Whenever people talk about the loneliness epidemic, I can’t help but nod my head in agreement. For people who know me, that may seem odd because I’m constantly surrounded by friends and loved ones. But loneliness is felt in the soul rather than in physical space. I guess that’s why there’s the idea of soulmates. … Continue reading Single-serving friends
I remember the sense of wonder when I first signed up for Facebook and Twitter. Facebook helped me feel more connected to my friends, especially as I was graduating high school and going away to college. Twitter helped me find like-minded people who were also obsessed about technology and encouraged me to pursue my career. … Continue reading How technology is making us feel so out of sorts these days
Full-stack startups, Atrium for X, managed marketplaces, software eats services, etc. Startups are evolving beyond pure software and here are 7 factors to consider when building full-stack startups.
On why Silicon Valley... It seems like so many people are talking about leaving San Francisco / Silicon Valley, given how much I complain about the shoddy city infrastructure, I've had to answer why I'm still here many times. The short version is I that the same toxic groupthink is what pushes what's considered "normal" … Continue reading Why Silicon Valley and thinking like a maker
Five years ago, Chris Dixon coined the “Full-Stack Startup” to describe the new wave of companies like Uber looking to upend entire industries through building a new, vertically-integrated stack. The basic idea is this. Traditionally, as startup founders we see ourselves as toolmakers because we build software and that’s what software is best suited for. … Continue reading The “Full-Stack Startup” and Jiro’s Dreams of Sushi
MIT’s time capsule. Buried in 1957 to be opened in year 2957. As an immigrant myself, I’ve been thinking about the idea of a time capsule and how it could be a useful tool to understand the immigrant experience. What is the immigrant time capsule? Let me introduce two characters based on people I know to … Continue reading The immigrant time capsule
Are we about to see a Facebook bank run? Building trust is hard because trust has to be built incrementally, and it only takes one (perceived) mistake to undo years of trust-building. Facebook is very publicly dealing with this issue today, but the problem they face goes beyond locking down developer access to user data and … Continue reading What will it take for us to trust Facebook again?
When I moved from Taipei to Los Angeles at the age of 11, I had already heard much about “America” and how it’s the best country in the world. My dad and I got off the airplane, got in a car, and went on the 405. I saw the vast freeway traversing through bald, brown … Continue reading A San Franciscan tries the future of mobility — LimeBike, SPIN, Bird, and JUMP Bike
Ricky Yean 