Podcasts about Convex

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.Welcome to Cytora's Practitioner's Guide, a new series from Making Risk Flow.In each episode, we sit down with experts from Cytora's global team to explore practical strategies, real-world applications, and emerging insights from the front lines of risk digitization and underwriting transformation.In this episode, Juan de Castro is joined by Rich Lewis, Cytora's Sales Director, and Zaheer Hooda, Head of North America, for a deep dive into what makes proof-of-concept (POC) initiatives in risk digitization succeed—or fail.Drawing on firsthand experience from working with leading carriers, they break down five essential capabilities insurers need to get right when implementing digitization initiatives—from extraction accuracy and full-spectrum intake handling, to scalable deployment and human-in-the-loop exception management.They also provide a practical, inside look at how insurers structure effective proof of concept  processes, including live workshops, data preparation, success metrics, and how to align POC design with measurable business outcomes.Whether you're a carrier planning a digitization journey or a leader seeking to optimize underwriting workflows, this episode offers tactical guidance to ensure your technology investments deliver meaningful impact.To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

React Compiler reached release candidate, LegendList v1 is finally released and Evan Bacon shares React Native performance tips - meanwhile Simon questions his existence and whether React Native was the right choice after allAlso in this episode:- How I use Convex and ElevenLabs to build a Captions clone- Why are you not using AI?- My vacation in Copenhagen- New App sales and motivation- Galaxies.dev merch

Progressive's Jeremy McKeown recently spoke with David Dredge of Convex Strategies in Singapore. David is widely regarded for his deep understanding of risk and for delivering his insights in a highly engaging and entertaining manner. He dedicates his time to analysing sources of risk and developing strategies designed to mitigate their impact. His approach involves embracing convexity—purchasing pockets of inexpensive volatility as a form of insurance against adverse outcomes in uncertain environments. When should investors adopt this strategy? According to David, the answer is simple: always—just like insuring a house. David holds strong and often contrarian views that challenge the foundational assumptions of Modern Portfolio Theory, which he refers to as "Sharpe World." In his view, this framework wrongly equates risk with volatility. He brings these ideas to life through vivid anecdotes and illustrative examples that highlight the risks investors unknowingly take in markets shaped by Sharpe World principles and operated by what he calls "Rational Accounting Man."

The Expo SDK 53 Beta was released, FlashList v2 is a complete rewrite and is React Native actually popular? I dive into the latest news from the React Native community, and share updates on the projects I'm working on.Also in this episode:- How I use Convex and ElevenLabs to build a Captions clone- Why are you not using AI?- My vacation in Copenhagen- New App sales and motivation- Galaxies.dev merch

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.In this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro sits down with Cassandra Vukorep, Chief Data and AI Officer at Lloyd's of London, to explore the impact of data and AI on commercial insurance. They discuss Lloyd's role as an ecosystem platform for over 100 syndicates, the importance of data standardisation, and efforts to streamline operations through the Core Data Record (CDR). With only 8% of insurers adopting AI across multiple functions, Cassandra highlights key challenges, including legacy systems and process redesign. They also examine how AI will become a competitive differentiator in the coming years. This conversation offers valuable insights into Lloyd's digital transformation and how insurers can navigate the complexities of AI adoption to drive efficiency and innovation in the evolving insurance landscape.To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

In this episode, a16z General Partner Martin Casado sits down with Sujay Jayakar, co-founder and Chief Scientist at Convex, to talk about his team's latest work benchmarking AI agents on full-stack coding tasks. From designing Fullstack Bench to the quirks of agent behavior, the two dig into what's actually hard about autonomous software development, and why robust evals—and guardrails like type safety—matter more than ever. They also get tactical: which models perform best for real-world app building? How should developers think about trajectory management and variance across runs? And what changes when you treat your toolchain like part of the prompt? Whether you're a hobbyist developer or building the next generation of AI-powered devtools, Sujay's systems-level insights are not to be missed.Drawing from Sujay's work developing the Fullstack-Bench, they cover:Why full-stack coding is still a frontier task for autonomous agentsHow type safety and other “guardrails” can significantly reduce variance and failureWhat makes a good eval—and why evals might matter more than clever promptsHow different models perform on real-world app-building tasks (and what to watch out for)Why your toolchain might be the most underrated part of the promptAnd what all of this means for devs—from hobbyists to infra teams building with AI in the loopLearn More:Introducing Fullstack-BenchFollow everyone on X:Sujay JayakarMartin Casado Check out everything a16z is doing with artificial intelligence here, including articles, projects, and more podcasts.

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.In this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro speaks with Carl Bach, CEO of Hartford Underwriting Agency, about how a 200-year-old insurer is modernising for the future. They discuss Hartford's brand refresh, maintaining its historic stag emblem while evolving its global identity. Carl outlines the strategic transformation of the company's Global Specialty business, which began in 2019, focusing on streamlining operations and ramping up specialisation in marine, energy, and financial lines.The conversation also covers Hartford's international growth ambitions through Lloyd's syndicate 1221, its approach to serving diverse market segments, and its use of AI and intelligent document processing in underwriting. Carl shares insights on balancing tradition with innovation, underscoring Hartford's values—especially "own it with pace"—as the company embraces change and seizes new opportunities in a fast-evolving industry.To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

https://jo.my/e7cofg Forklift Safety: Safe Movement and Awareness Forklifts keep operations moving but pose serious risks if not handled with care. A busy facility means constant movement—pedestrians, equipment, and changing layouts create potential hazards. Safe operation depends on awareness, control, and the proper habits to prevent accidents before they happen. Here are a few tips to assist you with safe forklift movement in dynamic environments: Use Mirrors and Spotters for Blind Spots – Blind spots are a significant risk, especially when turning corners or moving near high shelving. Convex mirrors at intersections and spotters in high-traffic zones help maintain visibility and reduce collision risks. Maintain a Safe Speed – Rushing leads to mistakes. Always follow posted speed limits and slow down when turning or entering tight areas. Keep control of the forklift at all times, ensuring enough stopping distance to avoid sudden hazards. Watch for Pedestrians and Follow Interaction Protocols – Pedestrians have the right of way, but communication is key. Make eye contact, use hand signals, and ensure pedestrians know your next move before proceeding. Horns and warning lights should be used at intersections and blind spots to alert others. Avoid Collisions in Tight Aisles – Space is limited, so plan each move carefully. Keep loads stable and centered to prevent tipping. Avoid sudden turns or jerky movements that could cause a shift in weight or loss of control. Stay Alert and Adapt to Changing Conditions – Facilities are constantly in motion, with shifting inventory, changing layouts, and multiple equipment operators. Stay aware of your surroundings, follow traffic patterns, and adjust to maintain a safe operating space. Forklift safety is about more than rules—it is about habits that protect operators and everyone in the facility. Every trip should be made with full attention, controlled movement, and a clear focus on safety.  A well-managed facility is one where forklifts move efficiently while keeping risks low. Thank you for being part of another episode of Warehouse Safety Tips. Until we meet next time—have a great week, and STAY SAFE! #Safety #SafetyFIRST #SafetyALWAYS #StaySafe #SafetyCulture #ForkliftSafety #WarehouseSafety #PedestrianSafety #SafeOperations

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.In this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro welcomes Jonathan Spry, CEO and co-founder of Envelop Risk, for an insightful discussion on how AI and advanced analytics are transforming cyber insurance. They explore Envelop Risk's “data flywheel” strategy, emphasising the power of data-driven decision-making in risk assessment. Jonathan shares how AI-driven underwriting has evolved over the past eight years, shifting from industry scepticism to widespread adoption. They also discuss "augmented underwriting," where AI enhances—rather than replaces—human expertise, especially in speciality insurance. The conversation extends to emerging risks, such as quantum computing's impact on cybersecurity and how AI reshapes risk management across industries. To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.This episode of Making Risk Flow is a recording of an event hosted by Cytora and InsTech to bring industry stakeholders, including clients and key industry executives, to the table to discuss how they are approaching digitisation. Juan is joined by James Platt, Henry Withinshaw, and Jonathon Gray to explore how digital transformation is reshaping commercial insurance, tackling challenges like reducing quote turnaround times, improving data accuracy, and enhancing broker service. The panel shares real-world insights on balancing automation with human expertise, overcoming legacy system hurdles, and leveraging AI to streamline underwriting. Whether you're an insurer, broker, or tech enthusiast, this episode delivers actionable takeaways on modernising underwriting workflows for a more efficient and data-driven future.‍To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dani Grant, co-founder of Jam.dev, as she shares her journey from Cloudflare PM to startup founder. Learn how Jam.dev persevered through eight failed attempts before finding product-market fit and growing to 85,000 users. Dani reveals valuable lessons about product-led growth, building in public, and raising venture capital. From tactical fundraising tips to creative community building strategies like jam.pizza, this episode is packed with practical insights for founders and anyone interested in the startup journey. SponsorConvex is the backend for founders. Convex is the backend application platform for product-obsessed founders. Show Notes0:00 - Intro0:29 - Sponsor: Convex1:08 - Meeting Dani Grant1:41 - Early Career at Cloudflare3:09 - Finding Internships & Career Growth5:25 - Starting Jam.dev11:56 - Product Evolution & User Growth16:57 - Product Features & Implementation21:22 - Monetization Strategy23:37 - Technical Deep Dive: How Jam Works27:49 - Future Plans & Mobile Development29:12 - Fundraising Tips & Strategies34:00 - Supporting Developer Communities36:18 - Picks and Plugs LinksCompanies/Products:Jam.devCloudflareConvex (sponsor)SentryData DogHotjarFullStoryJIRAMetabaseNotionSocial/Personal:Dani Grant's TwitterDani Grant's email (dani@jam.dev)Brad Garropy's Twitter (@bradgarropy)Learn Build Teach DiscordDeals for Devs projectBooks/Media:"Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" (book mentioned by Dani)Matt Wolf's YouTube channel (AI recaps)Career Resources:jam.dev/careers (mentioned they're hiring)jam.pizza (community meetup sponsorship form)Technical Tools Mentioned:ViteRemixES BuildProducts Similar to Jam:FullStoryHotjarSentryDatadogDevelopment Tools:Chrome Extension Store (where Jam is available)Community:LearnBuildTeach.comDeals for Devs

