#55 Builder Mode
No AI in sight.
Hiiii. I’m aware that some of my recent posts — namely, this one:
sounded a tad dark. Don’t shoot the messenger! I’m the bearer of a slightly more positive message today. I need it, we all need it. xoxo Esther 💋
👷 I’m bullish on builders
When I told you I was bullish on businesses that reward greed openly—no mission statement, no founder myth, just exposure to upside, I wasn’t trying to be cynical; it was a forecast. The cultural infrastructure is there, the demand is real. I translate these shifts into investment theses.
But here’s the thing: while I track what is, I’m still drawn to what could be. And the people building in public—the ones documenting the messy middle, not just the polished outcome—represent something I recognise I’m not doing enough of myself. Take Casa MK Sicilia, for instance. I should be sharing more of that journey. I know this.
From my current vantage point—analysing and predicting via Magma and Oblique Forecasting, unofficially advising founders in my network—I spend more time interpreting than creating, more time allocating attention than putting skin in the game. So when I see founders who are willing to be radically transparent about their process and who treat their audience as co-conspirators, unofficial beta-testers rather than customers-in-waiting… I pay attention. It’s valuable. Building in public creates accountability, attracts genuine support, and generates cultural momentum that traditional marketing can’t buy.
I want to highlight some people doing exactly that today. Not because they’ve made it, but because they’re making it visible. These are founders I’d back1.
who: Jules Bouscatel - what: Sant Roch (previously Monday Sports Club) - read Monday Learnings (in French)
→ why him: After building a massively successful sports brand (Dynamo, the French SoulCycle, and Punch Boxing), he and his wife/co-founder are building the first club dedicated to contrast therapy (hot sauna, ice baths) in Paris. A nuanced approach to longevity and a very transparent process.
who: David Nicolas - what: Féroce (in French)
→ why him: He most recently appeared on Qui Veut Être Mon Associé (= French Shark Tank) and successfully pitched his brand of extra nutritious meat that I mentioned here, as he had sent me a batch to test drive. So successfully, in fact, that all judges wanted to back him. He ended up backing out of the deal because his brand valuation skyrocketed between filming and airing!
who Lauren Sudeyko - what: Sleep or Die - read: Sleep or Die Diaries
→ why her: She’s building a desirable brand of sleep products designed for our restless era: mouth tape, dissolvable melatonin supplements in strip form. It’s sexy, it’s very now, and she really gets into the nitty-gritty of building waitlists, making new products that outsmart the competition, and all of the ups and downs of being a solo founder.
who: Annie Kreighbaum - what: Kraum - read: Vanity Project
→ why her: You may remember Annie as the inspiration behind Boy Brow, one of Glossier’s first products — and you may remember how Into The Gloss turned into Glossier in a build-in-public masterclass. After leaving Soft Services, a bodycare brand, and a hiatus on her beauty-industry-insider podcast, she’s launched her own luxury brushes line. From sourcing trips to naming products, we not only see how she’s building Kraum but also get thoughts on ageing and other beauty-adjacent topics.
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📈 Bullish news
A Stanford Experiment to Pair 5,000 Singles Has Taken Over Campus. Date Drop, an algorithmic matchmaking platform built by Stanford grad student Henry Weng in three weeks, has signed up over 5,000 of Stanford’s roughly 7,500 undergraduates since launching in September. Students answer 66 questions about values, lifestyles, and politics, then matches “drop” every Tuesday at 9 p.m., which has quickly turned into a campus ritual where students huddle in dorms and libraries to see results. (WSJ) > interesting to note that the answer to dating app fatigue often looks like a new version of matchmaking. Also… is it just me or is the term ‘Stanford Experiment’ a little unfortunate here?
📉 Bearish news
A new week, a new insane viral ‘wellness’ trend: Why Are Some Women Training for Pregnancy Like It’s a Marathon? So-called “zero trimester” influencers are promoting intensive preconception wellness regimens, from raw milk and beef organ supplements to sunrise-watching and $1,770 online courses. The trend is fueled in part by Gen Z fertility anxiety. (WIRED)
Even though two of them actively explained why they’re not taking outside investments at this time. Is that what makes the brands they’re building even more desirable? Much to think about.
