Stan Wilson Jr

Blog

•3 min read

Embracing Imperfection in the Era of Efficiency and AI

Ideas that resonate with you can come from anywhere and this case it came from a casual listen of a song by Madvillian called “Shadows of Tommorrow”. Typically when I listen to hip-hop It sends me on a journey for what music samples were used but this time it got me curious about the poetry of Sun Ra an eccentric Jazz artist and poet of the 60s-70s who is linked to Afrofuturism. The song was a direct recitation of his poem “Shadow of Tomorrow” over the amazing production of Madlib (1/2 of the Ma

#Import 2025-06-02 16:42
•3 min read

I created a multiple-choice quiz using AI + book highlights (Part 2)

Previously, I created a quiz using product management data to create a quiz, and this worked. It’s been effective, but ChatGPT has allowed us to create custom GPTs since then. So, obviously, I had to try the same thing with this new ChatGPT feature. While I’m a big fan of the Anthropic product Claude, AI, I can’t pass up the opportunity to create a customized version of ChatGPT. Since it was announced, there have been so many custom GPTs made. Some of them are good, some of them bad, but most ar

generative aichatgpt#Import 2025-06-02 16:42
•4 min read

I created a multiple-choice quiz using Claude AI + book highlights.

Recently, I have dedicated more time to sharpening my knowledge in my profession as a product manager. This means studying the latest best practices in product management. When I read, I thoroughly highlight key insights in the text using Readwise. Effectiveness of the quiz Simply revisiting highlights is helpful, but I've found that quizzing myself is the best way to truly retain knowledge from what I've read. Creating flashcards, as we did in school, is one effective strategy here. However

#Import 2025-06-02 16:42
•3 min read

The Power of Lateral Thinking: How Nintendo and Others Revolutionized Their Industries

Innovation is often thought of as the result of groundbreaking new inventions, but the truth is that some of the most revolutionary ideas come from finding new ways to use existing technology. Nintendo, is a prime example of this approach. When they released the Game Boy in 1989, it wasn't the first portable gaming device on the market, but it was the first to catch on in a big way. Nintendo harnessed the power of "withered technology" and "lateral thinking." What is Withered Technology With

Essays#Import 2025-06-02 16:42
•4 min read

The science of creating exceptional value for customers

I have been thinking about companies that create exceptional value for customers. These companies generate higher levels of value with their customers while other companies fail to gain any traction or are easily replaced. Is there a formula for creating and measuring exceptional value? Who is your customer? Knowing your customer and their needs used to be a lot simpler. For example, when a baker opens a shop, people frequent their business based on location and the quality of their goods. Ov

Essaysstrategycustomer-value
•3 min read

Learning and Unlearning Revisited

Previously I wrote about executives reacting to Netflix's approach to releasing all of their episodes at one time and the shortcomings of not being more open-minded or curious. After I finished and published the post, I serendipitously discovered a post by Paul Graham that captured the same idea only with more insights and also a way of applying this thinking to your life. Here are some of his points. The person is as important as the idea. Paul Graham indicates that if you hear an idea that

#Import 2025-06-02 16:42
•3 min read

On Learning and Unlearning

In a recent interview on Founders Journey, Thomas Tull (Founder of Legendary) reminded me that the concept of releasing a whole season all at once (kicked off by House of Cards), brought to consumers by Netflix, was groundbreaking. What struck me was that Tull went on to explain how people laughed at that idea. They assumed that shows needed to be released weekly to get the most value. Otherwise, consumers would rush through the content and be done and potentially not come back. ...when they fi

Essays
•3 min read

No-Codish: How I learned to embrace No-Code tools

It seems like everywhere I look (or at least in my social media bubble 🙂) lots of people are talking about the No-Code movement. No-Code tools enable non-technical people to build applications through web and mobile apps that work as a replacement for traditional application development. Reconsidering the value of No-Code Initially, I disregarded the value of these tools because, for the most part, I don't need them to build an app ... I can code. However, after talking to others and seeing

Essays#Import 2025-06-02 16:42
•3 min read

Anything worth reading is worth re-reading

After you finish a really good book it changes you. It changes the way you think, provokes new thoughts and adds a new part to the prism on which you view life. The novel concepts introduced are often adopted temporary into our everyday life over time we either maintain this new way of thinking, adopt new ideas to replace them or simply forget them. More times than often these ideas are forgotten. If these ideas are in fact important and if they have made a profound effect, you should probably

Essays#Import 2025-06-02 16:42