Vinodh Bhat

youtu.be/hYTIs1epD0A?is=X547… Laughed out loud several times during @nbcsnl after a very long time! Weekend update was next level.

One thing that continues to stand out about Snap: @evanspiegel seems genuinely obsessed with building a great product experience for users, not just optimizing near-term financials. Yes, 12 years investing in Specs is objectively a long time. But the world may finally be catching up to the vision: a) the enabling technologies especially generative AI + hardware miniaturization are finally arriving b) vertical integration gives Snap unusually tight control over the end-user experience c) integrated hardware/software platforms are dramatically harder to copy than standalone app features (many of which competitors cloned from Snap over the years!) The market also may be underestimating the strategic value of 25MM+ paying subscribers across Snap+ and related offerings. That’s not just “subscription revenue”... it’s proof a meaningful segment of users is willing to directly pay for a unique product experience. And frankly, for competitive reasons, I wouldn’t disclose churn rates either. Financially, the 1K layoffs should materially reduce stock-based compensation pressure. Hopefully compensation increasingly shifts toward cash-based incentives tied to durable operating performance and free cash flow generation. And for financial analysts modeling the business: try adding back the quarterly Specs R&D spend to better understand the underlying economics of Snap’s core platform today. Specs are not ordinary operating expenses. They are a long-duration strategic investment that could create entirely new revenue streams and margin pools in the future, while strengthening a moat. One final thought for activists: if you engage with management, try to add value. Great founder-led companies are often built through long-duration conviction that looks irrational before it looks obvious. Being constructively challenging is useful. Being a pain in the ass usually isn’t. $SNAP

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. — Maya Angelou via the 5-Bullet Friday newsletter (tim.blog/fbf) from @tferriss

I played a lot of tennis in September, and one match in particular taught me a lesson I didn’t expect. That day, I played terribly. Not because my opponent overpowered me, but because of something embarrassingly small: my cotton t-shirt. It was drenched, clinging, heavy. Every point I felt its drag—a tug here, a sticky patch there. I wasn’t playing tennis, I was managing discomfort. The next week, I made one tiny change: I wore a @Nike Dri-Fit shirt. That’s it. No new racket. No new strategy. Just a better shirt. Suddenly, I wasn’t distracted. I wasn’t fussing with fabric or weighed down by sweat. I could just play. The game felt lighter, freer, more fun. I played some of my best tennis. The lesson wasn’t really about clothing—it was about friction. One subtle distraction was enough to limit my performance. Removing that distraction unlocked focus, flow, and joy. This is exactly how improvement in business works. We often assume progress requires a massive leap: a bold new strategy, a complete overhaul, a “10x” innovation. But sometimes, the breakthrough is far smaller. It’s about noticing the friction we’ve grown accustomed to—the meeting that always runs too long, the tool that constantly crashes, the process everyone secretly hates. Each one is a sweaty cotton t-shirt. The problem is, we adapt. We normalize the drag. We compensate for it day after day, thinking that’s just the cost of doing business. Until one day, we make the smallest of changes—a new tool, a clearer process, a faster decision—and suddenly realize how much lighter everything feels. Focus is an underrated competitive advantage. When your mind is free to lock fully onto the work itself—not the distractions, not the annoyances—the quality of your output transforms. It feels less like grinding effort, more like flow. So now I'm going to ask myself regularly: what’s my cotton t-shirt right now? What small, fixable friction is weighing me down? And what’s my Dri-Fit—my simple switch that could remove the drag and unlock better performance? On the court, it made tennis more enjoyable and let me play to my potential. In business, it can mean the difference between constant firefighting and sustained excellence. Sometimes peak performance doesn’t come from massive breakthroughs. Sometimes it just comes from 'swapping the shirt'.

