most excited about for 2025.

Erik Torenberg sits down with Packy McCormick of the newsletter Not Boring and Not Boring Capital. For many, Packy is the epitome of the single creator-led media empire.Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.In this conversation, they discuss: how Packy evolved his content format, why a venture model is the business he wanted to build, and his plans for experimentation with Not Boring. They also analyze the opportunities for successful media businesses that should exist in the world.RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGsMedia Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co-SPONSOR:Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "EMPIRES" for 20% off your first three months.-We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode Preview(01:00) Sponsor: https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires(03:07) The story and evolution of Not Boring(07:58) Breaking into venture through media(09:45) What have you chosen not to do with Not Boring?(12:11) ProductHunt for fundraise announcements(16:03) Packy's investing style and how its changed(20:46) How Packy's content has evolved(24:40) Content formats to experiment with in the future(26:29) A museum where you could see what the world is like in 2050(28:06) Rap Genius for S-1(30:30) Competing with Crunchbase or PitchBook(31:44) Not Boring in a universe where Packy didn't start a venture fund(34:30) If Packy built a tech media company today, how would he do it?(37:06) Topics in tech media to cover(39:48) Workweek vs Not Boring approach(41:07) Would Packy have taken a Workweek offer instead of starting Not Boring?(42:30) Investing in creators vs startups(45:08) Exploring other content platforms(46:21) The future of tech media(48:26) Is there a book in Not Boring's future?(50:26) Financing good businesses that are not venture-backable(52:31) The full-time fan and the idea of fans investing in media businessesLINKS:Not Boring: https://www.notboring.co/TWITTER:@eriktorenberg@packym@notboringco

Web3’s ability to attach value and incentives to almost every part of human activity has radical implications not only for how businesses engage with their customers, but also for how people can self-organize to drive social change. Web3 investor and analyst Packy McCormick makes the case, in conversation with Azeem Azhar, that an optimistic outlook rooted in market-dynamics can enable new sustainable businesses that operate for the public good. They also discuss: Why framing human behavior in terms of a game helps explain why crypto has seen such explosive growth. Why blockchain allows us to imagine new systems of governance that can empower novel organizations. How early we are in the blockchain revolution. @Azeem @exponentialview @packyM @notboringco Further resources: Gaming’s Web3 Future (Exponential View Podcast, 2022) Money in the Metaverse (Exponential View Podcast, 2022) Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid (The Atlantic, 2022) Primer: Ambitious Homes for Ambitious Kids (Not Boring, 2022)

Packy McCormick, writer of "Not Boring" and investor at Not Boring Capital, dives into the playful side of crypto. He discusses the balance between fun and financial gain in the world of NFTs and Web3. Their conversation explores the evolving nature of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, igniting debates on their societal impacts. Packy also shares insights on the importance of community and practical usage over mere investment hype, while examining how social status dynamics shape online behaviors and the future of decentralized platforms.

Join venture capitalist Packy McCormick, known for his insightful writing on media and AI, as he dives into the absurdities of meme coins like Fartcoin, which has hilariously topped a billion-dollar market cap. The discussion navigates Nvidia's revolutionary AI advancements for the future, alongside the unpredictable dynamics of crypto investing. With insights on balancing innovative tech's benefits and pitfalls, this conversation is both enlightening and entertaining, exploring how 2025 might shape our financial landscape.