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.In this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro is joined by Laurent Rousseau, CEO of Global Capital Solutions at Guy Carpenter, to discuss leadership, success, and the evolving role of insurance in society. Laurent reflects on his career journey from equity analyst to CEO, sharing his personal definition of success: one that prioritises inner fulfilment over external expectations. Together, Juan and Laurent also discuss the insurance industry's role as a key enabler of societal good and the need to shift public perception of the sector, why insurance must embrace innovation, and the challenges of leadership transitions, including the importance of knowing when to step down as part of an organisation's evolution.To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman interviews Harsh Sahai, CEO and co-founder of Bridgetown Research, a company that has built an AI tool and he talks about it in this episode. Harsh previously worked at McKinsey, where he focused on commercial due diligence. He also ran a machine learning lab at Amazon, where they researched sequential decision-making algorithms.  AI Pricing Algorithms and Convex Optimization Harsh talks about his work at Amazon where main use cases were pricing products, as people tend to remember old prices and make decisions based on what they remember. For example, planning the sequence in which to launch products or introducing new shows on Prime Video could be done in a multi-step planning process. Harsh talks about his background in convex optimization, which is a mathematical model that can be used to represent various outcomes. Convex optimization is often used to model price versus volume, and it helps in making more sequential decisions for more than just pricing.  Bridgetown Research Explained On founding Bridgetown Research, many of Harsh's former colleagues joined him in the mission to build tools for the consulting industry and more. Bridgetown Research developed a platform that automates data collection and analysis, allowing them to curate these analyses and deliver value to clients. The firm developed software products that can conduct interviews at scale at a fraction of the cost, run 300 common analyses, evaluate approximately 10 decisions, and work alongside clients to build interactive documents. The firm primarily serves investors in the software industry, similar to McKinsey due diligence. Automating Consulting Groundwork They use AI agents to conduct interviews, breaking down high-level questions into sub-questions that can be answered by the AI agents. The agents then map the best sources of data for each analyze, such as Gartner or Forrester, and compile secondary research. The AI agents are integrated with a few expert networks, which they recruit on the company's behalf. They have a fully adaptive conversation, similar to a consultant's conversation, and then parse out the analysis to answer the main questions. The cost of these interviews is lower than a normal human-to-human interview because they can do it on their own schedule. Harsh also discusses the benefits of owning a research platform for consultants. They have researched this topic extensively and have 1000 interview transcripts of both people who hired a consultant and like consultants. The platform offers voice-based conversations, text prompts, and interactive screens for additional context. Using AI Agents in Surveys The AI agent in the discussion is similar to a traditional survey, but it allows users to answer questions directly on their screen. It can also embed multiple choice or ranked sorting questions, and can follow a different chain of questioning depending on the user's response. The agent constructs a hypothesis based on secondary research and uses adaptive questions to collect enough data to either prove or disprove these hypotheses. If it disproves the hypotheses, it goes back and looks at all transcripts to come up with new hypotheses and start collecting more data. One of the reasons for the cost efficiency is that, unlike regular surveys, the AI agent doesn't ask the exact same questions, reducing the length by about 20 to 25% once statistical conviction is reached. This flexibility allows for discounts from the person taking the interview, as it's extremely convenient for them. Examples of AI Agent's Responsiveness The agent's responsiveness works by comparing the user's responses to previous answers, such as asking about the main reasons they chose a particular software versus another. The agent then moves on to the next question based on the user's response. Harsh offers a few examples and verifies that the agents have received positive feedback from experts who are willing to interact with the voice agent, but they also interviewed people with slightly different profiles than consultants at McKinsey.   More Information about the AI Tool The AI tool used in this discussion is a work in progress that aims to provide insights into competitor archetypes and their strategies. It is designed to be more efficient than traditional human interviews, as it can gather data from mid-tenure professionals and frontline users closer to the business operations. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the business, reducing the need for frequent human interviews. The tool is fully scalable, allowing for 100 interviews in three days, which is the time it takes to recruit individuals rather than the time it takes to interview them. This allows for the creation of compelling projects within a week. Before the interview phase, the AI tool asks a set of questions and breaks them down into sub hypotheses. The tool then constructs sub questions to explain various factors, such as margins, go-to-market channel, and strategy. The tool is capable of explaining up to 200 different factors, making it a versatile tool for analyzing competitor archetypes. It can also provide examples of how to segment competitors and investigate their cost. The tool's output includes eight hypotheses, which can be investigated through secondary research or questionnaires. Examples of the Tool at Work The AI tool is largely a work in progress, with multiple steps taken to chase each hypotheses down. The team is working on improving the UI and UX to make the process more tractable. Harsh explains that the sentiment analysis workflow involves a series of custom trained machine learning models that perform various tasks to produce a final output. He gives the example of an agent searching Reddit posts, determining if they are positive, negative, or neutral, and extracting themes from positive quotes. The main model categorizes comments as positive or negative, extracts themes, and summarizes codes by themes. Harsh explains that there can be around 300 analyzes executed by a permutation of 40 fundamental tasks. Another example is analyzing the average case buying process, deviations from the buying process, and key factors considered in decision-making stages. The standard KPC analysis on the platform includes two fine-tuned models: one extracting mentions of keeper Chase criteria across the transcript, and other clustering words to represent different meanings. The third component counts the number of mentions by category, which is the relative importance metric for each key purchase criteria. Research Completed Before the Interview Stage The secondary research that the platform performs before the interview stage, such as creating lists of competitors, acquisitions, customers, and suppliers. The platform triggers secondary research by identifying areas of interest and providing cues to help users interact more smartly. For example, when creating a new interview, the platform can identify main competitor types and determine reliable domains for secondary analysis. The tool can create personas of people to chat with, based on their background, geography, work experience, roles, and competitor employees. The platform then generates an interview guide for each segment, which includes text, background checkpoints, and a series of questions for the interviewee to answer. Users can edit these questions or add more options. The platform also provides a multiple choice option for users to choose from blank solution providers. The platform also offers an estimate of how long it would take for the person to fill out the survey, allowing users to save time and edit questions. The platform then prepares a granular set of hypotheses for each question, breaking them down and collecting data to either prove or disprove them. This process is similar to machine learning, where the information provided by the respondent validates or invalidates the hypotheses. The Future of AI Tools and Human Consultants Harsh shows a more manual flow where users can have full control over each step and explains how it works. The role of human consultants in the future is becoming increasingly important as AI tools become more prevalent. Three main factors drive clients' assessments of a consultant's contribution: experience, expertise, authority, credibility, and connections across the organization. These factors are fundamentally human and hard to replace. The tasks of early and mid-term consultants will shift from writing interview guides or conducting interviews to using AI tools or competitors. They will need to master these tools and learn how to review, approve, or edit the interview guide, synthesize the results, and make judgments about the quality of the results.  Bridgetown Research and the AI Tool The main business for the tool is providing customized versions of the tool to clients, catering to their specific analysis needs. However, there is a long wait list for users of the common platform, and one of the goals for 2025 is to onboard small to mid-sized consulting firms to use the product hosted by the firm without modification and see if they like it. Private equity investors are using Bridgetown Research's tool to conduct their own research, generating results directly without hiring consultants. The tool is cost-effective and provides a 60-70% answer without much effort. Investors typically hire consulting firms when they have a high degree of conviction to invest, but they are now using the platform for any deal they come across. The marginal cost is practically zero, making it a rational choice to use the platform for early stages of the deal pipeline. The platform is also available for use with investment professionals, consultants, and other professional services. Timestamps: 04:17: Explanation of Convex Optimization  06:53: Overview of Bridgetown Research's Platform  09:06: Details of AI Interview Process 13:59: Examples of AI Interview Questions and Responses 19:51: Feedback and Adoption of AI Interviews  23:22: Secondary Research and Hypothesis Generation 28:08: Examples of AI-Generated Analyzes  40:26: Customization and Integration with Client Data  Links: Website: https://www.bridgetownresearch.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bridgetownresearch/?originalSubdomain=ca   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.    

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.In this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro is joined by Marcus Ryu, Co-founder of Guidewire, to explore his fascinating entrepreneurial journey and the transformative role of technology in the insurance industry.Marcus reflects on his nearly two decades of experience building Guidewire into a company that revolutionised insurance. From his early career at McKinsey to founding a startup in a traditionally conservative industry, Marcus shares his thoughts on overcoming the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of building complementary founding teams, and navigating the high-stakes world of sales.Together, Juan and Marcus also discuss the evolution of insuretech and its growing opportunities, Marcus' transition into venture capital, and the pivotal moments in Guidewire's history, including a legal battle with Accenture that nearly derailed the company.If you'd prefer to watch the episode instead, simply click here!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Join us for an insightful conversation with Ceora Ford about the intersection of security, development, and community building. We explore why managing identity security is more complex than simple authentication, examine the trade-offs of Next.js's App Router in enterprise applications, and uncover strategies for effective technical content creation. Ceora shares her experience transitioning from digital marketing to developer advocacy, offering practical advice for building a presence across platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.SponsorConvex is the backend for founders. Convex is the backend application platform for product-obsessed founders.Chapter Marks00:00 - Intro01:14 - Identity Security Discussion05:25 - Evolution of React and Next.js08:33 - Documentation and Developer Experience15:43 - Sponsor: [Convex](https://convex.dev)16:20 - Authentication in the App Router21:31 - Content Creation and Marketing Strategy27:50 - Social Media Platform Strategy34:51 - Analytics and Tool Discussion41:08 - Picks and PlugsBradPick: His dog Roman (who they had to say goodbye to at age 17)Plug: Social media accountsBrad on TwitterBrad on BlueSkyBrad on YouTubeBekahPick: "The Game" podcast with Alex HormoziPlug: Open Sauce (opensauced.pizza) and her team's upcoming feature launchCeoraPick: "The Good Place" (TV show on Netflix)Plug: Social media accountsCeora on LinkedInCeora on TwitterCeora on BlueSkyCeora on TikTokLinksAuth0 by OktaNext.jsAuth0 documentation for Next.js integrationGatsbyAstroConvexJekyllGraphQLOpen SaucedMark Techson

