The Diff
Byrne Hobart
The Diff is a newsletter exploring the technologies, companies, and trends that are making the future high-variance. Posts range from in-depth company profiles, applied financial theory, strategy breakdowns and macroeconomics.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 17, 2023 • 19min
It's Hard to Build a Durable Business Selling Durable Goods
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - It's Hard to Build a Durable Business Selling Durable Goods
(13:02) - Wrappers and Layoffs
(13:53) - The Movies
(15:38) - Evaporating Sanctions
(16:09) - Bonds
(16:52) - Errors in Translation
Jul 10, 2023 • 16min
Was it Worth it for Facebook to Become Meta?
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Was it Worth it for Facebook to Become Meta?
(09:38) - Carbon Accounting
(10:48) - Social Mobility
(11:23) - To Replicate or To Replicate
(13:06) - Energy Transitions
(14:04) - Financing
Jul 3, 2023 • 12min
AI Turns UGC into a PVP Zone
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - AI Turns UGC into a PVP Zone
(07:04) - Goldman
(08:17) - ETFs
(09:02) - Dispersion
(10:09) - Softbank
(11:20) - Contrarianism
Jun 26, 2023 • 14min
The Economics of Engineering Blogs
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - The Economics of Engineering Blogs
(08:27) - Art Exchange
(09:51) - Fraud
(10:56) - Airlines
(11:44) - The Long Tail
(12:29) - Chinese IPOs
Jun 20, 2023 • 14min
Reddit and Platform Politics
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Reddit and Platform Politics
(09:12) - The Boomer Market
(10:18) - Network Effects
(11:20) - Direct to Retail
(12:08) - Strategic Investing
(13:05) - ByteDance and AI
Jun 15, 2023 • 16min
Where Does Stripe Go From Here?
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Where Does Stripe Go From Here?
(10:43) - Deal Flow
(11:32) - Proprietary Data
(12:31) - Beyoncéflation
(13:09) - Pricing and Local Maxima
(14:28) - Funds and Spoils
Jun 12, 2023 • 12min
Unavoidable Drawdowns
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Unavoidable Drawdowns
(06:45) - Dumb Money
(08:08) - Adversarial Environments
(09:04) - Coasian Bargains in Immigration
(10:05) - Asset Allocation
(11:23) - Lock-In
Jun 5, 2023 • 15min
In Defense of Made-Up Metrics
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - In Defense of Made-Up Metrics
(07:32) - Scaling the Non-Scalable
(09:49) - VR and Platform Ownership
(11:15) - What is a Bank?
(12:19) - The Non-Recession Recession, in One Graph
(13:23) - Going Direct
May 30, 2023 • 15min
Data, Prices, and Central Planning
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Data, Prices, and Central Planning
(09:02) - Japan Remains Cheap
(10:08) - Tipping and Price Discrimination
(11:10) - Bad News is Good News
(12:26) - Black Markets
(13:08) - Jobs
May 22, 2023 • 13min
Cava: One Brand, Many Channels
This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Cava: One Brand, Many Channels
(07:41) - AI and Incumbents
(08:51) - Buying Reputation
(09:40) - Restaurant Pricing
(10:35) - Debt, Prices, and the Pull-Forward Effect
(11:46) - Assets and Distribution
