Aesthetics all the way down, baby

There is beauty in something well-made. The fine fit of a tailored suit. The delicate stitching of a vibrant rug. The mechanical elegance of a well-tuned watch, ticking silently. The same aesthetic laws that govern these objects – and innumerable others – apply to the business world, too. There is such a thing as a beautiful, elegant business. Not ... See more

When evaluating a company, one of my favorite questions to ask is whether it has an aesthetic. We don’t talk about aesthetics as the highest form of brand or story or a reflection of team cohesion, because investing on “vibes” or “look” or “mood” is very frowned upon. Even using it as a data point is beaten out of us. But if you look at any enti... See more

Aesthetics. An entire aesthetic world is a lot harder to copy than a visual handwriting or a tone of voice. It also takes longer to develop. Aesthetics is a value innovation form that stems from the brand POV. This aesthetic POV defines who the company is, what it stands for and also what kind of customers it wants to cultivate.

"Be guided by beauty. I really mean that. I think pretty much everything I've done has had an aesthetic component—at least to me. Now, you might think, "Building a company that's trading bonds? What's so aesthetic about that?" What's aesthetic about it is doing it right. Getting the right kind of people, and approaching the problem, and doing it ri... See more