A Smart Bear: On Culture

Mission, Vision, poTAYto, poTAHto

Mission, vision, purpose, BHAG. Are they useful north stars, or academic nonsense? —November 2025 | 3,500 words.
In its emptiness, there is the function of a startup

Everything about a startup changes over time. The few things that don’t, are its essence. The voyage is meaningless, unless you decide what those things are. —August 2014 | 1,000 words.
How to hire people who are better than you

If you don’t hire people better than you, the organization gets bigger, not better. But how do you hire for something you don’t understand? —April 2026 | 2,100 words.
Tech Support is sales

Tech support isn’t just troubleshooting; it’s the face of your company. Which means it’s your brand, your positioning, and when it’s excellent, it is sales. —May 2010 | 1,300 words.