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.Here it is, the moment we've been counting down to! As we wrap up our Top 5 Most Downloaded Episodes of 2024, we're thrilled to re-release the No. 1 episode of the year.In this standout conversation, host Juan de Castro sits down with Andrew Horton, Group CEO of QBE Insurance, a global leader operating in 26 countries and ranked among the world's top 20 insurance and reinsurance companies. Andrew's insights captivated audiences, making this the most downloaded episode of the year.During their discussion, Juan and Andrew explore how QBE maintains consistency in a market defined by rapid change, the pivotal role of innovation and culture in driving the industry forward, and why AI has become a personal priority for Andrew as a game-changing technology.Topics Discussed:How QBE balances stability with adaptability in a dynamic industry.The critical link between company culture, innovation, and long-term success.Andrew's perspective on how AI is reshaping the future of insurance.Join us as we celebrate this incredible episode and reflect on the remarkable conversations that defined 2024. Thank you for being part of Making Risk Flow; here's to more impactful episodes in the year ahead!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.We're nearing the top of our countdown! As we celebrate the Top 5 Most Downloaded Episodes of 2024, this week we're revisiting the conversation that landed at No. 2.In this episode, host Juan de Castro is joined by James Platt, Co-Founder and Operating Partner at Trimstone Partners. James brings a wealth of experience in operational transformation and technology innovation, with a career that spans senior roles at Boston Consulting Group and Aon, where he served as CEO of Digital Solutions.This episode struck a chord with listeners for its bold perspectives and actionable insights. James shares why he believes the combined ratio is a flawed metric holding the insurance industry back, and how leveraging data, digitisation, and smarter decision-making can propel the sector forward.Topics Discussed:Why the combined ratio might be the insurance industry's biggest obstacle.Lessons from other industries like mortgage and asset management on evolving successfully.How data and digital tools can unlock new growth and efficiency opportunities.Don't miss this thought-provoking episode as we edge closer to revealing the No. 1 most popular episode of 2024!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.The countdown continues! As we approach the end of 2024, we're revisiting the Top 5 Most Downloaded Episodes of the Year on Making Risk Flow.This week, we're diving into No. 3, a thought-provoking conversation with Jacob Palmer, Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). With over 13 years of experience in consulting, risk management, and insurance, Jacob works with global insurers to navigate challenges and seize opportunities in a rapidly evolving industry.Whether you're revisiting this conversation or hearing it for the first time, it's an episode packed with expert perspectives on leveraging GenAI to transform insurance.Topics Discussed:Why GenAI is becoming a high priority for insurers.The essential components of a successful GenAI strategy.Buy versus build: considerations for adopting new technologies.How London market insurers are approaching growth opportunities in the US market.Join us as we celebrate the standout moments from 2024 and continue our countdown to the No. 1 episode of the year!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Father Christmas enjoys a loving neighborhood couple.Based on a post by Drmaxc. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. Father Christmas' Great Red Coat: A seasonal fantasy Malcolm Butteridge stood in the bathroom of his flat, looking at himself in the mirror. His twinkling blue eyes looked back at him beneath shaggy white eyebrows. He broke into a smile and shook his head. His large white beard moved with it and the light caught and flashed off his spectacles. If he was to don a long red coat with hood and a pair of wellies and step out into the night on Christmas Eve, and the snow, then any child still up, perhaps looking out of the window for reindeer and sleigh, would point wide-eyed at him. He really was the perfect image of Father Christmas (or 'Santa' as seemed to have become the popular term, brought over from the States yet, of course, going back to St. Nicholas and so on). But Malcolm had no long red coat, nor even that modern shorty red and white jacket with trousers - which just did not have the gravitas of the long coat. In fact, he was standing in his bathroom wearing nothing at all. No disguising that white hair was not just to his hair, eyebrows and beard but extended to his chest and, yes, his lamb's wool white pubic curls. Father Christmas with no clothes on and, Malcolm was pleased to see, even feel, a fairly firm erection.'Sit on my knee little lady. 18 years old, are you? Not so little then! Good grades in college, I hope? Now what would you like Santa to bring you?''A nice big cock please, Father Christmas. I want an orgasm and cum as white as your beard.''Plenty of cum, little lady?''Oh yes, Santa, lots, and lots, please. I like cum!'Malcom had a big sack, tucked just below his erection, with a couple of large 'presents' in them, but he was not sure that would be enough. It would be a job for the elves as well: all their ball sacks too! Malcolm found the idea pleasing; the young coed and all that elf-cum, white as snow. He reached and stroked his erection. Even at seventy-five Malcolm liked a good wank with his rather large cock. He liked to read a good bed-time story or even look at a picture book. His big fleshy bag of presents swung with the action.His flat was warm. He had long ago dispensed with pajamas, even bright red ones with white trim, and teeth brushed, and hair and beard combed, he walked from bathroom to bedroom. Hall and bedroom were in darkness. The electric light was not on. There was a reason for that, and it was not simply that once in bed he did not like to get up again to turn the lights off; the reason was rather more interesting. Sometimes, just sometimes, he was able to see into his neighbors' bedroom and not only did Malcolm enjoy a good story or picture book or two, but he liked a bit of a stage show.Sylvie and Elvin were a nice couple. Ever so nice. Friendly and obliging. Might they be shocked to know that beyond sometimes getting groceries and doing other little helpful jobs for Malcolm Butteridge they also provided sexual stimulation and the opportunity for a very nice cum?Perhaps it was because his flat was some way away, perhaps they just did not think Malcolm would use binoculars, but Sylvie and Elvin were not very good at drawing their blinds. Perhaps it was because their bedroom window, or the main one, was in the sloping ceiling of their much-modernized house. It afforded a remarkable view to Malcolm and his strong binoculars. He saw a view of their bed, somewhat from above, and even into the doorway of their bathroom, plus a great deal of the bathroom besides. Some days Sylvie would drift from the bathroom into the bedroom in pajamas or nightie. Other times,And it was not as if Malcolm became all embarrassed or disappointed when Elvin walked from the bathroom naked. Malcolm could appreciate the male body as well. Especially when, Indeed!And there Elvin now was, visible to Malcolm's binoculars. Not a stitch upon him, standing in the doorway of the bathroom with his cock hanging and the young man clearly rather damp from his bath. What a lovely little cock the young man had in its bed of curls. Malcolm imagined reaching out and stroking it. In the glass of his binoculars, it all seemed as if in reach. Curling under penis and balls and holding it in his hand before gently stroking it into tumescence; all delightful five inches of it. Malcolm had seen it before, knew how big it grew. It was not that big. His tongue rolled around his lips touching his moustache and beard. He would like to suck that. It was the right size for sucking, unlike his own rather big cock. It would also be rather nice to rub against his own, perhaps hold them both together in his big fist and stroke. One great big one and one not so very big; firm against each other, being moved in unison.Or, and this was what he really would like to do, ease his big knob into young Sylvie whilst Elvin was already lodged in her ass. Malcolm had never done that; not to Sylvie or, indeed, any other woman. He had always wanted to try double penetration. Not Sylvie's ass for him. Too big for that, he was sure, too big for Elvin's as well! Well, the privilege of age perhaps to take the primary orifice. He would take the front seat and Elvin the back! If only.Malcolm's very large penis strained, and he felt the glass cold against his knob.Joy! There was Sylvie's ass in his binoculars, the one which would be far too tight for his knob. Not too tight to stroke his cock up her ass crack, though, and feel her rubbery but too small anus against his knob. She had come into view and was embracing her man. Malcolm lowered his binoculars and admired Sylvie's ass center stage before raising them again for the detail. She had two delightfully plump and curving cheeks, two perfect dimples above her crack and the divide running down to, yes, he could see curls peeking out between her thighs, they were not exactly squeezed together. He could not see her ass hole, hidden between those two squeezed together cheeks. Malcom did not think his penis would fit, was sure it would not - but that did not mean he did not fancy trying, poking his cock between those cheeks at her little brown star. Malcolm stared, imagining, his cock in his hand and his loose skin sliding over his knob and against the cold window glass. He pulled back exposing the whole cock to the night, the flared corona and the dark purple band as his helmet curved down and then out and around under to the shaft. Convex and then concave, an ogee shape. Perhaps he could push into Sylvie just a little way and squirt!His teeth appeared in a wide smile as he watched Elvin's fingers reach around and clasp Sylvie's twin cheeks. He had before imagined Elvin and Sylvie with headphones and him issuing instructions by radio; him telling them what to do in their bedroom and on their bed. It was a nice idea. Would they, or at least some other couple, like that? Being instructed how to perform sexual acts, placing themselves under another's control. Not even someone in the bedroom, not even being able to see that other person but knowing he could see them as his disembodied voice spoke in their ears. Perhaps a willing cuckold being the observer and controller, actually telling his friend what to do with his wife, telling his wife to suck his friend. Telling his friend when to put it in.Would Elvin do it? Would Elvin pull Sylvie's cheeks apart and expose her anus? What was this? Yes! Malcolm watched with undisguised pleasure as Elvin's knob appeared between Sylvie's thighs. Elvin had erected up and along Sylvie's sex and if not poking right out from her cheeks, his knob was most definitely there. And then Elvin did just what Malcolm wanted; very much as if Elvin did indeed have an earpiece and an instruction had whispered, perhaps a little hoarsely, in his ear. He did indeed pull Sylvie's cheeks apart and there it was so clearly; Sylvie's brown star and, below it, very close, Elvin's swollen knob. Malcolm's tongue came through his lips imagining licking both together, male knob and female anus both fresh from the bath. Up and down, up and down.Against the cold glass of Malcolm's window pre-cum was being smeared by his rubbing cock.Little did Sylvie know just what was revealed to the old man across the lawn and car park. Little did she know he knew by sight every inch of her body; even that particular inch of her body, her ass hole. Nor would she have thought the lovely old man with his ridiculous 'Father Christmas' hair and beard would so love to have entered, perhaps only part penetrated, her ass and released his stuff there. And other places of course. Malcolm would very much have liked to come all over her breasts, filled her mouth with his creamy cum or, of course, managed to get his large cock up into her, probably, rather tight vagina, perhaps after Elvin had helpfully 'eased' it for him.The knob was withdrawn, and Sylvie eased herself around her man who was rather blocking the doorway to the bathroom. In so doing Malcolm could clearly see the change that had come over Elvin. The soft little cock now stood right up. Five inches of real man. He rather hoped Sylvie would kneel down and suck. He liked to see that, liked to imagine Sylvie sucking his own. He was not sure it would fit in her mouth; she might have to merely lick. Elvin seemed to have a very much larger mouth. Perhaps he might like to suck instead, whilst Malcolm watched Sylvie suck Elvin's dick.For a few moments Sylvie was out of sight, perhaps having a little wee in the bathroom, perhaps brushing her hair, perhaps brushing her teeth, perhaps fitting on a strap-on's harness ready to take Elvin from behind. What a thought! Even better if he, Malcolm, could come up behind Sylvie and fuck her as she did it. She in Elvin, he in her.For a few moments it was just Elvin and he standing there. In reality a long way apart and, of course, Elvin had absolutely no idea his exposed erection was being voyeuristically admired; had no idea at all what his neighbor, that so very nice, jolly old boy with the snow-white hair and red cheeks was imagining doing; had no idea what it might feel like to have a very substantial cock pressed hard against his own and for it to rub. Malcolm, though, was imagining just that, and Elvin's penis would be a lot warmer than the, admittedly double glazed, glass he was pressing against; two cocks firm in his fist as he rubbed.Elvin was a good-looking young man with his fair hair, blue eyes, and white skin. Quite a Nordic looking young man, which contrasted nicely with Sylvie's dark hair and browner skin. He was standing directly facing Malcolm so there was no difficulty on Malcolm's part imagining them together, cock to cock. Firm rubbery cock, to firm rubbery cock.The moment passed and Sylvie came back, or at least into the doorway. She stood behind Elvin, reaching around and stroking his erection with her hand. Lovely to have a woman's fur pressed against your ass cheeks, hard nipples pushing into your back and your cock being gently pulled by her hand; Malcolm would have liked that too. Or to stand behind Sylvie, his large penis right up her ass crack, his body pressed into hers and his hand reaching around both her and Elvin to stroke Elvin's cock as if it was really Sylvie's!The amorous couple moved to the bed. Not for a simple cuddle, that was not their style. It was clearly an adventurous marriage. The Karma Sutra and perhaps other instruction and ideas books clearly upon their bookshelf. Elvin lay down and Sylvie got astride him, not on her knees but upon her feet standing on the bed above him. Malcolm was puzzled, but more than a little interested in what would happen. A lovely view of the naked Sylvie from her head to her toes, beneath her Elvin, his feet crossed, and his erection lying up his stomach. Elvin reached up with his left hand to her knee, perhaps to steady Sylvie, and then raised his other hand up between her spread thighs. Malcolm watched with delight as Elvin very clearly began to masturbate his girl, his fingers poking up into her and around her sex. Elvin would have an excellent view of what he was doing, be able to see all of Sylvie's folds and places.Presumably that was why the light was still on. That was certainly more than a help to Malcom too. He could see much and, without harm to them, enjoy borrowed sex, his hand and their exhibition. He was certainly stroking, covering, and uncovering the swollen helmet of his cock.Not only was Elvin's fingers up beyond the fine dark triangle at the center of Sylvie's hips but she was moving them from side to side rhythmically, almost belly dancer like,whilst with both hand she held and played with her two not inconsiderable breasts. There was no weakening of Elvin's erection despite it lying there untouched. Had Malcolm been there in the room it would not have been just lying there. He would have held and stroked, most likely sucked. A nice mouth sized cock, not too large. Malcolm stroked with enthusiasm. He would love to measure his against Elvin's, not that his would not be the winner, by a considerable margin, but so good to feel another's firmness. And then, of course, fuck Sylvie - together.Simply superb to watch Elvin's hand work. He had pulled thumb and all but his forefinger back and was now raising and lowering his finger up into his girl and then down again. So much the motion of sexual intercourse but done with a comparatively thin digit, not a long, thick, and potent cock. Elvin's cock, to be fair, was considerably bigger than his right forefinger but nothing on Malcolm's. He looked down but could barely make it out in the darkness. What would Sylvie make of that if presented to her! Would she not like to be fucked by that? Fucked by Father Christmas' cock.What a lovely shape to her body. Malcom so admired the splay of her hips, her firm but not overlarge thighs, the narrowing at her tummy and her delightful little hidden tummy button and then up to her substantial breasts. Very much a woman and just the sort of woman he would like to fill with his sperm and not spatter the cold glass of his window, as seemed more than likely to follow. Suck Elvin to a conclusion and then fuck Sylvie to his own conclusion. Very nice!Malcolm raised his other hand to steady the binoculars and, also, to prevent him over stroking his cock. Lovely to watch Elvin's hand and fingers moving between the girl's thighs. Up and down. He was not surprised to see the girl move; was not surprised when she settled astride Elvin's face. She would have found that very ticklish had it been Malcolm's face, but Elvin was clean shaven with not so much as a moustache. With Malcolm it would have been a meeting of white hair and black, a mingling of white and black curls as his tongue licked away, penetrating her and no doubt his lips then sucking upon her little button. That, presumably, was just what Elvin was doing.A lovely thing to do, and how Malcolm would have loved to have been in their bedroom with them, by invitation of course, but with Sylvie's sex engaged upon Elvin's face there was not so much of Sylvie to play with, had he been there. But Elvin's penis was untouched. Hidden now behind Sylvie, Malcolm could not see it from his vantage point-- and nor could Elvin. That pleased Malcolm, it gave him ideas. He had a 'thing' about men's penises and him stroking or sucking them, without their knowledge! Not that a man would not know if his penis was being stroked or sucked but the idea that got Malcolm, and he had had plenty of time to think upon it, was of sucking when the man did not know it was another man but thought it his woman or a woman. Best if the man would be appalled at the idea, yet ideally Malcolm bringing the man off unaware. Elvin might be a little surprised to feel another mouth upon his cock whilst tonguing Sylvie.Of course, had Sylvie been the other way around then Elvin would still have been unseeing due to her thighs clamped around his face, but she could have sucked on Elvin as Elvin tongued her, moreover she could have handed Elvin's nice little cock over to Malcolm. He imagined himself creeping, Father Christmas like, into the bedroom at Sylvie's beckoning. Elvin being quite unaware it was not Sylvie now stroking his cock, that it was not Sylvie sucking his knob, not Sylvie fondling his balls, even tickling his little ass hole, nor Sylvie swallowing his spurting, hot cum. A little secret between Father Christmas and herself.The idea was a frequent visitor to Malcolm's head when in bed and when young Elvin and Sylvie did not perform live for his benefit in their bedroom. Malcolm had seen on the 'Net' the idea of the 'milking table,' a massage table with a strategic hole to drop one's penis through, somewhat strangely so the masseuse could suck and make the penis ejaculate whilst the man lay flat upon his stomach. A slightly odd idea because most men would surely be happy enough on their backs or even crouched on hands and knees so able to watch the pretty masseuse working his cock and making it ejaculate. Perhaps there was something more in it for the girl in having a cock disembodied from the man to play with. Nonetheless it seemed a popular idea and it gave the lovely idea, to Malcolm, of the masseuse under the table not alone but with him, and she taking a rest whilst he pretended to be her and played with the man's hanging cock. Even better with two men on side-by-side tables. Perhaps the men nervous of revealing their erections to each other, still less spurting in full view, how embarrassed they would be for the other to see their penis turgid, but happy to lower limp dicks through the holes and chat and joke together perhaps even with a towel nicely hiding each other's buttocks from the other whilst the incredibly beautiful masseuse played with their cocks under the adjoining tables, stroking and sucking them. Content to experience sexual bliss with the other but not having anything seen of their own erect penis, neither rising from the table until safely soft again after the sucking. One man shaking with pleasure whilst his is sucked and telling the other how good it is, little realizing it was Malcolm at work and not the pretty girl. Malcolm with a cock in each hand, big and chunky, his lips around one full knob whilst sliding the foreskin over the other, and why not, the lovely masseuse sucking Malcolm's knob! Of course, the men might feel his beard! 'Just my hair,' she might say, raising her lips from Malcolm's cock. And, after it all, the girl eventually rising with cum upon her lips from under the table, neither man knowing if it was the others, but it being neither, it actually being Malcolm's! All their pent up cum instead in his stomach.Malcolm licked his lips. How good it would be to suck Sylvie's delightful folds and then Elvin's hard cock. Perhaps lick them both together as they fucked. His lips and face intimate with their genitalia, encouraging both into orgasm. He wanked away at his thoughts and the view over the way and through the couple's bedroom window.The ejaculation from Malcolm's penis, when it finally came, was incredibly strong and satisfying. Malcolm had been storing it up for days - that seemed to be the right way to go at his age. He still took an interest in sex most days, but without allowing the final physical act. Edging but not cumming. This one was quite a gusher, it was a pity Sylvie was not there to witness it, or indeed Elvin. A comparison of ejaculations. Malcolm was sure his would be the more prolific. Certainly, from what he had seen through his binoculars he came the better. He had watched Sylvie's hand bring Elvin off before, indeed with Sylvie away, Malcolm had watched Elvin bring himself off more than a few times. He had seen Elvin's penis cumming by Elvin's own hand, and very nice it was too. Plentiful, nonetheless, like his own.Malcolm did not draw the curtains but just climbed into bed, his penis still leaking as it subsided. He would clear up his window glass in the morning. He kept glass cleaner on hand, an unusual thing in a bedroom.Does a voyeur really wish to participate? Or is the pleasure simply in the watching? The safety of observation from a distance and not having to perform. Faced with the reality, the invitation to join in, would many voyeurs find themselves not up to the challenge, their penises failing to rise, not maintaining 'wood', or simply falling away too soon and unfulfilled. Would the reality of the invitation, please do intrude, be too much of a shock? Fantasy easier to cope with than reality.Malcom awoke from sweet dreams and drew his curtains, not to open but to close them. A voyeur does not perhaps wish to be seen! And he was naked. Despite retirement he still undertook some work, and this year, as last, he had indeed been employed in a role suitable to his appearance, Father Christmas at the local department store. Very much a seasonal job. And he did not need to wear a false beard!Let us not imagine Malcom was some creepy old man taking sexual pleasure in having children sit upon his knee. No, absolutely not. Young women maybe, quite a different matter and, almost certainly, he would relish that; but what young mother did that and sit upon his knee? Young men would not go amiss either. Malcolm could certainly imagine fine young men upon his knee - and did.His twinkling and roving eye certainly took in the young mothers, and he stored the memory for 'bedtime' when he could imagine a scene somewhat different from the 'Santa's Grotto' made of tinsel, crepe paper and papier mache at the local department store. His thoughts took him to a rather more realistic grotto or even a cabin away in the wilds of Lapland or somewhere. A snowy landscape through the window and him sitting on a firm wooden chair with a fire burning merrily in the grate. Upon his knee a pretty young woman, maybe a young mother, maybe a pregnant young mother, Malcom rather liked their rounded tummies and what it implied they had been up to. Perhaps getting each to tell him, uncle like, all about it, the impregnation as, maybe, he stroked their 'bump'.Naked, well why not, or at least a pretty light dress with little underneath, the young ass warm upon his knee."And what would you like as a present for Christmas?""A nice dildo please. My boyfriend just doesn't satisfy me."How good to produce one from his sack, despite the wrapping paper its shape obvious. "You can unwrap it now."The girl tearing at the paper, opening the wrapping at the knob end, and then drawing the pretty paper down as if it was a foreskin. Malcolm liked to imagine the dildo as very realistic. Just the sort of cock he would like to hold and play with."It looks a bit big, May I try?"Just the sort of words Malcolm liked to hear, well he had put them in her mouth!The delightful fantasy would go on.Malcolm bathed and breakfasted and got ready to head for the store. A nine to five job which he was very pleased with. It was a pleasant way to spend a day, giving joy to all those children and he had a nice and easy patter. He was very happy in his work. The more so when he discovered who his new assistant, his 'elf' was; the previous girl had been OK but had another rather better paid job to go to and he knew the store had found a replacement. What he had not expected was it to be the girl he had been watching through binoculars the night before, a girl he had seen in her entirety many, many times, a girl whose boyfriend's hand he had watched busy in her sex, the girl he had ejaculated to, very considerably ejaculated the night before, it was Sylvie.Sylvie was less surprised to see him. Malcolm, after all, was perfect for the role, not that Sylvie with her small frame did not fit the popular conception of an elf. Sylvie had rather more on than she had had the night before. She was not just coming out of her bathroom. Already dressed in costume, a nice little green pinafore long dress with a red shirt underneath. Long red socks. She had put her hair into pigtails and a bright red woolly bobble hat surmounted her head. It was all rather pleasing, certainly to a rather randy old gentleman like Malcom.Dressed in his long red, white faux fur edged coat and black shiny boots Malcolm sat upon his 'throne.' He started the day with the hood up as the 'management' expected but that soon came down. The store was not so much warm as hot, certainly in the 'grotto.' Malcolm had quickly realized that wearing trousers, shirt and even jumper underneath was not a good idea. Not one bit. He had become steadily less dressed beneath the great red coat as the days had progressed. Somewhat unusual perhaps but are not ladies near as naked under a dress, so it was hardly different, really. His coat so long there was not a risk of bare knees showing. It was comfortable.Sylvie was really good with the mums and dads and children. Perhaps particularly good with the dads. The day went like clockwork, and everyone was happy. Nice too, to eat lunch in the staff canteen with Sylvie. Great amusement always with the shop assistants and office staff having Father Christmas and his elf waiting at the servery with their trays. So enjoyable to talk to Sylvie.It was a few days later, right at the end of the day when the managing director came into the grotto to talk to Malcolm. His approach very much management by walking around. He was effective. Sylvie edged away leaving the two men talking. The manager was pleased and talked for some time.It was not quite like a theatre at the store, but Malcolm did have a dressing room. The building old and with rather a lot of spare space behind the retail areas. Father Christmas' dressing room came complete with a shower, which was rather good at the end of a hot day. Malcolm walked back to his room from his talk with the MD. His hand reached and turned the door handle and he saw what, in reality he had seen many times before, though Sylvie was not, most certainly not, to know that. It was a rather lovely, brown skinned elf presented to his eyes. Obviously, an elf because of the long red socks reaching to her knees but absolutely nothing else. Sylvie without clothes, Sylvie turning in shock but not before Malcolm had seen and admired, as he often did, her lovely ass.She turned hurriedly so her ass was not on view, a hand reached down and covered her fur whilst another came up to cover breasts.Malcolm was not in the wrong changing room."I, I was just going to borrow the shower. I thought you'd be ages yet and I locked the door." It was not, of course, her changing room. She was not to know the lock did not work. Malcolm stepped through the door and closed it hurriedly so that no one passing could see in. He turned deliberately away from Sylvie towards the door."Oh dear, Sylvie, that's a bit of a shock for an old man! Go on, have your shower. I'm so sorry your changing room doesn't have a shower.""I'm going out this evening, straight from the shop, I thought."&

