September 16th, 2022

Hello, and welcome back to the regular edition of the Dispatch.

Without a doubt, the biggest story on LinkedIn this week would have to be the announcement that Yvon Chouinard, the founder of clothing brand Patagonia, and his family would transfer ownership of the company after nearly 50 years into a trust and non-profit that will help fight the climate crisis. My own post (below) has generated over 420,000 impressions and 6,700 engagements (likes and shares), in just over twenty-four hours, with the story by and large has receiving the response, goodwill and support that it deserves - yes, there were a cases of "whataboutism". With such an overwhelmingly positive response to the announcement (ed note: does anyone dare estimate the media value of global coverage) maybe there is hope that other founders and companies will balance purpose - real purpose, not just talk of it - with profit.

How about it, Elon? Zuck? Anyone, anyone?

On to this week's Dispatch.

What I've Been Reading

“Hopefully this will influence a new form of capitalism that doesn’t end up with a few rich people and a bunch of poor people". A half century after founding the outdoor apparel maker Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, the eccentric rock climber who became a reluctant billionaire with his unconventional spin on capitalism, has given the company away. Congratulations and thanks to David Gelles for bringing this story to life.

"Sneakers have become a democratizing cultural force of our era, driving a $127 billion global market...Whereas creatives of the 1960s dreamed of designing a chair, and in the 1990s and 2000s they strove to mold plastic and aluminum around consumer electronics, today they aspire to stamp their name on a sneaker. Salehe Bembury is the perfect embodiment of this new kind of celebrity industrial designer, as fluent in fashion as function." Mark Wilson talks to Salehe Bembury in this great long read.

“We’ve built this kind of machine, you know? We built this world. We start these businesses, we’ve put really great people in place, and then we’re just working with them.” This profile on acclaimed Canadian chef, author, YouTube star, actor, and newfound fashion impresario, Matty Matheson , via Max Berlinger , was another read to capture my and your attention.

Hunter S. Thompson once wrote about how working for Rolling Stone was “like being invited into a bonfire and finding out the fire is actually your friend.” He added, “Some people were fried to cinders, as I recall, and some people used the heat to transmogrify themselves into heroes.” Maureen Dowd talks to the magazine's founder, Jann Winner, about sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, not reading the magazine anymore, and a whole lot more.

“His understanding and reverence of the creative process was extraordinary,” said former design chief Jony Ive. He was masterful at helping people not ignore the problems but remain focused on the promise and vision of the actual ideas.” The legacy of Steve Jobs lives on in the company he founded, according to the people who knew him best. A look at last week's Code Conference interview, moderated by Kara Swisher , with Apple CEO Tim Cook, former design chief Jony Ive, and Emerson Collective founder Laurene Powell Jobs.

"Any boss who sacks someone for not turning up to work today is a bum” is perhaps the most famous quote uttered by an Australian prime minister and taken from one of the most pivotal moments in the country's sporting history. A preview of the next Untold film.

“People were warning Facebook for years: If you hide the dirty laundry, eventually the dirty laundry will get aired, and it’ll be worse than it’ll be if you just fess up to it now,” tech whistleblower Frances Haugen  said. Meta hasn’t acknowledged its role in the world and on the internet or stepped up to be more responsible stewards, Haugen said, adding, “I don’t think they’ve learned that lesson yet. They haven’t yet admitted that the way they were doing business is what caused their problems. Because Mark is unaccountable, he can surround himself with people who tell stories like that, who say, ‘You are the victim here.’ And reality never has to weigh in with consequences.”

"I think that YouTube is facing a real threat from TikTok and arguably a more substantial one than any other business threat they’ve had before. It’s a two-sided threat. Both for viewers and creators. We’ve seen how much Gen Z is spending their time on TikTok and are finding a chance to break through. They’re finding potentially commercial opportunities. At the end of the day, it’s all competition for eyeballs and time–there are only so many hours in a day." Mark Bergen talks to Grace Buono about the history (and future) of YouTube, the world's most influential media company.

“Equality and inclusivity make the world more exciting. A multitude of voices is always better than just one. Don’t you think?” Beautiful profile of Edward Enninful, in which he talks to Eva Wiseman about how being gay, Black and an immigrant guide his vision.

“In another era, Jiro might have been a minor cult classic, but it arrived at a moment when there was an audience hungry for more insight into not only where to find the best food in the world, but how it’s made and the people who make it.” Amy McCarthy talks to David Gelb about the legacy of Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

“In creating our store of tomorrow, we must commit to a fundamental shift in the way that we do business and use the Selfridges platform for change. Our vision is to reinvent retail and create a more sustainable future, and Project Earth and our new targets underpin this. Congratulations to Andrew Keith and team on taking these steps for the future.

What I've Been Listening To

Mark Cuban has gone from selling garbage bags door-to-door to selling internet companies for billions, acquiring an NBA team, and becoming a beloved “Shark” on Shark Tank. Mark reveals to Work Life host Adam Grant about how he turns problems into opportunities in entrepreneurship, basketball, and investing. They discuss his latest venture–disrupting the healthcare industry with an online pharmacy and a price-slashing philosophy that makes hundreds of drugs affordable–and why following your passion is not the best way to maintain your motivation. 

Another week, another mention of Recode Media with Peter Kafka , this time for his conversation with chef Jose Andres, about balancing a growing restaurant and media empire with responding to the world's emergencies, feeding the most vulnerable, and helping foster community, one plate at a time.

That's it for another week.

As always, thanks for the follows and support. Keep me posted on what you're reading, watching, and listening to, and enjoy your weekend wherever this dispatch finds you.

Ben