Ahh…writing the last post for 2023. I intend to take a break for the next 3 weeks and recharge my writing brain. Hopefully, it makes the posts next year even better!

First, I want to thank all my readers out there for supporting An Operator’s Blog. Late last year, I committed to writing every week about my observations and learnings related to Building (startups), Investing (venture capital), and Life (parenting, marriage, and urban mid-life,) and doing it as candidly as possible. The idea was to share research, notes, experiences, and anecdotes from my life, in the hope that each post helps at least one person in their quest for seeking answers.

I had no way to predict (and still don’t!) what the reader persona of this blog would find useful and entertaining. Hence, I used the golden rule of creativity – create for yourself first. Each week, my endeavor has been to write about things I personally find interesting, covering topics I have a natural curiosity about.

Standing today, I can see that this blog has become some unique mix of a personal journal, professional notes, analysis memos, whiteboard, and scratchpad. I don’t know whether this is ideal or not, but am consciously not forcing a specific structure on it. I try and follow my natural flow of curiosity, keeping the writing as organic as possible. Hopefully, it then has a better shot at resonating with a certain section of the audience.

Even with niche topics like venture capital, public markets, mental models, and building startups, An Operator’s Blog has touched ~7,000 active readers in the last year.

I also write a weekly newsletter where in addition to long-form posts, I share curated content, fresh ideas, and other thoughts to consider and reflect on. The subscriber base now includes some of the top founders, investors, and operators in their respective areas. PS: if you find this intriguing, subscribe to the newsletter here.

This traction, combined with the qualitative feedback I regularly receive, tells me there is something of value here. Some of my friends have asked how I manage to gather the energy to write about diverse and intense topics every week. The secret is the above – getting feedback from readers about how a particular post impacted their thinking is the ultimate reward.

An Operator’s Blog is both my product and my art. One of my core life pursuits is to keep improving it and with each new post, make it more useful and interesting for you.

Closing out this year’s last post by sharing my top 15 personal and professional reflections from 2023. Just something for you to chew on during the holidays!

#1 Interest rates impact our lives much more than we imagine.

#2 Operating under scarcity leads to better capital allocation decisions.

#3 Entry price matters in venture investing.

#4 No one is going to share their best deals with you. Having your own proprietary deal flow is critical.

#5 Attending events is unscalable, yet extremely high ROI.

#6 When the sun is shining, make sure you make hay. The clouds are always around the corner.

#7 The best way to sell is to “not sell”. Instead, do Inception.

#8 Children don’t do what they are told. They do what they observe.

#9 Everyone gives you money when you don’t need it. No one gives you money when you desperately need it.

#10 The best things in life happen organically. Let the natural flow of life take its course.

#11 Charlie Munger’s quote: “The key to happiness is low expectations” is unbelievably true.

#12 Having a high income isn’t enough. The key to wealth creation is owning assets.

#13 It’s important to start early to ensure you are on the right side of compounding in anything.

#14 A good way to bond with new people is to be genuinely curious about their journeys.

#15 Even the smallest achievements of your child give unmatched satisfaction to the soul.

Wishing you all a happy new year. See you in 2024!

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