In this host-only episode of Compressed FM, James Q Quick, Amy Dutton, and Bekah discuss how side projects and creative outlets can paradoxically provide energy rather than drain it. The conversation explores Bekah's ambitious 29-day writing project about open source alternatives, Amy's vlogging journey, and James's streaming experiences. They dive into the importance of finding activities that spark joy, even when juggling busy schedules and family commitments. The hosts share insights about automation tools like PipeDream, discuss the value of downtime for creativity, and emphasize the importance of sustainable work practices in tech.SponsorConvex is the backend for founders. Convex is the backend application platform for product-obsessed founders.Chapters00:00:00 Introduction & Welcome00:00:39 Bekah's Open Source Writing Project00:02:05 Discussion of PipeDream vs Zapier00:05:14 Content Creation Process & AI Tools00:08:22 Time Management in Content Creation00:10:31 Flexible Work Schedules00:11:31 Amy's Vlogging Journey00:14:48 Creative Energy & Side Projects00:16:47 Work-Life Balance & Productivity00:18:20 Importance of Downtime for Creativity00:20:34 Efficiency in Daily Life00:22:02 Sponsor: Convex00:22:49 Deals for Dev Project Discussion00:25:40 Picks and Plugs Segment

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.The countdown continues! As we approach the end of 2024, we're revisiting the Top 5 Most Downloaded Episodes of the Year on Making Risk Flow. This week, we're diving into No. 4, a fascinating conversation with Clive Buesnel, former CEO of Tysers and current Managing Partner, International at Insurance Advisory Partners.Whether you're revisiting this conversation or hearing it for the first time, it's an episode packed with forward-thinking insights that remain as relevant today as when it was first released.Topics Discussed:How carriers can harness data and technology to achieve greater efficiency.The emergence of a secondary insurance market for specialty risks—and why it's a game-changer.Key trends shaping the future of the insurance industry and what they mean for stakeholders.Join us as we celebrate the standout moments from 2024 and continue our countdown to the No. 1 episode of the year!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Convex's Noel Smith joins Oliver Renick and Kevin Green for a deep dive into his experience using Gamma to develop options strategies, his daily trading routine, and how dispersion impacts trading. ======== Schwab Network ======== Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6D Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribe Download the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185 Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7 Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watch Watch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-explore Watch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/ Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Are you a woman in AI or someone eager to foster inclusivity in tech? In this episode, we explore the inspiring journey of Women and AI, a nonprofit and podcast dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable AI industry. Host Elaine Hamm, PhD, sits down with Reut Lazo, co-founder of Women and AI and thought leader in emerging AI technologies. Reut shares the origin story behind Women and AI, insights into addressing the gender gap in tech, and the strategies helping women take center stage in the AI industry. In this episode, you'll discover: How Women and AI started as an idea with friends and grew into a thriving community of over 12,000 members. Unique strategies to empower women in AI, including creating opportunities to build confidence and gain visibility. The importance of diverse voices in AI and how you can support inclusivity in the tech ecosystem. Tune in to learn how Women and AI is shaping a fairer, more diverse AI industry! Links: Connect with Reut Lazo, and learn about Women and AI and their podcast. Connect with co-founders Jenny Kay Pollock and Lana Dubinskiy. Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Learn more about Convex, Mission Impact Academy, and the Bullpen. Check out BIO on the BAYOU and make plans to attend October 28 & 29, 2025. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.Welcome to a special end-of-year series on Making Risk Flow! As we count down the final weeks of 2024, we're revisiting the Top 5 Most Downloaded Episodes of the Year. Each Tuesday, we'll re-release one standout episode, starting with the fifth most popular and building up to the fan favourite at No. 1.To kick things off, we're thrilled to revisit a milestone moment: our 50th episode featuring Bob James, Chief Operating Officer of Lloyd's. This conversation captured the attention of thousands of listeners for its insightful exploration of how one of the world's most iconic insurance markets is driving digital transformation.In this episode, host Juan de Castro and Bob discuss Lloyd's ambitious Blueprint Two initiative, which aims to revolutionize the London insurance market through cutting-edge digital strategies. They also explore the challenges and opportunities of industry-wide change, including the role of core data standards in driving efficiency and innovation.Whether you're revisiting this conversation or hearing it for the first time, it's an episode packed with forward-thinking insights that remain as relevant today as when it was first released.Topics Discussed:How Lloyd's is pioneering digital transformation through Blueprint Two.The role of core data standards in the future of insurance.Lessons from other industries, like mortgage markets, on accelerating innovation.Why insurers don't always evolve at the same pace—and how they can overcome this.To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Fan Mail: Got a challenge digitizing your intake? Share it with us, and we'll unpack solutions from our experience at Cytora.In this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro speaks with Johan Slabbert, an Independent Senior Advisor for Insurance Advisory Partners, to delve into the transformative impact of AI and data analytics on the insurance industry. With over 30 years of international experience, Johan has held key executive roles, including CFO for Latin America and the Caribbean at AIG and CEO positions at Augustus Specialty, Chaucer Group, MS Amlin, and MSIG Holdings. Johan's global journey has undoubtedly enriched his expertise across diverse insurance markets.Together, Juan and Johan explore the transformative role of AI in underwriting, particularly in managing the increasingly complex landscape of data integration. They discuss the balance between traditional data sources and new digital data streams and how AI-driven automation is unlocking more dynamic approaches to risk assessment. Johan also sheds light on the shift from simple system upgrades to broader, strategic transformations within insurance, emphasising how AI can support portfolio-level decision-making while reshaping the role of the underwriter.If you'd prefer to watch the episode instead, simply click here!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Send us a textIn this episode of Making Risk Flow, host Juan de Castro speaks with Jillian Slyfield, the Chief Innovation Officer at Aon, a global leader in risk management and insurance solutions, helping organisations tackle complex risks with innovative, data-driven approaches. With years of experience at the forefront of technological change, Jillian has a unique perspective on how data is reshaping the insurance landscape and driving new opportunities for clients and insurers alike.Together, Juan and Jillian discuss Aon's three main strategic innovation focusses: enhancing data and analytics capabilities, advancing future mobility solutions, and driving digital transformation. Plus, the duo also cover Aon's billion-dollar investment in data architecture modernisation, the growing complexities of managing risk as vehicle technology evolves, the development of a digital marketplace aimed at streamlining interactions between brokers, carriers, and clients, and the enticing potential of AI and telematics. If you'd prefer to watch the episode instead, simply click here!To receive a custom demo from Cytora, click here and use the code 'Making Risk Flow'.Our previous guests include: Bronek Masojada of PPL, Craig Knightly of Inigo, Andrew Horton of QBE Insurance, Simon McGinn of Allianz, Stephane Flaquet of Hiscox, Matthew Grant of InsTech, Paul Brand of Convex, Paolo Cuomo of Gallagher Re, and Thierry Daucourt of AXA.Check out the three most downloaded episodes: The Five Pillars of Data Analytics Strategy in Insurance | Craig Knightly, Inigo 20 Years as CEO of Hiscox: Personal Reflections and the Evolution of PPL | Bronek Masojada Implementing ESG in the Insurance and Underwriting Space | Simon Tighe, Chaucer, and Paul McCarney, Moody's

Reunião grátis com o time de consultoria mais premiado do Brasil

Scott and Wes talk with Tanner Linsley, creator of TanStack, about the React ecosystem, and the evolution and futue of TanStack's suite of tools, including TanStack Router and TanStack Start. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:59 What is TanStack Start? UnJS Nitro Vinxi 06:17 What is the Vite Environment API? 07:21 Was it always the plan to use Vite? 08:02 TanStack Router and client-side vs server-side 16:18 How TanStack Start will work 27:26 Moving from Create React App to TanStack 30:42 Brought to you by Sentry.io 31:15 Will TanStack Router ever support other frameworks? 33:54 How will TanStack Start handle forms? 36:13 TanStack Virtual 39:41 What is the future of TanStack? Convex 42:49 How Tanner writes documentation 47:55 Server functions and middleware 54:41 When will TanStack Start be in beta? 57:00 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Tanner: LG C4 Ultra Slim Fit TV Wall Mount Shameless Plugs Tanner: TanStack Blog @TKDodo Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Mcluvin and Money Intern are Core Contributors at DeFi.Money. In this live recording we produce weekly on Twitter/X, we deep dive into the most promising DeFi yields and primitives. This week, we review a new crvUSD friendly fork called DeFi.Money, aiming to create a new CDP-based stablecoin, currently available on Arbitrum and Optimism. The audio was a bit rougher than usual on Spaces so thanks for your patience listening! ------

