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THe Cultural Layer

In archaeology, the cultural layer is where we find evidence of human activity. It is also where we find meaning.

Here is a collection of our thinking on marketing, sales, and culture, with a focus on the human element of business.

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THe Department of x

This series highlights interesting people doing exemplary things. We build these stories through a mix of words, film, and design.

Department of Punk

Enter The Alley

When Mark Thomas asks people about The Alley, the punk empire that he began building 47 years ago, he often hears:
  • I bought my first bong from you.
  • I bought my first motorcycle jacket from you.
  • I bought my first pair of Dr Martens from you.
  • I came to your store, and I had always been uncomfortable with my family and my community, and it was the first place that I felt safe.
  • When I was 16, I stole my parents car and The Alley was the first place that I went.
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Dynamics of Growth

A continuing series on building a practical philosophy of marketing & sales

Philosophy

Marketing is a science, an art and a language.

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Overview

This project is organized as a series of principles or logical posits that build upon each other. Taken together, they are a way to think about marketing and sales.

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Quick Principles of Marketing

Distilling marketing, sales and management into simple, actionable guidelines

Overview

The following is a set of principles that were hard-won through battle. They range from philosophical to mundane, but all are useful.

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#10 One sale does not a customer make.

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#9. Timing is everything

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The Dispatch

The archives of our biweekly periodical, crammed with marketing tips and startup strategy
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Field Notes

Essays on startups, marketing, and excellence in action

Startup State of Mind

"Don’t think of emotional skills as something you either have or you don’t. Think of them as muscles. Muscles that grow through use." -Dr. Ashish Mehta

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King of the River

...A masked figure playing accordion under the trees, slowly gathering a crowd like the pied piper...

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Startup State of Mind

"Don’t think of emotional skills as something you either have or you don’t. Think of them as muscles. Muscles that grow through use." -Dr. Ashish Mehta

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Volume 2: Big Events, Big Identity

Original publish date: May 27th 2025

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Volume 1: Battle of the Bands and Better Brands

Original publish date: May 17th, 2025

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King of the River

...A masked figure playing accordion under the trees, slowly gathering a crowd like the pied piper...

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Dynamics of Growth : Chapter 1

Trade is the result of connection. Marketing exists to facilitate trade.

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#10 One sale does not a customer make.

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The DeepTech 50 Twitter Network

A study of information centrality and how ideas flow through the DeepTech VC community on Twitter (Han de Jong, 2021).

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#9. Timing is everything

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#18. Break down marketing and sales into discrete steps. This allows you to measure the unmeasurable

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#2. A salesperson is a leader

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#1. People have the wrong view of sales

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Overview

The following is a set of principles that were hard-won through battle. They range from philosophical to mundane, but all are useful.

More  

Philosophy

Marketing is a science, an art and a language.

More  

Overview

This project is organized as a series of principles or logical posits that build upon each other. Taken together, they are a way to think about marketing and sales.

More  

Department of X

Interesting people doing exemplary things

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Field Notes

Practical essays on startup and marketing topics

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VCX

Our partner data science arm using data to explore the world of business and tech.

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