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Good morning to all new and old readers! Here is your Wednesday edition of Faster Than Normal, exploring one short story about a person, a company, a high-performance tool, a trend I’m watching closely, and curated media to help you build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself. 

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Today’s edition:

Cheers,
Alex

P.S. Send me feedback on how we can improve. I respond to every email.

Stories of Excellence

Person: Rose Blumkin

Rose Blumkin, known as "Mrs. B," was a Russian immigrant who founded Nebraska Furniture Mart in 1937 with $500. She built it into the largest furniture store in North America. Buffett bought the company in 1983 for $60 million. Mrs. B's business philosophy was simple: "Sell cheap and tell the truth." She worked tirelessly, often sleeping on a cot in the store. Despite never learning to read or write English, she had an uncanny ability to calculate complex figures in her head. Her work ethic was legendary. She continued working until age 103. "I come back to work every day because this is my baby and I want to see it grow up," she once said. Mrs. B's story is a testament to the American dream and the power of determination.

Key Lessons from Rose Blumkin:

• On simplicity: "Sell cheap and tell the truth, don't cheat nobody, and don't take no kickbacks."

• On work ethic: "I come home to eat and sleep, and that's about it. I can't wait until it gets daylight so I can get back to the business."

• On longevity: She worked until age 103, showing that passion for one's work can sustain a lifelong career.

Read More.

Company: Fitbit

Fitbit was founded in 2007 by James Park and Eric Friedman, two entrepreneurs with backgrounds in technology and finance. The idea struck when Park struggled to lose weight and realized the potential of wearable tech for fitness tracking. They raised $400,000 from friends and family to build their first prototype. In 2009, Fitbit launched its first device at TechCrunch50. The company quickly gained traction, securing $8 million in Series A funding in 2010. Fitbit's growth exploded, leading to an IPO in 2015 that valued the company at $4.1 billion. Despite facing competition from tech giants, Fitbit maintained its market position until its acquisition by Google for $2.1 billion in 2021.

Key Lessons from Fitbit:

• On timing: Launch before you're ready. Fitbit's first device was buggy and limited. But it was enough to prove the concept and attract early adopters. Park said, "We knew we had to get something out there quickly."

• On data: Make numbers fun. Fitbit turned boring health stats into a game. People got hooked on hitting their daily goals. Addictive.

• On community: Build a tribe. Fitbit's social features let users compete with friends. It tapped into our innate desire for competition and belonging.

Read More.

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Accelerants

High-performance tool

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Poliheuristic Decision Theory

People apply heuristic shortcuts in their initial consideration of decision options but act rationally thereafter.

We use mental shortcuts to decide what’s possible, and then use an expected utility or cost-benefit analysis to decide what’s best.

Insights

Tactical reads

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> When studying the habits of highly effective leaders
How to be an Effective Executive (Read it here)

> When learning time management tips from busy professionals
Time Management Tips of Insanely Busy People (Read it here)

1 question

That’s all for today, folks. As always, please give me your feedback. Which section is your favourite? What do you want to see more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know.

Have a wonderful rest of week, all.

Recommendation Zone

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Alex Brogan

Find me on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

Offshore Talent: Where to find the best offshore talent. Powered by Athyna.

Why Faster Than Normal? Our mission is to be a friend to the ambitious, a mentor to the becoming, and a partner to the bold. We achieve this by sharing the stories, ideas, and frameworks of the world's most prolific people and companies—and how you can apply them to build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself.

Faster Than Normal is a ‘state' of being’ rather than an outcome. Outlier performance requires continuous, compounded improvement. We’re your partner on this journey.

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