Marc Hess, a Developer Advocate at Prisma, talks about the evolution of Prisma from an ORM tool to a comprehensive platform for database management. The discussion includes practical advice on using Prisma, optimizing documentation, and Marc's experience with developer advocacy. The team also explores the benefits of Prisma Pulse for real-time applications and how it compares to other ORM tools like Drizzle.Sponsor ConvexConvex is the backend for founders. Convex is the backend application platform for product-obsessed founders.Show Notes00:00 - Introduction and Sponsor Shoutout00:43 - Sponsor: Convex01:06 - Introducing Marc Hess from PrismaPrismaRedwoodJS04:04 - YouTube Content Creation Tips11:24 - Introduction to Prisma and Its Products14:19 - Deep Dive into Prisma Pulse19:06 - Best Practices for DocumentationPrisma DocumentationDivio's Documentation System29:13 - Client Extensions in PrismaPrisma Client Extensions37:13 - Prisma vs Drizzle DiscussionDrizzle44:00 - Picks and Plugs Segment

Welcome to Episode 73 of the Stronger Bones Lifestyle Podcast. In this episode, host Debi Robinson is joined by Christine Jaureguiberry, a yoga teacher specializing in scoliosis, to discuss the relationship between scoliosis and hypermobility, and how to approach yoga practice with these conditions in mind.Christine shares her personal experience with scoliosis and how it led her to yoga. She emphasizes the importance of being proactive and finding ways to address physical conditions rather than relying solely on external fixes. The conversation delves into the specific areas of the spine affected by scoliosis and the compensatory effects it has on the entire body.Throughout the episode, Debi and Christine discuss the importance of understanding an individual's specific condition, maintaining proper alignment, and promoting confidence in engaging in yoga practices. They also highlight the release of Christine's book, "Yoga with Scoliosis," which is meant to empower individuals with scoliosis to make informed decisions in yoga classes and to practice confidently at home.Join Debi and Christine as they explore the intricacies of scoliosis, its impact on the body, and how to approach yoga practice with mindfulness and awareness.Key  Takeaways:[2:42] Her journey[7:37] Figuring out your scoliosis[11:22] Body awareness[11:54] Diagnosing scoliosis and how it looks in a forward fold[15:51] Adult degenerative scoliosis[22:17] Functional verses structural[23:51] Where issues may be[27:52} Reacquainting yourself with your body[31:20] Convex and concave and your spine[41:21] Thoracic curvature43:33] Schroth Therapy[53:13] Her book "Move with Scoliosis"Where to Find Guest:WebsiteHer BookYouTubeInstagramMemorable Quotes:"We cant just go to people to fix us, we have to show up for yourselves and be proactive." [5:20] - Debi "Yoga is a journey, its never an end or all of a sudden we have all the answers." [6:21] - Christine"Nobody is completely symmetrical, nobody has a perfect spine." [23:54] - Christine"You can only create as much balance as your body allows." [38:12] - Christine"When someone specializes in somethings its because it requires specialty." [49:20] - Debi "Straight spines are overrated in my opinion." [55:24] – Christine To learn more about me and to stay connected, click on the links below:Instagram: @debirobinsonwellnessWebsite: DebiRobinson.comHealthy Gut Healthy Bones Program

Today we bring Thomas Ballinger, a developer at Convex, an open-source backend for application builders. We will be discussing mainly databases, and why at Convex they use Rust and Typescript. We'll also talk about systems scalability, infrastructure and go over different practices regarding abstractions Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.dev Listen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fm Convex: https://www.convex.dev/ Thomas' X/Twitter: https://x.com/ballingt Thomas' Website: https://ballingt.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:33 Thomas' background 02:29 Convex - what it is and why should you use it? 03:16 What are query planners? 06:32 SQL is a very high level language 07:43 The primary differentiator of Convex 10:49 Who are Convex's biggest competitors? 14:20 How do you build the infrastructure 17:11 What type of database is Convex? 19:18 Why is Convex written in Rust? 23:35 Cheap abstractions 25:47 Productivity suffering from compile times 29:47 The different approaches for a backend developer to build scalable systems 32:28 Backend for Frontend 37:21 You want to be close to your data 42:13 Are there plans to support other languages at Convex? 47:06 Does the schema update the autocompletion in the editor 48:31 Naming and behavior of the queries with Convex 51:06 Why sqlc is great 52:28 Why TypeScript is a great "shortcut" for Convex 59:34 Where to find Thomas

In this episode, Amy, Brad, and Bekah welcome back Kent C. Dodds, who shares exciting updates about his latest project, Epic Web.dev. Kent discusses the philosophy behind his comprehensive web development course, the importance of understanding foundational technologies, and the motivation behind creating Epic Web Conf. He also dives into the benefits of building your own authentication systems and the decision-making process behind the Epic Stack. The conversation is filled with insights on balancing different technologies, creating cohesive learning experiences, and the future of web development education. SponsorsConvexConvex is the backend for founders. Convex is the backend application platform for product-obsessed founders Show Notes0:00 - Intro1:09 - Sponsor: Convex2:09 - Overview of EpicWeb.dev3:09 - Journey from PayPal to Epic Web8:14 - Teaching Approach and Workshop App10:47 - Building your own Authentication System16:59 - Decision-Making and Epic Stack21:35 - Launching Epic Web Conf27:26 - Consistency in Teaching and Conferences35:03 - Future Plans for EpicWeb.dev43:16 - Picks and PlugsKentPick: Brandon Sanderson's books - Particularly the Mistborn series and his involvement in the Wheel of Time series.Plug: Epic Web Conf - An exciting web development conference happening in Park City, Utah.BekahPick: Primal Buffalo Chicken StickPlug: @opensauced on Twitter/XBradPick: Ray-Ban Wayfarer SunglassesPlug: @bradgarropy on Twitter/XAmyPick: The Artists Way by Julia CameronPlug: Two Week Build 

In this episode, James Quick and Amy Dutton chat with James Cowling, co-founder of Convex, about designing infrastructure for product engineers. James explains the innovative features of Convex, including its JavaScript-based queries and real-time data subscriptions, and compares it to Firebase. They also discuss the challenges of edge computing, the importance of user state, and the role of AI in modern development.Show Notes[00:00:00] - Introduction to the Episode[00:01:00] - James Cowling's Background and Convex OverviewConvex[00:01:52] - Deep Dive into Convex[00:05:29] - User State and Application Development[00:07:05] - Challenges of Edge Computing[00:09:53] - Automatic Caching and Real-Time Updates[00:13:22] - AI and Backend Integration[00:17:01] - Leveraging AI in Applications[00:21:11] - Convex's Infrastructure and Technology[00:25:28] - Comparisons with Other Platforms[00:30:03] - Server Rendering and Data Storage[00:33:19] - Physical Challenges in Data Centers[00:37:04] - Cost Efficiency and Cloud Platforms[00:40:56] - Final Thoughts on Infrastructure[00:43:30] - Picks and Plugs Introduction[00:44:11] - James Cowling's Picks and Plugs[00:45:41] - Amy Dutton's Picks and Plugs[00:48:28] - James Quick's Picks and Plugs

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: All About Concave and Convex Agents, published by mako yass on March 25, 2024 on LessWrong. An entry-level characterization of some types of guy in decision theory, and in real life, interspersed with short stories about them A concave function bends down. A convex function bends up. A linear function does neither. A utility function is just a function that says how good different outcomes are. They describe an agent's preferences. Different agents have different utility functions. Usually, a utility function assigns scores to outcomes or histories, but in article we'll define a sort of utility function that takes the quantity of resources that the agent has control over, and the utility function says how good an outcome the agent could attain using that quantity of resources. In that sense, a concave agent values resources less the more that it has, eventually barely wanting more resources at all, while a convex agent wants more resources the more it has. But that's a rough and incomplete understanding, and I'm not sure this turns out to be a meaningful claim without talking about expected values, so let's continue. Humans generally have mostly concave utility functions in this sense. Money is more important to someone who has less of it. Concavity manifests as a reduced appetite for variance in payouts, which is to say, concavity is risk-aversion. This is not just a fact about concave and convex agents, it's a definition of the distinction between them: Humans' concavity is probably the reason we have a fondness for policies that support more even distributions of wealth. If humans instead had convex utility functions, we would prefer policies that actively encourage the concentration of wealth for its own sake. We would play strange, grim games where we gather together, put all of our money into a pot, and select a random person among ourselves who shall alone receive all of everyone's money. Oh, we do something like that sometimes, it's called a lottery, but from what I can gather, we spend ten times more on welfare (redistribution) than we do on lottery tickets (concentration). But, huh, only ten times as much?![1] And you could go on to argue that Society is lottery-shaped in general, but I think that's an incidental result of wealth inevitably being applicable to getting more wealth, rather than a thing we're doing deliberately. I'm probably not a strong enough anthropologist to settle this question of which decision theoretic type of guy humans are today. I think the human utility function is probably convex at first, concave for a while, then linear at the extremes as the immediate surroundings are optimized, at which point, altruism (our preferences about the things outside of our own sphere of experience) becomes the dominant term? Or maybe different humans have radically different kinds of preferences, and we cover it up, because to share a world with others efficiently we must strive towards a harmonious shared plan, and that tends to produce social pressures to agree with the plan as it currently stands, pressures to hide the extent to which we still disagree to retain the trust and favor of the plan's chief executors. Despite how crucial the re-forging of shared plans is as a skill, it's a skill that very few of us get to train in, so we generally aren't self-aware about that kind of preference falsification towards the imagined mean and sometimes we lose sight of our differences completely. Regardless. On the forging of shared plans, it is noticeably easier to forge shared plans with concave agents. They're more amenable to stable conditions (low variance), and they mind less having to share. This post grew out of another post about a simple bargaining commitment that would make concave misaligned AGIs a little less dangerous. In contrast, let's start...

Convex is a serverless backend platform to simplify fullstack application development. Its underlying database is written in Rust, and it uses TypeScript to integrate with reactive UI frameworks. The platform is growing, which has presented new reasons to make the code open source, and Convex recently released the source code for a self-managed version of The post Going Open Source at Convex with James Cowling appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.

Mark Dalton, Managing Director, and James Eves, Senior Executive, of ConvEx discuss the emerging role of specialist independent calculation agency services. Originally set up to provide specialist advice and calculation services to the equity-linked market, ConvEx has since expanded to debt capital markets instruments (capital securities, senior bonds with make-whole calls, LIBOR transition), derivatives and workplace compensation plans.

In this week's episode we have on Richard from Prisma, we've been wanting him to come on the show for a couple of months now, as the LSD stablecoin protocol has been one of the fastest growing of Frax's partners last year. We spoke with him on a variety of topics that included bootstrapping Prisma, navigating its launch, its wild growth, and plans for the future.We cover topics such as the Prisma system and its use of liquid staking derivatives, the stability pool and redemption process, pain points for users and developers, the lockdrop and emission schedule, and the success factors behind Prisma's launch.We also explore the value accrual of the Prisma token, revenue distribution, and the upcoming smkUSD release.TakeawaysFinding the right balance in the DeFi ecosystem is a challenge, but it is possible with the right product-market fit and collaboration.The important role of Frax, Curve, and Convex to the Prisma ecosystem.Partnerships and integration with existing systems can help advance a DeFi protocol and drive its success.Understanding risks and providing tools for users to make informed decisions is crucial for the growth of the DeFi space.Narrative and branding play a significant role in attracting users and creating a strong community.Exploring innovations outside of Prisma and staying open to new opportunities is important for personal and professional growth.

Dustin Nemos

Cryptovestor is an anonymous DeFi investor. In this episode, we speak with an anonymous DeFi investor, to uncover the latest DeFi alpha on a family of protocols related to Curve, including Convex Finance, Frax Finance, Prisma Finance, and f(x) Protocol. This episode is ideal for advanced users and investors looking for their own edge while using these growing veTokenomics protocols. ------

Today's episode is a real treat. That's because I'm talking to an underwriter with encyclopaedic knowledge and over thirty-five years in the insurance industry. But what makes this interview special is that I am talking to someone with huge experience but very specifically the opportunity to put all that experience into practice for a second time. Paul Brand was Chief Underwriting Officer at Catlin for almost thirty years. Just under five years ago he founded Convex Stephen Catlin, taking over the CEO role in in the summer of 2022. Convex is proof that there's nothing like knowing what to do and how to do it to help with speed of execution. It took over 30 years to get Catlin group to a GWP of just under $6bn. As Convex approaches its 5th birthday its likely to surpass $4bn in GWP this calendar year. But listening back, this podcast is really about underwriting. It's about how to be a good underwriter but more importantly how to build and scale an excellent underwriting business. Paul Brand is someone who has spent most of his career outside the limelight and it's really enjoyable to witness him moving to the centre stage and making his distinctive voice heard. He's very considered and thoughtful but at the same time full of dry humour. He's also incredibly generous with his time and highly tolerant of me and my constant questioning. LINKS: We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo: https://www.advantagego.com/ We also thank our audio advertiser, Aventum Group Please contact them on: voi@aventumgroup.com

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The first podcast in our series with PwC touches on the Scale-up programme for insurtechs and the key to transformation in speciality insurance. Matthew Grant speaks to Anthony Joseph, Partner and Andrew Caswell, Director of Insurance Consulting at PwC UK, on why insurers are now progressing with the move to digitization, what transformation really means and how - and which -  insurtechs are the key to change. Talking points include: The PwC insurtech Scale-up programme  Digital adoption in the industry  Specialty insurance and transform New generations of underwriters and new tools You can find out more about PwC, their Scale-up programme and the successful candidates of Scale-up 2023 here. In addition to hearing about PwC, we talk about transformation in the insurance industry touching on various InsTech members including Allphins, Cytora, hyperexponential, Send, Apollo Underwriting, Artificial, Convex, Rethink (Howden) and Vave. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. To find out more about InsTech, our membership and offerings visit www.instech.co or contact us hello@instech.co Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech podcast, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme. By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives: Explain how the insurtechs can help innovate the insurance industry Describe how transformation differs from digitisation Identify the various methods of digital adoption  If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 266 page of the InsTech website or email cpd@instech.co to let us know you have listened to this podcast. To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.  

