Bill Murray, and Theranos

This is an online archive from my weekly newsletter How It Actually Works. If you'd like to read more material like this for free give me your email here.

Good morning,

If you’re looking for an amazing junior developer please let me know, I have someone who deserves a solid look.

- Trevor

The Links

A list of interesting memos I’ve collected

Includes negotiations from Steve Jobs, how to communicate internally from Elon Musk, strategies for Jimmy Carter in creating the Camp David Accords, and others.

That Time I Flew on the Enron Jet (article)

Guy who partnered his company with Enron about the due diligence process, including meeting Jeff Skilling.

Amazon and taxes: a simple primer (article)

“The main reason Amazon as a corporate entity does not pay much in taxes is because the company so vigorously reinvests its profit.”

How I Lost $100k, Pissed Off 500 People, & Turned It Around To Build a 7-Figure Business (article)

I saw this from the outside and while it was obvious they’d had problems, I had no idea how bad it was.

One of the most fascinating parts of life to me is the difference between the external public perception of an organization and the internal reality.

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (PDF book)

A classic that I’ve tried reading twice, gotten 30 or so chapters into.

Many people love this book, figured if you hadn’t heard of it you should at least take a look.

Bad Blood (book)

The popular book about the infamous blood testing company, Theranos, and its charismatic founder and CEO, Elizabeth Holmes.

I have a confession: when the reports first came out about Theranos I didn’t believe them. Journalists are constantly tearing down entrepreneurs and so I assumed this was more of the same. I was wrong.

The Bill Murray Stories (Netflix)

Documentary about all the random places Bill Murray shows up to hang with non-celebrities. Surprisingly moving.

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This was originally published in my weekly newsletter, How It Actually Works.