How many GPUs could be bought in the coming years? Well, how many networked neurons are in the human brain? Answer: 86 billion. There are 5 major frontier models - OpenAI/ChatGPT, Amazon/Anthropic, Google/Gemini, Meta/Llama, xAI/Grok - all racing to build super intelligence. The outcome is the ultimate human that has PhD level understanding of 10,000+ subjects that nearly everyone will have access to. Let's just say 5 of these companies have the cash flow to keep buying networked neurons. 86 billion x 5 = 430 billion. Nvidia sold 3.8MM Grace Hopper integrated data center GPUs in 2023, and data center revenue was up 217% 2024. Blackwell has been very well received in 2025. #LongWayToGo $NVDA

Last week, we witnessed something extraordinary: The Picture of Dorian Gray @DorianGrayPlay on Broadway. Sarah Snook didn’t just perform—she transformed. For two straight hours, she became every character on stage. A full-body, full-heart performance that somehow felt effortless and impossible all at once. One person carrying that much story, emotion, and intensity with zero breaks? Unreal. Dozens of voices, postures, and personalities, all pouring out of one person with unbelievable precision. Hilarious one moment, gut-wrenching the next. She shape shifted into every character on stage—switching voices, expressions, and energy like it was magic, all brought to life with her voice, body and soul. The show wasn’t just a performance..it was a masterclass in stamina, storytelling, preparation and total command of the room. While there wasn’t a big set or flashy tricks, the show’s use of technology and screens will set a new standard in live performances and storytelling. We walked in expecting a play and left feeling in awe, like we witnessed something extremely rare. Sarah Snook is in a league of her own and a generational talent.

Words to live by, from Pope Francis: “Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is…life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you.”

Congrats @sriramk! Excited for the sustainable productivity your work will unleash.

For those still traumatized by the SAT verbal: Restaurants : DoorDash :: Books : Amazon Why? -Product created from true customer obsession -First category is the lowest common denominator with tremendous variation -New innovation come from solving observed problems while executing above The question is, what is their AWS? -Dashmart -Doubledash -??? $DASH

I recently had the chance to play tennis on the iconic US Open courts in Flushing. Swinging a racket where the best in the world compete was surreal. The setting was inspiring, but let’s just say the scorecard wasn’t in my favor that day—bagels may have been involved (IYKYK). My opponent, a master of consistency, taught me a humbling lesson. He did not overpower me; he didn’t need to. Rarely did he hit out, into the net, or double fault. His game was all about pace, placement, and relentless precision. Sure, I had many flashes of brilliance—overhead winners, blazing shots down the line—but I couldn’t replicate them point after point. Key takeaways from the court that apply to business and life: 1- Consistency outlasts intermittent brilliance. 2- Consistency is built on preparation (physical conditioning and mental preparation). 3- Deliberate practice matters—practicing the wrong thing consistently only reinforces bad habits. Sustained excellence comes from showing up, doing the work, and refining the right skills.

Enjoyed an unusually warm day of doubles tennis in New York yesterday! A flip of the racket decided our sides—and left me staring straight into the sun every time I had to serve. At first, I really struggled, squinting against the glare and had to grab my sunglasses for help. But then I let go, trusted the rhythm I'd practiced countless times, and found my stride. Key lessons: -Play the hand you're dealt and don’t overthink it. -Adapt to circumstances with the tools you’ve got. -Trust yourself to navigate obstacles in front of you—you’ll find a way.

Congrats @anandc! Excited for your next play and @generalcatalyst is lucky to have you on board.

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” Take a moment to reflect on the courage, character and strength of Martin Luther King every day.

Thank you @BarackObama for your inspirational leadership: link.medium.com/kSWNYb8SX6. Your perspective helps process a difficult time and most importantly gives us all solid recommendations on what to do next. cc: @kalpbeee

Completely floored by a phenomenal performance by @Jeff_Daniels and crew and writing by Aaron Sorkin. Only this combination of talent could update a timeless classic #ToKillaMockingbird for today’s world. #amazed #inspired

Congrats @devaraj1!!

Thank you @FastCompany for recognizing both the high tech and high touch innovation by the global team @JioSaavn!

Enjoyed it brother! Always good to chat with you.

Had the pleasure of interviewing the most wonderful Anupama Chopra at the MMA India Forum. If you want to be inspired, learn from creators of culture, and laugh out loud, you must check out her show Take 2 with @AnupamaChopra and @RajeevMasand on @Saavn bit.ly/2OrlzL0