In this episode, Nathan sits down with three members of the a16z x Convex AI Town project: Yoko Li (Partner, a16z), Martin Casado (GP, a16z), and James Cowling (CTO, Convex). AI Town is a virtual town where AI agents live, interact, and socialize. They discuss how AI Town originated from Yoko's companion app project, unpredictability as a feature in LLMs and interacting with models like they are lifeforms, and why they chose Javascript and Convex to build AI Town. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Founding a business is just the tip of the iceberg; the real complexity comes with scaling it. On 1 to 1000, hosts Jack Altman and Erik Torenberg dig deep into the inevitable twists and turns operators encounter along the journey of turning an idea into a business. Hear all about the tactical challenges of scaling from the people that built up the world's leading companies like Stripe, Ramp, and Lattice. Our first episode with Eric Glyman of Ramp is out now: https://link.chtbl.com/1to1000

Serverless backend platforms are cloud services that simplify the process of building a backend. These platforms are growing rapidly in popularity because they can greatly accelerate application development, and improve the developer experience. Convex is a real-time backend platform that uses 100% TypeScript and is designed with reactive UI frameworks in mind. The team behind The post Building a Full Cloud Backend with James Cowling appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.

Serverless backend platforms are cloud services that simplify the process of building a backend. These platforms are growing rapidly in popularity because they can greatly accelerate application development, and improve the developer experience. Convex is a real-time backend platform that uses 100% TypeScript and is designed with reactive UI frameworks in mind. The team behind The post Building a Full Cloud Backend with James Cowling appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.

Welcome back to another episode of "The Secret to Success" podcast. In today's episode, we delve into the art of making yourself stand out in a crowded marketplace. Drawing inspiration from "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" by Al and Laura Ries, we explore key strategies to differentiate yourself from the competition and establish a unique position in the minds of your customers.Here are key points discussed in this episode.1. Create a Distinct Category:  - Discuss the importance of creating a category in which you can be the first and foremost player.  - Emphasize the need for a category that is supported by a singular word, making it easier for customers to associate your brand with a specific concept.2. Be the Opposite of the Leader:  - Highlight the strategy of fighting against the market leader by positioning yourself as their opposite, rather than attempting to be better than them.  - Explain how this approach can help you carve out a distinct niche and attract customers who are seeking an alternative to the market leader.3. Avoid Line Extensions:  - Share insights from "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" regarding the risks of brand extensions.  - Discuss the idea that your brand is not necessarily the one that works, but rather the association with something.  - Encourage listeners to focus on building associations and connections that resonate with their target audience.4. Study Customers, Market, and Trends:  - Emphasize the importance of conducting thorough research to understand your customers, market dynamics, and emerging trends.  - Discuss the concept of finding the "one move" that will have the greatest impact on your brand's success.  - Encourage listeners to analyze their customers' needs and preferences, identify gaps in the market, and adapt their strategies accordingly.In a competitive business landscape, it's crucial to make yourself stand out from the crowd. By following the principles outlined in "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing," you can create a unique category, position yourself as the opposite of the leader, avoid ineffective brand extensions, and make strategic moves based on customer insights and market trends. Join us next time as we continue to uncover the secrets to success in various aspects of life and business.Here are notes for this class:Day 2Making Yourself Stand Out The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al and Laura Ries     Create a category that you can be first in — and make sure that the category is supported by a singular word. Fight the leader by not being better, but being their opposite. Don't extend your brand through line extension; it rarely works. Plus, your brand is not the one that works, it's the association with something. Study your customers, market and trends to find the “one move” that works.The Law of Leadership – It's better to be first that is it is to be better.The first person to fly across the Atlantic was Charles Lindbergh. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon. Roger Bannister was the first person to run the four minute mile.What are the names of the people who accomplished these feats second?Bert Hinkler was the second man to fly across the Atlantic. Buzz Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong onto the moon's surface. John Landy was the second man to run a mile in less than four minutes (only six weeks after Bannister did).While you may have heard of Aldrin, you're most likely not familiar with the names Hinkler and Landy.Similarly, the leading category in any brand is almost always the first brand into the prospect's mind. Hertz with rent-a-cars. IBM with computers. Coca-Cola in cola.After WWII, Heineken was the first imported beer to make a name for itself in America. Decades later, it's still number one. Advil was the first Ibuprofen and is still number one. Time still leads Newsweek. Coke leads PepsiIf you're second in your prospects mind you'll languish with the Buzz Aldrins, John Landys and Bert Hinklers of the world.In spite of the benefits of being first though, most companies tend to wait companies until a market develops and then they jump in.Chapter 1: The Law of Leadership It's better to be first than it is to be better. The basic issue in marketing is not convincing prospects that you have a better product or service. The basic issue in marketing is creating a category you can be first in. It's much easier to get into the mind first than to try to convince someone you have a better product than the one who got there first. The leading brand in any category is almost always the first brand into the prospect's mind. E.g Hertz in rent-a-cars, IBM in computers, Coca-Cola in cola. Not every first is going to be successful. The timing could be an issue — for e.g your first could be too late. Some firsts are also just bad ideas that will never go anywhere. E.g Frosty Paws, the first ice cream for dogs. The law of leadership applies to any product, brand or category. Imagine you didn't know the name of the first college founded in America. You can always make a good guess by substituting leading for first. What's the name of the leading college in US? Most people would say Harvard, and that is indeed the name of the first college founded in America. One reason why the first brand tends to maintain its leadership is that the name often becomes generic. Xerox, the first plain-paper copier became the name for all plain-paper copies. Kleenex. Coke. Scotch tape.The Law of the Category – If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in.-Antonio set up a newer category when it comes to business and he is the first in it. Who else do you know that is doing what he is doing?While Bert Hinkler's name is not a household word, I'm sure you know the name of the third person who successfully flew across the Atlantic Ocean. Her name was Amelia Earhart. The first female to fly across the Atlantic.If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in.Charles Schwab didn't open a better brokerage firm; he opened up the first discount broker. Lear's isn't the best selling woman's magazine; they're the best selling magazine for mature women. Dell wasn't the biggest computer company; they're the biggest computer company to sell their computers over the phone.Chapter 2: The Law Of The Category If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in. Example: What's the name of the third person to fly the Atlantic Ocean solo? You probably don't know. Yet you do. It's Amelia Earhart. But she isn't known for that. She is known as the first woman to do so. IBM was the first in computers. DEC competed by becoming the first in minicomputers. Cray Research came up with the first supercomputer. Today, Cray is an $800 million company. Convex put two and two together and came up with the first mini super-computer. Today Convex is a $200 million company. You can turn an also-ran into a winner by inventing a new category. Commodore was a manufacturer of home PCs that wasn't going anywhere until it positioned the Amiga as the first multi-media computer. There are many different ways to be first. Dell was the first to sell computers by phone. When you launch a new product, the first question to ask yourself is not “How is this new product better than the competition?”, but “First what?” Forget the brand. Think categories. Everyone is interested in what's new. Few people are interested in what's better. When you're the first in a new category, promote the category. In essence, you have no competition.The Law of the Mind – It's better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace.First personal computer was the MITS Altair 8800. Duryea was the first automobile. Du Mont is the first commercial TV set.What's going on? Is the just mentioned Law of Leadership wrong.Not at all. Here's the thing …IBM wasn't first in the marketplace with a mainframe computer, Remington was.However, IBM began a massive marketing campaign to get into people's mind first and when they did they won the computer battle early.Being first in the mind is everything in marketing. Being first in the marketplace is important only to the extent that it allows you to get into the mind first.Chapter 3: The Law Of The Mind It's better to be first in the mind than it is to be first in the marketplace. The law of the mind modifies the law of leadership. Being first in the mind is everything in marketing. Being first in the marketplace is important only to the extent it allows you to get in the mind first. Marketing is a battle of perception, not product, so the mind takes precedence over the marketplace. The problem for would-be entrepreneurs is getting the revolutionary idea or concept into the prospect's mind. The conventional solution is money. But it's not. More money is wasted in marketing than any other human activity. You can't change a mind once it's made up. The single most wasteful thing you can do in marketing is try to change a mind. Having a simple, easy-to-remember name helps get into prospect's minds.The Law of Perception – Marketing is not a battle of products, it's a battle of perceptions.Some marketers see the product as the hero of the marketing program and that you win and lose based on the merits of your products.Ries and Trout disagree – what's important is the perceptions that exist in the minds of your prospects and customers. They cite as an example the three largest selling Japanese imports, Honda, Toyota and Nissan.Most people think the battle between the three brands is based on quality, styling horse power price. Not true. It's what people think about Honda Toyota and Nissan which determines which brand will win.Chapter 4: The Law of Perception Marketing is not a battle of products, it's a battle of perception. It's an illusion. There is no objective reality. There are no facts. There are no best products. All that exists in the world of marketing are perceptions in the minds of the customer or prospect. The perception is the reality. Everything else is an illusion. Marketing is a manipulation of these perceptions. Most marketing mistakes stem from the assumption that you're fighting a product battle rooted in reality. What some marketing people see as the natural laws of marketing are based on a flawed premise that the product is the hero of the marketing program and that you'll win or lose based on the merits of the product. This is why the natural, logical way to market a product is invariably wrong. Only by studying how perceptions are formed in the mind and focusing your marketing programs on those perceptions can you overcome your basically incorrect marketing instincts.The Law of Focus – The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind.A company can become incredibly successful if it can find a way to own a word in the mind of the prospect.Federal Express was able to put the word ‘overnight' in the minds of their prospects. Xerox owns ‘copier'; Hershey owns ‘chocolate bar'; Coke owns ‘cola'; Heinz owns ‘ketchup'; Crest owns ‘cavities'; Volvo owns safety; Nordstrom's owns service.The word should be simple and benefit oriented. One word is better than three or four.Words can change ownership. In the early days of the personal computer, Lotus owned the word ‘spreadsheet'. Now it belongs to Microsoft thanks to ‘Excel'.Chapter 5: The Law Of Focus The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind. Not a complicated word, or an invented word. Simplest words are the best, words taken right out of the dictionary. You “burn” your way into the mind by narrowing the focus to a single word or concept.Just Do It. The Best Part of Waking up…. Prime Membership.   The law of leadership enables the first brand or company to own a word in the mind of the prospect. The leader owns the word that stands for the category. For e.g IBM owns the word “computer”. If you're not a leader, your word has to have a narrow focus. Your word has to be “available” in your category. No one else can have a lock on it. The most effective words are simple and benefit-oriented. No matter how complicated the product, no matter how complicated the needs of the market, it's always better to focus on one word or benefit rather than two or three or four. While words stick in the mind, nothing lasts forever. There comes a time when a company must change words. You can't take somebody else's words. What won't work is leaving your own word in search of a word owned by others. The essence of marketing is narrowing the focus. You can't stand for something if you chase after everything. You can't narrow the focus with quality or any other idea that doesn't have proponents for the opposite point of view. For example: You can't position yourself as an honest politician, because nobody is willing to take the opposite position.Once you have your word, you must go out of your way to protect it in the marketplace.The Law of Exclusivity – Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect's mind.When a competitor owns a word or position it's futile to own the same word. For instance Volvo owns the word ‘safety'. Many automakers have tried to wrestle that word away from them, but none have been successful.Energizer tried to wrestle ‘long lasting' away from Duracell. But Duracell got in people's minds first.Chapter 6: The Law Of Exclusivity Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect's mind. It's wrong to think that if you spend enough money, you can own the idea.The Law of the Ladder – The strategy to use depends on which rungs you occupy on the ladder.The primary objective is to be first, but if you're not – all is not lost.Avis lost money for 13 years in a row when they used the slogan “Finest in rent-a-cars”. It wasn't until they changed it to “Avis is only No.2 in rent-a-cars. So why go with us? We try harder” that their fortune turned around. (Avis was later sold to ITT who ordered up the advertising theme “Avis is going to be number one” which bombed.)Another campaign that worked was when 7 Up, the leader in the lemon-lime soda category wanted to make inroads into the larger cola market. When they positioned themselves as “The Uncola” they climbed to the third largest selling soft drink in America.Chapter 7: The Law Of The Ladder The strategy to use depends on which rung you occupy on the ladder. All products are not created equal. There is a hierarchy in the mind that prospects use in making decisions. For each category, there is a product ladder in the mind. On each rung is a brand name. For e.g car rental. Hertz is on the top rung, Avis is on the 2nd rung, and National on the third. Your marketing strategy should depend on how soon you got into the mind and consequently which rung of the ladder you occupy. Example: Avis admitted it was #2. Told prospects to go with them because they tried harder. They made money. The mind is selective. Prospects use their ladders in deciding which information to accept and which information to reject. In general, a mind only accepts new data that is consistent with its product ladder in that category. Everything else is ignored. How many rungs are there on your ladder? Products you use every day tend to be high-interest products with many rungs. And vice versa. There's a relationship between market share and your position on the ladder in the prospect's mind. Sometimes your own ladder or category might be too small. It might be better to be a small fish in a big pond than to be a big fish in a small pond. It's sometimes better to be №3 on a big ladder than №1 on a small ladder.The Law of Duality – In the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race.In batteries, it's Eveready and Duracell. In photographic film, it's Kodak and Fuji. In rent-a-cars, it's Hertz and Avis. In mouthwash, it's Listerine and Scope. In fast food, it's McDonalds and Burger King. In running shoes, it's Nike and Reebok. In toothpaste, it's Crest and Colgate.Chapter 8: The Law Of Duality In the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race. Early on, a new category is a ladder of many rungs. Gradually, the ladder becomes a two-rung affair. E.g Coke vs Pepsi.The Law of the Opposite – If you're shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader.If you're number two it makes sense to try and leverage the leader's strength into a weakness. An example of this is the campaign Pepsi Cola used to become the choice of the new generation (versus Coke-Cola being the old established product).Scope successful hung the “medical breath” label on market leader Listerine by becoming the good tasting mouthwash that kills germs.Other examples are Lowenbrau's “You've tasted the German beer that's the most popular in American. Now taste the German beer that's the most popular in German” and advertising slogan used to launch Tylenol in 1955 “For the millions who should not take aspirin” (when it was discovered that aspirin caused stomach bleeding).Chapter 9: The Law Of The Opposite If you're shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader. Wherever the leader is strong, there is an opportunity for a would-be №2 to turn the tables. A company should leverage the leader's strength into a weakness. You must discover the essence of the leader and then present the prospect with the opposite. Too many potential №2 try to emulate the leader. This is an error. You must present yourself as the alternative. The law of the opposite is a two-edged sword. It requires honing in on a weakness that your prospect will quickly acknowledge. Marketing is often a battle for legitimacy. The first brand that captures the concept is often able to portray its competitors as illegitimate pretenders. A good#2 cannot afford to be timid.The Law of Division – Over time a category will divide and become two or more categories.A category starts off as a single entity. But over time it breaks up into other segments.Computers for example, you have: mainframes, minicomputers, workstations, personal computers, laptops, notebooks.Beer is the same way. Today's there's imported and domestic beer. Light, draft and dry beers. Even non-alcoholic beers.Each segment has its own leader (which is rarely the leader in the original category).Chapter 10: The Law Of Division Over time, a category will divide and become two or more categories Each segment is a separate, distinct entity. Each segment has its own reason for existence. Each segment has its own leader, which is rarely the same as the leader of the original category.The way for the leader to maintain its dominance is to address each emerging category with a different brand name.The Law of Perspective – Marketing effects takes place over an extended period of time.Does a sale increase a company's business or decrease it? Obviously in short term it increases it, but more and more there's evidence to show sales decrease business in the long term by educating customers not to buy at regular prices.Sales also say to people that your regular prices are too high. To maintain volume some companies find they have to run continuous sales. In the retail field, the big winners are Kmart and Wal-mart who are known for their everyday low prices.Chapter 11: The Law Of Perspective Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time      Many marketing move exhibit the same phenomenon. The long-term effect is often the exact opposite of the short-term effect. For e.g a sale. A sale increase in a business in the short-term, but there are increasing evidence that shows that sales educate customers not to buy at regular prices.The Law of Line Extension – There is an irresistible pressure to extend the equity of the brand.Here are two examples they give of companies harming their brand by overextending it:The introduction of Coors Light caused the collapse of regular Coors which today sells one-fourth of what it used to.Back in 1978, 7 Up had a 5.7 percent market share. Then they added 7Up Gold, Cherry 7 Up and assorted diet versions. In the early 90's, 7 Up's share had fallen to 2.5 percent.Chapter 12: The Law Of Line Extension There's an irresistible pressure to extend the equity of a brand. One day a company is tightly focused on a single product that is highly profitable. The next day the same company is spread thin over many products and is losing money. When you try to be all things to all people, you inevitably wind up in trouble. Line extension usually involves taking the brand name of a successful and putting it on a new product you plan to introduce. Marketing is a battle of perception, not product. In the mind, for example, A-1 is not the brand name, but the steak sauce itself. Less is more. If you want to be successful today, you have to narrow the focus in order to build a position in the prospect's mind.The Law of Sacrifice – You have to give up something to get something.If you want to be successful today you should give something up.The first area you could sacrifice in is your product line. The example they give is Federal Express who focused on one service: small overnight deliveries.The second is market share. Pepsi gave up part of their market when they focused on the youth market and it worked brilliantly – it brought them within 10% market share of Coca Cola. Here a few of the other companies Reis and Trout cite as having given up market share by specializing: Foot Locker (athletic shoes); The Gap (casual clothing for the young at heart); Victoria Secret (sexy undergarments); The Limited (upscale clothing for working women).The third sacrifice is constant change. One of the examples they list is White Castle whose restaurants look the same as they did sixty years ago and still sell the same frozen sliders, yet they still average over a million dollars per year per location.Chapter 13: The Law Of Sacrifice You have to give up something in order to get something This law is the opposite of Law 12. If you want to be successful, you have to give up something. There are 3 things to sacrifice: product line, target market and constant change.        The generalist is weak.The Law of Attributes – For every attribute, there is an opposite, effective attribute.The Law of Exclusivity says that two companies can't own the same word or position. A company must seek out another attribute (it's much better to find an opposite attribute, similar won't do).For instance, Crest owns the word “cavities”. Other toothpastes avoided “cavities”. Instead they focused on taste, whitening, and breath protection.Of course, all attributes aren't created equally. When it comes to toothpaste “cavities” is the best. If the best one is taken you must move on to an attribute and live with a smaller share of the market. And then dramatize its value and increase your market share.Chapter 14: The Law Of Attributes For every attribute, there is an opposite, effective attribute. Too often a company attempts to emulate the leader. It's much better to search for an opposite attribute that will allow you to play off against the leader. All attributes are not created equal. Some attributes are more important to customers than others. You must try and own the most important attribute. You cannot predict the size of a new attribute's share, so never laugh at one.The Law of Candor – When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive.First admit a negative and then twist it into a positive.Examples:“Avis is only No.2 in rent-a-cars” (Avis tries harder)“With a name like Smuckers it has to be good” (We have a bad name, but a good product.)“The 1970 VW will stay ugly longer.” (A car that ugly must be reliable.)“Joy. The Most expensive perfume in the world.” (At $375 an ounce, it has to be sensational.)When you state a negative it's automatically viewed as the truth. When you state a positive it's looked upon as dubious at best.Another great example of twisting a negative into a positive is how Listerine reacted when Scope entered the market with a “good-tasting” mouthwash. They came out with “Listerine: The taste you hate twice a day.”Chapter 15: The Law Of Candor When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive. It goes against corporate and human nature to admit a problem. Yet one of the most effective ways to get into a prospect's mind is to first admit a negative and twist it into a positive. Candor is disarming. Every negative statement you make about yourself is instantly accepted as truth (NOTE: This is a similar law stated in 48 Laws of Power.) You have to prove a positive statement to the prospect's satisfaction. No proof is needed for a negative statement. When a company starts a message by admitting a problem, people tend to almost instinctively open their minds. Example: Listerine used to advertise with “The taste you hate twice a day.” which set them up for selling the idea of killing a lot of germs. The Law of Candor must be used carefully and with great skill. Your negative must be widely perceived as a negative. It has to trigger an instant agreement with your prospect's mind. Next, you have to shift quickly to the positive. The purpose of candor isn't to apologize. It is to set up a benefit that will convince your prospect.The Law of Singularity – In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results.According to Reis and Trout “many marketing people see success as the sum total of a lot of small efforts beautiful executed. They think as long as they put the effort in they'll be successful whether you try hard or try easy, the differences are marginal”. They say the one thing that works in marketing is the single, bold stroke.An example they give is the two strong moves that were made against General Motors. The Japanese came at the low end with small cars like Toyota, Datsun and Honda. The Germans came at the high end with super premium cars like Mercedes and BMW.Chapter 16: The Law Of Singularity In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results (similar to 80/20 principle.) Many marketing people see success as the sum total of a lot of small efforts beautifully executed. They think they can pick and choose from a number of different strategies and still be successful as long as they put enough effort into the program. They seem to think the best approach is “get into everything.” Trying harder is not the secret of marketing success. History teaches that the only thing that works in marketing is the single, bold stroke. In any given situation, there is only one move that will produce substantial results. What works in marketing is the same as what works in the military — the unexpected. To find that singular idea of concept, marketing managers have to know what's happening in the marketplace.The Law of Unpredictability – Unless you write your competitors' plans, you can't predict the future.Marketing plans based on what will happen in the future are usually wrong. It's very difficult to predict your market. You can get a handle on trends, but the danger for many companies is they jump to conclusions about how far a trend will go.Chapter 17: The Law Of Unpredictability Unless you write your competitor's plans, you can't predict the future. Implicit in most marketing plans is an assumption about the future. Yet such marketing plans are usually wrong. Most companies live from quarterly report to quarterly report. That's a recipe for problems. Companies that live by the numbers, die by the numbers. Good short-term planning is coming up with that angle or word that differentiates your product or company. Then you set up a coherent long-term marketing direction that builds a program to maximize that idea or angle. Not a long-term plan, but a long-term direction. While you can't predict the future, you can get a handle on trends, which is a way to take advantage of change. The danger of working with trends is extrapolation. Many companies will jump to conclusions about how far a trend will go. Equally as bad as extrapolation is the common practice of assuming the future will be a replay of the present. One way to cope with an unpredictable world is to build an enormous amount of flexibility into your organization. NOTE: There is a difference between predicting the future and taking a chance on the future.The Law of Success – Success often leads to arrogance and arrogance to failure.Ego is the enemy of successful marketing. Objectivity is what is needed.Companies who became arrogant according to Ries and Trout are General Motors, Sears, Roebuck and IBM. Quite simply they felt they could anything they wanted to in the marketplace. And of, course, they were wrong.In my opinion, IBM's arrogance peaked back in the days of the IBM PC, XT, AT and the PS/2 line of computers. The difference between models was based more on marketing considerations rather than supplying their customers with a technically superior product. Compaq computers, on the other hand, focused on pushing the technical limits of their products and soon gained a reputation for building a superior computer, eventually outselling IBM.The bottom line being while ego can be an effective driving force when it comes to building a business – it can hurt if you inject it into your marketing.Chapter 18: The Law Of Success Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure. Ego is the enemy of successful marketing. Objectivity is what is needed. When people become successful, they tend to become less objective. They often substitute their own judgment for what the market wants. Ego can be an effective driving force in building a business. What hurts is injecting your ego in the marketing process. Brilliant marketers have the ability to think like how a prospect thinks. They put themselves in the shoes of their customers.The Law of Failure – Failure is to be expected and accepted.Too many companies try to fix things rather than drop things. For instance, American Motors should have abandoned passenger cars and focused on the Jeep. IBM should have dropped copiers and Xerox should have dropped computers years before they finally recognized their mistakes.Chapter 19: The Law Of Failure Failure is to be expected and accepted. Too many companies try to fix things rather than drop things. Admitting a mistake and not doing anything about it is bad for your career. A better strategy is to recognize failure early and cut losses.The Law of Hype – The situation is often the opposite of the way it appears in the press.Hype usually means a company's in trouble. According to Ries and Trout, when things are going well you don't need hype.For example, new coke had tons of publicity, but as everyone knows it bombed. Remember Steve Job's NeXt Computers? All the hype in the world couldn't turn NexT Computers into the next big thing in computers.History is full of failures that were successful in the press. Tucker 48, US Football league, Videotext, the automated factory, the personal helicopter, the manufactured home, the picture phone, polyester suits. The essence of the hype was not just that these products would be successful, but they would render existing products obsolete.For the most part hype is hype. The authors tell us that "real revolutions don't arrive at high noon with marching bands and coverage on the 6:00 pm news. Real revolutions arrive unannounced in the middle of the night and sneak up on you."Chapter 20: The Law Of Hype The situation is often the opposite of the way it appears in the press. When things are going well, a company doesn't need the hype. When you need the hype, it usually means you're in trouble. Real revolutions in the industry don't arrive at high noon with marching bands. They arrive unannounced in the middle of the night and sneak up on you.The Law of Acceleration – Successful programs are not built on fads, they're built on trends.According to Ries and Trout, "A fad is a wave. A trend is the tide. A fad gets hype. A trend gets very little. A fad is a short-term phenomena that in the long-term doesn't do a company that much good".A great example they cite is Coleco Industries Cabbage Patch Kids. They hit the market in 1983. Two years later they had sales of 776 million with profits of 83 million.Then in 1988 the bottom fell out. Coleco filed for Chapter 11. (In 1989, they were acquired by Hasbro where Cabbage Patch Kids with more conservative marketing are doing quite well.)Fads don't last. When everyone has a Ninja turtle, nobody wants one anymore. Compare that to Barbie which is a trend and continues to be popular.Chapter 21: The Law Of Acceleration Successful programs are not build on fads, they are built on trends. A fad is like a wave in the ocean, and a trend is the tide. Like the wave, the fad is very visible but it goes up and down in a hurry. Like the tide, a trend is almost invisible, but very powerful over the long-term.A paradox: if you were faced with a rapidly rising business, with all the characteristics of a fad, the best thing you could do is to dampen the fad and stretch it out.The Law of Resources – Without adequate funding an idea won't get off the ground.The best idea in the world needs money to make it happen. A mediocre idea and a million dollars is better than a great idea with no money.Chapter 22: The Law Of Resources Without adequate funding, an idea won't get off the ground. You need money to get into a mind. And you need money to stay there. First get the idea, then get the money to exploit it.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-secret-to-success/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode carries content warnings for blood, civilian harm and death, parental death, conscription, torture and kidnapping.  Under the wings of the Kestrel White, war washes ashore the Isle of the Broken Key. Soon after the crew of the Blue Channel released Kenneth Marian Colver, Bilateral Viceroy to Palisade and convert of the Usher of Truth, he ordered his flagship to return and lay waste to the home of the Dim Liturgy and Devotees. Now, the Cause fights not only for ideals but for survival. A rifle takes aim. A hammer lifts into the air. A cannonade echoes for miles. The monastery burns. and the blaze casts a shadow too long for a single night's contemplation. This week on PALISADE: Upon Our Grace Pt. 4 I'm out / There's nothing here to care about / What's that sound? / What's that song about? / It's nothin' worth me sayin' aloud Dossier Organizations Violet Cove: The Dim Liturgy claim to have seen the Divine Devotion's arrival coming in their sacred text: A battered and corrupted backup of Crystal Palace's final predictions for the future. Now the two cults work together to oust the Bilats... and perhaps to do more intriguing things, as well. The Devotees: A church from the Twilight Mirage that is committed to the worship of the divine Devotion, which they sometimes refer to as Fervor. Common practices include the regular checking of one's pulse and multi-day group picnic outings. People Connadine (he/him): Commander of the BIS on Palisade. An expert in psychological operations and folklore. As a composer, his opus is the Adagio, a plan to get everyone on Palisade operating in ways not only predictable, but scripted. As a conductor, his orchestra now turns towards the second movement.  Saint Decario Dicario (he/him): Devoted Devotee warmonger and one-time lover of the Twilight Mirage rockstar Teleos Triton Tanager.  Sea Crepuscule (he/him): Master of the Concave Wing of the Dim Liturgy's primary monastery, where he leads the search for specific details and predictions from the Glass Archive's remnants. Additionally, the most highly placed member of the Paint Shop (and thus, most important shield for the BIS spies) inside of Dim Liturgy. Marlon Styx a.k.a. Em (he/him): Undercover BIS agent assigned to infiltrate Violet Cove. Has become enamored with the Dim Liturgy's holy text. Tea Time (she/her): Assistant to the assistant of Dicario St. Dicario. BIS Spy. Queue 1224 (he/him): A non-Columnar synthetic monk who helps with preparing parts of the Thing Itself for movement to Convex or Concave. BIS Spy. Zedd Z. Izzard (he/him): Lovable dirtbag chef. Works in main hall's mess hall. Knows everyone's favorite drink and most people's favorite meal. Satisfactory pilot. BIS Spy. Bea Earlyday (she/her): Young Chariot pilot assigned to the defense of the Isle of the Broken Key. Under Griesel Sunset's command. BIS Spy. Kay (they/them): Cashier of the monastery treasury. BIS Spy.  Tenn Alpenglow (he/him): Bodyguard of Kenneth Marian Colver and Knight of the Fabreal Duchy. Resents his assignation to guard the cowardly Viceroy, but takes seriously his sworn oath to serve under the Duchy's new masters. Kenneth Marian Colver (he/him): Former member of the Curtain, now Kesh's Viceroy on the world. Reports up to the Stargrave. Bread concerns have been replaced with violence concerns. Kensley Marlowe Colver (she/her): Sister of Kenneth Marian Colver, pilot of a Gorget, award winning hunter of megafauna, and craven champion of cruelty.  Elle Evensong (she/they) - Elle arrived to Palisade along with the first wave of Devotees, making a name for herself as a cunning combatant and clever commander. She became a poster child for Twilight Mirage's support of Palisade (and, for members of the Dim Liturgy, a prophesied bridge between the past and the future). But as the war began to heat up, she seemed to vanish into the background. Pilot of the Cataphract. Midnite Matinee (she/her): Leporine scout and member of the Blue Channel. She and her trusty Pack-model light AutoHollow Popcorn (she/her) used to run a repo company, but now are tentatively committed to the Cause and Millennium Break. Routine Rennari (he/him): Half-Apostolsian, scion of a minor Kesh noble house, and the Blue Channel's heavy.  Hunting "Hunt" Tomorrow (he/him): Concretist specialist in communications and technology, assigned to the Blue Channel during its integration into the Cause. Saffron Septet (she/her):  A doctor from the Twilight Mirage who lives as a digital consciousness, spread across a number of bodily forms including a heavy Torch Unit, a small motorcycle, and a unique and specially-crafted surgeon body.  Places Isle of the Broken Key: Home of the Dim Liturgy since its obscure creation thousands of years ago. Now serves as base for the entire Violet Cove unit of the Cause, including the Devotees and (most recently) additional support teams from the Twilight Mirage. Chimera's Lantern: The second moon of Palisade, shaped oddly like a wasp's nest or paper lantern. New arrivals to the world find its occasional glow unnatural and frightening. Objects The Kestral White: Flagship of Palisade's Viceroy, Kenneth Marrian Colver. Hovers like a hawk on a thermal updraft, searching for its prey. Gambeson: The Gambeson is only about 10 meters tall (less than half an Altar), but it is nevertheless a terrifying scourge of the battlefield. Modeled after an iron maiden, except with it's tortorous doors attached to its back serving as wings. Its head features a metalworked face, twisted into extreme and offputting smile.  Its skeletal frame serves not only as body, but cage: pilots are criminal conscripts forced to pay off their “debt” to Kesh by the Divine Plight, earning their freedom through combat achievements.  Gorget: When visible, the Gorget is a bright and fashionable machine, its long features clad in golden armor, yet hidden playfully covered by a chic red hunting cape. When walking, it's posture is buoyed by a fashionable walking cane. But at a whim, the Altar's pilot may extend the length of the cape, surrounding the entire body with a layer of magical camouflage, cloaking it from both sensors and plain sight. And at that moment, its cane twists and folds, revealing itself to be a perfectly honed rifle. Cataphract: When the engineers loyal to Devotion studied the data from the Chariot Mk. 1 units, they saw they had a problem: maximum results required a lethal amount of blood from the pilots. One solution to this problem would become the Charoit Mk. 2, which offered more efficient energy exchange per ounce of ichor taken. The Cataphract, which draws on the blood of others to perform unimaginable feats, is the other. Divines Asepsis (it/its): The final living remnants of a Divine who pursues its particular vision of purity at the cost of everything else. Kept, studied, and utilized by Captain Kalvin Brnine. The Reflecting Pool, f.k.a the Divine Past, f.k.a. Crystal Palace (it/its): In the era before the founding of the Divine Principality, Crystal Palace served as the supreme oracle engine of the Rapid Evening and the Principality of Kesh. At the end of that era, it lost its ability to predict the future, but continued as a vast archive of the past, and became canonized as the Divine Past (which now serves as the Reflecting Pool, center of the Witch in Glass' kingdom). The final record of its predictions into the future are stored on Palisade, under protection (and study) of the Dim Liturgy and Violet Cove. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora  Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by by aurahack (aurahack.jp) With thanks to Arthur B., chocoube, DB, deepFlaw, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, huw, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, K. Morris, Katie Diekhaus, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mike & Ruby, Nich Maragos Olive Perry, Patrick Murray, Robert Lasica, Shawn Hall, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, viviridian, and Voi for their support We are playing Armour Astir: Advent with additional playbooks from Strangers in the Night and 106th Astir Squadron. If you enjoy the show, consider supporting the TTRPG.  This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

This episode carries content warnings for civilian harm and death, torture, conscription, and kidnapping. With the list of Bilateral Intelligence Service spies secure and the immediate threat from Fabreal Knight Tenn Alpenglow resolved, the crew of the Blue Channel discusses what to do next. Should they prioritize capturing the BIS agents they've identified, and if so, how would they go about that? Should they turn the list over to the Cause's leadership, deferring the decision to others and winning some points in the process? For each potential option, there seems to be a flaw. And as they debate, the clock keeps ticking… This week on PALISADE: Upon Our Grace Pt. 3 Another turning point / Another point in time Dossier Organizations Violet Cove: The Dim Liturgy claim to have seen the Divine Devotion's arrival coming in their sacred text: A battered and corrupted backup of Crystal Palace's final predictions for the future. Now the two cults work together to oust the Bilats... and perhaps to do more intriguing things, as well. The Devotees: A church from the Twilight Mirage that is committed to the worship of the divine Devotion, which they sometimes refer to as Fervor. Common practices include the regular checking of one's pulse and multi-day group picnic outings. People Connadine (he/him): Commander of the BIS on Palisade. An expert in psychological operations and folklore. As a composer, his opus is the Adagio, a plan to get everyone on Palisade operating in ways not only predictable, but scripted. As a conductor, his orchestra now turns towards the second movement.  Saint Decario Dicario (he/him): Devoted Devotee warmonger and one-time lover of the Twilight Mirage rockstar Teleos Triton Tanager.  Sea Crepuscule (he/him): Master of the Concave Wing of the Dim Liturgy's primary monastery, where he leads the search for specific details and predictions from the Glass Archive's remnants. Additionally, the most highly placed member of the Paint Shop (and thus, most important shield for the BIS spies) inside of Dim Liturgy. Marlon Styx a.k.a. Em (he/him): Undercover BIS agent assigned to infiltrate Violet Cove. Has become enamored with the Dim Liturgy's holy text. Tea Time (she/her): Assistant to the assistant of Dicario St. Dicario. BIS Spy. Queue 1224 (he/him): A non-Columnar synthetic monk who helps with preparing parts of the Thing Itself for movement to Convex or Concave. BIS Spy. Zedd Z. Izzard (he/him): Lovable dirtbag chef. Works in main hall's mess hall. Knows everyone's favorite drink and most people's favorite meal. Satisfactory pilot. BIS Spy. Bea Earlyday (she/her): Young Chariot pilot assigned to the defense of the Isle of the Broken Key. Under Griesel Sunset's command. BIS Spy. Kay (they/them): Cashier of the monastery treasury. BIS Spy.  Tenn Alpenglow (he/him): Bodyguard of Kenneth Marian Colver and Knight of the Fabreal Duchy. Resents his assignation to guard the cowardly Viceroy, but takes seriously his sworn oath to serve under the Duchy's new masters. Kenneth Marian Colver (he/him): Former member of the Curtain, now Kesh's Viceroy on the world. Reports up to the Stargrave. Bread concerns have been replaced with violence concerns. Midnite Matinee (she/her): Leporine scout and member of the Blue Channel. She and her trusty Pack-model light AutoHollow Popcorn (she/her) used to run a repo company, but now are tentatively committed to the Cause and Millennium Break. Routine Rennari (he/him): Half-Apostolsian, scion of a minor Kesh noble house, and the Blue Channel's heavy.  Hunting "Hunt" Tomorrow (he/him): Concretist specialist in communications and technology, assigned to the Blue Channel during its integration into the Cause. Saffron Septet (she/her):  A doctor from the Twilight Mirage who lives as a digital consciousness, spread across a number of bodily forms including a heavy Torch Unit, a small motorcycle, and a unique and specially-crafted surgeon body.  Places Isle of the Broken Key: Home of the Dim Liturgy since its obscure creation thousands of years ago. Now serves as base for the entire Violet Cove unit of the Cause, including the Devotees and (most recently) additional support teams from the Twilight Mirage. Chimera's Lantern: The second moon of Palisade, shaped oddly like a wasp's nest or paper lantern. New arrivals to the world find its occasional glow unnatural and frightening. Objects The Kestral White: Flagship of Palisade's Viceroy, Kenneth Marrian Colver. Hovers like a hawk on a thermal updraft, searching for its prey. Gambeson: The Gambeson is only about 10 meters tall (less than half an Altar), but it is nevertheless a terrifying scourge of the battlefield. Modeled after an iron maiden, except with it's tortorous doors attached to its back serving as wings. Its head features a metalworked face, twisted into extreme and offputting smile.  Its skeletal frame serves not only as body, but cage: pilots are criminal conscripts forced to pay off their “debt” to Kesh by the Divine Plight, earning their freedom through combat achievements.  Gorget: When visible, the Gorget is a bright and fashionable machine, its long features clad in golden armor, yet hidden playfully covered by a chic red hunting cape. When walking, it's posture is buoyed by a fashionable walking cane. But at a whim, the Altar's pilot may extend the length of the cape, surrounding the entire body with a layer of magical camouflage, cloaking it from both sensors and plain sight. And at that moment, its cane twists and folds, revealing itself to be a perfectly honed rifle. Divines Asepsis (it/its): The final living remnants of a Divine who pursues its particular vision of purity at the cost of everything else. Kept, studied, and utilized by Captain Kalvin Brnine. The Reflecting Pool, f.k.a the Divine Past, f.k.a. Crystal Palace (it/its): In the era before the founding of the Divine Principality, Crystal Palace served as the supreme oracle engine of the Rapid Evening and the Principality of Kesh. At the end of that era, it lost its ability to predict the future, but continued as a vast archive of the past, and became canonized as the Divine Past (which now serves as the Reflecting Pool, center of the Witch in Glass' kingdom). The final record of its predictions into the future are stored on Palisade, under protection (and study) of the Dim Liturgy and Violet Cove. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora  Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by by aurahack (aurahack.jp) With thanks to Arthur B., chocoube, DB, deepFlaw, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, huw, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, K. Morris, Katie Diekhaus, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mike & Ruby, Nich Maragos Olive Perry, Patrick Murray, Robert Lasica, Shawn Hall, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, viviridian, and Voi for their support We are playing Armour Astir: Advent with additional playbooks from Strangers in the Night and 106th Astir Squadron. If you enjoy the show, consider supporting the TTRPG.  This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

Today, we're talking volatility with Kris Sidial, Chief Investment Officer at The Ambrus Group. His funds' primary objective is to make outsized returns in the event of a market crash, and it therefore serves as a portfolio hedge for investors with heavily weighted long exposure. Kris tells of his prop trading roots, before going on to explain the long vol trade and positioning to profit from tail risk events. He also speaks to the other side of the equation; generating absolute returns in the meantime, via active trading strategies. There's a lot to unpack here, but Kris does a tremendous job in explaining strategies and risk management approaches that'll leave you with ideas to ponder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices